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| Torâh | Haphtârâh | Âmar Ribi Yᵊhoshua | Mᵊnorat ha-Maor |
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| Locust swarm, arriving in Egypt from Sudan (Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N., Rome, Italy; www.fao.org, 2004.03.02). |
An east wind brought the locusts from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kᵊna•anꞋ across the Red Sea into Egypt. The crops rotting in the fields, damaged by the severe hail storms, nourished record swarms.
Locusts differ from grasshoppers in that they have the ability to change their behavior and habits and can migrate over large distances'
The Desert Locust is one of about a dozen species of short-horned grasshoppers (Acridoidea) that are known to change their behavior and form swarms of adults or bands of hoppers (wingless nymphs)' Desert Locusts usually fly with the wind at a speed of about 16-19 km/h depending on the wind. Swarms can travel about 5-130 km or more in a day. Locusts can stay in the air for long periods of time. For example, locusts regularly cross the Red Sea, a distance of 300 km'
As Desert Locusts increase in number and become more crowded, they change their behavior from that of acting as an individual (solitarious) insect to that as acting as part of a group (gregarious).
 Locust, pink (Cairo, 2004.11). |
The appearance of the locust also changes: solitary adults are brown whereas gregarious adults are pink (immature) and yellow (mature). Up until 1921, it was thought that the Desert Locust was actually two different species of locusts'
The Desert Locust (Acrididae, Schistocerca gregaria, not all locusts or grasshoppers) is kâ•sheirꞋ. Although I can't bring myself to eat locust (nor do I know anyone who does) and I've seen no documentation of ancient recipes, the UN FAO (www.fao.org, Food and Agriculture Org. of the UN, Rome, Italy) offers several modern African and Asian recipes.
Tinjiya (Tswana recipe): remove the wings and hind legs of the locusts, and boil in a little water until soft. Add salt, if desired, and a little fat and fry until brown. Serve with cooked, dried mealies (corn).
Sikonyane (Swazi recipe): prepare embers and roast the whole locust on the embers. Remove head, wings, and legs, in other words, only the breast part is eaten. The South Sotho people use locusts especially as food for travelers. The heads and last joint of the hind legs are broken off and the rest laid on the coals to roast. The roasted locusts are ground on a grinding stone to a fine powder. This powder can be kept for long periods of time and is taken along on a journey. Dried locusts are also prepared for the winter months. The legs, when dried, are especially relished for their pleasant taste.
 Locust, mature yellow. |
Cambodia: take several dozen locust adults, preferably females, slit the abdomen lengthwise and stuff a peanut inside. Then lightly grill the locusts in a wok or hot frying pan, adding a little oil and salt to taste. Be careful not to overcook or burn them.
Barbecue (grilled): prepare the embers or charcoal. Place about one dozen locusts on a skewer, stabbing each through the centre of the abdomen. If you only want to eat the abdomen, then you may want to take off the legs or wings either before or after cooking. Several skewers of locusts may be required for each person. Place the skewers above the hot embers and grill while turning continuously to avoid burning the locusts until they become golden brown.
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| Typical severe sandstorm in the mideast (Kuwait), |
In Israel, sandstorms come in on east winds (easterly, out of the west)—from from the Libyan Desert across Egypt and through the Sinai. Sandstorms in the mid-east can have a distinctly reddish hue or simply darken the entire land like a heavy overcast. While that can be described as dark(ness), the principal darkness is due to the inability to see as the result of the immense volume and velocity of sand being blown into the air and eyes, more than the relative darkness. Blowing hard into the face and eyes, without modern equipment visibility can be virtually impossible and force people to remain indoors.
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| Impressionist A•qeid•âhꞋ, Heavenly Observers (©1990, Yael Ehrlich) |
A clue to how this occurred is found in Scripture (bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ 22.1-2 and Mᵊlakh•imꞋ Beit 3.27). It was a widespread belief in the ancient middle east that the ultimate plea to one's ëloh•imꞋ during a time of absolute desperation, when all else had failed, was to offer one's male-firstborn to demonstrate their utter desperation, dependence on their deity, absolute completeness of their commitment to their deity and their ultimate persuasive plea to their deity to grant their prayer. To a far lesser degree, we see this same prayer-negating tendency in people today
– of all three Avrahamic religions as well as other religions. In ancient Egypt, the firstborn male child implied below the age of manhood (or he wouldn't be a child), which, in Egypt, was about 10-11, the age at which ancient Egyptian boys were circumcised.
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| Michelangelo, Creation of Adam, Sistine Chapel (fresco) |
Those who insist that י--ה's "own arm" was anthropomorphic (Christian-like!) or supernatural magic (Dark Ages European mystics) are simply ignorant—of Tor•âhꞋ's prohibition against magic as well as the logic so intrinsic to Tor•âhꞋ. י--ה accomplishes His Will through men's exercise of their free will. He pre-knows, has even pre-set Goldilocks conditions, but He doesn't pre-control or pre-destine. All of the facts support and suggest that Par•ohꞋ not only sacrificed his own firstborn son and firstborn of every kind of livestock, but, additionally, ordered that everyone in Egypt do the same, and sent his soldiers around to ensure his order was carried out. Every subject was ordered to smear blood of their firstborn on their door post so that the soldiers could tell from the street as they passed by.
