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| Torâh | Haphtârâh | Âmar Ribi Yᵊhoshua | Mᵊnorat ha-Maor |
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Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 27.19 – àÈøåÌø îÇèÆÌä, îÄùÑÀôÌÇè âÌÅø-éÈúåÉí, åÀàÇìÀîÈðÈä; åÀàÈîÇø ëÌÈì äÈòÈí àÈîÅï:
Cf. also Yᵊkhë•zᵊq•eilꞋ 34.2-10, 23; 37.24; Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu 10.21; 23.1; 3.15.
Tᵊhil•imꞋ 146.9 – "é--ä ùÑÉîÅø àÆú-âÌÅøÄéí"
This pâ•suqꞋ is recited from the si•durꞋ in every Orthodox beit ha-kᵊnësꞋët in the world, every ùÑÇáÌÈú Sha•khar•itꞋ. All Orthodox Jews will recognized it.
When the øÉòÄé äÈàÁìÄéì perverts mi•shᵊpâtꞋ against a geir, it puts the rabbi / Ra•bân•utꞋ in direct, nose-to-Nose, conflict with é--ä Himself!!!
(That can't turn out well for them. 
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Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 27.26 reads:
Damned is he who shall not carry out the dᵊvâr•imꞋ of this Tor•âhꞋ, to do them;
except, of course, those who are called Bᵊn•ei-NoꞋakh, who are exempt?
Hmmm, that last phrase is just nowhere in Scripture! Similarly, in Tal•mudꞋ, Bᵊn•ei-NoꞋakh refers to all goy•imꞋ. The fictional exemption, which would contradict this Scripture, is a recent fabrication of modern rabbis, having no Scriptural basis. Those who rely on it are putting their trust in men, not Scripture!
Don't want to share this fate of the goy•imꞋ? The only Way is to begin now learning how to do your utmost to "carry out the dᵊvâr•imꞋ of this Tor•âhꞋ, to do" the mitz•wotꞋ of this Tor•âhꞋ.
According to Tor•âhꞋ (see, inter alia, the Shᵊm•aꞋ), one is only required to do his or her utmost ("all of your heart and all of your nëphꞋësh"), which will qualify you (upon making tᵊshuv•âhꞋ for any violation(s) of Tor•âhꞋ) to avail yourself of ki•purꞋ through the khein of 'ä.
There is NO other formula!
You can learn how through our on-line Khav•rutꞋâ course (click the "Non-Jews" building in our "Click 'n Go" navigation panel at left and read down to the link).
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| Setting: ca. B.C.E. 1427. Location: Area of Shit•imꞋ & Har Nᵊvo, east of NᵊharꞋ ha-Yar•deinꞋ, opposite Yᵊrikh•oꞋ (see map below: 31° 46' N, 35° 43' E). |
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Pâ•suqꞋ 26.12
"When you have finished ìÇòÀùÒÅø all of the îÇòÀùÒÇø of your produce in the third year, the year of the îÇòÂùÒÅø, you shall give to the Lewiy•imꞋ, to the geir, to the éÌÈúåÉí, and to the àÇìÀîÈðÈä; then they shall eat in your cities and be satisfied."
In fact, Tor•âhꞋ prescribes this not only for the third, but also the sixth and Shᵊmit•âhꞋ years (cf. analysis at The Nᵊtzârim Reconstruction of Hebrew Matitᵊyâhu (NHM, in English)
note 23.23.2).
The éÌÈúåÉí and àÇìÀîÈðÈä refer to segments within Yi•sᵊ•râ•eilꞋ (orphans and widows, respectively). Tor•âhꞋ never addresses anyone not under the jurisdiction of Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ and a Pᵊrush•imꞋ-heritage Beit-Din (i.e., a Beit-Din that maintains the standard of logical historical Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ). Tor•âhꞋ never addresses itself to anyone from among the goy•imꞋ (who, rather, are invited to abandon their incompatible doctrines and shoulder Tor•âhꞋ to become part of Yi•sᵊ•râ•eilꞋ).
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 Orthodox Beit ha-KᵊnësꞋët Mo•rëshꞋët Âv•otꞋ – Yad Nâ•âm•iꞋ in Ra•a•nanꞋâ(h), Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ. Photograph © 1998 by Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu Bën-Dâ•widꞋ. |
Update 2012: For many years, until the Orthodox and Ra•bân•utꞋ became ruled by Ultra-Orthodox / Kha•reid•imꞋ superstitious European medievalism, the Nᵊtzâr•imꞋ cooperated with the Orthodox, earmarking this portion of their ma•a•seirꞋ, specified by Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ to be directed to the âî"ç of Beit ha-KᵊnësꞋët Morëshët Âv•otꞋ, the Tei•mân•iꞋ Beit-ha-KᵊnësꞋët here in Ra•a•nanꞋâ(h). Ga•makhꞋ is a special fund for interest-free loans to the poor, especially poor Teimân•imꞋ, here in Israel, with those unable to repay the loans being forgiven. (Beit ha-KᵊnësꞋët Morëshët Âv•otꞋ can be verified as an Orthodox Beit ha-KᵊnësꞋët through the Israeli Ra•bân•utꞋ.)
Ma•asᵊr•otꞋ are defined (26.13) as QoꞋdësh, the property of é--ä which isn't permitted to remain in your possession.
Compliance with this is explicitly included among the mi•tzᵊw•otꞋ. Failure to render these firstfruits—QoꞋdësh that belongs to é--ä—is defined by Ma·lâkh·iꞋ ha-Nâ•viꞋ (3.8-10) as "÷ÈáÇò é--ä"!
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| Beneath the red dot: Located on the balcony at the SE corner of the inner court of the Beit-ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ ha-Shein•iꞋ, the Beit-Din ha-Ja•dolꞋ, which supervised all of the lesser Bat•eiꞋ-Din throughout the land, convened in the Chamber of Hewn Stone.
Next to (behind) Green dot: 1.5m (4½') high stone ñÉøÅâ preventing any αλλογενης from approaching any closer. See also diagrams in the "Pharisee Judaism" section of our History Museum page. (Photographed © 1985 by Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu Bën-Dâ•widꞋ at the Holyland Model site, Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim.) |
This pâ•râsh•âhꞋ begins åÀäÈéÈä ëÌÄé-úÈáåÉà
26.3 — And you shall come to the Ko•heinꞋ who shall be in those days' The Ko•heinꞋ was supplemented by the Beit-Din system (cf. Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 17.9). With the Beit-Din ha-Ja•dolꞋ located on the balcony formed by the gallery of the Beit-ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ, overlooking the Miz•beiꞋakh, the Beit-Din system was intimately tied in with the entire jurisprudence system that included the animal qor•bân•otꞋ.
Consequent to the destruction of the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ and the Ko•han•imꞋ, consequently, having no further employment, the áÌÄëÌåÌøÄéí, îÇòÇùÒøåÉú, and úÌÀøåÌîåÉú were funneled to supporting this Beit-Din system with its supreme court, the Beit-Din ha-Ja•dolꞋ, in the Beit-ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ.
While today's Beit-Din system is no longer anchored to a physical, or earthly, building, the same Beit-Din system continues to depend upon the áÌÄëÌåÌøÄéí, îÇòÇùÒøåÉú, and úÌÀøåÌîåÉú. Furthermore, the mi•tzᵊw•otꞋ of providing them, except blood offerings that are prohibited (because of the lack of genealogically documented Kohan•imꞋ and Beit-ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ), otherwise remain in effect.
