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Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)

Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings	Third Year of the Triennial Reading Cycle
1 Adar 25, 5782 /  February 25 -26, 2022	Seventh Year of the Shmita Cycle

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Roll of Honor:

This Commentary comes out weekly and on the festivals thanks to the great generosity of:

His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah

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Her Excellency Giberet Leah bat Sarah & beloved mother

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Her Excellency Giberet Prof. Dr. Emunah bat Sarah & beloved family

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His Excellency Adon Shlomoh ben Abraham

His Excellency Adon Ya’aqob ben David

For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that GOD’s richest blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael and her Torah Scholars, amen ve amen!

Also, a great thank you and great blessings be upon all who send comments to the list about the contents and commentary of the weekly Torah Seder and allied topics.

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Blessings Before Torah Study

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us through Your commandments, and commanded us to actively study Torah. Amen!

Please Ha-Shem, our GOD, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and our offspring, and our offspring's offspring, and all the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your delight. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel. Amen!

Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our GOD, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations, and gave us the Torah. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!

Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a Commandment. "Speak to Aaron and his sons, and teach them the following Commandment: This is how you should bless the Children of Israel. Say to the Children of Israel:

May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch over you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem make His Presence enlighten you, and may He be kind to you; - Amen!

May Ha-Shem bestow favor on you and grant you peace. – Amen!

This way, the priests will link My Name with the Israelites, and I will bless them."

These are the Laws for which the Torah did not mandate specific amounts: How much growing produce must be left in the corner of the field for the poor; how much of the first fruits must be offered at the Holy Temple; how much one must bring as an offering when one visits the Holy Temple three times a year; how much one must do when performing acts of kindness; and there is no maximum amount of Torah that a person must study.

These are the Laws whose benefits a person can often enjoy even in this world, even though the primary reward is in the Next World: They are: Honoring one's father and mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance at the place of Torah study -- morning and night; showing hospitality to guests; visiting the sick; providing for the financial needs of a bride; escorting the dead; being very engrossed in prayer; bringing peace between two people, and between husband and wife; but the study of Torah is as great as all of them together. Amen!

We pray for our beloved Hakham His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Yosef ben Haggai. Mi Sheberach…He who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Aaron, David, and Solomon, may He bless and heal the sick person HE Rabbi Dr. Yosef ben Haggai, May the Holy One, Blessed is He, be filled with compassion for him to restore his health, to heal him, to strengthen him, and to revivify him. And may He send him speedily a complete recovery from heaven, among the other sick people of Yisrael, a recovery of the body and a recovery of the spirit, swiftly and soon, and we will say amen ve amen!

A Prayer for Israel

Our Father in Heaven, Rock, and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the first manifestation of the approach of our redemption. Shield it with Your lovingkindness, envelop it in Your peace, and bestow Your light and truth upon its leaders, ministers, and advisors, and grace them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our holy land, grant them deliverance, and adorn them in a mantle of victory. Ordain peace in the land and grant its inhabitants eternal happiness.

Lead them, swiftly and upright, to Your city Zion and to Jerusalem, the abode of Your Name, as is written in the Torah of Your servant Moses: “Even if your outcasts are at the ends of the world, from there the Lord your God will gather you, from there He will fetch you. And the Lord your God will bring you to the land that your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it, and He will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your fathers.” Draw our hearts together to revere and venerate Your name and to observe all the precepts of Your Torah, and send us quickly the Messiah son of David, agent of Your vindication, to redeem those who await Your deliverance.

Shabbat Shekalim & Shabbat Mevarchim[1] HaChodesh Adar II

“Sabbath of the Sacred Half Shekels & Proclamation of the New Moon of Adar II”

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל
“HaSheqel Machatsit”	Reader 1 – Sh’mot 30:1-5	Reader 1 – Sh’mot 2:1-10
“half a shekel”	Reader 2 – Sh’mot 30:6-10	Reader 2 – Sh’mot 2:11-22
“medio siclo”	Reader 3 – Sh’mot 30:11-16	Reader 3 – Sh’mot 2:23-25
Shemot (Exodus) 30:1-38 + B’Midbar (Numbers) 28:9-15	Reader 4 – Sh’mot 30:17-21
Ashlamatah: Melachim bet (II Kings) 11:17–12:17	Reader 5 – Sh’mot 30:22-25
Special: Shmuel alef (I Samuel) 20:18,42	Reader 6 – Sh’mot 30:26-33	Reader 1 – Sh’mot 2:1-10
Tehillim (Psalms) 49:1-21	Reader 7 – Sh’mot 30:34-38	Reader 2 – Sh’mot 2:11-22
N.C.: Matityahu (Matthew) 17:24-27	Maftir – Sh’mot 28:9-15	Reader 3 – Sh’mot 2:23-25
	I Samuel 20:18,42

For further study see: http://www.betemunah.org/shekalim.html

Summary of the Torah Seder – Sh’mot (Ex.) 30:1-38

· The Altar of Incense – Exodus 30:1-10

· The Law of the Half Shekel – Exodus 30:11-16

· The Laver – Exodus 30:17-21

· The Anointing Oil – Exodus 30:22-33

· The Holy Incense – Exodus 30:34-38

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: Sh’mot (Ex.) 30:1-38

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
1 ¶ You will make an altar to burn incense. Make it out of Acacia wood.	1 And you will make an altar on which to burn incense of perfumes: of sitta wood will you make it.
2 It will be one amoh long and one amoh wide, it will be a square, and two amohs high. Its horn-like elevations will be of one piece with it.	2 A cubit its length, and a cubit its breadth; foursquare will it be: and two cubits its height: and its upright horns will be of it.
3 You will overlay it with pure gold, on its top, its walls all around, and its horn-like elevations, and make a gold crown-like rim all around it.	3 And you will overlay it with pure gold, its top, and its wall round about, and its horns; and make for it a border of gold round about.
4 Make two gold rings for it under its crown-like rim, on two of its corners. Make them on its two opposite sides. They will house the poles with which it is carried.	4 And two golden rings make you for it beneath its border at the two corners, you will make upon its two sides, to be the place for the staves by which it may be carried.
5 Make the poles out of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.	5 And you will make the staves of sitta wood and cover them with gold.
6 Place it in front of the parochet that is by the Ark of the Testimony, in front of the covering that is on the Testimony where I will meet with you there.	6 And you will place it before the veil, which is over the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, where I will appoint My Word to be with you.
7 Aharon will burn upon it incense of spices. Every morning when he cleans the lamps, he will burn it.	7 And Aharon will burn sweet incense upon it from morning to morning: when he orders the lamps, he will burn it.
8 And when Aharon lights the lamps in the afternoon, he will burn it. It is a continual incense-offering before Adonai for you generations.	8 And when Aharon kindles the lamps between the evenings, he will burn sweet incense perpetually before the Lord in your generations.
9 Do not bring upon it strange [unauthorized] incense; neither burnt-offerings nor meal-offerings. You will not pour a libation-offering upon it.	9 You will not offer thereon the sweet incense of strange peoples, nor offer upon it burnt offerings, or minchas, nor pour libations.
10 Aharon will make atonement on its horn-like elevations once each year. With the blood of the sin-offering of atonement, he will make atonement on it once each year for your generations. It is Holy of Holies to Adonai.	10 And Aharon will expiate upon its horns once in the year with the blood of the sin offering for an expiation: once in the year will he make atonement upon it on the day of atonement in your generations: it will be most holy before the Lord.
11 ¶ Adonai spoke to Moshe, saying,	11 And the Lord spoke unto Mosheh, saying,
12 "When you take the count of the B'ne Yisrael to determine their numbers, each man will give an atonement pledge for his soul to Adonai, when you count them. Thus, there will be no plague among them when you count them.	12 When you take the sum of the sons of Israel according to their number, they will give every man the ransom of their souls before the Lord when you number them; that there may not be among them the calamity of death when you dost number them. [JERUSALEM. When you take the head of the number of the sums of the sons of Israel.]
13 Everyone passing by to be counted must give this--- half a shekel based on the shekel of the Holy [Sanctuary,] where a shekel is twenty gerah. Half of such a shekel must be given as a terumah-offering to Adonai.	13 This valuation was shown to Mosheh in the mountain as with a denarius of fire, and thus spoke He to him: So, will everyone who passes to the numbering give a half shekel of the coin of the sanctuary: (a half shekel is twenty manin:) the half shekel is to be the separation before the Lord.
14 Everyone passing by to be counted, from [age] twenty years and older, must give a terumah-offering to Adonai.	14 Everyone who passes to the numbering, from a son of twenty years and upwards, will give the separation before the Lord.
15 The rich will not give more, and the poor will not give less than half a shekel, when giving this terumah-offering to Adonai to atone for your souls.	15 He who is rich will not add to, and he who is poor will diminish from, the half shekel in giving the separation before the Lord, to atone for your souls.
16 Take this atonement money from the B'ne Yisrael and donate it for the work of the Tent of Meeting. It will be a remembrance for the B'ne Yisrael before Adonai to atone for your souls."	16 And you will take the silver of the ransom from the sons of Israel and apply it to the work of the tabernacle of ordinance; that it may be for the sons of Israel for a good memorial before the Lord, as a ransom for your souls.
17 ¶ Adonai spoke to Moshe, saying:	17 And the Lord spoke to Mosheh, saying,
18 "Make a copper wash basin and its copper base for washing; and place it between the Tent of Meeting and the Altar and put water in it.	18 And you will make a laver of brass, and its foundation of brass, for purification; and will set it between the tabernacle of ordinance and the altar and put water therein.
19 Aharon and his sons will wash from it their hands and their feet.	19 And they will take from it for a cleansing ablution. And Aharon and his sons will sanctify their hands and their feet with its water;
20 Before entering the Tent of Meeting they must wash with water and they will not die, or whenever they approach the Altar for Divine service, or to burn a fire-offering to Adonai.	20 at the time of their entering into the tabernacle of ordinance they will sanctify with water,
21 They must wash their hands and their feet, and they will not die. This is a perpetual statute for them, for him [Aharon] and his descendants for all their generations."	21 that they die not by the fiery flame: and it will be to them an everlasting statute, to him and to his sons in their generations.
22 ¶ Adonai spoke to Moshe saying.	22 And the Lord spoke to Mosheh, saying,
23 "You will take the finest spices, five hundred [shekels] of pure myrrh, half portions of fragrant cinnamon, [consisting of] two hundred and fifty shekels each, and two hundred and fifty [shekels] of calamus spices.	23 And you also take to you the first aromatics, choice myrrh, in weight five hundred minas, and sweet cinnamon of half the weight, two hundred and fifty minas, and sweet calamus in weight two hundred and fifty minas
24 [Also take] five hundred [shekels] of cassia based on the shekel value of the Holy [Sanctuary], and a hin of olive oil.	24 and cassia in weight five hundred minas of shekels, in the shekel of the sanctuary, and olive oil a vase full, in weight twelve logs, a log for each tribe of the twelve tribes. [JERUSALEM. And you take to you the chief goodly spices, choice myrrh, in weight five hundred minas of shekels.]
25 Make it into sacred anointing oil, a blend made by a [perfume] blender. It will be a sacred anointing oil.	25 And you will make of it a holy anointing oil, perfumed with perfume, the work of the perfumer, of compounded perfumes: a holy anointing oil will it be.
26 Anoint with it the Tent of Meeting, and the Ark of the Testimony,	26 And with it anoint you the tabernacle of ordinance, and the ark of the testimony,
27 And the Table and all its vessels, and the Menorah and its vessels, and the Incense Altar,	27 and the table and all its vessels, and the candelabrum and its vessels, and the altar of sweet incense,
28 And the Burnt-offering Altar and all its vessels, and the wash basin and its base.	28 and the altar of burnt offering and all its vessels, and the laver and its foundation,
29 Sanctify them and they will become holy of holies. Anything that touches them will become holy.	29 and consecrate them, and they will be most holy. Every one of the priests who approaches to them will be sanctified; but of the rest of the tribes, (whoever touches them) will be consumed by the fiery flame from before the Lord.
30 You will also anoint Aharon and his sons and sanctify them to serve Me as kohanim."	30 But Aharon and his sons anoint you, and consecrate them to minister before Me.
31 Speak to the B'ne Yisrael, saying: "This will be sacred anointing oil to Me for all your generations.	31 And speak you to the sons of Israel, saying, This will be a holy anointing oil before Me unto your generations.
32 It must not be poured on the flesh of any man, and its formula must not be duplicated. It is sacred. It must be sacred to you.	32 Upon the flesh of man it may not be poured, and the like of it you will not make to resemble it; unto you it will be most sacred.
33 If a person compounds a similar formula, or if he places from it upon an unauthorized person, he will be cut off [spiritually] from his people.	33 The man who compounds the like of it, or putts it upon the unconsecrated who are not of the sons of Aharon, will be destroyed from his people.
34 ¶ Adonai said to Moshe, Take for yourself spices, stacte, onycha and galbanum, spices and pure frankincense. They will be of equal weight.	34 And the Lord said to Mosheh, Take to you spices, balsam, and onycha, and galbanum, choice spices, and pure frankincense, weight for weight will it be. [JERUSALEM. Balsam, spikenard‑myrrh, and galbanum.]
35 Make it into incense, a blend blended by a blender, thoroughly blended, pure and holy.	35 And confect therewith a fragrant incense, the work of the compounder, a pure and sacred mixture. [JERUSALEM. Commixed.]
36 Pulverize some of it very finely and place it before the [Ark of] Testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It will be holy of holies to you.	36 And beat, and make it small, and of it some will you put before the testimony in the tabernacle of ordinance, where I will appoint My Word to be with you. Most sacred will it be to you.
37 The incense you are making, its formula must not be duplicated for your [use]. It will be sacred to you for Adonai.	37 And of the sweet incense you will make, the like will not be made among you; it will be sacred to you before the Lord:
38 A person who duplicates this formula to enjoy its fragrance, will be cut off [spiritually] from his people."	38 the man who makes the like of it to smell thereto will be destroyed from his people.

Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan

for: B’Midbar (Num.) 28:9-15

RASHI	TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
9. On the Shabbat day [the offering will be] two yearling lambs without blemish, and two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering, mixed with [olive] oil, and its libation.	9. but on the day of Shabbat two lambs of the year without blemish, and two‑tenths of flour mixed with olive oil for the mincha and its libation.
10. This is the burnt-offering on its Shabbat, in addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering and its libation.	10. On the Sabbath you will make a Sabbath burnt sacrifice in addition to the perpetual burnt sacrifice and its libation.
11. At the beginning of your months you will bring a burnt offering to Adonai, two young bulls, one ram, seven yearling lambs, [all] without blemish.	11. And at the beginning of your months you will offer a burnt sacrifice before the LORD; two young bullocks, without mixture, one ram, lambs of the year seven, unblemished;
12. And three tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering mixed with the [olive] oil for each bull, two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering, mixed with the [olive] oil for the one ram,	12. and three tenths of flour mingled with oil for the mincha for one bullock; two tenths of flour with olive oil for the mincha of the one ram;
13. And one tenth [of an ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering mixed with the [olive] oil for each lamb. A burnt-offering of pleasing aroma, a fire-offering to Adonai.	13. and one tenth of flour with olive oil for the mincha for each lamb of the burnt offering, an oblation to be received with favour before the LORD.
14. Their libations [will be], one half of a hin for (a) bull, one third of a hin for the ram, and one fourth of a hin for (the) lamb, of wine. This is the burnt offering of each [Rosh] Chodesh, at its renewal throughout the months of the year.	14. And for their libation to be offered with them, the half of a hin for a bullock, the third of a hin for the ram, and the fourth of a hin for a lamb, of the wine of grapes. This burnt sacrifice will be offered at the beginning of every month in the time of the removal of the beginning of every month in the year;
15. And [You will also bring] one he-goat for a sin offering to Adonai, in addition to the constant (daily) burnt-offering it will be done, and its libation.	15. and one kid of the goats, for a sin offering before the LORD at the disappearing (failure) of the moon, with the perpetual burnt sacrifice will you perform with its libation.

Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu :   Sh’mot (Exodus)  30:1-38

1. When you take the sum of the children of Israel (Exodus 30:12). May our masters teach us: How many times each year did the Israelites bring their offerings to the Temple? Thus did our masters teach us: They brought them three times a year; on the first day of the months of Nisan, Iyar, and Elul. On the first day of the months of Nisan and Iyar the offerings for the Temple treasury would be collected and the priests would approach the altar to seek forgiveness for the sins of Israel with the shekels they had contributed. But why did they do so three times a year? In order that all the Israelites might be involved, throughout the year, in giving their contributions. Why did they begin to accumulate their contributions on the first day of Adar (actually the Sanhedrin would make the announcement on the first day of Adar), though they did not bring it in until the first day of Nisan? It was done that way so that the offering would not become an unbearable hardship for the Israelites. Hence, they (the priests) would remind the Israelites on the first day of the month of Adar (to prepare their offerings).

Solomon exclaimed: The way of the sluggard is as though hedged by thorns; but the path of the upright is even (Proverbs 15:19). Scripture is referring in this verse to the wicked Esau. Just as the thorns from a bush that cling to a man’s garment will cling to another part of the garment when he tries to brush them off, so the government of Esau (Rome), while still collecting a crop tax from Israel, would impose a head tax. And even before the head tax was fully collected, it would impose a levy for the care of its soldiers. The Holy One, blessed be He, did not do that: For the path of the upright is even, made level before Israel.

They announced (the obligations) on the first day of Adar, and then it was collected (by the priests) on the first day of Nisan. How much did they collect? A half-shekel (the head-tax for the Temple). And how much was it? It was equal to half a sela. They were collected only to make it possible to atone for the sins of Israel. They would purchase the daily burnt offerings with the contribution. Because the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that in every census Israel would take in the future, some of them would be missing (as a punishment for the census – since there is a prohibition against taking a census of Jews; see Yoma 22b and II Samuel 24), He ordained the shekel offering as a remedy so that it might atone for them, and no plague would befall them.

2. When you take the sum of the children of Israel (Exodus 30:12). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Your navel is like a round goblet, your belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies, wherein no mingled wine is wanting (Song 7:3). Your navel refers to the Sanhedrin. But why did they call the Sanhedrin a navel? Just as the navel is located in the center of a man’s body, so the Sanhedrin met in a chamber of hewn stone in the center of the Temple. Furthermore, just as the child, whose mouth is closed whilst within its mother’s womb, is sustained through the navel, so the Israelites were sustained only by virtue of the Sanhedrin. Hence, they likened it to a navel. The word round indicates that just as the navel is round, so the Sanhedrin sat in a semicircular room.

The meeting place of a Sanhedrin was called a sahar (“goblet”) because it resembled a sohar (“store”). For just as you are able to find whatever you need in a store, so the Sanhedrin decided what was pure and impure, fit, and unfit, permitted and forbidden.

Wherein no mingled wine was wanting. If one of the members of the Sanhedrin found it necessary to leave the meeting to satisfy his physical needs, he would first look about to see if twenty-three members were in attendance (the judicial court, also called a small court, consisted of twenty-three members; all had to be present at a trial). If there were, he would leave, but if not, he would not depart. Your belly is like a heap of wheat alludes to the book of Leviticus, which contains the means for attaining atonement for guilt and sinful acts. It holds (a heap of) sin offerings and a heap of guilt offerings. He placed in the middle of the Torah, with all its offerings (two books of the Torah precede Leviticus and two follow it), with all its offerings. In that way it resembles a heap of wheat.

R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: Why is it (Israel) compared to wheat? Just as wheat piles up when poured into a measure, so the elders, the students, the wise, and the pious increase in number when a census is taken.

Your belly is like a heap of wheat. R. Idi said: Is not a heap of cedar cones more beautiful than a heap of wheat? Why does this verse say a heap of wheat? They replied: The world cannot exist on cedar cones if it lacks wheat. Hence it says: Your belly is like a heap of wheat.

Set about with lilies. Does a man ever fence in his fields with lilies? Does he not normally fence his fields with thorns and thistles, with pits and thornbushes? What then is the meaning of Set about with lilies? This refers to numerous commandments that are as sensitive as lilies. For example, a man is extremely anxious to enter his bridal chamber, for no day is dearer to him than that day. It is the day in which he rejoices with his bride. What does he do? He spends a considerable amount of money to set up the bridal chamber and he comes to have intercourse with her. But if she says to him: “I have seen something like a red lily (i.e., like the blood of her menstruation), he draws away from her. He turns his face to one side and she to the other. What compelled him to turn from her? Was it a snake biting him, a scorpion stinging him, or a thorn between them? No, only the words of the Torah, since it is said: And you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness (Leviticus 18:19). Hence it is written: Set about like lilies.

They shall give (Exodus 30:12). Observe that Israel was so beloved that even their sins brought them considerable benefit. If their sins could do that, how much more so would their meritorious deeds. You find that when Jacob sent Joseph to his brethren, they watched him approach and said to one another: Behold this dreamer comes. Come now, therefore, and let us slay him (Genesis 37:19-20). They hurled him into the pit and said: Let us eat and drink, and then we will kill him. After eating and drinking, they were about to say grace when Judah said to them: We are planning to take a life, yet now we would bless G-d. If we should do this, we would be blaspheming against G-d and not blessing Him. Because of this, Scripture says: And the covetous vaunts himself, though he condemn the Lord (Psalm 10:3). Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him (Genesis 37:27). (And they all agreed.)

And they sat down to eat bread (ibid., v.25). R. Judah the son of Shalum said: This is a notable instance of many sitting down together in unity, with a single thought in mind; to sell Joseph. Yet he fed the world for seven years, through two famines. If despite their sin he could feed the world and cause it to endure, how much more beneficial would have been the result if they had acted meritoriously. Similarly, observe what happened to the tribes in the chapter Shekalim, when they were permitted to atone for the incident of the golden calf. If the heinous sin they committed could lead to the performance of a worthy act, how much more so if they had acted meritoriously.

3. When you take the sum of the children of Israel (Exodus 30:12). R. Tanhuma the son of Abba began the discussion with the verse Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep (Ecclesiastes 5:11). They said to Solomon after he spoke these words: Surely you must be jesting, inasmuch as it is written concerning you: For he was wiser than all men (1 Kings 5:11). And now you say: Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eats little or much. Is it not a fact that anyone who is hungry because he ate only a little cannot sleep, while one that eats much sleeps well? He replied: I am speaking here only of righteous/generous men and those who labour in the study of the Law. For example, a man who lives only thirty years may have devoted himself from his tenth year to the day of his death to the study of the Law and the commandments, while another man who lives eighty years, may have devoted himself to the study of the Law and the commandments from his tenth year to the day of his death. You might say: Woe to the first one, who laboured only twenty years in the study of the Law, whilst the other devoted himself to the study of the Law for seventy years. Surely the Holy One, blessed be He, will give him a greater reward than He will give to him who laboured in the Law only twenty years.  Hence, I said: Whether he eats little or much. For the one who had devoted twenty years to the study of the Torah might well say to the Holy One, blessed be He: “If You had not removed me from this world in the prime of my life, I would have had additional years to devote to the study of the Law and the commandments.” Therefore, I repeat: Whether he eats little or much, the reward of one is equal to the reward of the other.

Then they said to him: You declared also that The satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. What can this mean? Certainly, it permits him to sleep. In fact, a man sated with food falls asleep more quickly than others. Solomon replied: I was speaking about those who possess the riches of the Torah and not material possessions. For example, a man who is distinguished and wealthy in the knowledge of the Torah will teach many students and disseminate his knowledge among the masses, and he is satisfied in his knowledge of Torah. And when he dies, the disciples he raised do not permit him to be forgotten. They sit and labour in the Torah, the Talmud, the Law, and the Aggadah, quoting the Law in his name and recalling him to mind constantly. They do not permit him to sleep undisturbed in his grave.

R. Simeon the son of Lakish, R. Akiba, and R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: His disciples do not permit him to sleep undisturbed in his grave, as it is said: Moving gently the lips of those that are asleep (Song 7:10). Hence, The satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. Similarly, Moses taught the Torah to the Israelites, trained them in the observance of the Law, arranged the order of the chapters of the Torah, and assigned the chapters to be read each Sabbath, on Rosh Chodesh, and on the holy days. And they call him to mind as they read each Torah portion.

With reference to the portion Shekalim, Moses had said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, when I die, I shall not be remembered. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Be sure that just as you stand here now, giving them the portion containing Shekalim, thereby lifting their heads upright (i.e., to be forgiven), every year when they read it before Me, it will be as though you were standing in that place and lifting their heads upright. How do we know this? From what they shall read concerning this matter in the verse And the Lord spoke to Moses saying: When you are lifting up the head of Israel (Exodus 30:11). “Lift up the head” is not said, but rather when you are lifting up (the future tense of the word “lifting” is used: “they will be forgiven.”)   

4. When you take the sum of the children of Israel (Exodus 30:12). Scripture states elsewhere: Many there are that say of my soul: “There is no salvation for him in God,” Selah. But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head (Psalm 3:3-4). R. Samuel the son of Ammi and the rabbis discussed this verse. R. Samuel the son of Ammi contended that this verse refers to Doeg and Ahithophel, who were masters of the Torah. That say of my soul suggests that they would say to David: Can a man who captures a lamb and then kills the shepherd causing Israel to fall before the sword gain salvation, since it is written: There is no salvation for him in God, Selah?

Then David cried out: But You, O Lord, as if to say, O You who are Master of the world, Your law agrees with them, for You said: The adulterer and the adulteress will surely be put to death (Leviticus 20:10). But are a shield to me refers to the merits of my ancestors. My glory indicates that You have restored me to kingship; and Lifter of my head implies that though I was guilty of murder, You permitted me to lift up the head, that is, to be forgiven through Nathan the Prophet, for he said: The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die (II Samuel 12:13).