Moses had a different idea, particularly in the Delta populated principally by the Hebrews. Being a sacrifice to the Egyptian gods, Pharaoh was probably most interested in Egyptians making this sacrifice to Egyptian gods, not the Hebrews he regarded as rebellious slaves, or even other foreigners. He likely saw the sacrifice by Hebrews to the Egyptian god as counterproductive anyway, if not outright blasphemous to the Egyptian ël•oh•imꞋ (which included all of the earlier Par•ohꞋs) that Egyptians perceived to be partial to Egyptians and Egyptian service. So, enforcement would likely have been primarily aimed at the Egyptians. A casual glance from the street was all the Egyptian soldiers probably bothered to do in the Delta. The rest, as they say, is history.
Probably the failure to produce any kind of miraculous plague against the Hebrews, with the accompanying realization that the Hebrew Ël•oh•imꞋ was in control, was as panic and grief-striking to Paro and Egypt as the loss of all of their firstborn—human and livestock.
That was the first PësꞋakh.
 Table of thanks for action-based hope realized. Tei•mân•iꞋ PësꞋakh SeiꞋdër Table is the seiꞋdër Plate. Set for approx. 20 relatives and friends. Photograph © 2002 by Yirmᵊyahu Bën-David. |
 Torah, Sole Lighthouse Illuminating Spiritual Darkness. © 2006, Yirmeyahu Bën-David |
Every year, around the world, Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ commemorates PësꞋakh with a Seider and seven leaven-free days of eating Matz•âhꞋ, symbolizing the various aspects of PësꞋakh.
Just as PësꞋakh is the original model of תִּקְוָה, the annual commemoration of PësꞋakh is both a celebration of תִּקְוָה and an instruction seminar recalling how Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ, including Israel's adoptees (geir•imꞋ), can transform תִּקְוָה into realization.
What is hope? Hope is a wish that one believes to be a realistic anticipation. That is a definition of the English term. However, it must be remembered that it is the Hebrew definition that governs, not the English.
What is the difference between wishing and hoping? In contrast to a wishing, hoping is based on a rational expectation. One can wish to be today's most successful person or hottest Hollywood star, but one cannot hope for that because hope is rational; limited to the real world of that which can reasonably be expected. The greatest factor that constricts what you can reasonably hope for in life, for finding your purpose in life, for realizing your fullest potential and for you to achieve true, self-actualizing success, then, is what in the rational domain can you reasonably expect. There must be a rational basis for a reasonable expectation; the more solid the basis, the more realistic the hope.
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 Tᵊphil•inꞋ Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ (enlarged photo actual size – boxes are medium size—33mm (1 & 5/8") per side—to accommodate the one larger scroll) – only set by an Orthodox so•pheirꞋ st"m containing A•sërꞋët ha-Di•bᵊr•otꞋ based on R. Aqiba Qum•rânꞋ set (Israel Museum).
Strap on the symbol of תִּקְוָה-realized (see article 5754, below). Photograph © 2006 by Yirmᵊyahu Bën-David. |
Consider: Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ hoped the most tenuous תִּקְוָה there has ever been, to still be rational and not drift into the realm of mere wish. Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ hoped, and acted on that hope, to be released, en masse, from the greatest super-power the ancient world had ever known. There was no earthly power to rival Egypt. (Egypt was the world's superpower several times longer than the U.S. has been.)
Any realistic hopes (as contrasted with irrational wishes) that you, as an individual, entertain are small potatoes compared to that. Yet, י--ה never changes. The same י--ה who brought Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ out of Egypt is the same Creator Whom Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ serves today. Knowledge, technology, civilizations, cultures and people inexorably change. Consequently, Tor•âhꞋ shë-BᵊalꞋ Pëh (Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ) inexorably must adapt contemporary interpretations of Tor•âhꞋ shë-bikh•tâvꞋ (Ta•na"khꞋ) accordingly. Ta•na"khꞋ—the Principles as contrasted with the era-dependent interpretations and implementations of Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ—remains constant.
Interestingly, it was directly after realizing their great תִּקְוָה, through Mosh•ëhꞋ, that the Creator confided to Mosh•ëhꞋ, on Har Sin•aiꞋ, how to compile 12 sets of traditional, sometimes conflicting, tribal law (dating back to the 12 sons of Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ and beyond) into one unifying set of laws, His Tor•âhꞋ, that would unify Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ into an am אֶחָד
It must be emphasized yet again: Tor•âhꞋ defines י--ה's standard for all humankind – to which every person must do his or her utmost to adhere – utmost does not imply perfection! That is why י--ה provides, in Tor•âhꞋ, the promise of ki•purꞋ exclusively for those who strive their utmost to adhere to Tor•âhꞋ. There is no "salvation" in "works alone" (i.e., without ki•purꞋ); however, neither is there any "salvation" (namely, ki•purꞋ) apart from striving one's utmost to adhere to Tor•âhꞋ!!!
The only way that י--ה could remain Just and Self-consistent is for His "Instruction Manual" (the literal translation of "Tor•âhꞋ") to be His "Instruction Manual" for all humankind – the תִּקְוָה – i.e., Salvation – of the goy•imꞋ no less than for Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ. Choosing to adhere to Tor•âhꞋ, the resulting bᵊrit with י--ה, is what distinguishes Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ from the goy•imꞋ.
Notice that remaining among the goy•imꞋ – sharing the fate of the goy•imꞋ – is your choice!