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This pâ•râsh•âhꞋ begins åÀäÈéÈä ëÌÄé-úÈáåÉà
28.10 — more accurately reads: "Then all of the òÇîéÅ of the land shall have seen that after the Name of é--ä you are called, and they shall revere you." This refers to the name éÄùÒÀøÈàÅì
While we must be prepared to understand exceptions, this passage clearly demonstrates that blessings in the spiritual world are generally expected to be paralleled by blessings in the material world where "they," the goy•imꞋ, "shall revere you"—not persecute you.
This implies a kind of úÌåÉøÈä life that is admired and envied, not disgusted and loathed, by goy•imꞋ.
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Previously, we discussed whether geir•imꞋ should keep the whole Tor•âhꞋ (as it applies to geir•imꞋ, not as it applies to Kohan•imꞋ, Lewiy•imꞋ or exclusively to Yisra•eil•imꞋ). This week's pâ•râsh•âhꞋ unequivocally clarifies this teaching (27.26) "Cursed be he that does not perpetuate all of the Sayings [not "writings"; i.e. Oral] of this Tor•âhꞋ to do them" (to one's utmost, clarified elsewhere). geir•imꞋ are included within the definition of òÇí—cf. pâ•suqꞋ 11.
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27.26 — "Damned is whomever does not uphold all of the Sayings of this Tor•âhꞋ to do them."
Observance of only selected parts of Tor•âhꞋ contradicts this pâ•suqꞋ, which specifies all of the Sayings (i.e. Oral Component) of Tor•âhꞋ.
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29.4 — Here's another Christian magical interpretation that needs to be put to rest. Some Christians have "reasoned" that, since the clothes hadn't worn old on the Israelis nor their sandals worn old on their feet, their clothes and shoes had to have supernatural qualities during the 40 years! The Israelis, they reason, must have worn the same clothes for 40 years and, miraculously, the clothes and shoes became supernatural. (One could just as easily conclude that the clothes and shoes never became worn because they all wandered around naked and barefoot, clothed in light or something.)
What MoshꞋëh intended, by contrast, is that, throughout the entire 40 years, the kindred was always provided with the clothes, shoes—and food and drink (29.5) that they needed. (Or should we conclude that they ate the same magic food and drank the same supernatural "living" water over and over just as they wore the same clothes and shoes?)
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Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 26.2—The phrase popularly mis-rendered "to place His Name there" is ìÀùÑÇëÌÅï ùÑÀîåÉ ùÑÈí – to cause His Name to Neighbor there.
ùÑÀëÄéðÈä, the manifestation of é--ä in the Beit-ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ hâ-Rishon is derived from this verb. The shorꞋësh of both words is ùÑÈëÇï
(Note that the shorꞋësh of a verb is always the 3rd pers. masc. sing. past tense simplest form in common usage; and this is the entry you will find in the dictionaries.)
ùÑÈëÇï should be compared and contrasted with synonyms: éÈùÑÇá and âÌÈø
I tag "neighbor" to the derivatives of ùÑÈëÇï so that English readers can be aware of the underlying Hebrew relationship between the passages referring to them. I try to do this consistently when translating, and it is very widespread in NHM (preserving relationships in Greek and Hebrew). While this often results in a stilted English text, it's better to preserve the underlying relationships of the Hebrew than to reinvent yet another eloquent piece of grand English literature which fails to accurately convey the Hebrew and promulgates artificial relationships in English that aren't found in the Hebrew (or Greek) and mislead readers into false and unfounded doctrines.
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| These hills of Yᵊhud•âhꞋ (Judean or Jewish Hills/Mountains) are typical of the region around Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim and Beit-LëkhꞋëm. They provide sparse grazing for goats and sheep of nomadic herders. It's difficult to fathom how they survive in such an arid environment. Even in Biblical times, these hills were populated only by large bushes and brush. |
27.3 — "a land flowing with milk and honey." To westerners, this often conjures up an image of a luxuriant forest in the mountains of Tennessee, New York or Montana; with rushing streams, dense green foliage, lots of shade, hives of bees making honey and lush green pastures of dairy cattle.
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| More inviting than the hills of Yᵊhud•âhꞋ are the green, fertile, shores along NᵊharꞋ ha-Yar•deinꞋ) where there is plenty of water. |
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| Grove of date palms near Yᵊrikh•oꞋ. Note the clumps of orange dates protected by bags of netting. |
Nothing could be farther from the truth. The land of Israel has some forests, but compared to the American forest imagery above, these forests are sparse, relatively dry and shade is something to be appreciated. Even though Israel's forests have been ravaged by many conquerors the types of trees that were supported here rule out such lushness even in Biblical times. The "forests" were more like savannahs, dense with large bushes.
As for grazing, this refers to rather arid hills and plains which provide grazing primarily for goats and sheep, although cattle are being raised here as well. But these are certainly not the green pastures one finds in Kentucky. Milk in this passage refers to goats milk, a land suited to grazing goats on the sun-baked arid hills.
As for the "honey," ãÌÀáÇùÑ, which has come to mean honey in Modern Hebrew, in Biblical Hebrew this term referred to the syrup made from dates – and date palms were indeed plentiful. In Biblical passages, ãÌÀáÇùÑ should be rendered "date syrup," not "honey." The Modern Hebrew term for honey rests on the misconception. In Modern Hebrew, bee honey is ãÌÀáÇùÑ.
Thus, the phrase "a land flowing with milk and honey" should instead connote an image of badlands and arid-hills, grazing goats and valley oases populated by date palms—a Mediterranean scene, not an American or European scene.
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| Setting: ca. B.C.E. 720 (Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu chapters 40-66). Location: Yᵊru•shâ•layꞋim (31° 47' N, 35° 13' E) |
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Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 60.12 reads:
For the goy and the kingdom that shall not serve you shall be lost; and the goy•imꞋ shall be absolutely eviscerated.
Where is the exception for Bᵊn•ei-NoꞋakh?
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This week's Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ can only be understood within both its historical and current contexts. Most everyone is probably aware that Tor•âhꞋ is the only Light that illuminates the world. Few, by contrast, have been consistent in applying that allusion to this week's Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ. Moreover, the ëÌÀáåÉã é--ä is widely acknowledged to be His ùÑÀëÄéðÈä. Yet, how many recognize that this passage is urging the "ùÑÈáÅé ôÆùÑÇò áÌÀéÇòÂ÷Éá," who are in Tziy•onꞋ [59.20], to [60.1] get up (!) and shine forth (!) that Light so the ëÌÀáåÉã é--ä (= ùÑÀëÄéðÈä) "will shine about you"?
It is in this vein that we can relate to the opposite of Light in 60.2: darkness – that is
"cover[ing] the earth, a thick cloud [covering] the ìÀàËîÌÄéí."
The darkness is the ignorance of Tor•âhꞋ covering the earth and, of course, covering as well the ìÀàËîÌÄéí living on it; directly resulting from Israel's failure to be illuminating the world with Tor•âhꞋ. So the truly vexing and perplexing question is: What is causing this "dark cloud"? What is preventing Israel from illuminating the world with Tor•âhꞋ, leaving the world in darkness? For the past 2,000 years, who has been causing this "dark cloud," preventing Israel from sharing Tor•âhꞋ with the goy•imꞋ? And who, now, is causing this "dark cloud" by preventing Israel from sharing Tor•âhꞋ with the goy•imꞋ?!? Considering the typical UN vote about anything related to Israel, it's not difficult to grasp the ramifications and scope of this verse.