However, the Rabbis held that this verse refers to the nations of the world. The idolaters are many (rabim), as it is written: The uproar of many peoples (Isaiah 17:12). They said to Israel: You are a nation that heard at Sinai: I am the Lord Your God, you shall have no other gods before Me (Exodus 20:3), yet at the end of forty days you said of a calf: This is your god O Israel (ibid., 32:4). How can they enjoy salvation, since it says: There is no salvation for him in God (Psalm 3:3)? But You, O Lord, are a shield about me suggests that Israel cried out: Master of the universe, do You agree with them, since You have said: He that sacrifices unto the gods will be utterly destroyed (Exodus 22:19)? A shield about me alludes to the merits of the fathers; my glory implies that You will cause Your Shekhinah to dwell in our midst when You said: Build Me a sanctuary that I may tabernacle among them (ibid., 25:8), and lifter of the head indicates that instead of sentencing us to destruction, You permitted us to lift up the head, that is, to be forgiven because of Moses, as it is said: You lift up the head.

R. Jacob the son of Yohai, in the name of R. Jonathan, explained the text: And man bows down, and man lowers himself (Isaiah 2:9). And man bows down alludes to the Israelites, as it is said: And you My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are men (Exodus 34:31), while man lowers himself refers to Moses, as it is said: Now the man Moses was very meek (Numbers 12:3). Moses cried out: Master of the universe, I know that Israel lowered itself before a calf, but I too lowered myself; will You not forgive them? He replied: You will forgive them. Hence: When you take the sum (forgive them) [“take the sum” (lit. “lift up the head”) is a Hebrew idiom meaning “forgive.”]

5. When you take the sum of the children of Israel (Exodus 30:12). R. Jonah began to discuss the verse For God is judge; He puts down one and lifts up another (Psalm 75:8). A Roman matron asked R. Yose the son of Halfta: “In how many days did the Holy One, blessed be He, create the world?” “In six days,” he replied, “as it is said: For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth (Exodus 20:11).” “What has He been doing since that time?” she queried. “He has been uniting couples and making one man wealthy and another poor,” he responded. Whereupon she retorted: “I too am able to do this. I have many slaves and maid servants, and I can couple them all this very night. What He has been doing since the time of creation, I can do easily in one hour.” “It may appear a simple matter to you,” he replied, “but to Him it is as difficult as splitting the Red Sea, for it is written: God makes the solitary to dwell in a house (Psalm 68:7).

He left her and went on his way. What did she do? She took a thousand male slaves and a thousand female slaves and had them stand face to face in two rows. This male slave, she commanded, will take this one as his wife, and this shall take the other, and she continued to do this until she had coupled them all on that one night. When they returned in the morning, one had lost an eye, another had suffered a head wound, and a third one’s leg was broken. One shouted: “I do not want him as my husband,” while another exclaimed: “I do not want her as my wife.” Thereupon she summoned R. Yose. When he came to her, she said: “I agree that your God is a God of truth, and that His Law is the truth, and that everything you have said is indeed so.” He said to her: “The Holy One, blessed be He, sits and joins them together even against their will. He binds a chain about the neck of one and brings him from one end of the earth to the other to couple him with his mate, as it is said: God makes the solitary to dwell in a house; He brings out the prisoners into prosperity (Psalm 68:7).”

What does bakosharot (“prosperity”) imply? The one who is not pleased (with his mate) weeps, the one who is pleased sings. Hence the word bakosharot (from beki, “weeping,” and shirot, “songs”) is used in the text. He causes one to ascend the ladder and another to descend. Thus, it is said: For God is judge; He puts down this one, and lifts up this one (Psalm 76:8).

R. Jonah of Bozrah and the rabbis disagreed concerning the meaning of this verse. The rabbis maintain that it refers to Aaron. Because of the word this (in the preceding verse) he was humbled, as it is said: And I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf (Exodus 32:24), and because of the word this he was exalted, as it is said: This is the offering of Aaron and his sons (Leviticus 6:13). R. Jonah, however, was of the opinion that this verse refers to Israel: With the word this they debased themselves, and with the word this they exalted themselves. With the word this they debased themselves in saying: As for this man Moses (Exodus 32:1), and with the word this they exalted themselves, as it is said: This they will give (ibid., 30:13). Scripture states elsewhere: Righteousness exalts a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34). R. Joshua said: Righteousness exalts a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people is indicated by the fact that when Israel sinned, the nations of the world turned against them and enslaved them.

R. Nahuniah the son of Hakanah maintained that Righteousness exalts a nation alludes to Israel, while sin is a reproach to any people is applicable to the idolatrous nations that sinned against Israel. From whom do you learn this? You learn it from Mesha, king of Moab, for it is said: Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master (II Kings 3:4). What is meant by a noked (“sheep-master”)? He was a shepherd, for it is said: And he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams (ibid.). What is meant by the wool of rams? R. Abba the son of Kahana said: Sheep. What did he do? He assembled all his astrologers and said to them: “I have a problem, tell me what to do. Should I wage war together with all the nations against Israel and exile them, or should I wage war alone against Israel so that the victory may be mine alone?” They replied: “Israel had a patriarch called Abraham who was given a child when he was one hundred years old, and he offered him as a sacrifice.” He asked them: “Was the sacrifice completed?” “No,” they answered. He replied: “He offered a sacrifice that was not completed and yet He performed miracles for them, how many more miracles would He have performed if the sacrifice had been completed. Now, since I have a firstborn son who will rule in my stead, I shall offer him as a sacrifice, and perhaps a miracle will be performed in my behalf.” Hence it is written: Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall, and there came a great wrath upon Israel (II Kings 3:27-28).

Homah (“wall”) is written here, since he prostrated himself towards the hamah (“sun”) (in performing the sacrifice). Forthwith there came a great wrath upon Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: The idolaters do not acknowledge My glory, and so they rebel against Me, but you, who acknowledge My glory, rebel against Me as well.

R. Mani stated: Were it not for the merit of Obadiah’s wife, Israel would have been exterminated at that time: Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha (II Kings 4:1).

R. Huna said: Whatever justice and kindness the idolaters perform is as dangerous to Israel as the poison of a serpent. From whom does one learn this? From Berodach, who would eat every day at the third hour of the day and would sleep until the ninth hour. Once, during the time of Hezekiah, he was allowed to sleep through the sun’s return on its track (According to II Kings 20 the sun was made to go backwards for Hezekiah). When he awakened and discovered that it was morning, he wanted to slay all his servants. He asked them: “Why did you permit me to sleep through a whole day and night?” They replied: “The God of Hezekiah is the greatest of all the gods in the world.” Then Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, King of Babylon, sent a letter and a present to Hezekiah (II Kings 20:12). He wrote: “Peace to Hezekiah the king, peace to Jerusalem, and peace to the great God.” As the scribes were about to depart, he became uneasy. He said to himself: “Did I not do wrong in mentioning the peace of Hezekiah and of the city before addressing the great God?” He arose from his throne, took three steps to recall the scribes, and wrote another letter to replace it. This time he said: “Peace to the great God, peace to Jerusalem, and peace to Hezekiah.”

The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to him: Because you arose and took three steps for the sake of My honour, I will cause three kings to descend from you who will rule from one end of the earth to the other. They were Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach, and Belshazzar. However, when these came to power they blasphemed, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, destroyed them and caused others to arise in their place. The rabbis said: Righteousness exalts a nation refers to the free-will gifts that Israel brought to the Temple. Therefore, He granted them forgiveness through Moses. And He said: When you take the sum.

7. When you take the sum of the children of Israel (Exodus 30:12). R. Yose the son of Hanina said: This verse indicated to him that in the future he would bring the first of the tribes to the Shekhinah. But which one was the first tribe? It is Reuben, as it is said: Let Reuben live and not die (Deuteronomy 33:6). This is what is meant by You lift up the head (rosh) of the children of Israel, i.e., he lifted up the first (rishon) of the tribes.

9. When you take the sum of the children of Israel (Exodus 30:12). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Take the sum of the children of Israel. He replied: My master, it is written: And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth (Genesis 28:14), and it is written elsewhere: And make your seed as the sand of the sea (ibid., 32:13), yet you tell me now to do this. He answered: If you want to know their number, you need only add together the first letter of the names of each of the tribes and this will give you, their number. The resh in the word Reuben stands for two hundred thousand; the shin in Simeon stands for three hundred thousand, the yods in the names Judah, Issachar, and Joseph total thirty thousand, the nun in Naphtali accounts for fifty thousand, the zayin in Zebulun’s name is seven thousand, the dalet in Dan is four thousand, the gimel in Gad is three thousand, and the alef in Asheris one thousand – totaling five hundred and ninety-seven thousand in all. The three thousand not accounted for were slain at the time of the episode of the golden calf, as it is said: And the sons of Levi did according to the words of Moses; and there fell of the people on that day about three thousand men (Exodus 33:28). Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: You are taking the count to learn how many are missing. R. Menahem said in the name of R. Bebai: This may be compared to a king who had many sheep. When wolves attacked and destroyed some of them, the king told his shepherd: “Count the sheep and find out how many are missing.” Likewise, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Go, count the Israelites, and find out how many are missing.

A census of Israel was taken on ten different occasions. The first occurred when they descended to Egypt, as it is said: Your fathers went down into Egypt with three score and ten persons (Deuteronomy 10:29). Again, when they came out of Egypt, as is said: And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men (Exodus 12:37). Once in the Book of Numbers (it was taken) with reference to the standards (Numbers 2:21); once with regard to the spies (Numbers 13); in the days of Joshua when the land was divided (Joshua 18:10); twice in the time of Saul, as it is said: And he numbered them with lambs in Telaim (I Samuel 14:4) and He numbered them with pebbles in Bezek (ibid., 11:8). What is indicated by the word Telaim? When they were prosperous, he counted them by means of their lambs (telayim), but when they were poor in deeds, he counted them with stones. What is bezek? It is a stone. He took a stone for each one of them and then totalled the stones. A census was taken in the days of David, as is said: Joab gave up the sum, the number of the people to the king (II Samuel 24:9); and again, at the time of Ezra: The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand, three hundred and three score (Ezra 2:14). In the time-to-come (a census will be taken), as is said: The flock shall again pass into the hands of Him that counts them (Jeremiah 33:13), and in this instance: When you take the sum.

R. Menahem said in the name of R. Bebai, in the name of R. Hiyya the son of Abba in the name of R. Eliezer the son of Johanan: It is stated: And the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea (Hosea 2:1). Why were the children of Israel compared to the sand of the sea? To inform us that just as a hole dug in the sand of the sea at evening time fills up again by morning, so the thousands lacking at the time of David would be replaced by the time of his son Solomon, as it is said: Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude (I Kings 4:20).

R. Eliezer in the name of R. Yose the son of Zimra: Whenever the Israelites were counted because it was essential to do so, none were lacking, but whenever they were counted when there was no need to do so, some were missing. When were they counted to meet a need? When Moses took the census. When were they counted unnecessarily? At the time of David. Then they shall give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord (Exodus 30:12). This occurred at the time of Moses: That there be no plague among them (ibid), but there was no plague at the time of David.

This they shall give. R. Menahem said: The Holy One, blessed be He, removed from beneath His throne of glory a coin of fire (the size of a half-shekel coin) and showed it to Moses. Then He said to him: This they shall give. That is to say, everyone who passes by as the census is taken shall give something similar to them.

10. This they will give, everyone that passes among them that are numbered, half a shekel (Exodus 30:15). Because they had sinned at the sixth hour [wordplay reading the word boshet (“shame, disgrace”) as bo shish (“the sixth hour”); thus, “The sixth hour came, they erected the golden calf.”], which is the middle of the day, they shall give half a shekel, which is six grammmata. R. Johanan declared: Because they had violated the Ten Commandments each one had to give ten gerah, which totals half a shekel. R. Simeon the son of Levi said: Because they sold Rachel’s first born for twenty pieces of silver and each one took a coin for himself, each one had to give one coin.

R. Judah the son of Simon stated: Moses heard three things from the lips of the Mighty One that confused and startled him. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exodus 25:8), he replied: Master of the universe, the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain You. He responded: Moses, it is not as you think. Erect twenty boards on the northern side and twenty boards on the southern side and eight on the eastern side and eight on the western side, and I will compress My Shekhinah and dwell within them; as it is written: And there I will meet with You, and I will speak with you (ibid., v.22).

Similarly when He said: Command the children of Israel, and say unto them: My food which is presented unto Me for offerings (Numbers 28:2), Moses called out: Master of the universe, if I should assemble all the animals and all the beasts in the world, they would not be sufficient for one offering, and all the trees of the world would be insufficient for a single fire, for it is said: And Lebanon is not sufficient fuel, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for bunt offerings (Isaiah 40:16). He replied: Moses, it is not as you think. You need offer unto Me but one lamb in the morning and not two, for they are not meant to be food and drink for Me. If I had food and drink when you were with Me on the mountain for forty days, would I not have eaten, and if I had food would you not have eaten? Only for a sweet savour, shall you observe to offer unto Me (Numbers 28:2).