So choose to do your utmost to live every day according to Tor•âhꞋ. You can learn, from this same Life's Instruction Manual – how to live and hope for the right things – so that your hopes, and your corresponding actions and tᵊphil•otꞋ, can start being realized! Take our free on-line Kha•vᵊr•utꞋâ course. (However, we don't pay for your books.)
Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ's תִּקְוָה was (and remains) based on the factuality of two things: the Creator and documented history.
For the universe to be as real as we perceive it, the Creator of the universe can be no less real—rational, Orderly, logical—than the universe that He created! In ancient times, one's word was one's life. Like diamond dealers today, contracts involving enormous wealth were sealed by oral agreement. Oral transmission was learned so that it could be recited with exactness to the minutest detail. Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ lived by family values, which they had passed down, orally, from generation to generation. These values included deals—Hebrew bᵊrit•otꞋ, which Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ's patriarchs, their family, had cut (literally, in the original Hebrew) generations before with the Creator. Together, these formed the rational basis of Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ's expectations, and תִּקְוָה.
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 Who, today, lives in this Iron Age lifestyle?(Israeli-Hebrews of Lakhish being exiled by Assyrians, B.C.E. 701 – Sennacherib wall relief, Ninevah, Iraq) |
The Creator hasn't changed. His Tor•âhꞋ, the Principles of Order, hasn't changed. However, the implementations must be continuously adapted to the new conditions of a changing world. Laws based on 39 types of B.C.E. 1st century implementations, which no longer exist (how many modern workers spend their workdays loading ox carts with stone?), are all ex falso quodlibet – hopelessly irrelevant in today's world.
Likewise, new "Halacha" based on these premises (39 types of B.C.E. 1st century implementations)—like the prohibition against electricity on Shab•âtꞋ, weakly-generalized from the prohibition against building a fire on Shab•âtꞋ—have, as their only basis, the kind of base ignorance that fails to grasp even the most basic knowledge (in this case, that electricity isn't fire; so their premise and generalization are ex falso quodlibet – a reform! But, unlike many rabbinic strayings, the principles of Tor•âhꞋ are the true Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ and this Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ never changes. If you satisfy His Tor•âhꞋ today, by beginning to do your utmost to keep it non-selectively, then you can have the same basis for your tiꞋqᵊwëh. You can have purpose, direction and tiꞋqᵊwëh in your life today.
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12.48 – וְכִי-יָגוּר אִתְּךָ גֵּר, וְעָשָׂה פֶסַח לַי--ה, הִמּוֹל לוֹ כָל-זָכָר, וְאָז יִקְרַב לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ, וְהָיָה כְּאֶזְרַח הָאָרֶץ; וְכָל-עָרֵל לֹא-יֹאכַל בּוֹ:
(When a geir shall yâ•gurꞋ (reside) with you, then he shall make PësꞋakh for י--ה. Circumcise for him every male! Then he shall converge to make [PësꞋakh], and he shall become as [any other] citizen of hâ-ÂrꞋëtz. But no unpruned shall eat of it.)
The absolute requirement for every gentile to avoid the fate that Tor•âhꞋ dictates for all goy•imꞋ is to become a geir, the authorization for him or her to interact with the Jewish community for the explicit purpose of learning Tor•âhꞋ—and doing one's utmost to implement it in practice.
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 Circumcision Tools |
This pâ•suqꞋ makes it the unalterable goal of every geir (excepting extenuating medical conditions in which circumcision would endanger one's life) to seek halakhic circumcision (i.e. by an Orthodox moꞋheil in the Jewish community; medical circumcision doesn't satisfy the halakhic requirement). This pâ•suqꞋ commands
Note that the mi•tzᵊw•âhꞋ requires the moꞋheil to circumcise the geir, not the geir to be halakhically circumcised. That is because halakhic circumcision is entirely within the control of the moꞋheil and entirely beyond the control of the geir. The geir is to pursue the goal of halakhic circumcision unalterably, to his "utmost." However, the one held accountable if the moꞋheil refuses is the moꞋheil, not the geir. All that is required of the geir is to do his "utmost" to be halakhically circumcised—including petitioning, within reason, every candidate moꞋheil that the geir can find.
To prevent non-geir gentiles from being halakhically circumcised, moꞋheils require a referral from an Orthodox rabbi to confirm that the petitioner is a geir rather than a gentile, though they don't use that terminology. Both Orthodox rabbi and moꞋheil are likely, in fact, to find this Biblical terminology confusing. To both, completing the Orthodox rabbi's "conversion class" is the prerequisite terminology for the moꞋheil to perform the circumcision.
The Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ Khavruta (distance learning) prepares the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ geir to present the only non-deceptive approach that has worked; persuading some Orthodox rabbis to accept a follower of RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa as the Mâ•shiꞋakh—because it is the only possible approach for followers of RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa as the Mâ•shiꞋakh that has been demonstrated to conform to Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ.
Originally, the phrase "make pësꞋakh" referred to both the qor•bânꞋ and the seiꞋdër. Because the qor•bânꞋ has been rendered impossible due to the destruction of the Beit-ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ and the yu•khas•inꞋ; the phrase refers today only to the seiꞋdër.
Note that the pâ•suqꞋ states first to circumcise the geir and, subsequent to circumcision, "and then he' shall become a citizen of the land." This is because halakhic circumcision, while required in order to become a Yᵊhudi, doesn't transform the geir into a Yᵊhudi.