Only as Israel shines forth Tor•âhꞋ will the bᵊrâkh•otꞋ described beginning in 60.3 be experienced. Yet, we've been seeing the fulfillment of 60.4 for years, ever since 1948. And it is only when Israel shines forth Tor•âhꞋ that the remainder of this week's Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ will be realized.
Given that é--ä is hyper-dimensional, and that the prophecies of Yᵊkhëz•qeilꞋ ha-Nâ•viꞋ concerning the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ ha-Shᵊlishi describe it as far too large to fit into the entire State of Israel, it is clear that the Jewish community of this prophesied age is, finally, to relate no longer to the mere physical tav•nitꞋ, but, according to 60.7, to the actual, non-dimensional, archetypal Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ ha-Shᵊlishi and its Miz•beiꞋakh—which has existed from the foundations of the world and functions in Yᵊrushâlayim shël Mal•âhꞋ. This is the frame of reference to consistently understand through pâ•suqꞋ 18.
While the passage beginning with pâ•suqꞋ 19 must be understood within the same context, a flashback to a historical aspect is in order. RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa wrote in an age in which sun worship and moon worship were still in vogue (among the Hellenists). Rather than being illuminated by Tor•âhꞋ, too many sought illumination through sun and moon worship. Unknowingly, too many still do.
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Not the least startling revelation in this week's Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ, pâ•suqꞋ 21, is that "Your kindred shall be tzadiq•imꞋ, forever shall they inherit hâ-ÂꞋrëtz—a ðÅöÆø of My Plantings, the Doings of My Hand for glorifying Myself."
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| Havdâl•âhꞋ Tei•mân•itꞋ (Ha•dasꞋ is the spice; no European "castle spice box." While a sprig of myrtle is preferred, any fragrant herb or spice will suffice.) |
Several sentences of the Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ are found in the (Tei•mân•iꞋ) Havdâl•âhꞋ liturgy. 60.4, speaking of the Tᵊphutz•âhꞋ being regathered to Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim, as well as pâ•suqꞋ 8, apparently describing travel by airplane, suggests that this speaks of our time.
Then how can pâ•suqꞋ 7, speaking of îÄæÀáÌÀçÄé (My Altar) and áÌÅéú úÌÄôÀàÇøÀúÌÄé (the House of My opulence (i.e., glory)), be?
Is this an unfulfilled prophecy? Maybe. But as we see prophecies all around this pâ•suqꞋ happening all around us, it may also be that there's an alternative understanding of the pâ•suqꞋ.
úÌÄôÀàÆøÆú is only used in conjunction with áÌÅéú twice in Tan"kh, both times in Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu ha-Nâ•viꞋ; and the contrast between the two instances seems significant.
Referring to the áÌÇéÄú "where our fathers praised You" (not the house), 64.10 employs the phrase áÌÅéú ÷ÈãÀùÑÅðåÌ åÀúÌÄôÀàÇøÀúÌÅðåÌ (our Holiness and our Opulence)—which is é--ä ("You," not the house)!!! (But which Yi•sᵊ•râ•eilꞋ confused–and often still confuses today–focused on the worldly opulence of the physical building instead of on é--ä.)
In this week's Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ, however, the reference in pâ•suqꞋ 21 is, by contrast, to ðÅöÆø îÇèÌÈòÇé, îÇòÂùÒÅä éÈãÇé ìÀäÄúÀôÌÈàÅø: (the NeiꞋtzër of My Plantings, the Ma•as•ëhꞋ of My Hands for being opulent" – His Glory, is contrasted with the physical building that Yi•sᵊ•râ•eilꞋ strayed in regarding as "our QoꞋdësh and our opulence"!
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Note also in pâ•suqꞋ 21 the phrase ðÅöÆø îÇèÌÈòÇé (note: this pronunciation is a qᵊri). "My Plantings"–note the plural–refers, in plural (!), to the öÆîÇç—the Mâ•shiꞋakh. NeiꞋtzër, of course, also refers to the Mâ•shiꞋakh (see Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu ha-Nâ•viꞋ 11.1) of the ðÀöÈøÄéí.
The Aleppo Codex supports the plural noun of 𝕸 qᵊrei, complemented by the vowel points: îÇèÌÈòÇå.
(reading right-to-left, begin 6 lines from bottom with the last {leftmost} word):
ðöø îèòé é--ä îòùé éãéå ìäúôàø
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 1QIsa 60.21 |
Thus, 1QIsa (ca. BCE 240), a thousand years older than 𝕸 (ca. 10th century CE), corrects the reading to "the neiꞋtzër of the Plantings of é--ä, the Ma•as•eiꞋ of Our Hands to be deemed-opulent."
ðÄöÀáÈÌà ãÀçÇãåÀúÄé òåÉáÈã âÀáËåøÀúÄé ìÀàÄùúÇáÈçÈà
(the neiꞋtzër of My Hi•lul•âꞋ, the work of My Might to be praised)
Perhaps there are also parallels of a duality in the plurals of Plantings and Goings-forth (MikhꞋâh 5.1) such that:
Plantings of NeiꞋtzër : TzëmꞋakh = Goings-forth of Mâ•shiꞋakh Bën-Yo•seiphꞋ : Mâ•shiꞋakh Bën-Dâ•widꞋ?
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60.2 – ëÌÄé-äÄðÌÅä äÇçÉùÑÆêÀ éÀëÇñÌÆä-àÆøÆõ, åÀòÂøÈôÆì ìÀàËîÌÄéí;
16 Behold, I Myself am causing a øåÉòÆä to rise up bâ-ÂrꞋëtz; äÇðÌÄëÀçÈãåÉú ìÉà éÄôÀ÷Éã, he will not ask the youth and ìÉà éÀøÇôÌÅà the broken; äÇðÌÄöÌÈáÈä he will not maintain, åÌáÀùÒÇø äÇáÌÀøÄéàÈä shall he consume; åÌôÇøÀñÅéäÆï éÀôÈøÅ÷ 17 äåÉé øÉòÄé [of] äÈàÁìÄéì, abandoner of äÇöÌÉàï, a sword upon his arm and upon his right eye; his arm shall utterly wither, and his right eye go utterly dark…
"7 Sword awake (!) upon øÉòÄé and upon âÌÆáÆø òÂîÄéúÄé" (a declaration of é--ä of armies). "Strike äÈøÉòÆä åÌúÀôåÌöÆéïÈ äÇöÌÉàï; Then I will turn My Hand upon äÇöÌÉòÂøÄéí. 8 Then it shall become, in all of hâ-ÂrꞋëtz" (a declaration of é--ä) "⅔ in her éÄëÌÈøÀúåÌ éÄâÀåÈòåÌ; but the [remaining] ⅓ shall be a remnant in her. 9 I will bring this ⅓ into a fire, and purify them like one purifies silver, and I will refine them like one refines gold; then he shall call My Name and I will answer him. I have said, 'òÇîÌÄé is He' and he shall say 'é--ä is my Ël•oh•imꞋ.' "
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 Nadir of Nazi Pogrom – ashes & bones found by U.S. soldiers at Buchenwald concentration camp, 1945.04.14 (eisenhower.archives.gov) |
The Hand of é--ä was upon me, åÇéÌåÉöÄéàÅðÄé áÀøåÌçÇ é--ä, and caused me to rest in the midst of the valley, and it was full of bones. 2 Then he caused me to traverse over them, around and around; and behold, there were very many [bones] upon the face of the valley, and behold, [the bones were] very dry…
2 áÌÆï-àÈãÈí äÄðÌÈáÅà òÇì-øÉòÅé éÄùÒÀøÈàÅì…
(Paraphrase: Bën-â•dâmꞋ, prophesy (!) over the shepherds of Israel…)
äåÉé øÉòÅé-éÄùÒÀøÈàÅì àÂùÑÆø äÈéåÌ øÉòÄéí àåÉúÈí, äÂìåÉà äÇöÌÉàï, éÄøÀòåÌ äÈøÉòÄéí:
(Paraphrase: Oy, shepherds of Israel, who have been shepherding them{selves}; isn't it the flock that shepherds should be shepherding?)