And when He said: When will they give every man a ransom for his soul (Exodus 30:12), he wondered and said: Who is able to give a ransom for his soul, since it is said: No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him, for too costly is the redemption of their soul (Psalm 48:8-9)? He replied: Moses it is not as you imagine. This they shall give indicates that they shall give something like this. R. Huna said in the name of Rab: The Almighty, whom we cannot find out, is excellent in power (Job 37:23) implies that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not impose impossible burdens upon Israel. When Moses realized that he declared: Happy is the people that is in

such a case (Psalm 144:15) and Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob (ibid. 146:5).

Ketubim: Tehillim (Psalms) 49:1-21

Rashi	Targum
1. For the conductor, by the sons of Korah, a song.	1. For praise; by the sons of Korah; a hymn.
2. Hear this, all you peoples; hearken, all You inhabitants of the earth.	2. Hear this declaration, all peoples; give ear, all dwellers on earth.
3. Both the sons of "adam," and the sons of "ish," together rich and poor.	3. Even the sons of the first Adam, even the sons of Jacob together, righteous/generous and sinner.
4. My mouth shall speak wisdoms and the thoughts of my heart are understanding.	4. My mouth will speak wisdom, and the murmur of my heart is understanding.
5. I will bend my ear to a parable; with a lyre, I will solve my riddle.	5. I will incline my ear to a parable, I will begin to open my riddle with the lyre.
6. Why should I fear in days of misfortune? The iniquity of my heels surrounds me.	6. Why should I fear on the day of the visitation of evil, except that the guilt of my sin at my end will encompass me?
7. Those who rely on their possessions and boast of their great wealth,	7. Woe to the sinners, who trust in their possessions, and who boast in the size of their riches.
8. a brother cannot redeem a man; he cannot give his ransom to God.	8. A man will by no means redeem his brother, who was taken captive, by his riches; and he will not give to God his price of redemption.
9. The redemption of their soul will be too dear, and unattainable forever.	9. And he gives his glorious redemption, and his evil will cease, and vengeance forever.
10. Will he live yet forever and not see the Pit?	10. And he will live again for eternal life; he will not see the judgment of Gehenna.
11. For he sees that wise men die, together a fool and a boorish man perish, and leave over their possessions to others.	11. For the wise will see the wicked, in Gehenna they will be judged; together fools and the stupid will perish, and they will leave their money to the righteous/ generous.
12. In their heart, their houses are forever, their dwellings are for every generation; they call by their names on plots of land.	12. In their tomb they will abide forever, and they will not rise from their tents for all generations, because they have exalted themselves; and they have acquired an evil name upon the earth.
13. But man does not repose in his glory; he is compared to the silenced animals.	13. And a wicked man will not lodge in glory with the righteous/generous; he is likened to a beast, he is worth nothing.
14. This is their way; folly is theirs, and after them they will tell with their mouth forever.	14. This their way has caused folly for them; and in their end with their mouth they will recount their offenses in the world to come.
15. Like sheep, they are destined to the grave; death will devour them, and the upright will rule over them in the morning, and their form will outlast the grave as his dwelling place.	15. Like sheep, they have assigned the righteous/ generous to death, and killed them; they have destroyed the righteous/generous and those who serve the Torah, and the upright they have punished; because of this, their bodies will decay in Gehenna, because they extended their hand and wrecked the dwelling place of His Presence.
16. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall take me forever.	16. David said in the spirit of prophecy, "Truly God will redeem my soul from the judgment of Gehenna, for He will teach me His Torah forever."
17. Fear not when a man becomes rich, when the honor of his house increases,	17. About Korah and his party he prophesied and said, "Do not fear, Moses, because Korah, the man of dispute, has become rich, because the glory of his house will increase."
18. For he will not take anything in his death; his glory will not ascend after him.	18. For in his death he will keep nothing, his glory will not descend after him.
19. Because in his lifetime he blesses himself, but [all] will praise you, for you will benefit yourself.	19. For the soul of Moses during his life will bless You; and the righteous/generous will thank You, for You are good to those who worship in Your presence.
20. You shall come to the generation of his forefathers; to eternity they will not see light.	20. The memory of the righteous/generous will come to the generation of their fathers; but the wicked will not see light forever and ever.
21. Man is in his glory but he does not understand; he is compared to the silenced animals.	21. The sinful man, when he is in honor, will have no insight; and when his honor is taken from him, he becomes like a beast and worth nothing.

Rashi’s Commentary for: Tehillim (Psalms) 49:1-21

2 Hear this, all you peoples Because this psalm is based on people who rely on their riches, he says, “all you peoples,” for they all require admonition.

earth Heb. חלוד. That [term] is [used to describe] the earth because it is old and rusty (חלודה), rodile in Old French, rust, rouille in modern French. But our Sages explained that it is because of the weasel (חֻלְדָה), which frequents the dry land but is not found in the sea, for the Rabbis taught (Hul. 127a): Whatever is on the dry land is found in the sea, except the weasel.

3 Both the sons of “adam” The sons of Abraham, who was called (Josh. 14:15): “the greatest man (האדם) among the giants”; the sons of Ishmael and the sons of Keturah.

and the sons of “ish” The sons of Noah, who was called (Gen. 6:9): “a righteous man (איש צדיק).”

4 and the thoughts of my heart are understanding the thoughts of my heart are understanding.

5 I will bend my ear to a parable to the words of Torah, which is called (I Sam. 24:13), “the parable of the Ancient One.”

I will solve this my riddle for you with a lyre. And this is the riddle: Why must I fear in days of misfortune, on the day of the visitation for iniquity? Because the iniquity of my heels surrounds me. The iniquities that I tread with my heels, that I treat lightly, that I view as minor sins they condemn me in judgment, and surely the wealthy.

7 Those who rely on their possessions of what use is their money? Is it not so that...

8 A brother cannot ransom his brother with money because the ransom of their soul is dearer than any possession. Therefore, perforce, his redemption is forever unattainable.

9 will be too dear that he will live forever and not see the Pit. Menachem (p. 158) associated it as an expression of withholding, as (Isa. 13:12): “I will make mortal man dearer (אוקיר) than fine gold”; (Lev. 26:21), “I will go with them with wrath of withdrawal (קיר) ” i.e., the ransom of their soul will be withheld.

11 For he sees that wise men die and are not saved from death. So, perforce, he stops wearying himself and toiling for his brother’s ransom.

their possessions Heb. חילם, their money. Death is mentioned in reference to the wise men, because in this world they die only in the body, whereas concerning the fool and the boorish man, perishing is mentioned, because both body and soul perish.

12 In their heart, their houses are forever Their thoughts are to build for themselves houses that will exist forever.

they call by their names their houses that they build so that they will have a memorial. (Gen. 4:17): “and named the city after his son Enoch.” Antiochus built Antioch; Seleucus built Seleucia.

13 in his glory Heb. ביקר, an expression of glory and majesty.

he is compared Heb. נמשל, an expression of a parable (משל).

silenced Heb. נדמו, an expression of silence.

14 folly Heb. כסל, madness.

and after them they will tell with their mouth forever and those who come after them will speak of them and tell with their mouth what happened to the earlier ones.

will tell Heb. ירצו, an expression of narration, retreyront in Old French, But our Sages (Shab. 32b) explained: This is the way of the wicked: they perish in the end but כֶסֶל is theirs. They have fat on their flanks (כסליהם), which covers their kidneys, and they [their kidneys] do not advise them to repent of their evil. Perhaps you will say that it is forgetfulness, that they have forgotten that ultimately, they will die? Scripture therefore states: and their end they tell with their mouth, i.e., the day of their end is constantly in their mouth and they are not afraid of it.

15 Like sheep, they are destined to the grave Like sheep that are gathered to the shed, so are they into the grave.

they are destined Heb. שתו. The “tav” is punctuated with a “dagesh,” in place of the second “tav.” שּׁוֹתתוּ into the midst of the foundations (שתותיה) of the nether world, to the lowest level. Likewise (above 73:9): “They have set their mouth against heaven,” is also an expression of foundations; they set their mouth in heaven; their slander.

death will devour them Heb. ירעם. The angel of death will devour them. Do not wonder about this expression of eating because we find elsewhere (Job 18:13): “the prince of death shall devour his branches.” Another explanation: [It is] an expression of breaking, as (Jer. 15:12): “Will iron break (הירע)?”

and the upright will rule over them in the morning On the day of the redemption, when the morning of Israel shines, they will rule over them, as it is stated (Malachi 3:21): “And You shall crush the wicked, etc.”

and their form will outlast the grave the form of the wicked will outlast the grave. Gehinnom will end, but they will not end.

as his dwelling place from being a dwelling place for them. And the Holy One, blessed be He, takes the sun out of its case, and it will burn them up, as it is stated (Mal. 3:19, Ned. 8b). Our Sages, however, explained מִזְבֻל לוֹ to mean that because they stretched out their hand on His dwelling place, they destroyed the Temple (Mid. Ps. 49:3).

16 But God will redeem my soul But I, who have bent my ear to the parable God will redeem my soul so that I do not go to the grave, because He will take me in my lifetime to go in His ways.

19 Because in his lifetime he blesses himself the wicked man blesses himself during his lifetime and says, “All will be well with you, my soul. No harm will befall you.” But others do not say so about him.

but [all] will praise you, for you will benefit yourself But you, if you hearken to my words, all will praise you, for you will benefit your soul by straightening your way.

20 You shall come to the generation of his forefathers When you complete your days and die, you will come and see the generation of the wicked man being judged in Gehinnom, so that they will not see light to eternity.

21 Man is in his glory, but he does not understand the way of life is placed before him; if he follows it, he will be honored, but he does not understand the good [resulting therefrom].

Commentary on the Psalms

Tehillim (Psalms) 49

By H. Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David

The superscription for this this chapter of Psalms attributes it is authorship to the sons of Qorach. This is their concluding psalm where they show us how to view material possessions in light of our own fleeting lives.

Because this chapter of psalms presents this profound message, it is customary to recite this psalm after the prayers in the house of mourning, during the seven days of the shiva period, to emphasize the true meaning of life, and death. Psalms 49 is also the Shir Shel Yom, the song for parshat Shekalim. This chapter of psalms forms a fitting follow-on to psalm 48 which concludes with: “He will lead beyond death, to immortality.^[2]

Our second verse declares that this message is so profound because it is addressed to all peoples.

Tehillim (Psalms) 49:2 Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world, 3 Both low and high, rich and poor together.

Alshich differentiates between two ways of utilizing the ears. ‘Hearing’ is to hear from afar. ‘Giving ear’, is to hear a voice a very close range; by drawing quite close to the speaker in order to catch his low, intimate whisper.^[3] Those who have not yet been overcome by the lust for wealth, the ordinary people, require only a warning from afar concerning this evil. However, those who have already become infected with the passion for wealth, the permanent inhabitants of the decaying earth, require more vigorous advice and admonishment. Therefore, they are encouraged to ‘give ear’, to pay close attention.^[4]

Ibn Ezra tells us that, “This very important psalm, for it explicitly speaks of the light of the world to come and of the rational soul which is immoral. This thing which the psalmist will make known applies to all those who live, all those in whom God breathed the breath of life. The Psalmist therefore states: Hear this, all ye inhabitants of the world”.^[5]

The Midrash gives us some insight into the phrase ‘Hear this’.

But now see how great the reward is given for study of Torah. See how many good things are done for us on its account, for in “Hear this, all you peoples,” the word “this” clearly refers to Torah as in the verse: “This is the Torah”.^[6]

Ibn Ezra goes on to teach a couple of very important terms:  High = Bne Ish, and Low = Bne Adam. We will see these two terms repeatedly throughout the Tanach. The people of the land, the am haretz are termed ‘Bne Adam’. The royal men, the men of stature are called ‘Bne Ish’, or just ‘Ish’. The Targum pictures the Bne Adam as the Goyim and the Bne Ish as the Bne Israel. Our Psalmist will address both classes of men using a mashal.

Tehillim (Psalms) 49:5 I will incline mine ear to a parable (mashal - משׁל); I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

The term ‘mashal - משׁל’ and its cognates are used in v.5, v.13, and v.21. Clearly this word is significant in our psalm. Normally, a mashal is translated as a parable. To begin to understand the depth of this word, let me give an example of a mashal.

A Mashal

The spiritual world is a world of abstraction. We do not have the tools to grasp that world directly. The only way we can understand the spiritual world is by examining the physical dimension. This is the way of the mashal.

To experience a relationship with another person, we want to engage their soul, that which is inside. We are not looking to just relate to their body. Unfortunately, we cannot see the person, the soul; we can only see their body. We want to engage that aspect of a person that disappears a minute after they die. We want to engage the soul, which is the essence of a person.

The only way to access the soul of a person is through the physical body. This is a rather remarkable thing. For example, if I want to move an intangible soul, all I need to do is to lift a baby and put him in his crib. By manipulating the body, I have manipulated the soul. HaShem has created human beings with a faculty called daat (knowledge) which can be used to grasp things as they really are, as opposed to just grasping the physical. For example, we can engage in a conversation where we are “seeing” only the ideas and not the muscles contracting, the vocal chords vibrating, and the lips moving. Whilst these things are all surely present, we have switched to our daat and all we are paying attention to, is the concepts that are being imparted.