Conversion today comprises two elements:
Conversion of a geir whose spouse is a non-Jew uninterested in converting would produce an intermarriage and, therefore, disqualifies that geir from converting. Even this geir, however, is required to ceaselessly pursue the goal of attaining the same level of Tor•âhꞋ learning and practice as any other pᵊrush•imꞋ-heritage Yᵊhudi and, if a male, to become halakhically circumcised, thereby becoming a Geir tzëdꞋëq. However, this doesn't include tᵊvil•âhꞋ in a miq•wëhꞋ for the explicit intention of becoming a Yᵊhudi. In other words, stopping short of the final step doesn't qualify as a conversion and (contrary to a lot of modern confusion) the Geir tzëdꞋëq isn't identical to a Yᵊhudi. Tal•mudꞋ, in fact, confirms this distinction, defining ten levels of rights and privileges within the Tor•âhꞋ community, differentiating between the Geir tzëdꞋëq and the Yisraeili.
Tᵊvil•âhꞋ in a miq•wëhꞋ solely for the purpose of ritual cleansing (not for the purpose of conversion) is also a mi•tzᵊw•âhꞋ. The only differences, then, between a Geir tzëdꞋëq and a Yᵊhudi are differences of identification and rights; e.g. the Yisraeili(t) must marry within Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ while the geir is prohibited from marrying within Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ. (For single geir•imꞋ, who can only marry another geir, this leaves almost no prospects.)
The implications for children of geir•imꞋ and their prospects for marriage and family should be obvious. (See also the "Ë•marꞋ RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa" section.)
While the uncircumcised Geirei Toshâv is prohibited from eating meat at the pësꞋakh SeiꞋdër, the Yᵊhudi(t) and halakhically circumcised Geir tzëdꞋëq are commanded to do so.
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 Opened-up Head Tᵊphil•inꞋ from Qum•rânꞋ Cave 4, BCE 100-100 CE, actual size |
You can answer what few Jews know. (Even those who tie on tᵊphil•inꞋ regularly usually don't know both answers.) The answer is found in Shᵊm•otꞋ 13.9:
לְמַעַן, תִּהְיֶה תּוֹרַת י--ה בְּפִיךָ; כִּי בְּיָד חֲזָקָה, הוֹצִאֲךָ י--ה מִמִּצְרָיִם:
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| Modern Tᵊphil•inꞋ Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ (enlarged photo is actual size – boxes are medium size—33mm (1 & 5/8") per side—to accommodate the one larger scroll) – this is a unique, one-only, set by an Orthodox so•pheirꞋ st"m containing A•sërꞋët ha-Di•bᵊr•otꞋ based on Qum•rânꞋ set supervised by Bar-KokhꞋvâ. Photograph © 2006 by Yirmᵊyahu Bën-David. |
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12.38 – וְגַם-עֵרֶב רַב עָלָה אִתָּם;
Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ proper is never described as an עֵרֶב. Middle Ages Jewish commentators, long removed from Biblical perspectives, have wrongly assumed that geir referred to converts. See the correction of this misconception by Louis H. Feldman, Prof. of Classics at Yeshiva Univ. in NYC—Orthodox, "The Omnipresence of the G-o-d-Fearers" (Biblical Archaelogy Review, XXII.5, 1986.09-10, 59-69). Even so, down through the ages they have universally acknowledged that this עֵרֶב refers to non-Jewish geir•imꞋ who came to be formally and officially counted with Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ. Rashi, for example, commented that "a multitude of people of various nationalities converted to Judaism and accompanied the Jews out of Mi•tzᵊr•ayꞋim" (Artscroll Stone Edition Ta•na"khꞋ, p. 164).
That עֵרֶב referred to geir•imꞋ is reinforced a few verses later, stipulating that
12.49 – תּוֹרָה אַחַת, יִהְיֶה לָאֶזְרָח; וְלַגֵּר הַגָּר בְּתוֹכְכֶם
One Tor•âhꞋ shall be for the citizen [i.e. native Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋi – "born-Jew"]; and for the resident-alien [pre-convert in training] who resides among you).
It is particularly fitting that this acknowledgment coincides with both the efforts toward a Syrian-Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋi peace agreement and the merger of AOL with Time-Warner.
What could these two events possibly have to do with geir•imꞋ?
The "great multitude" of geir•imꞋ attracted to Tor•âhꞋ (in Shᵊm•otꞋ 12) were limited in number by the limits of personal physical contact. The message of Tor•âhꞋ couldn't go out to the masses of Egyptians via TV, radio, the newspaper or the Internet. Today, we see the formings of international corporate giants whose goal is to bring information to the masses more efficiently and cheaply. Getting the message of Tor•âhꞋ to the masses in this environment is infinitely easier, even considering the media's ignoring of information it feels won't "sell" to its audiences. Given that there was an עֵרֶב רַב who came out of Mi•tzᵊr•ayꞋim to be Tor•âhꞋ-observant, how much better should we do today?