3 You,m.p. äÇöÌÉàï ìÉà, will eat the çÅìÆá, wear the wool and slaughter the healthy animals. 4 àÆú-äÇðÌÇçÀìåÉú you m.p. didn't strengthen, and sick [Israel] f.s. you m.p. did not care for. The broken f.s. you m.p. did not bandage, the refugee f.s. you m.p. did not retrieve, and the lost f.s. you m.p. did not seek; rather, by force and by grinding them, you m.p. trampled them down. 5 and she was scattered to the tᵊphutz•âhꞋ without a øÉòÆä…
10 Thus says A•don•âiꞋ é--ä, Behold, to äÈøÉòÄéí then shall I require àÆú-öÌÉàðÄé from their hand and I will cause their pasturing of the öÌÉàï to cease…
… because ðÄáÀòÂøåÌ äÈøÉòÄéí, and é--ä they did not seek; therefore, ìÉà äÄùÒÀëÌÄéìÄåÌ, and all îÇøÀòÄéúÈí are dispersed.
äåÉé øÉòÄéí who lose and scatter the öÌÉàï îÇøÀòÄéúÄé!" declares é--ä… 5 "Behold, days are coming," declares é--ä, "when I will establish ìÀãÈåÄã öÆîÇç öÇãÌÄé÷ "
Then I shall give you øÉòÄéí according to My Heart; åÀøÈòåÌ you m.p. in ãÌÅòÈä åÀäÇùÒÀëÌÅéì
åÌáÇòÅú ÷Åõ…
"1 åÌáÈòÅú äÇäÄéà shall stand Mi•khâ•eilꞋ, äÇùÉÌÇø äÇâÌÈãåÉì who is standing over òÇîÌÆêÈ åÀäÈéÀúÈä òÅú-öÈøÈä, which had never been since âÌåÉé have existed, until òÅú äÇäÄéà;
åÌáÈòÅú äÇäÄéà shall be delivered òÇîÌÆêÈ, all who are found written áÌÇñÌÅôÆø 2 Then many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awaken: these ìÀçÇéÌÅé òåÉìÈí but those ìÇçÂøÈôåÉú, ìÀãÄøÀàåÉï òåÉìÈí
3 åÀäÇîÌÇùÒÀëÌÄìÄéí shall shine ëÌÀæÉäÇø of the sky, åÌîÇöÀãÌÄé÷Åé äÈøÇáÌÄéí ëÌÇëÌåÉëÈáÄéí ìÀòåÉìÈí åÈòÆã
24.21-28)3 Then He said to me, "áÌÆï-àÈãÈí, how about these bones living?" Then I said, "A•don•âiꞋ é--ä, You knew!" 4 Then He said to me, äÄðÌÈáÅà about these bones; and you shall say to them, "Dry bones, ùÑÄîÀòåÌ ãÌÀáÇø-é--ä!" 5 Thus said A•don•âiꞋ é--ä to these bones; I am bringing in you m.p. a øåÌçÇ åÄçÀéÄéúÆí! 6 Then I will give upon you sinews and I will cause áÌÈùÒÈø to ascend upon you and I shall overlay you with skin; and I will give upon you a øåÌçÇ åÄçÀéÄéúÆí; then you shall know that I am é--ä! …
 Liberation Auschwitz-Birkenau 1200x920.jpg "1945.01.27 Red Army (doctor) Liberation Auschwitz-Birkenau") |
Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by Red Army (Red Army Doctor in photo with liberated Jews) |
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Dachau Liberated by the U.S. 5th Army |
Thus, parts of this Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ are already fulfilled and part of what we read describes our own era. Israel has been praying and hoping for the re-emergence of Israel for millennia – and we've seen it reemerge! The darkness of 60.2, certainly as clarified by the other Nᵊviy•imꞋ (below), refers to the Sho•âhꞋ and the consequent reemergence of the nation – "dry bones" (consequent to the Sho•âhꞋ) and their subsequent fleshing out (Yᵊkhëz•qeilꞋ 37) – of Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ.
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Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 60.4-9 begin describing the aliyot (popularly "regathering") from the Tᵊphutz•âhꞋ, which has taken place since 1948.
Pâ•suqꞋ 10 describes the supporting role of áÀðÅé-ðÅëÈø – perhaps the U.S. and Russia?
Predicted, back in the mid-1970s before it happened, both the date of the famous 7-year, "áÌÀøÄéú ìÈøÇáÌÄéí", marking the ùÑÄ÷ÌåÌõ ùÑÉîÅí – which would be breached in the middle of the 7-year period, and the date of the prophesied breach!!!
This date was calculated, according to these passages, from the historically dated decree of Artaxerxes to rebuild Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim (issued in B.C.E. 453). This calculation predicted The 1993 Covenant Live-LinkT , with straightforward, simple algebra. Details of how this was calculated, what's been happening since and what comes next are found in one of my books:
From Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 60.11 onward appears to describe the present—and what we can look forward to next.
60.12 — "For the goy and the kingdom that will not serve you shall be lost, and the goy•imꞋ shall be absolutely devastated." The goy that serves Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ is the goy that becomes a nation of geir•imꞋ. This is a strong reason to become a geir rather than remain part of the goy•imꞋ (= Bᵊnei-NoꞋakh).
60.14 — speaks of Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim: "they shall bow to" Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim. We can already see this to some extent. Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim will come to be called òÄéø é--ä (city of é--ä; i.e., öÄéÌåÉï) and ÷ÈãåÉùÑ éÄùÒÀøÈàÅì.
60.17 — åÀùÒÇîÀúÄÌé ôÀ÷ËãÌÈúÅêÀ ùÑÈìåÉí.
60.18 — No longer shall be heard çÈîÈñ in your land, [or] ùÑÉã åÈùÑÆáÆø in your borders, and you shall call your walls éÀùÑåÌòÈä and your gates úÌÀäÄìÌÈä.
60.19 — "You won't have [need] any longer [of] the sun for daylight, nor shall the moon's shining light you."
Consider that in the modern era, by day, electricity lights the homes, offices and underground excavations of Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim, and new lighting illuminating all four kilometers of the historic walls of äÈòÄéø äÈòÇúÌÄé÷Èä (Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim) was inaugurated in a spectacular celebration on 1996.06.24. Indeed, neither the sun nor the moon is needed for light in Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim.
Hopefully, the great majority of marginally traditional Jews will come to recognize the remainder of this pâ•suqꞋ—that we have é--ä for our Perpetual Light, and our Ël•oh•imꞋ for our Opulence.