The classic way of engaging a soul is through speech. Speech is the most intangible physical reality that we can use as a tool to engage a soul. Speech allows us to transcend the body and connect with the soul inside.

Words, sound waves if you will, are the tool that we use to convey the most subtle of ideas and expressions, to the soul. Speech emanates from the head which is a picture of the Olam HaBa. Speech is a tool of the upper world. Its reception, hearing, is also a faculty of the upper world.

Using speech to engage a soul is not the same as having knowledge (daat) of a soul, but it is the primary tool for grasping this knowledge. Knowledge is something that we grasp with an inner faculty, which we acquire from speech and from the variants of speech such as gestures, tonal inflections, and other behaviors. We do not understand a person from words. We understand a person, despite the words, by using this inner faculty. Despite their clumsiness, words and gestures are good enough to tell us what is going on inside the soul of a person. They give us such a deep sense that we feel that we actually know that person, that soul.

Words are like a “body” which contains a “soul” hidden within. Daat, knowledge, is the “soul” which lives in the “body” of words. Words are just snippets of sound which we assemble into words, which we assemble into ideas, which contain a “soul”, within. This “soul” is just as intangible as the soul that lives within a body. Never the less, speech is the primary tool we use for understanding the soul.

Therefore, knowledge of a person comes only through using this faculty of daat, through movements of the body. Manipulation of the physical is the only tool we have for manipulating the spiritual world. What is amazing is that we do this task quite naturally. We do it without even thinking about it. However, we can only do this with people. We cannot do this naturally with a tree, for example. We cannot relate to the spiritual aspect of a tree in the same natural manner that we use to relate to the soul of another person.

HaShem gives us a gift that we can use to experience the spiritual world. He gives us one aspect or tool that allows us to make contact with the spiritual world. Without this gift, it would be impossible to grasp the aspects of the spiritual world. The purpose of the physical world is to teach us about the spiritual world. Therefore, HaShem gives us at least one physical tool to grasp the essence of each aspect of the spiritual world. For example, to understand death, HaShem gives us sleep in order to understand death.

Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, the student of the Gaon of Vilna, offers the following explanation of the connection between physicality and spirituality, in his work, Nefesh Hachaim:

Human beings discern physical phenomena mainly by utilizing the power of vision. Their eyes and ears are mainly employed to serve as gateways to ideas and thoughts. Stated another way, the physical world is a detectable reality that we actually see; our awareness of anything spiritual is in our thoughts expressed in the medium of concepts and ideas. We ‘see’ physicality; we ‘hear’ spirituality.

Let’s spend a bit of time to look at a few meshalim (pl. of mashal) so that we can drive this point home:

Traveling To See HaShem’s World

Why do we like to travel? Most folks will spend a year of planning to make a two-week trip. And they look forward to this trip all year. What does this teach us? From this urge to travel, we learn that our neshama, our soul, longs to move through this world to behold the wonder, the beauty, and the goodness of HaShem. The body thinks that travel helps us see and experience the physical world. The neshama wants to acquire the mitzvot associated with these new things. It longs to sing the praises of HaShem when it encounters His wonders.

The desire to travel is related to the desire to acquire “things”. Both men and women strive to buy things. This desire is due to the neshama’s desire to acquire the real goods, the mitzvot. This world is full of opportunities for the neshama to draw near to The Creator. The neshama longs for this. This gets translated in the physical world with the desire to acquire things.

If channeled properly, this desire leads us to beautify the mitzvot by buying a better kiddush cup or Chanukiah. It drives us to acquire things of the lasting value: The mitzvot (observance of the commandments). Following this path leads to fulfillment and a sense of closeness to HaShem.

As an aside, this idea helps us to understand why women are associated with shopping and spending money more so than men. A woman is built to convert the spiritual into the physical. She is built to convert potential into actual. It is her job to convert the speck of semen (potential) into a child (actual). She is built to spend money (potential) and convert that money into goods (actual). A good wife wants the things that build Torah in the world, whether through hospitality, through tzedaka, or other mitzvot. This is the focus we see in our morning prayers:

These are the Laws whose benefits a person can often enjoy even in this world, even though the primary reward is in the Next World: They are: Honouring one's father and mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance at the place of Torah study -- morning and night; showing hospitality to guests; visiting the sick; providing for the financial needs of a bride; escorting the dead; being very engrossed in prayer; bringing peace between two people, and between husband and wife; but the study of Torah is as great as all of them together. Amen!

This idea of spending money is a good thing considering what our Psalmist teaches about our wealth:

Tehillim (Psalms) 49:17 Be not thou afraid when one waxeth rich, when the wealth of his house is increased; 18 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his wealth shall not descend after him.

If channeled improperly, our acquisitions lead to a desire to acquire things for the comfort or pleasure of the body. Following this road will inevitably lead to a neshama that feels the lack. We must spend our money on the mitzvot and on the furtherance of Torah study; this is often the gift found in a woman of valor who wisely spends her husband’s money.

The less money you possess,

the more you want.

The more you possess,

the more you want.

In other words, our desire for money is extraordinarily powerful and relentless. This is why the Five Books of Moses contain nearly ten times more commandments about money than about food. It is as Solomon taught:

Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 5:9 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity.

Consider that money represent potential (to buy something, typically to improve themselves or their households), give it to charity, and to use it to change the world) and has no real value until it is spent. Since our wives represent the physical world and are drawn to the spiritual world, we can expect that they would be intensely interested in converting potential into actual in order to draw down the spiritual and elevate themselves. This is why wives typically love to shop and spend money much more so than their husbands.

Our psalmist speaks about spending our wealth wisely when he says:

Tehillim (Psalms) 49:11 For he seeth that wise men die, the fool and the brutish together perish,
and leave their wealth to others.

Tehillim (Psalms) 49:17 Be not thou afraid when one waxeth rich, when the wealth of his house is increased; 18 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his wealth shall not descend after him.

As the Ibn Ezra observes: Wealth only avails during one’s lifetime for it provides food and drink. Otherwise it has no value. This is the meaning of “Though while he lived he blessed his soul (v.19)”.^[7]

Thus, we can learn from our physical desires. From these desires we can discern the desires of the neshama. We need to focus our energies on acquiring the mitzvot and enjoying the pleasure that HaShem gives to those who seek Him and His ways.

Marriage – Longing to be one with HaShem

Marriage, the intense desire to unite and become one with one’s spouse, is a major driver in the lives of most young people.

Bereshit (Genesis) 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

The intimacy of marriage is the desire for two entirely different and opposite people to become greater than their separate parts. This desire bears fruit in the birth of a child.

The act of becoming one with another neshama by engaging in physical intimacy is well known. What most people fail to realize is that this desire for physical intimacy was given as a mashal for the neshama’s desire to unite and become one with HaShem. Though the neshama is different and opposite HaShem, never the less they can join as a husband and wife join. From the intensity of the human desire we can learn about the intensity of the desire of the neshama to unite with HaShem.

The less sex you’ve been experiencing,

the less you want it.

The more you’ve been enjoying,

the more you want it.

Since sex enables us to become one flesh with our beloved spouse, we would expect that we would find that connecting would cause us to appreciate what it is like to become one flesh, and so it is.

Further, the act of marriage is the physical activity which teaches us about the Olam HaBa. The sharp sense of arrival that is experienced in this act is the same sense of arrival that the neshama desires in the Olam HaBa. This pleasure is the pleasure of being THERE with no place else to go.

As a side note, the pleasure of a trivial game or a trivial conversation is also the pleasure of the Olam HaBa. This is the pleasure of not having an obligation to be somewhere or doing something. A game has no other purpose than to provide pleasure in doing nothing. Chazal teach that this is HaShem’s pleasure. They teach that HaShem is playing with His Torah.^[11] Playing a game is a mashal for the pleasure of the Olam HaBa.

A Convert

Avraham ben Avraham, the famous Ger Tzadik {the Righteous Convert} revealed an insight into seeing through the external to the very core of a matter. He was the son of a wealthy Polish feudal lord who was being groomed to be a priest. He was drawn to Judaism and ultimately converted. Out of fear of the brutal Inquisition, he was learning secretly while hiding in a small town in Lithuania.

The forces of the Inquisition ultimately caught up with him there and he was taken to Vilna where he was imprisoned. He was given the choice to either renounce his Judaism by returning to Christianity or to be burned at the stake. With all of their threats and tortures, he steadfastly refused to utter a word against Judaism. As they were taking him to be killed, the guards said to him: “Here in this world we are punishing you but in the next world you’ll have your chance to avenge us.”

The Ger Tzadik turned to his oppressors with a serene smile. “I’ll tell you a story that happened to me when I was a young boy. I used to play with the children of the serfs on my father’s estate. One day, after hours of work, I had shaped clay into men-shaped figurines and had placed them around the garden. As the farmer’s children came through with their thick boots, they trampled and destroyed these figurines. In a fit of rage, I ran to my father demanding that he severely punish these boys. Not only didn’t my father get angry at the boys, but he chastised me for taking such nonsense so seriously. I thought to myself that now I’m young and not in a position to make them pay for their crime, but once I get older and have some power, then I’ll make them regret what they did to me. However, once I got older and I was in power, do you think that I seriously considered punishing them? What did they do to me? All they did was smash figures made of clay.”

The Ger Tzadik then turned to his oppressors. “Do you think that once I’ve obtained the clarity of the next world, I’ll want to take revenge against you? What are you going to do to me? Smash my body? A figure of clay...”

He was not fooled by the exterior; he had become a true dwelling place for the Shechinah.

The Chimp and I

Most human activities can be located along an imaginary line anchored at one end by “Spiritual“ and at the other by “Physical“. We’d put praying near the spiritual end; reading and music would be its neighbors. As the source of both sensual pleasure and new life, sex might be mid-spectrum, while eating and other bodily functions belong near the physical end. Where do commercial transactions fit? Is exchanging money for something we’d rather have a spiritual or physical action?

Scripture teaches us to ask this question. Genesis opens telling us that God made the firmament ‘...and called it heaven’ in Genesis 1:7-8 and that God decreed ‘dry land’ and ‘called it earth’ in Genesis 1:9-10. In that case, what do the words ‘…God created heaven and earth’ in verse 1 tell us that we wouldn’t have understood from subsequent verses?

Our Sages teach us that in the Torah’s opening verse ‘heaven’ means all things spiritual and ‘earth’ alludes to everything physical. The idea is that to understand how the world really works, we must know that God created all things physical and all things spiritual and we need to appreciate both.

One way of identifying a spiritual act is by determining whether a chimpanzee would understand it. When I return home and slump into an armchair, my pet primate undoubtedly sympathizes.  When I eat he certainly gets it. However, when I hold a newspaper motionless before my face for twenty minutes, he becomes quite confused. Reading tends spiritual.

We’re always slightly uneasy about pursuits with no spiritual overtones at all. We subconsciously superimpose spirituality to avoid being exclusively physical and thus animal-like. For instance, we apply ceremony to virtually all activities performed by both people and animals.

Only people read a book or listen to music, hence these activities require no associated ritual. On the other hand, most animals eat, engage in sexual activity, give birth and die. If we do not confer a uniquely human ritual upon these functions, we reduce the distinction between ourselves and the animal kingdom.

Therefore, we celebrate the birth of a child often by a naming ceremony; no animal does that. Even if our hands are clean, we wash them before eating. We serve food in dishes on a tablecloth rather than straight out of the can, although the physical, nutritional qualities have not been enhanced. We even say a blessing. This is a human, spiritual way to eat; dogs are quite content to gobble food off the floor.

After encountering an attractive potential partner, wise people do not proceed directly to physical intimacy. An engagement announcement followed by a marriage ceremony serves to accentuate that all-important distinction; no animal announces its intention to mate and then defers gratification for three months.

The more physical the activity, the more awkwardness and subconscious embarrassment surround it. Nudism is practiced with a certain bravado in order to conceal the underlying tension. Famous photographer Richard Avedon shattered a barrier by capturing images of people as they ate. Frozen in the act of chewing, humans resemble apes rather than angels. Similarly, we express a normal and healthy reticence about bathroom activities.  On the other hand, as purely spiritual occupations, reading and art evoke no discomfort.

Where on the spectrum do business transactions fall? A chimpanzee would not have the slightest idea of what is transpiring between proprietor and customer in a store. Economic exchange takes place only after two thinking human beings will it. The process must be spiritual. If we truly believe that, we should have no discomfort with buying and selling, whether our skills, services or products. Economic activity is another way in which we satisfyingly distance ourselves from the animal kingdom and draw closer to God.

The World of Illusion

We live in a world of physicality, a world of illusion. This world, with all of its processes, is given to us as a mashal of the higher world. We do not have a sense organ to discern and to understand the higher world. We do know, however, that this world is a projection of the real world. We can see this in the Mishkan that was to be fashioned according to the pattern of the Mishkan in the higher world:

Shemot (Exodus) 25:8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I show thee, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the furniture thereof, even so shall ye make it.