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 Eastern Hemisphere |
Moreover, recent changes in the Middle East might increase the possibility of the prophesied Syrian-Egyptian-Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ ternion (Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 19.23-24), forming a land route connecting Africa to Turkey, Europe, Russia and China would herald an emerging, powerful, Middle East economic consortium (henceforth, ternion), appears far more plausible than a year or more ago when, based on this week's Haphtâr•âhꞋ, I suggested it. (Even a cursory glance at a map shows that Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ would be the centerpiece of this ternion, which is why Muslims insist it be Islamic "Palestine" instead of Judaic Israel.) Thus, at the same time as today's AOL/Time-Warner merger will further accelerate the shrinking of the global community, a ternion may be in its embryonic stages here in the Middle East—which would greatly accelerate the propagation of Tor•âhꞋ vis-à-vis Islam and Christianity here in the Middle East.
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So, on the one hand, the AOL/Time-Warner merger is becoming typical of the general trends in mass communication and the Internet, accelerating mass mutual awareness of the world in general, while, on the other hand, the Egyptian and Syrian situations, no matter how far off over the horizon, signal the plausibility of an evolving shift in world economic importance that elevates the Middle East in particular to take its rightful place on the stage, along with the Western, European and Far Eastern economic powers.
After two millennia in a defensive 'survival mode' against onslaughts from the dominant—Christian—forces in the societies in which Jews had been forced to reside, the emergence of the State of Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ in 1948 has produced a new spiritual world. Not only are Tor•âhꞋ-observant Jews—in Eretz Yisraeil, at least—finally able to speak without fear of losing jobs and being persecuted, the industrial revolution opened the world to global communications and travel, bringing a world of diversity into mutual challenge.
Together with the Internet revolution, these forces are pervading every attempt by isolationist cults and religionists to perpetuate a Dark Ages mentality. These embryonic economic and communications forces will dictate that the Light of logic and intelligence will increasingly hound those who call on their followers to withdraw from the Light and follow instead their "gut" feeling intuitions—another way of saying "follow your own eyes and your own heart" or "follow the gods of your fathers."—(le-havdil)—י--ה and Tor•âhꞋ are Light and Truth. Every call to "faith" which has to reject the Light of rational and intelligent logic and documented truth in the real world is, instead, a call to the irrational world of darkness, whether charismatic mysticism, Qabalah or the plethora of astrologers, mystic healers and Uri Gellers of the world.
As ideas are placed in the public forum and considered by the masses, pseudo-scholars with impressive credentials (not a slam of all scholars by any means) will no longer be able to suppress inconvenient arguments and embarrassing contradictions by simply refusing to deal with them (as, for example, the Dead Sea Scrolls were ignored for 40 years). An economic ternion would especially focus this Light in the Middle East. But in any case, the Internet revolution has already cast the die. Light will pervade every corner so that, while one can irrationally deny truth, logic and the rational world in the tradition of the 'Flat Earth Society,' no one will be able to remain hidden from its glare. In the words of Tom Hanks, everyone will have to "deal with it."
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10.1 – הִכְבַדְתִּי
Not "stubborn." For י--ה to make Par•ohꞋ's heart "stubborn," as mindlessly and conventionally assumed, would have infringed upon Par•ohꞋ's free will. If Par•ohꞋ had no free will then he was neither guilty of anything—as a man cannot be blamed for what is not within his control—nor even human. It would be more accurate to translate as "I would teach Par•ohꞋ some respect." This concept is illustrated by a magic demonstration (logically deduced from a famous TV magician's trick) which was featured as a serial game in a series of our newsletters. Each of the 13 back-issues, 1995.04 through 1996.04, inclusive and in order, is required for the demonstration to work. This magician's trick illustrates the effect of how the unseen—yet rational—world can act quite subtly on free will, just as י--ה knew that impending events would act subtly on Par•ohꞋ's unfettered free will. Just as an entire series of choices in the magic demonstration are always yours yet I foreknow the outcome, so, too, the choice was always Par•ohꞋ's, never infringing upon his free will.
10.3 – י--ה אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים,
"The term Hebrew is applied in the Bible to [Av•râ•hâmꞋ] (see [bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ] 14:13). Etymologically, the name Hebrews seems to mean "those who pass from place to place" or migrants, a designation subsuming Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ (along with other Semites and Levantines) by the Amorites and, later, Egyptians, first as •vᵊr•uꞋ and later as KhëqᵊqâwꞋ KhâsꞋᵊt (Hyksos) in the tablets found, found in 1887, at Tell el-Amarna, Mi•tzᵊr•ayꞋim; written during the New Kingdom (began c BCE ). In bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ 40:15, [Yo•seiphꞋ] explains to the Egyptians that he had been kidnapped from "the land of the Hebrews"; in Shᵊm•otꞋ 2:6, the daughter of [Par•ohꞋ] recognizes [Moses] as "one of the Hebrews' male infants." The implication of these sources is that in early times the Yi•sᵊr•â•eil•imꞋ (popularly "Israelites") were known to foreigners as Hebrews."
Mosh•ëhꞋ's birth is (Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 34:7) three years after A•ha•ronꞋ (Shᵊm•otꞋ 7:7). However, the entire line of their lineage must eventually match up with more recent known dates like the Syrian deportation and Babylonian Exile. But the two lines of calculation are not equal. One line must be compressed, the other expanded or some combination of the two. The most likely anchor for Moses and the Yᵊtzi•âhꞋ seems to be the year (or one of the next several years) following the Santorini Eruption (c BCE ).
Moses was found in the basket of bulrushes floating down the Nile by 12-year-old Pharaonic royal princess daughter of a [???]-moses. The Bible states that the Pharaonic princess, not his Hebrew parents (AmᵊrâmꞋ and Yo•khëvꞋëd), named the baby, necessarily according to the princess' Egyptian household convention: an Egyptian Pharaonic household theophoric name: ???-Moses.