Today, it's homo sapiens who have finally arrived at the knowledge that the sun, indeed, doesn't go down at all (60.20). (The earth merely revolves as it orbits around the sun.) Nor does the moon withdraw as it orbits the earth.
60.21 — "Your kindred" shall all be öÇãÌÄé÷Äéí (tzadiq•imꞋ), and shall inherit the land perpetually, a ðÅöÆø of Our plantings, the making of Our Hands, to deem Me opulent [60.22]. The little [tyke] shall be for a thousand and the youth for a strong goy; in its season, I, é--ä, will hasten it."
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Several lines of the Tei•mân•iꞋ Havdâl•âhꞋ service are taken from this week's Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ (60:1-3):
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1 ÷åÌîÄé àåÉøÄé, ëÌÄé-áÈà àåÉøÅêÀ; åÌëÀáåÉã é--ä òÈìÇéÄêÀ æÈøÈç: 2 ëÌÄé-äÄðÌÅä äÇçÉùÑÆêÀ éÀëÇñÌÆä-àÆøÆõ, åÇòÂøÈôÆì ìÀàËîÌÄéí; åÀòÈìÇéÄêÀ éÄæÀøÇç é--ä, åÌëÀáåÉãåÉ òÈìÇéÄêÀ éÅøÈàÆä: 3 åÀäÈìÀëåÌ âåÉéÄí ìÀàåÉøÅêÀ; åÌîÀìÈëÄéí ìÀðÉâÇäÌ æÇøÀçÅêÀ:
Paraphrase: 1 Arise {éÀøåÌùÑÀìÇí}! Enlighten! For your Light has been coming, and the kâ•vodꞋ é--ä has been shining on you. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the ërꞋëtz, and a foreboding-stormcloud the nations; then upon you shall shine é--ä and His kâ•vodꞋ shall be seen upon you. 3 Then the goy•imꞋ shall walk to your Light, and kings, toward the radiance of your shining.
Whether the subject of this passage is taken to be øåÌçÇ from the most recent context (59.21), or éÀøåÌùÑÀìÇí as specified in Tar•gumꞋ Yo•nâ•tânꞋ, they are both metonyms for Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ as the (lone) Indwelling of the øåÌçÇ äÇ÷ÉãÆùÑ; i.e., the ëÌÇìÌÈä é--ä
With this, you will have learned several lines of the beginning to the Tei•mân•iꞋ Havdâl•âhꞋ.
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Review, in our Web Café Archives Center: ψ or ð ? (2011.10) and Neuroscience: My Brain, Me and My Soul (2012.06)
How fitting is this Ha•phᵊtâr•âhꞋ now, as we've entered the Messianic Era.
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Paraphrase: 1 Arise {éÀøåÌùÑÀìÇí}! Enlighten! For your Light has been coming, and the kâ•vodꞋ é--ä has been shining on you. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the ërꞋëtz, and a foreboding-stormcloud the nations; then upon you shall shine é--ä and His kâ•vodꞋ shall be seen upon you. 3 Then the goy•imꞋ shall walk to your Light, and kings, toward the radiance of your shining. 4 Bear up your eyes around you and see; Everyone of them is gathering, come to you. Your sons shall come from afar and your daughters shall be fostered beside [you]."
6b "…and the tidings of the fame of é--ä shall [the goy•imꞋ] broadcast…
éÇòÂìåÌ òÇì-øÈöåÉï îÄæÀáÌÀçÄé åÌáÅéú úÌÄôÀàÇøÀúÌÄé àÂôÈàÅø.
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åéòìå ìøöåï òì îæáçé åáéú úôàøúé àôàø
éÄúÇñÀ÷åÌï ìÀøÇòÀåÈà òÇì îÇãÀáÌÀçÄé åËáÅéú úÌåÌùÑÀáÌÇçÀúÌÄé àÀùÑÇáÇçÓ
While 𝕸 reads "(They shall ascend) upon contentedness (My Altar)," both the earlier 1QIsa and Tar•gumꞋ Yo•nâ•tânꞋ agree on the reverse: "(They shall ascend) to contentedness upon (My Altar),"
Paraphrase: "They shall ascend to øöåï upon My Altar and the House of My Opulence (ùÑÀëÄéðÈä) shall I make Opulent (infuse with My ùÑÀëÄéðÈä – namely, in the person of His Mâ•shiꞋakh)."
The Sages have widely recognized that the úÌÄôÀàÇøÀúÌÄé àÂôÈàÅø is a metonym for the ëÌÀáåÉã é--ä, Present in the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ hâ-Ri•shonꞋ (cf., inter alia, Shᵊm•otꞋ 24.15-16); namely, the ùÑÀëÄéðÈä
Yᵊkhëz•qeilꞋ witnessed and recorded the departure of the ëÌÀáåÉã é--ä from the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ hâ-Ri•shonꞋ (10.4, 19 & 11.23).
With respect to prophesies of the future Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ, however, Yᵊkhëz•qeilꞋ 43, inter alia, prophesied that the ëÌÀáåÉã é--ä would return to indwell in it.
Khaj•aiꞋ confirmed this (2.7 – fill this Temple with Glory) and prophesied (2.9) that the Glory of latter greater than first.
However, as Ta•lᵊmudꞋ also notes, the "Second Temple," built by Herod the Great, cannot have been the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ prophesied by Yᵊkhëz•qeilꞋ and Khaj•aiꞋ. Five elements of the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ hâ-Ri•shonꞋ were absent from the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ ha-Shein•iꞋ: the àÂøåÉï äÇáÌÀøÄéú, its ëÌÇôÌÉøÆú , the ëÌÀøåÌáÄéí, the àÅùÑ äÇ÷ÉãÆùÑ and the ùÑÀëÄéðÈä (Ma•sëkꞋët Yom•âꞋ 21b; Artscroll Yechezkel [sic], p. 691).
The úÌåÉøÈä prohibition against anthropomorphism (cf. Yᵊkhëz•qeilꞋ 37.26-27; 43.7 et al.) rules out the ëÌÀáåÉã é--ä dwelling in any physical domicile. A priori, the áÌÅéú úÌÄôÀàÇøÀúÌÄé àÂôÈàÅø can only refer to a non-physical, spiritual, áÌÇéÄú –
ëÌÄé áÅéúÄé áÌÅéú-úÌÀôÄìÌÈä éÄ÷ÌÈøÅà ìÀëÈì-äÈòÇîÌÄéí
(Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 56.7).
 Beit-Guvrin 560x420.jpg "Dove columbarium (cote), Beit-Guvrin") |
| Dove columbarium (cote), Beit-Guvrin |
8 "Who are these that take wing like a cloud, like doves to their window-grates?"
Gᵊmâr•âꞋ (Ma•sëkꞋët Bâv•âꞋ Bat•râꞋ 75b) associates this pâ•suqꞋ with Zᵊkhar•yâhꞋ Bën-Bë•rëkh•yâhꞋ Bën-Id•oꞋ ha-Nâ•viꞋ 14.10 ("éÄñåÉá all hâ-ÂrꞋëtz like an a•râv•âhꞋ"; cf. 14.3-10).
Rab•âhꞋ, in the name of R. Yo•khân•ânꞋ, concluded from this passage, more fable-istically, that Yᵊru•shâ•laꞋyim would levitate, rotating, at an altitude of 12 kilometers, à la the levitating mountains in the Hollywood movie Avatar.