From the physical world we can see a mashal for the spiritual world. The spiritual world projects into the physical world like the projection of a film on a screen. What is portrayed on the screen is not real, it is just a mashal, but, it is good enough. If we study the mashal we can begin to understand the real, the spiritual, world. We will have the greatest clarity by examining the human body because it is created in the image of the Creator and is a very “high” structure to begin with. Ultimately, we should be able to examine a tree and discern it’s spiritual root. That is to say, we should be able to look carefully at every physical object and discern it’s spiritual root. When we can do this, then we will have mastered the world of illusion; we will have mastered the mashal. Once we have accomplished this, we will be able to see and live in the next world while we are yet in this world.

The human body has an additional mashal about HaShem. This mashal is based on our observation of the world. Our observation is that this world is composed of differentiated parts. We observe this same differentiation when we observe other human beings. They seem to be composed of parts: Head, hands, legs, etc. This is analogous to this world which seems to be composed of parts. HaShem seems to be composed of parts. Yet, we know that HaShem is ONE. That is our declaration in the Shema: HaShem is one! To understand this paradox, HaShem gives us a mashal in our own bodies that will help us understand this paradox.

When others observe us, they see parts. When we observe ourselves externally we see parts. However, when we grasp ourselves internally, we see only the totality. We do not grasp ourselves, internally, as a collection of parts. We see only… ourselves! When we use our intellect, or our creativity, we do not have the sensation of moving to another part. We have only the sensation of ourselves as a unity.

Our awareness of ourselves is always in totality. We grasp ourselves as a unity, not a collection of parts.

From this mashal we learn how to view HaShem as one. Since the whole world is nothing more than a manifestation of HaShem, we learn that despite the appearance of parts, this world is one as HaShem is one. Thus we can begin to understand a bit about the unity of HaShem by observing how we are unified to ourselves.

Conclusion

Wealth is an illusion, according to our Psalmist. All who trust in their wealth will find that they cannot take it with them to the next world. Those who have such a trust are like the worm on the hook of reality. They entice posterity^[8] to seek after wealth and ignore the Torah. Those who trust wealth will come to the judgment and be surprised at their own true poverty, their lack of Torah and mitzvot. This psalm comes to warn the world of this disaster at precisely the time when their dead are before them. These dead tell us of our own mortality and of the necessity to store up treasures in the next world. As the survivors stare at the wealth of their departed one, they are poised to truly hear and give ear. This message for the whole world comes to show us mashal about wealth and about life that we may change and seek HaShem and His Torah.

The Psalmist is giving a mourner’s message to Egypt as their posterity have just been given a death sentence. In His mercy, HaShem has the sons of Qorach provide this sobering commentary on our Torah portion, at just the time when we are most receptive.

Our Ashlamata also teaches us who own the silver and the gold (HaShem in v.8), and where we can go to obtain the true wealth of the next world (Priests in v.11). Let us heed the message.

Let us hear! Let us give ear!

Ketubim Mishle (Proverbs) 7:1-27

7:1 My son, keep my words, store up my commands with you.

7:2 Obey my commands, and live; guard my teaching like the pupil of your eye.

7:3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

7:4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister"; call understanding your kinswoman;

7:5 so that they can keep you from unknown women, from loose women with their seductive talk.

7:6 For I was at the window of my house, glancing out through the lattice,

7:7 when I saw among the young men there, among those who don't think for themselves, a young fellow devoid of all sense.

7:8 He crosses the street near her corner and continues on toward her house.

7:9 Dusk turns into evening, and finally night, dark and black.

7:10 Then a woman approaches him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.

7:11 She's the coarse, impulsive type, whose feet don't stay at home;

7:12 rather, she stalks the streets and squares, lurking at every street corner.

7:13 She grabs him, gives him a kiss, and brazen faced, she says to him,

7:14 "I had to offer peace sacrifices, and I fulfilled my vows today.

7:15 This is why I came out to meet you, to look for you; now I've found you.

7:16 I've spread quilts on my couch made of coloured Egyptian linen.

7:17 I've perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

7:18 Come on, let's make love till morning; we'll enjoy making love.

7:19 My husband isn't at home; he's gone on a long trip;

7:20 he took a bag of money with him and won't be back till the new moon."

7:21 With all her sweet talk she convinces him, enticing him with her seductive words.

7:22 At once he follows her like an ox on its way to be slaughtered; like a fool to be punished in the stocks;

7:23 or like a bird rushing into a trap, not knowing its life is at stake till an arrow pierces its liver.

7:24 So now, children, listen to me; pay attention to what I am saying.

7:25 Don't let your heart turn to her ways; don't stray onto her paths.

7:26 For many are those she has struck down dead, numerous those she has killed.

7:27 Her house is the way to Sh'ol; it leads down to the halls of death. 

Rashi’s Commentary for: Proverbs 7:1-27

2 like the apple of your eyes The pupil of the eye, which is like darkness, like the darkness of night.

4 “You are my sister” (Draw her near to you.)

a kinsman Heb. מֹדָע, a kinsman, as in (Ruth 3:2): “Boaz our kinsman (מֹדַעְתָּנוּ),” our close relative; i.e., draw her near to you always.

7 I discerned Heb. אָבִינָה, I discerned, and I saw.

8 next to her corner The corner of the harlot and of the pagan house of worship.

10 And behold a woman As its apparent meaning. Another explanation: One of the enticers.

the nakedness of a harlot Heb. שִׁית, as in (II Sam. 10:4): “their buttocks (שְׁתוֹתֵיהֶם) ,” i.e., the nakedness of a harlot.

with her heart besieged Heb. וּנְצֻרַת לֵב. As a besieged city is surrounded by bulwarks, so is this one’s heart surrounded by lewdness and foolishness.

11 and rebellious Heb. וְסֹרָרֶת, turning away from the road/walk.

14 I had to bring peace offerings I prepared a great feast, for today I sacrificed my vows and my peace offering.

15 and I have found you In order that I find you.

16 covers Heb. מַרְבַדִּים Garments of freedom and beauty; a similar term is found at the end of the book (31:22): “She made covers for herself.”

I have bedecked my couch Heb. רָבַדְתִּי, I have adorned.

with superior braided work of Egypt Heb. חֲטֻבוֹת, אֵטוּן מִצְרָיִם, praiseworthy, high quality linen garments coming from Egypt, where linen is common, as it is written in the Book of Isaiah (19:9): “And those who work at flax ... will be ashamed.”

braided work Heb. אֵטוּן.

17 I fanned Heb. נַפְתִּי. I fanned the scent as one fans with a scarf in a perfumery to bring the scent from above down below. Dunash (Teshuvoth Dunash p. 22) defines it as an expression of smoking, which he states has no comparison.

19 For the man is not at home You have seen that the Holy One, blessed be He, has removed His Shekhinah and has given all good to the pagans.

20 the bag of money He has slain the righteous/generous among them.

on the appointed day Heb. לְיוֹם הַכֵּסֶא. At the fixed appointed time, and similarly (Ps. 81:4), “At the appointed time for the day of our festival.”

21 She swayed him the one devoid of sense, to her.

with all her talk with which she is accustomed to familiarize men.

she entices him from the way

22 and as a viper Heb. וּכְעֶכֶס. This is the venom of a snake.

to the chastisement of a fool Like a snake that runs quickly as an agent of the Holy One, blessed be He, to chastise the fool who is condemned by the Omnipresent, blessed be He, so does this one run after her until he stumbles on her, and her arrow splits his liver.

23 as a bird hastens to run to a snare, and it does not know that the snare was spread out there for the life of the bird.

Ashlamatah: Melachim bet (II Kings) 11:17 - 12:17

Rashi	Targum
4. ¶ And in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent and took the officers of the hundreds of the mighty warriors and of the couriers, and he brought them to him to the house of the Lord; and he enacted a covenant with them, and adjured them in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king's son.	4. ¶ And in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent and took the chiefs of the hundreds for warriors and for runners; and he brought them in unto him to the house of the sanctuary of the LORD, and he cut for them a covenant and made them swear in the house of the sanctuary of the LORD, and he showed them the son of the king.
5. And he commanded them, saying, "This is the thing that you shall do; a third of you, of those who come on the Sabbath and the keepers of the watch of the king's palace.	5. And he commanded them, saying: “This is the thing that you will do. A third of you are coming in (on) the Sabbath and keeping the guard of the house of the king,
6. And a third in the Sur gate, and a third in the gate behind which was the gate of the couriers; and you shall keep the watch of the palace without taking your mind off it.	6. and a third at the gate of the protectors, and a third at the gate that is behind it, the gate of the runners, and you will keep the guard of the house from what is left over.
7. And two thirds of you, all those who leave on the Sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord, to [guard] the king.	7. And two divisions among you, all those going forth (on) the Sabbath, you will keep the watch of the house of the sanctuary of the LORD upon the king,
8. And you shall surround the king, each one with his weapons in his hand; and the one who comes within the ranks shall be put to death; and you shall be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.	8. and you will surround the king roundabout, each man with weapons in his hand; and whoever will enter to the inside from the ranks will be killed. And be with the king in his going forth and in his coming in.”
9. And the officers of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and each one took his men, those coming in on the Sabbath and those leaving on the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest.	9. And the chiefs of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and each brought his men, those entering (on) the Sabbath with those going forth (on) the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest.
10. And the priest gave the officers of the hundreds, the spears and the shields that had belonged to King David, which were in the house of the Lord.	10. And Jehoiada the priest gave to the chiefs of the hundreds the spears and the shields that belonged to King David that were in the house of the sanctuary of the LORD.
11. And the couriers stood, each one with his weapons in his hand, from the right end of the house to the left end of the house, before the altar and the house, surrounding the king.	11. And the runners arose, each man with weapons in his hand from the right side of the house unto the left side to the altar and to the house of atonement to the king round about.
12. And he brought out the king's son, and placed the crown and the testimony, and they made him king and anointed him: and they clapped their hands and said, "Long live the king!" {S}	12. And he brought forth the son of the king and put upon him the crown and the testimonies, and they made him kind and anointed him and clapped hands and said: “May the King prosper,” {S}
13. Now Athaliah heard the sound of the running people; and she came to the people, to the house of the Lord.	13. And Athaliah heard the voice of those ruling the people, and she came in unto the people, to the house of the sanctuary of the LORD.
14. And she saw, and behold, the king was standing on his stand as the custom was, and the officers and the trumpets before the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and sounding the trumpets; and Athaliah rent her garments and called out, "Revolt! Revolt!"	14. And she saw, and behold the king was standing by the pillar according to the custom, and the chiefs were with him.t" and the trumpets were before" the king; and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing on the trumpets. And Athaliah tore her garments and called: "Rebellion, rebellion."
15. And Jehoiada the priest commanded the officers of the hundreds, those appointed over the army, and he said to them, "Take her out to within the ranks, and anyone who comes after her, is to be slain by the sword," for the priest had said, "Let her not be slain in the house of the Lord."	15. And Jehoiada the priest commanded the chiefs of the hundreds who were appointed over the army, and he said to them: "Bring her forth inside from the ranks. And whoever will go in after her, let him be killed by the sword." For the priest said: "Let her not be killed in the house of the sanctuary of the LORD."
16. And they made a place for her, and she came by way of the horses' entrance into the king's palace, and she was executed there. {S}	16. And they prepared a place for her, and she went in by way of the entrance of the horses to the house of the king, and she was killed there. {S}
17. And Jehoiada enacted the covenant between the Lord and between the king and [between] the people, to be the people of the Lord, and between the king and between the people.	17. And Jehoiada cut the covenant between the Memra of the LORD and between the king and between the people to be for a people serving before the LORD and between the king and between the people.
18. And all the people of the land came to the temple of the Baal and tore it down, its altars and its images they smashed, and Mattan the priest of the Baal they slew before the altars; and the priest set up appointees over the house of the Lord.	18. And all the people of the land went into the temple of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke properly; and they killed Mattan the idol priest of Baal before the altars; and the priest appointed a guard over the house of the sanctuary of the LORD.
19. And he took the officers of the hundreds and the mighty warriors and the couriers and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and they came by way of the gate of the couriers to the king's palace; and he sat on the throne of the kings.	19. And he took the chiefs of the hundreds, the warriors, and the runners, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the sanctuary of the LORD, and they went in by way of the gate of the runners to the house of the king. And he sat upon the throne of the kings.
20. And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city quieted down, and Athaliah they had dispatched by the sword in the royal palace. {S}	20. And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was at rest, and they killed Athaliah by the sword at the house of the king. {S}
1. Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.  {P}	1. Jehoash was seven years old when he ruled. {P}
2. Jehoash became king in the seventh year of Jehu, and he reigned in Jerusalem for forty years; and his mother's name was Zibiah from Beersheba.	2. In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash ruled, and he ruled forty years in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother was Zibiah from Beer-sheba.
3. And Jehoash did what was proper in the eyes of the Lord all his days, what Jehoiada the priest instructed him.	3. And Jehoash did what was proper before the LORD all his days, whatever Jehoiada the priest taught him.
4. However, the high places were not removed. The people were still slaughtering sacrifices and burning incense on the high places.	4. Only the high places did not cease entirely; the people were still sacrificing and offering sweet spices upon the high places.
5. And Jehoash said to the priests, "All money of the hallowed things which is brought to the house of the Lord, the money of anyone who passes [the numbering], each one the money of the value of the people [whose value he vows to donate,] all money which comes upon a man's heart to bring to the house of the Lord.	5. And Jehoash said to the priests: "All the silver of the holy things that is brought to the house of the sanctuary of the LORD, the silver of the shekels that passes according to the number of men, the silver of the assessment of persons that they bring, each man the redemption of his person, also all the silver that each man volunteers in his heart to bring to the house of the sanctuary of the LORD,
6. The priests shall take for themselves each one from his acquaintance; and they shall strengthen the damage of the house, wherever damage is found." {P}	6. let the priests take for themselves, each man from his acquaintance; and let them repair the damage of the house for every place where damage is found. {P}
7. And it was that in the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, the priests did not strengthen the damages of the house.	7. And in the twenty-third year for King Jehoash the priests had not repaired the damage of the house.
8. And King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the priests and said to them, "Why are you not repairing the damage of the house? Now, take no money from your acquaintances, but give it for the damage of the house."	8. And King Jehoash called to Jehoiada the priest and to the priests, and he said to them: "Why are you not repairing the damage of the house? And now you will not take silver from your acquaintances; only you will give it over for the damage of the house."
9. And the priests agreed not to take money from the people and not to repair the damage of the house.	9. And the priests agreed not to take silver from the people and not to repair the damage of the house.
10. And Jehoiada the priest took one chest and bored a hole in its door; and he placed it near the altar on the right, where a person enters the house of the Lord: and the priests, the guards of the threshold, would put all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, into there.	10. And Jehoiada the priest took one chest, and he bored a hole in its lid, and he put it at the side of the altar from the right when a man goes into the house of the sanctuary of the LORD; and the priests-cashiers gave in there all the silver that was brought to the house of the sanctuary of the LORD.
11. And it was when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest went up and packed and counted the money which was brought into the house of the Lord.	11. And when they saw that there was much silver in the chest, the scribe of the king and the chief priest went up and tied and counted the silver that was found in the house of the sanctuary' of the LORD.
12. And they would give the counted money into the hands of the foremen of the work who were appointed in the house of the Lord; and they spent it for the carpenters and for the builders who work in the house of the Lord.	12. And they were giving the silver that was collected over to the hands of the workmen who were appointed over the house of the sanctuary of the LORD, and they were paying it out to the carpenters and to the builders who were working at the house of the sanctuary of the LORD,
13. And for the masons and for the stonecutters and to buy wood and quarried stones to repair the damage of the house of the Lord, and for everything which would be spent for the house to strengthen it.	13. and to the masons and to the stonecutters, and to buy wood and hewn stones to repair the damage of the house of the sanctuary of the LORD and for everything that might be paid out for the house to repair it.
14. However, there would not be made for the house of the Lord, silver pitchers, musical instruments, basins, trumpets, or any golden or silver utensils, from the money brought into the house of the Lord.	14. But there was not made (for) the house of the sanctuary of the LORD basins of silver, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, any vessel of gold and vessel of silver, from the silver that was brought into the house of the sanctuary of the LORD.
15. But they would give it to the foremen over the work, and they would repair therewith the house of the Lord.	15. For they were giving it to the workmen and repairing with it the house of the sanctuary of the LORD.
16. And they would not reckon with the men into whose hand they would give the money to give the foremen over the work, for they did [the work] honestly.	16. And they were not making an accounting with the men who were giving the silver in their hands to give to the workmen, for they were acting with trust.
17. The money for guilt- offerings and the money for sin-offerings would not be brought to the house of the Lord; they would go to the priests. {P}	17. The silver of the guilt offerings and the silver of the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the sanctuary of the LORD. They were giving it to the priests. {P}