 300x199.jpg "Egyptian Royal in Merkavah") |
| This Egyptian Pharaoh ( |
The Pharaonic princess saw herself—accompanied by Moses— fulfilling a central motif of the Egyptian religion. "From [the] Egyptian myth left on the walls of the pyramids we learn that the Nile delta was where the Egyptians believed IꞋsis had hidden among the bulrushes with her man-god son, HōrꞋus. When the Pharaonic princess saw the basket woven of bulrushes she clearly associated her Egyptian mythology: "HōrꞋus!"
It was this association that AmᵊrâmꞋ and Yo•khëvꞋëd had counted on."
It can be seen from this well-documented chronology that the similarly well-documented "•vᵊr•uꞋ" are known from the beginning of this period. Archeologists and Egyptologists, relying on the single source, Manetho (guessed to have lived in the B.C.E. 3rd century), have long been at odds by a couple of centuries – the center of heated debate among scientific researchers today. Still, they agree in connecting the •vᵊr•uꞋ with the Egyptian characters of this period: "From the 15th to the 12th centuries the Epiro appear in Egyptian documents as captives from [Kᵊna•anꞋ-Syria, and as slaves of the state." ("Habiru," Ency. Jud., 7.1033).
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Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 18.7a contains two-word hyphenated phrase meaning a "creek of desire" or a "desirable tributary":
In that hour, יוּבַל-שַׁי [shall there be] for י--ה.
יוּבַל forms a תִּקְבֹּלֶת, contrasting against נְהָרִים (at the end of the pâ•suqꞋ). The Artscroll editors' (correctly) connect this pâ•suqꞋ to Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 66.20, where the term מִנְחָה parallels שַׁי
Errors in translation:
In 19.1, the term is not נְבוּאָה (nor even חָזוֹן) but מַשָּׁא, from the verb נָשָׂא.
Later in this pâ•suqꞋ, "false gods" is also a bit inaccurate for אֱלִילֵי (Mi•tzᵊr•ayꞋim). The cognate in 19.3 is הָאֱלִילִים and, accordingly, compares and contrasts with the similar phrase רֹעִי הָאֱלִיל of Zᵊkhar•yâhꞋ 11.16-17 (see also Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu 10.21; 23.1-8; 3.15 and Yᵊkhëz•qeilꞋ 34). Neither is less a "false god" than the other—which cuts both ways.
Notice, too, that while 18.7 could have read הַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה, instead, it reads הַר צִיּוֹן—the site where the remnants of the original Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ Beit ha-KᵊnësꞋët today form the lower floor and walls of קֶבֶר דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ
The proper translation of 19.3b is "…inquire to הָאֱלִילִים, to הָאִטִּים, to הָאֹבוֹת and to הַיִּדְּעֹנִים."
Fulfillment of 19.2-3 can be found in the daily news.
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Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 19.18—"In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the שְׂפַת Kᵊna•anꞋ and that swear by the Name of י--ה of Armies'" This doesn't describe five cities in Egypt which are 100% Tor•âhꞋ-observant Hebrew-speakers. Rather, it states that there will be five cities in Egypt in each of which is a min•yânꞋ (who pray in Hebrew).
To further elaborate on the phrase עִיר הַהֶרֶס (see 5759 commentary), this may well refer to the Egyptian city noted for its most famous ruins, arguably Wasset (later renamed Thebes and, still later, the present-day name of Luxor—see my docunovel, The Mirrored Sphinxes Live-LinkT . However, Alexandria could also be argued to be עִיר הַהֶרֶס because of its ancient ruins that now lie undersea, as could Cairo (in future) because of its proximity to the pyramids.
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This week's Haphtâr•âhꞋ foretells a time in which (Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 19.24) Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ will be one component of a שְׁלִישִׁיָּה dominating the Middle East—a blessing within the land. At that time, י--ה will bless them saying (19.25) "Blessed is My kindred, Mi•tzᵊr•ayꞋim; and the Ma•as•ëhꞋ of My Hands, Syria; and My heritage, Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ."
This firmly implies that there will be many geir•imꞋ who are Tor•âhꞋ-observant in both Mi•tzᵊr•ayꞋim and Syria. A long way to go yet, considering not only the overwhelmingly Islamic population but, particularly, Syria's unwillingness to accept a peace which doesn't require Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ to give up רָמַת הַגּוֹלָן (the Golan Height). Millennia of history proves ad nauseum that peace agreements are episodic and ephemeral. Only physical obstacles to invasion endure, particularly concerning Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ's otherwise vulnerable north.
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19.18 – עִיר הַהֶרֶס, יֵאָמֵר לְאֶחָת:
This prophecy, when י--ה shall send a מוֹשִׁיעַ to the Egyptians (19.19-22), appears to relate to the events prophesied in connection with the era of the מָשִׁיחַ Bën-Dâ•widꞋ in Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 11, et al., when the wolf shall live with the sheep, etc., a reference to the various goy•imꞋ relating to תּוֹרָה and the Jews as corroborated in Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 66.20ff et al.