The fable of a physical "Ezekiel's Temple" descending from the heavens similarly derives from Rab•âhꞋ's line of thinking, confusing the worldly (physical, material) with the spiritual (non-physical or non-dimensional). There is no physical connection to the non-physical realm; i.e., no descending of the non-physical Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ of Yᵊkhëz•qeilꞋ, et al., into the physical world. The two exist, the physical temporally and the non-physical eternally, each mutually exclusive of the other. We must learn to relate to both.
However, we must relate to these passage in a realistic way, taking into account the limitations of the physical universe and the consistent logic that é--ä is not going to contradict Himself (the Omniscient Architect of the physical laws that govern the order in the universe). A priori, ruling out anthropomorphism in a physical house implies the unlimited nature of the non-dimensional – i.e., spiritual – Realm that is the domain of é--ä. It is in this Realm, not in our universe, that the House of His Glory, in which He dwells, and the Miz•beiꞋakh, administered by His Mâ•shiꞋakh, the "Prince" (Yᵊkhëz•qeilꞋ 44-46), exist.
While a future áÌÅéú-úÌÀôÄìÌÈä for all kindreds (Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 56.7) is to be physical, the Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ in which é--ä indwells cannot be anthropomorphic; i.e., it cannot by physical. This is confirmed, too, in that the genealogies of the Ko•han•imꞋ were all destroyed by the Romans and Ta•lᵊmudꞋ declared that once a family genealogy is "mixed up," it remains "mixed up" forever (Ma•sëkꞋët Qi•dush•inꞋ 70b). There are, and can be, no Biblically-legitimate Ko•han•imꞋ again – ever!!! The ùÑÀëÄéðÈä within the physical house of prayer for the kindreds can only be present within those who pray there.
"These who take wing like a cloud, like doves to their cotes" are the Tor•âhꞋ-keepers, wherever they may be physically, who commute spiritually to the non-physical House of His Glory in His (non-physical) Realm – those, within whom, is the ùÑÀëÄéðÈä.
In this age of global communications, when the world is awake, somewhere, 24 hrs/day , often in artificially-lighted environments, light should be understood not as the sun, but as spiritual illumination. It is in the sense of spiritual enlightenment, contrasted with the limited physical perspective, that we should understand the following: "The sun shall no more be for your light during the day, nor the brightness of the moon enlighten you. Rather, é--ä shall be for your Light of the age, and your Ël•oh•imꞋ shall be for your glory. Your sun won't come anymore and your moon won't add anything because é--ä will be the Light of the age for you, and the days of mourning [i.e., fast days] shall have been completed.
"Then, all of your kindred shall be tzadiq•imꞋ. They shall take possession of the land of the Neitzër to the age. He [the Neitzër = Mâ•shiꞋakh] is My planting, the doing of My Hands, to glorify Myself. The little-tyke shall become a thousand, and the youth shall become a mighty goy. In its season I will quicken it."
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| Nᵊviy•imꞋ | Translation | Mid•râshꞋ RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa: NHM |
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| Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 27.25 | Damned is a contract killer, and all of the am shall say, â•meinꞋ. | (Then Yᵊhud•âhꞋ Bën-Shim•onꞋ, Ish Qᵊrai•yotꞋ,10.4.2 who delivered him over, having seen that he was being sentenced,27.3.1 he began to shuv tᵊshuv•âhꞋ,27.3.2 and returned the thirty silver shᵊqal•imꞋ 26.15.1 to the predominantly aristocratic, Hellenist-Roman Pseudo-Tzᵊdoq•iꞋ 3.7.2 Ko•heinꞋ Gâ•dolꞋ 2.4.1 and Zᵊqan•imꞋ-serving-on-the-Beit Din of the am 27.3.3 saying, “I misstepped,1.21.4 delivering over innocent blood.” 27.4.1 | 27.4 | ||||||||
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Yᵊrushâ•laꞋyim… Yᵊrushâ•laꞋyim, who kills the Nᵊviy•imꞋ 23.30.1 and stones those who have been sent forth to her. How often I wished to gather 24.31.2 your children like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings—but you would not.23.37.1 38 Look, your Baᵊyit 23.38.1 is left 23.38.2 desolate 23.38.3 to you, for I tell you—you shall in no case see me anymore until you say (Tᵊhil•imꞋ 118:26):
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23.37-38 | |||||||||
| Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 60.6 | An abundance of camels shall cover you, camel-colts of Mid•yânꞋ and Eiph•âhꞋ, everyone from Shᵊvâ will come; they shall bear gold and frankincense, and Tᵊhil•otꞋ 'ä shall they herald. | Then, having come into the house,2.11.1 they saw 2.11.2 him with Mir•yâmꞋ, his mother. Kneeling,2.11.3 they paid obeisance 2.2.2 to him. They opened their sacks, and they had brought him a gift of gold, frankincense and myrrh (in a non-Hebrew language “mira”).2.11.4 | 2.11 | ||||||||
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Then RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa came into the Beit 'ä 1.22.1 and threw out all those who were buying and selling in the Beit ha-Miq•dâshꞋ,4.5.2 and overturned the tables of the currency-exchangers 21.12.1 and the benches 23.2.1 of those selling doves.21.12.1 He said to them, “It has been written (Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 56:7):
and (YirmᵊyâhꞋu 7:11):
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21.12-13 | |||||||||
| Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 61.1-3 | RuꞋakh A•don•aiꞋ 'ä is upon me; in response to 'ä mâ•shakhꞋ me to herald-tidings to the a•nâu•imꞋ… | “Happy 5.3.1 are they to be who are poor and broken-hearted,5.3.2 for the Realm 4.17.1 of the heavens 3.2.2 is theirs. | 5.3-4 | ||||||||
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| Setting: ca. 29 C.E. Location: Northwest shore of Yâm Ki•nërꞋët |
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In contrast to "Judeo-Christian" western cultures, desensitized by living amidst debaucheries all around them, a preponderance of people in the world—the most dangerous of whom are the Muslim Jihadists—are disgusted with the immoral depravity indicative of Christians and, primarily, Jews who don't maintain the standard of logical historical Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ (for which all Jews are consequently smeared).
Accordingly, if Israel or the west, respectively, expects to survive, which will require a denial of military conquest to Islamic Jihad, there are two chains of events that must be broken:
Muslims justly condemn the debauchery of (primarily western) Christians—along with (secular) "Jews" who have infected the Holy Land with their western debauchery
Secular Jews, in turn, have become secular because of the ignorance and sanctimony of minutiae-fanatic Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Zealots combined by their rabbis' lack of answers to life's important questions. Currently, these Ultra-Orthodox rabbis are estranging Jews from Tor•âhꞋ at an increasing rate and both the resulting secular Jews and western Christians are descending ever deeper into their debauchery (e.g., approval of homosexuals). In short, a dynamic and increasingly volatile situation is rapidly approaching the flash point.
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| Einstein rejected rabbinic Judaism, but – "Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion. To that extent I am, in point of fact, religious." (lifebeyonddeath.net/author) |
In order for moderate Orthodox Jews, the true torch-bearers of logical and historical Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ, to break the millennial chain of world-wide misojudaic sentiments requires, first of all, turning off the faucet of more and more Jews themselves becoming estranged by the hypocritical, Dark Ages, evil religious rule of Ultra-Orthodoxy, which continues to drive the most intelligent and educated Jews away from Tor•âhꞋ – witness, for example, Einstein.