Special Ashlamatah:  Shmuel alef (I  Samuel) 20:18, 42

18. And Jonathan said to him (David), Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be expected, for your seat will be empty.

42. And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, because we have sworn, the two of us, in the name of Ha-Shem, saying, Ha-Shem will be between you and me, and between my seed and your seed forever. And he rose up and went. And Jonathan went into the city.

Correlations

By: H. Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David

& HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah

Hebrew	English	Torah Seder Exo 30:1-38	Num 28:9-15	Psalms 104:1-35	Ashlamatah 2 Ki 11:17-12:17	Ashlamatah 1 Sam 20:18, 42	Proverbs 7:1-27
אָדָם	man, anyone	Exod. 30:32		Ps. 104:14
אֶחָד	once, one	Exod. 30:10	Num. 28:11
אִישׁ	man, husband	Exod. 30:12			2 Ki. 12:4		Prov. 7:19
אָמַר	say, saying, said	Exod. 30:11			2 Ki. 12:4	1 Sam. 20:18	Prov. 7:4
אֲרוֹן	ark, chest	Exod. 30:6			2 Ki. 12:9
אֶרֶץ	land, earth			Ps. 104:5	2 Ki. 11:18
אִשֶּׁה	fire	Exod. 30:20	Num. 28:13
אֲשֶׁר	where, in as much	Exod. 30:6		Ps. 104:16	2 Ki. 12:2	1 Sam. 20:42
בּוֹא	went, come, enter	Exod. 30:20			2 Ki. 11:18	1 Sam. 20:42	Prov. 7:20
בַּיִן	between	Exod. 30:18		Ps. 104:10	2 Ki. 11:17	1 Sam. 20:42
בַּיִת	house, home, holders	Exod. 30:4		Ps. 104:17	2 Ki. 11:18		Prov. 7:6
בֵּן	sons	Exod. 30:12	Num. 28:9		2 Ki. 11:21		Prov. 7:1
בֹּקֶר	morning	Exod. 30:7					Prov. 7:18
גָּדוֹל	great, high			Ps. 104:25	2 Ki. 12:10
דֶּרֶךְ	way				2 Ki. 11:19		Prov. 7:8
הָיָה	becomes, came			Ps. 104:20	2 Ki. 12:6
הִין	hin	Exod. 30:24	Num. 28:14
הָלַךְ	walks, go, come			Ps. 104:3		1 Sam. 20:42	Prov. 7:18
הָרַג	slain, killed				2 Ki. 11:18		Prov. 7:26
זֶה	this, which	Exod. 30:13	Num. 28:14	Ps. 104:8
זֶרַע	descendants	Exod. 30:21				1 Sam. 20:42
חֹדֶשׁ	months		Num. 28:11			1 Sam. 20:18
חָזַק	seize, repain				2 Ki. 12:5		Prov. 7:13
חָכְמָה	wisdom			Ps. 104:24			Prov. 7:4
יָד	hands	Exod. 30:19		Ps. 104:28	2 Ki. 12:11
יָדַע	know			Ps. 104:19			Prov. 7:23
יהוה	LORD	Exod. 30:8	Num. 28:11	Ps. 104:1	2 Ki. 11:17	1 Sam. 20:42
יוֹם	day		Num. 28:9		2 Ki. 12:2		Prov. 7:9
יָטַב	trims, throughly	Exod. 30:7			2 Ki. 11:18
יַיִן	wine		Num. 28:14	Ps. 104:15
יָצָא	paid, bring forth, come			Ps. 104:14	2 Ki. 12:11		Prov. 7:15
יָרַד	sank down, descending			Ps. 104:8	2 Ki. 11:19		Prov. 7:27
כִּי	when, because	Exod. 30:12				1 Sam. 20:18
כֹּל	everyone, all	Exod. 30:13		Ps. 104:11	2 Ki. 11:18		Prov. 7:12
כֶּסֶף	money	Exod. 30:16			2 Ki. 12:4		Prov. 7:20
כָּרַת	made, cut off	Exod. 30:33			2 Ki. 11:17
לֵב	heart				2 Ki. 12:4		Prov. 7:3
לַיְלָה	night			Ps. 104:20			Prov. 7:9
לָקַח	take, took, taken	Exod. 30:16			2 Ki. 11:19		Prov. 7:20
מֵאָה	hundred	Exod. 30:23			2 Ki. 11:19
מוֹעֵד	meeting, season	Exod. 30:16		Ps. 104:19
מוּת	die, death	Exod. 30:20			2 Ki. 11:20
מִזְבֵּחַ	altars	Exod. 30:1			2 Ki. 11:18
מַיִם	water	Exod. 30:18		Ps. 104:3
מִנִּי	than, among	Exod. 30:15		Ps. 104:12
מִנְחָה	offering	Exod. 30:9	Num. 28:9
מָצָא	found				2 Ki. 12:5		Prov. 7:15
מֹר	myhrr	Exod. 30:23					Prov. 7:17
נָגַע	touches	Exod. 30:29		Ps. 104:32
נָטָה	stretching, enticing			Ps. 104:2			Prov. 7:21
נֶפֶשׁ	soul, life	Exod. 30:12		Ps. 104:1			Prov. 7:23
נָתַן	put, pay, lift	Exod. 30:6		Ps. 104:12	2 Ki. 12:7
עֲבֹדָה	service, labor	Exod. 30:16		Ps. 104:14
עַד	until, forever			Ps. 104:23		1 Sam. 20:42	Prov. 7:18
עוֹד	still, while			Ps. 104:33	2 Ki. 12:3
עוֹלָם	perpetual, forever	Exod. 30:21		Ps. 104:5		1 Sam. 20:42
עַיִן	sight, eye				2 Ki. 12:2		Prov. 7:2
עַל	over, above, near	Exod. 30:6	Num. 28:10	Ps. 104:6	2 Ki. 11:18		Prov. 7:14
עָלָה	trims, prompts, rose	Exod. 30:8		Ps. 104:8	2 Ki. 12:4
עֵץ	carpenters, trees	Exod. 30:1		Ps. 104:16	2 Ki. 12:11
עֶרֶב	twilight, evening	Exod. 30:8		Ps. 104:23			Prov. 7:9
עֶשְׂרִים	twenty	Exod. 30:13			2 Ki. 12:6
עַתָּה	now				2 Ki. 12:7		Prov. 7:24
פָּנֶה	front, before, face, presence	Exod. 30:6		Ps. 104:15	2 Ki. 11:18		Prov. 7:13
פָּקַד	number, oversight	Exod. 30:12			2 Ki. 12:11	1 Sam. 20:18
צִפּוֹר	bird			Ps. 104:17			Prov. 7:23
קֹדֶשׁ	holy	Exod. 30:10			2 Ki. 12:4
rj;q'	burn incense	Exod. 30:7			2 Ki. 12:3
קִנָּמוֹן	cinnamon	Exod. 30:23					Prov. 7:17
ar'q'	called				2 Ki. 12:7		Prov. 7:4
רָאָה	saw				2 Ki. 12:10		Prov. 7:7
רֹאשׁ	beginning, census	Exod. 30:12	Num. 28:11
רֶגֶל	feet	Exod. 30:19					Prov. 7:11
שֶׁבַע	seven		Num. 28:11		2 Ki. 11:21
שָׁבַר	broke, quench			Ps. 104:11	2 Ki. 11:18
שׂוּם	appointed, makes			Ps. 104:3	2 Ki. 11:18
שָׁכַן	dwell			Ps. 104:12			Prov. 7:11
שָׁלֹשׁ	three, third		Num. 28:12		2 Ki. 12:6
שָׁם	where, whenever	Exod. 30:6		Ps. 104:17	2 Ki. 12:5
שֵׁם	name				2 Ki. 12:1	1 Sam. 20:42
שָׂמַח	glad, rejoice			Ps. 104:15	2 Ki. 11:20
שֶׁמֶן	oil	Exod. 30:24	Num. 28:9	Ps. 104:15
שָׁמַר	keep, guard				2 Ki. 12:9		Prov. 7:1
שָׁנָה	year	Exod. 30:10	Num. 28:9		2 Ki. 11:21
שְׁנַיִם	two, each, other	Exod. 30:4	Num. 28:9			1 Sam. 20:42
שָׁרַת	ministers	Exod. 30:20		Ps. 104:4
תָּמִיד	perpetual, continual	Exod. 30:8	Num. 28:10
rWz	strange, adultress	Exod. 30:9					Prov. 7:5
taJ'x;	sin offering	Exod. 30:10	Num. 28:15		2 Ki. 12:16
%s,n<	drink offering	Exod. 30:9	Num. 28:9
rb;['	pass, over, current			Ps. 104:9	2 Ki. 12:4		Prov. 7:8
ry[i	city				2 Ki. 11:20	1 Sam. 20:42
hl'[o	burnt offering	Exod. 30:9	Num. 28:10
hf'['	make	Exod. 30:1	Num. 28:15	Ps. 104:4	2 Ki. 12:2
lc,ae	near, beside				2 Ki. 12:9		Prov. 7:8
br'	many, much				2 Ki. 12:10		Prov. 7:26

Greek:

Greek	English	Torah Seder Exo 30:1-38	Extra Seder Nu 28:9-15	Psalms 104:1-35	Ashlamatah 2 Ki 11:17-12:17	Ashlamatah 1 Sam 20:18, 42	Proverbs Pro 7:1-27	NC Mat 17:24-27
ἀλλότριος	strangers, strange						Pro 7:5	Mat 17:25
ἀνοίγω	opens, opened			104:28				Mat 17:27
βασιλεύς	kings				2Ki 11:17			Mat 17:25
γῆ	land, earth			104:5	2Ki 11:18			Mat 17:25
δίδραχμον	drachmas	Exo 30:13						Mat 17:24
δίδωμι	give, appoint	Exo 30:13		104:12	2Ki 12:7			Mat 17:27
εἰσέρχομαι	entered				2Ki 11:18	1Sa 20:42		Mat 17:25
ἔπω	said	Exo 30:34			2Ki 12:4	1Sa 20:18	Pro 7:4	Mat 17:24
ἔρχομαι	come						Pro 7:18	Mat 17:24
θάλασσα	sea			104:25				Mat 17:27
λαμβάνω	receiving, take	Exo 30:12			2Ki 11:19		Pro 7:20	Mat 17:24
λέγω	saying, says	Exo 25:1				1Sa 20:42		Mat 17:25
πορεύομαι	gone					1Sa 20:42	Pro 7:19	Mat 17:27
υἱός	sons	Exo 30:12			2Ki 11:21		Pro 7:1	Mat 17:25

Nazarean Codicil:

Matityahu (Matthew) 17:24-27

CLV^[9]	Magiera Peshitta NT^[10]	Greek^[11]	Delitzsch^[12]
24. Now at their coming into Capernaum, those getting the double drachma came to Peter and say, "Is not your teacher settling the double drachma tribute?	24. And when they came to Capernaum, those who were receiving the two drachmas for the poll tax came near to Peter. And they said to him, "Does not your master give his two drachmas?"	24. Ἐλθόντων δὲ αὐτῶν εἰς Καπερναούμ προσῆλθον οἱ τὰ δίδραχμα λαμβάνοντες τῷ Πέτρῳ καὶ εἶπον, Ὁ διδάσκαλος ὑμῶν οὐ τελεῖ τὰ δίδραχμα	^24וַיְהִי כְּבוֹאָם אֶל־כְּפַר־נַחוּם וַיִּגְּשׁוּ אֶל־פֶּטְרוֹס גַּבָּאֵי מַחֲצִית הַשָׁקֶל וַיֹּאמְרוּ הֲלֹא יִתֵּן רַבְּכֶם אֶת־מַחֲצִית הַשָׁקֶל׃
25. He is saying, Yes. And, coming into the house, Jesus forestalls him, saying, "What are you supposing, Simon? The kings of the earth, from whom are they getting tribute or poll tax? From their sons, or from the aliens?	25. He said to them, "Yes." And when Peter entered the house, Jesus anticipated him and said to him, "What does it appear to you, Simon? The kings of the earth, from whom do they receive tribute and the poll tax, from their children or from strangers?"	25. λέγει Ναί καὶ ὅτε εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν προέφθασεν αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων Τί σοι δοκεῖ Σίμων οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς ἀπὸ τίνων λαμβάνουσιν τέλη ἢ κῆνσον ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτῶν ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων	^25וַיֹּאמֶר יִתֵּן וּבְבוֹאוֹ הַבַּיְתָה קִדֵּם אֹתוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ לִשְׁאֹל וַיֹּאמַר מַה־דַּעְתְּךָ שִׁמְעוֹן מַלְכֵי הָאָרֶץ מִמִּי יִקְחוּ מֶכֶס וּמַס מֵאֵת בְּנֵיהֶם אוֹ מֵאֵת הַזָּרִים׃
26. Now he averred, "From the aliens. Now at his saying "From the aliens, Jesus averred to him, "Consequently the sons, surely, are free."	26. Simon said to him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the children are free.	26. λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Πέτρος, Ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Ἄραγε ἐλεύθεροί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοί	^26וַיֹּאמֶר פֶּטְרוֹס אֵלָיו מֵאֵת הַזָּרִים וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ יֵשׁוּעַ אִם־כֵּן אֵפוֹא הַבָּנִים פְּטוּרִים הֵמָּה׃
27. Yet, lest we should be snaring them, go, cast a fishhook into the sea, and pick up the first fish coming up, and opening its mouth, you will be finding a stater. Getting that, give it to them for Me and you."	27. But so that [this] should not offend them, go to the sea, and cast a fishhook. And the first fish that comes up, open its mouth and you will find a stater. Take that and give [it] for me and for you."	27. ἵνα δὲ μὴ σκανδαλίσωμεν αὐτούς πορευθεὶς εἰς τήν θάλασσαν βάλε ἄγκιστρον καὶ τὸν ἀναβάντα πρῶτον ἰχθὺν ἆρον καὶ ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ εὑρήσεις στατῆρα· ἐκεῖνον λαβὼν δὸς αὐτοῖς ἀντὶ ἐμοῦ καὶ σοῦ	^27וְאוּלָם לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר־לֹא־נִהְיֶה לָהֶם לְמִכְשׁוֹל לֵךְ אֶל־הַיָּם וְהִשְׁלַכְתָּ חַכָּה אֶל־תּוֹכוֹ וְאֶת־הַדָּג הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר יַעֲלֶה שָׂאֵהוּ וְכַאֲשֶׁר תִּפְתַּח אֶת־פִּיו תִּמְצָא בוֹ מַטְבֵּעַ אוֹתוֹ קַח וְשָׁקַלְתָּ עַל יָדִי וְעַל יָדֶךָ׃

Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu’s Rendition

24 ¶ When they arrived in K’far Nakhum, the collectors of the half shekel (the Temple tax) came up to Tsefet and said, does your Rabbi (Hakham) not pay the half shekel (Temple tax)?

25 He answered, Yes.  And when he came home, Yeshua anticipated him with a question [about it], saying, What do you think, Shimon [HaTsefet]? From whom do kings of [the] earth collect taxes, from their own citizens or from foreigners [not of their own citizens]?

26 And when Tsefet said, from foreigners [not of their own citizens], Yeshua said to him, then the sons (citizens) are men of nobility? [Alluding to Purim and Pesach]

27 But, in order not to give offense, go down to the Kinneret and throw in a hook. Take the first (or, chief) fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find there a [whole] shekel. Take it and give it to them to pay the Temple tax for me and for yourself.

Hakham Dr. Yosef ’s Comments:

For the Midrash specialist, Hakham Matityahu (Matthew), the occasion for the collection of the Holy  Half Shekel brings the perfect time to explain the metaphorical meaning of this solemn Torah requirement. According to our Sages, the meaning of the Half Shekel is to teach us that personal Judaism is a lie, since Judaism is by essence communal, and therefore the Shekel is not complete until two Jews agree together to observe the Mitzvoth (commandments) and create a Jewish community.

The Master adds here a further and most profound insight. For our Master, a Jew has the unescapable vocation to become a Torah teacher. And therefore, he either earns a lot of money to pay yearly the half Shekel or he finds Torah Disciples from amongst the Gentiles who will pay the half Shekel for him. The waters here are a picture of the Gentiles and the fish is a symbol of a Gentile who has a calling to become a Torah Disciple.

There is in this narrative an expectation that the Gentiles who come to learn Torah will have in their mouth what is required to economically support his Torah teacher. If this is not the case, then it is obvious that the Gentile who is learning Torah is by his non-payment not partaking of the “sap” of the good olive tree. The Gentiles owe an immense debt to the Jewish people, firstly because it is through the Jewish people that the salvation of the Gentiles is achieved, second, it is through the Jewish people that the Gentiles can know the revealed will of G-d as is in the Bible. Thirdly, even to this very day, without Jewish Hermeneutics and Jewish Codes of Law, and Jewish Masters to teach it , it is impossible to fully perceive and understand the depth and great hidden riches of the writings of the Nazarean Codicil. For these three chief reasons, the Gentiles who come to adhere to the Master of Nazareth (the King of the JEWS) owe it to the Master to support Jewish Torah Scholars.

Therefore, in the grand picture of the Governance (Kingdom) of G-d, the commandment of the Half Shekel teaches us that Jews are to teach the Torah to the Gentiles, and conversely the Gentiles who are taught in the Torah are to support the Torah Scholar teaching to them as an outward sign of an inner work: - i.e., that he/she has been grafted into the Jewish Olive Tree and brought near to the Commonwealth of Israel.

Hakham Shaul, therefore rules:

1 Co 9:7 Who serves as a soldier at his own wages at any time? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock?

1Co 9:8 Do I speak these things according to man, or does not the Law say these things also?

1Co 9:9 For it has been written in the Law of Moses, "You will not muzzle an ox treading out grain" (Deut. 25:4). Is it that it matters to God as to oxen?

1Co 9:10 Or, does He say it altogether because of us? It is written because of us, so that the one ploughing ought to plough in hope, and the one threshing in hope to partake of hope.

1Co 9:11 If we (Jews) have sowed spiritual things to you, is it a great thing if we reap of your fleshly things?

1Co 9:12 If others have a share of the authority over you, should not rather we (Jews)? But we did not use this authority, but we endured all things, so that we might not give a hindrance to the Mesorah of Messiah.

1Co 9:13 Do you not know that those labouring about the holy things of the temple eat? Those attending on the altar partake with the altar.

1Co 9:14 So also the master ordained those proclaiming the Mesorah to live from the Mesorah.

And also:

Gal 6:6 But let the one being taught in the Torah share with the one teaching, in all good things.

But of course, this kind of discipline requires that the Gentile disciples walk in and according to Emunah – i.e., faithful obedience to the Torah. If there is no Emunah, then this and other Mitsvoth (commandments) of the Torah will very unlikely be kept.

Questions for Reflection:

1. After diligently reading and studying the different readings for this Shabbat what verse or verses especially touched your heart and fired your imagination?

2. In your opinion, and taking altogether our Torah Seder, Psalm, Ashlamatah and Nazarean Codicil for this Shabbat, what do you think is the prophetic statement for the coming week?

Blessing After Torah Study

Barúch Atáh Adonai, Elohénu Meléch HaOlám,

Ashér Natán Lánu Torát Emét, V'Chayéi Olám Natá B'Tochénu.

Barúch Atáh Adonái, Notén HaToráh. Amen!

Blessed is Ha-Shem our God, King of the universe,

Who has given us a teaching of truth, implanting within us eternal life.

Blessed is Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!

Next Shabbat:

Shabbat: “Az Yavdil” – Sabbath “Then set apart”

II Adar 02, 5782

Shabbat	Torah Reading:	Weekday Torah Reading:
אָז יַבְדִּיל		Saturday Afternoon
“Az Yavdil”	Reader 1 – D’barim 4:41-43	Reader 1 – D’barim 6:4-9
“Then set apart”	Reader 2 – D’barim 4:44-46	Reader 2 – D’barim 6:10-12
“Entonces apartó¨	Reader 3 – D’barim 4:47-49	Reader 3 – D’barim 6:13-15
D’barim (Deuteronomy) 4:41 – 6:3	Reader 4 – D’barim 5:1-18
Ashlamatah: Yehoshua (Joshua) 20:7- 21:8	Reader 5 – D’barim 5:19-21	Monday and Thursday Mornings
	Reader 6 – D’barim 5:22-24	Reader 1 – D’barim 6:4-9
Tehillim (Psalms): 112:1- 113:9	Reader 7 – D’barim 5:25 – 6:3	Reader 2 – D’barim 6:10-12
Mark 14:1-2: Luke 22:1-2	Maftir: D’barim 6:1-3	Reader 3 – D’barim 6:13-15

Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai

Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David

Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham

Edited by Adon Ovadyah ben Abraham and Adon Aviner ben Abraham

Please e-mail any comments to chozenppl@gmail.com

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[1] Shabbat Mevarchim (mevarchim means "they [the congregation] bless" [the forthcoming new month].

[2] The ArtScroll Tanach Series, Tehillim, A new translation with a commentary anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic, and rabbinic sources. Commentary by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Translation by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer in collaboration with Rabbi Nosson Scherman.

[3] See Devarim (Deuteronomy) 32:1; Daat Zekeinim.

[4] Ibid. 1

[5] Abraham Ibn Ezra’s Commentary On the Second Book of Psalms, Translated and Annotated by H. Norman Strickman.

[6] Devarim (Deuteronomy) 4:44

[7] Its meaning is: Wealth has no ultimate value even though one enjoys it while alive.

[9] CLV (Concordant Literal Version) as found in Rick Meyers (2009) E-Sword v. 9.5.1 - http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html

[10] Magiera, J.M. (2009), Aramaic Peshitta New Testament: Vertical Interlinear, Light of the Word Ministry, Vol. III.

[11] Greek New Testament (Stephanus Text) as found in Rick Meyers (2009) E-Sword v. 9.5.1 - http://www.e-sword.net/downloads.html

[12] Delitzsch, http://www.kirjasilta.net/ha-berit/