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Tei•mân•iꞋ pësꞋakh SeiꞋdër Table is the seiꞋdër Plate. Set for approx. 20 relatives and friends. Photograph 2002 by Yirmᵊyahu Bën-David. |
Tor•âhꞋ commands that pësꞋakh SeiꞋdër be observed only on the evening of the fourteenth day of Firstmonth. (There is a "second chance," a month later, for those who were ritually defiled and unable to observe it on the day commanded.) No other date is permitted. Therefore, it is unavoidable that the meal described in NHM 26.20-30 was a pësꞋakh SeiꞋdër at this Tor•âhꞋ-appointed time.
In the context of the discussion in the Tor•âhꞋ section (2005.01), followers of RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa cannot ignore his words. Having taken the top Matz•âhꞋ and half of the middle Matz•âhꞋ, he said, "Take this, and eat it commemorating my body." Having given the Qi•dushꞋ over the third cup of wine, he said, "Drink from this cup, all of you. This [cup of wine commemorates] my blood of the new bᵊrit, which will be spilled out for the Shᵊmit•âhꞋ of kheit for many." (NHM 26.27-28)
For Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ, doing one's utmost to keep the pësꞋakh SeiꞋdër, including the requirements discussed in the Tor•âhꞋ section (2005.01), isn't optional.
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| Tor•âhꞋ | Translation | Mid•râshꞋ RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa: NHM |
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הצדקה מעשרת לאדם
("Tzedaqah enriches the âdâm")—as it is said (Mi•shᵊl•eiꞋ Shᵊlom•ohꞋ 11.24): 'There is he who is dispersing and collecting more; as well as he who is withholding from what is straight—but [resulting in] a lack." And it is written, "He who gives to the poor has no lack" etc. (ibid. 28.27).
Then to give tzᵊdâq•âhꞋ at this time in place of tithing ma•asᵊr•otꞋ, as it has been memorized in tractate Qamâ in response: •marꞋ Rabi Yokhânân, What is written? Tithe a ma•a•seirꞋ (Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 14.22). A tenth you shall tithe. Rabi Yokhânân found a schoolboy of Reish Lâqish. •marꞋ to him, Tell me your pâ•suqꞋ. •marꞋ to him, "A tenth you shall tithe." •marꞋ to him, Explain it to me mister.
•marꞋ to him, עשר בשביל שתתעשר (aseir bishvil shë-titashër; a tithe for the purpose of enriching). •marꞋ to him, And what nobles serve thusly before ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu? And what is written, Do not test-prove י--ה your Ël•oh•imꞋ" (ibid. 6.16)?
•marꞋ to him, Rather, •marꞋ Rabi Oshayâ, aside from this it is written, "They brought all of the ma•a•seirꞋ to the treasury and prey" [i.e. food], etc. "beyond enough" (Ma·lâkh·iꞋ 3.10). What is that "beyond enough"? •marꞋ Râmei Bar-Papâ, Until they are burdened by their lisping from saying "Enough!" •marꞋ, If one finds this is the case, then it isn't necessary for you or for your Rabi Oshayâ [to test-prove י--ה by tithing for the purpose of enrichment].
And it has been memorized (in pᵊsiqtâ dᵊ-Rav Kâhânâ 11.99), "עשר תעשר" (aseir tᵊaseir; a tenth/tithe you shall tenth/tithe), a tenth for the purpose of tithing, a tenth until one doesn't lack. •marꞋ ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu, Tithe mine and I will tithe yours. "the yield of our seed-sowing" (Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 14.22). If you are worthy—the end [result] is [that] you go out to sow-seed in the field. But if not—the end [result] is that 'a man of the field' will settle in it. And how is this? This is Ei•sauꞋ the râsh•âꞋ, as it is written there, "איש שדה" (ish sâdëh; a man of the field, bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ 25.27). "the output of the field" (Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 14.22), if you are worthy—your end is to go forth to your field and see the world needs water and request it and it comes. But if not—the end [result] is that the haters of Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ go forth to the grave between the fields.
Rabi Yᵊhoshua of Sikhnin [in the Gâ•lilꞋ; note: this is a Rabi, not RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa] in the name of Rabi Lei•wiꞋ â•marꞋ: With credit for two things, Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ seeks graciousness before ha-Mâ•qomꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu. With credit for Shab•âtꞋ and with credit for ma•asᵊr•otꞋ.
From whence is credit for Shab•âtꞋ? As it is written, "If you turn-aside from Shab•âtꞋ your foot" (Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 58.13). What is written after that? "Then you shall take pleasure about י--ה," etc. (ibid. 14).
From whence is credit for ma•asᵊr•otꞋ? As it is written, "and you shall rejoice in all of the good which He gives you," etc. (Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 26.11).
•marꞋ Rav Kunâ, The first fathers allocated ma•asᵊr•otꞋ. Av•râ•hâmꞋ allocated a big tᵊrum•âhꞋ. As it is written, "הרמתי [harimoti; I will raise] my hand to י--ה," etc. (bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ 14.22). And there is no הרמה [ha-râmâh; raising] except תרומה [tᵊrum•âhꞋ].
As it is written, והרמתם [wa-hareimotëm; and you shall raise] from it a תרומת [tᵊrumat] י--ה" (bᵊ-Mi•dᵊbarꞋ 18.26).
Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ allocated the first ma•a•seirꞋ. As it is written, "And Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ sowed-seed in this ÂꞋrëtz," etc. (bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ 26.12). •marꞋ Rabi Abâ Bar-Rav , And isn't the bᵊrâkh•âhꞋ of the grain not about the measurement of a thing and not about the weight or designation? So why measure it? In order to tithe it! Here it is written, "And י--ה blessed him" (ibid.) Ya•a•qovꞋ allocated the second ma•a•seirꞋ. Here it is written, "And of all that You give me, a tenth-tithe I shall tenth-tithe to You" (ibid. 28.22).
And it is also memorized there, it teaches in the name of Rav Nakhmâni, In conducting the affairs of the world, a man may have one field and gives it to a tenant-farmer for work; for half, for a third or for a fourth. But this isn't so of ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu. Rather, He returns the rukhot, raises the clouds, drops the precipitation, disseminates the dew, grows the plants and pollenates the fruits. And He doesn't â•marꞋ to allocate but one [part] from ten.
Also in credit for the ma•asᵊr•otꞋ a man's tᵊphilot are heard. As it is memorized there (pᵊsiqtâ dᵊ-Rav Kâhânâ 1.5), "Who ascended to the heavens and descended?" (Mi•shᵊl•eiꞋ Shᵊlom•ohꞋ 30.4) Who is he whose tᵊphilot ascend to the heavens and the precipitation drops? This is he who apportions his ma•asᵊr•otꞋ in his palms, that drops dew and rain on the world. "Who collects the wind in His Palm? Who binds waters in a dress? ([30.]6) Who establishes the edges of hâ-ÂꞋrëtz?" (ibid.)
Who is he who has no tᵊphil•âhꞋ ascending to the heavens and no precipitation drops? This is he who doesn't apportion his ma•a•seirꞋ in his palms, who stops up the heavens from dropping dew and rain.
And it is also memorized in Ma•sëkꞋët Âv•otꞋ, Chap. 5, Seven kinds of retribution come to the world about seven bodies of a•veir•otꞋ: partially tithing and partially not tithing; and these are they: hunger, etc. (as it is in chap. 1.4) in this connection (5.1).
We find also in the Mi•dᵊrâshꞋ of Tankhumâ, pâ•râsh•atꞋ Rᵊeih, the practice of a Khâ•sidꞋ who had one field that produced for him a thousand measures every year. And he used to say, It is enough for me what ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu, gives me and I give the ma•a•seirꞋ, which is a hundred measures per year. When death approached, â•marꞋ to his son, "My son, be careful in your ma•asᵊr•otꞋ; that [it has been by] the ma•a•seirꞋ, according to my hand[full]s, [that] I have merited these riches."
The first year he gave the ma•a•seirꞋ for a thousand measures—100. In the second year â•marꞋ, "Why should I give so much?" He slighted the ma•a•seirꞋ a tenth. The field slighted 100 for the year. In the third year, he slighted a tenth. The field slighted 100 for the year; and so forth, year by year until the field produced only 100 measures. Then he was very grieved. His brothers and the house of his fathers came to him adorned in fine clothes. •marꞋ to them, "So you have come to rejoice? Didn't you have any compassion for me?" They said to him, "Why shouldn't we rejoice? You were beginning to be the head of the family and [make] ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu, the Ko•heinꞋ. But now we will make ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu the head of the family and you the Ko•heinꞋ. Immediately he gave the ma•a•seirꞋ for protection and the field returned to its original number.
There is in a Mi•dᵊrâshꞋ: And again a practice by one who was bringing in wine and oil and wasn't finding his ma•asᵊr•otꞋ seemly. A RuꞋakh of springing-forth [i.e. drunkenness] entered him and he lifted up a club and began to injure [lit. "break"] the animals. His son scolded him. "What are you doing?" He lifted the club and struck him on the head. •marꞋ to him, "The RuꞋakh assisted me and you scold me?" •marꞋ to him, "Give me the club and I, too, will injure [lit. "break"]." So he gave him the club. He injured [lit. "broke"], [whereas the father injured] one by one, [the son injured] two by two. Who caused him [to do] this? It's on the hands of the one who didn't send forth his מעשרות [ma•asᵊr•otꞋ] as it was seemly. And about him it is said, "He who loves wine and oil shall not יעשיר" [ya•ashir; become wealthy] (Mi•shᵊl•eiꞋ Shᵊlom•ohꞋ 21.17).
•marꞋ Rabi Leiwi, A practice by one who was tithing his fruits as it was seemly. And he had one field and he allowed ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu, in his heart and made half for sowing-seed and half for a house of miqwot. Suddenly, a year of drought came and he was selling 7.3 liters of wheat for 1/2 oz. of silver and 7.3 liters of water for 1 1/2 oz. silver. So an auctioneer was saying, "Prithee, sell 7.3 liters of the servant's water for 1 1/2 oz. wheat. Who caused it? It's by the hands of he who sent forth his ma•asᵊr•otꞋ as it is seemly.
And it is memorized in these great things (Tankhumâ 'Ki Tavo') 4), Blessed are you in the city and blessed are you in the field' (Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 28.3). •marꞋ Rabi Yitzkhaq that a man should not say, If ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu, were to give me a field, then I would send forth ma•asᵊr•otꞋ from within it. Rather, If he doesn't have a field, he will [tithe] from what he has in the city.
Accordingly, a man should not slacken his hand from the ma•asᵊr•otꞋ and give it as it is seemly; from the field, and from the house and from all that shall come to his hand in some occupation of the world and in this he salts [?] his property and adds to it 1,000 times,
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