It must be emphasized that these Jews are not merely falling away, nor are they being enticed away by Christian missionaries (almost none of estranged Jews become Christians), they are being driven away by the arrogant religious rule of Ultra-Orthodox Kha•reid•imꞋ obsessed with Dark Age fables, blatantly trampling basic and plain úÌåÉøÈä principles (in contrast to their meticulous obsession with mechanical rituals) and arrogant sanctimony – all of which contradict úÌåÉøÈä.
These evils are made particularly egregious by the Ultra-Orthodox Kha•reid•imꞋ claim to be the exclusive authorities of úÌåÉøÈä, claiming that Israel is dependent upon their prayers for survival (see Mi•shᵊl•eiꞋ ShᵊlomꞋoh 28.9). This growing pool of Jews whom the Ultra-Orthodox have driven away from úÌåÉøÈä, like Yi•shᵊm•â•eilꞋ and Ei•sauꞋ (aka Ë•domꞋ), defines modern Εd•om•imꞋ – assimilating, secular and atheist pretenders. These pretenders, who ignore and trample úÌåÉøÈä with impunity, fuel misojudaic detractors, in turn fueling the recruiting of Islamic Jihadists to fight against Israel (and for the same reasons – immorality, debauchery and injustice – as they fight Christians, especially the more "liberal" western Christians).
The only way that moderate Orthodox rabbis and Jews can overcome this growing estrangement, and its concomitant misojudaic backlash, is by embracing three major reforms:
Breaking the yoke of the present Kha•reid•iꞋ / Ultra-Orthodox rule, which focuses on ritual and minutiae to the sanctimonious disregard of countless transgressions of the great principles of Tor•âhꞋ—which has created a "halakhic" culture of widespread corruption, routine abuses of, and injustices to the helpless, and a religious climate that rewards lᵊshonꞋ hâ-râꞋ.
Forsaking their idolization of rabbis, who are merely fallible teachers, along with citing medieval "authorities," as if both displaced Scripture; instead, learning mathematical logic to apply to answering life's questions to intelligent and educated young Jews.
Recognizing that to be respected as a valid religion, Judaism must provide more intelligent and sensible answers to life's important questions than rival religions. That means abandoning tenets fabricated on medieval pseudo-science and superstition to adopt an aggressive – missionary – policy of logically and scientifically illuminating the goy•imꞋ with Tor•âhꞋ.
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| Bling |
Christians, by definition, cannot keep úÌåÉøÈä, and secular "Jews," choose not to maintain the standard of logical Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ. These, by contrast, must confront a more direct reform to break the chain that draws the ire of Islamic Jihadists. Sooner or tragically later, increasing revulsion at western depravity will continue to motivate Islam to force Christians and "Jews" who don't maintain the standard of logical Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ to confront the consequences of their ever descending spiral into debauchery. If not to reconcile with their Creator, then simply to protect their financial future and survive against Islamic Jihadists, even the most irreligious of pragmatic Christians and "Jews" who don't maintain the standard of logical Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ will be forced—whether voluntarily or the hard way—to temper their hedonism (their pursuit of bling) and reverse their wide-ranging and extreme debauchery and injustices under the guise of a radically liberal interpretation of "freedom."
Hate-mongering Jews bring revulsion, condemnation and the wrath of goy•imꞋ on Jews and Judaism. Jews who distort, generalize, exaggerate and slander Arabs hurt Jews and Judaism, not Arabs. In this, hate-mongering Jews commit khi•lulꞋ é--ä. Arguing that because Arabs demonize Jews then it is ok for Jews to demonize Arabs is childish and tantamount to arguing that the proper response for a stupid, self-defeating wrong is an equally stupid and equally self-defeating wrong. To the contrary, the only effective remedy is education: facts, documentation and reason—and, no less importantly, prosecuting slander to the fullest everywhere and in every court possible. The remedy to slander is education and prosecution, not more slander.
It is true that Islamic jihadists are barbaric and vile and that they reflect Muhammad, who is a false prophet. To generalize this to all Arabs, however, becomes slander.
While Jews viewed wealth as the usual byproduct of keeping Tor•âhꞋ, Roman emperors and clergy taught their masses that poverty was desirable and they should be happy in it. Thus, the conflicted attitude of Christians toward wealth is rooted in the NT and developing Christianity over a number of centuries. In the first century, îÈîåÉï simply meant amassed wealth or materialism; money or capital. The personification of "Mammon" as an evil entity was a later, medieval, innovation.
Many Scriptures encourage—and expect—success and prosperity to result from Tor•âhꞋ living (select "materialism" in our "Scriptural Answers To Life's Questions," in our Beit ha-KᵊnësꞋët page). Yet, without contradiction, Scriptures condemn hedonism—the pursuit of îÈîåÉï (see same entry in our "Scriptural Answers To Life's Questions").
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| Celebrities' Success: Happiness? |
So what distinguishes success and prosperity from îÈîåÉï?
Success isn't equivalent to wealth. Despite repeatedly seeing the ultimate destination of the road to material "success," the shallow and overconfident continue to put their trust in îÈîåÉï. Compromising, or having failed to develop meaningful spiritual values in the first place, these greatest "successes," often society's most famous celebrities, routinely discover too late that their search for material happiness has left them as drug-addicts, drunks or those who regard themselves as above the law, winding up in a police mug shot or the "ultimate success" – their OD-death like Whitney Houston or Elvis Presley.
RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa elaborated the inherent conflict between success and materialism in NHM 6.24-25:
No man can serve two adon•imꞋ simultaneously; for either he will eschew one and love the other or else he will have kâ•vodꞋ for one and disdain the other. You cannot serve both Ël•oh•imꞋ and îÈîåÉï.
The key word is "serve." Since it is axiomatic that one cannot serve both, then one must be subordinate to the other. This exposes the underlying question: which is used to serve the other? Do you perceive tᵊphil•otꞋ as your tool to persuade Ël•oh•imꞋ to do your will in pursuit of îÈîåÉï? Or do you regard îÈîåÉï as a tool to use in the service of Ël•oh•imꞋ according to His Will?
The answer determines whether îÈîåÉï is good or evil. If one believes the latter, then just what is that service? What have you accomplished? And what, and when, are the milestones by which you can measure progress in your service? Is measurement and progress of your service to Ël•oh•imꞋ more important, or less important, than the earning of îÈîåÉï? Do your practice and accomplishments—fruits—reflect this?
The mi•tzᵊw•âhꞋ of ma•asᵊr•otꞋ is certainly one irreplaceable element of that measurement. Without diminishing the requirement of ma•asᵊr•otꞋ (NHM 5.17-20), however, RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa emphasized (NHM 23.23) that other aspects of Tor•âhꞋ are far more important than minute details:
Oy for you So•phᵊr•imꞋ and Pᵊrush•imꞋ, hypocrites who tithe even the tiniest purchase of mint or dill or cumin; yet, you ignore the more important mi•tzᵊw•otꞋ of Tor•âhꞋ: adjudication of Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ, khësꞋëd and ë•mun•âhꞋ.
Attention to ritual and minutiae while transgressing the more important mi•tzᵊw•otꞋ of Tor•âhꞋ is sanctimonious, NOT pious or praiseworthy.
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This year's Tor•âhꞋ section clarifies that the teaching of RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa at NHM 19.16-26, in complete harmony with the Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ that tzᵊdâq•âhꞋ is a mi•tzᵊw•âhꞋ.
Moreover, the response of the recipients in being attracted to the genuine practice of Tor•âhꞋ, concealed by Christian redactors, has been recovered in NHM 5.10. In Hebrew, the text reads not persecuted, but pursued: "Happy are they to be who are pursued [by the grateful and rejoicing recipients] on account of their tzᵊdâq•âhꞋ." Not even morons would be happy at being persecuted—but Roman rulers wished to instill that thought in their public to be happy with their lot. 2,000 years later, the ignorant masses still buy into blind submission to tyrannical leaders because they wrongly believe that RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa taught it.
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How great is the power of tᵊshuv•âhꞋ, that ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu in His great rakham•imꞋ opened for mankind a door of tᵊshuv•âhꞋ. As it is memorized in bᵊ-Reishit Rab•âhꞋ (21.6): "And now lest He send His Hand" (bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ 3.22).
•marꞋ RabꞋi Abâ Bar-Kahanâ: teaching that ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu opened for him a door of tᵊshuv•âhꞋ. As it is said, "And now," but there is no "and now" except the language of tᵊshuv•âhꞋ as it is said, "And now Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ, What does é--ä, your Ël•oh•imꞋ, ask from you?" (Dᵊvâr•imꞋ 10.12).
We recite further there, "Qayin went out from before é--ä" (bᵊ-Reish•itꞋ 4.16). From where did he go out? •marꞋ Rav Khun•âhꞋ, in the name of Rav Nakhman Bar-Yi•tzᵊkhâqꞋ Âv•iꞋnu, "Rejoicing left (went out)." •marꞋ, how much moreso, "Also, look, he is going out to meet you and when he sees you he will rejoice in his heart" (Shᵊm•otꞋ 4.14). The first âdâm was wounded by him. •marꞋ to him, "What was done by your law?" •marꞋ to him, "I made tᵊshuv•âhꞋ and I meant it. Then the first âdâm began to pat his face and •marꞋ, "Thus, great in power is tᵊshuv•âhꞋ, and I didn't know. Immediately, he stood and •marꞋ, "From a song, a chant for the day of Shab•âtꞋ, 'Good (it is)'.'" (Tᵊhil•imꞋ 92).
(See also si•dᵊr•âhꞋ bᵊ-Mi•dᵊbarꞋ, Tor•âhꞋ for 5756.)
And we recite [relative to] the verse (this work, 160.2 [or 7]): "It is good to thank é--ä" (Tᵊhil•imꞋ 92.2), '•marꞋ Rabi Lei•wiꞋ, 'The first adam •marꞋ this song to him, teaching that ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu, accepts returnees (who make tᵊshuv•âhꞋ).
And He says, "Return to Me. I accepted the tᵊshuv•âhꞋ of Akhâv [corrupted to 'Ahab'], that I had decreed upon him, a harsh decree. And I won't accept your tᵊshuv•âhꞋ?" For this is what is written, "And this was the saying of é--ä to Eil•i•yâhꞋu ha-Nâ•viꞋ the Tishbi, saying, '[Get up], go down to see Akhâv, mëꞋlëkh Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ, who is in the Sho•mᵊr•onꞋ. Look, he's in the vineyard of Nâvot, where he has gone to inherit it. You speak to him saying, Thus •marꞋ é--ä, You murdered and you will also inherit [steal the vineyard]? You speak to him saying, Thus •marꞋ é--ä, In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Nâvot' the dogs shall lick your own blood' When Akhâv heard these words he tore his garment and placed sackcloth on his flesh, and he fasted and went to bed in sackcloth, and he walked slowly." (Mᵊlâkhim Âlëph 21.17-18, 27).
How long did he afflict himself? [Only] three hours. If it was routine to eat in three hours, he ate in six. And if in six, he ate in nine.
"And he walked slowly'," What is "slowly"? Rabi Yᵊho•shuꞋa Bën-Lei•wiꞋ says that it was walking barefoot. What is written there: "And the speaking of é--ä to Eil•i•yâhꞋu ha-Tishbi [saying], 'You shall see that Akhâv has capitulated to Me," etc. (loc. cit. 28-29).
•marꞋ ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu [that] Akhâv was serious [lit. furious] about his work of tᵊshuv•âhꞋ, "Because he has capitulated to Me I will not bring the bad during his days'" (ibid.).
I accepted the tᵊshuv•âhꞋ of the men of Anatot, upon whom I had decreed a harsh decree. And your tᵊshuv•âhꞋ I don't accept?" As it is written, "Therefore, so •marꞋ é--ä [tzᵊvâ•ot], "Look, I'm overseeing or supervising (i.e., monitoring) them," etc."and there will be no remnant for them" (Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu 11.22-23)? Then, focusing on making tᵊshuv•âhꞋ, 128 of the men of Anatot achieved being subscribed to the genealogical registers (ËꞋzᵊr•â 2.23).
I accepted the tᵊshuv•âhꞋ of the men of Ninᵊveih, upon whom I had harshly decreed, and your tᵊshuv•âhꞋ I don't accept?" As it is written, "And Yon•âhꞋ started to go into the city' and the men of Ninᵊveih trusted' and the matter reached' and had [the town crier] shout it' he who knows will make tᵊshuv•âhꞋ" (Yon•âhꞋ 3.4-9). And it is written, "And the Ël•oh•imꞋ saw their Ma•as•ëhꞋ, that they made tᵊshuv•âhꞋ from their bad ways and the Ël•oh•imꞋ eased up on them concerning the bad that He had spoken of doing to them, and didn't do it" (loc. cit. 10).
It is written, "Tear your hearts rather than your garments'" (Yo•eil 2.13). •marꞋ Rabi RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa Bën-Lei•wiꞋ, If you tear your hearts in tᵊshuv•âhꞋ you won't be tearing your garments over your sons and daughters. Why? "Because gracious and rakham•imꞋ is He'" (ibid.).
The tᵊshuv•âhꞋ of Yᵊkhanyâh I accepted, upon whom was decreed a harsh decree, and I won't accept your tᵊshuv•âhꞋ? As it is written, "Is this man, Kânyâhu, some shattered sad-excuse-for-an-idol with an undesirable vessel? '" (Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu 22.28). [•marꞋ] Rabi Akhâ Bar-Âvin Bar-Binyâmin, in the name of Rabi Abba Bᵊrei of Rav Papei: "Great is the power of tᵊshuv•âhꞋ, which annulled the oath and annulled the decree."
Annulled the oath of a min•yânꞋ? As it is written, " 'I am life,' declares é--ä, 'for if Kânyâhu Bën-Yᵊhoyâqim were a signet-ring'" (loc. cit. 24). And it is written, " 'On this day,' declares é--ä, 'I will take you, Zᵊru-Bâvël Bën-Shᵊaltiyeil, My servant, '" (Khaj•aiꞋ 2.23).
And annulled the decree of a min•yânꞋ? As it is written, "Thus •marꞋ é--ä, "Write this man as childless in the yu•khas•inꞋ, a warrior who shall not be successful in his lifetime, [who shall be] without a successor to the throne" (Yi•rᵊmᵊyâhꞋu 22.30). Then it is written, "And the sons of Yᵊkhanyâh are: Asir,'" (Divrei ha-Yâmim Âlëph 3.17).
"To the ages, é--ä, Your Ways are stationary" (Tᵊhil•imꞋ 119.89). This pâ•suqꞋ also speaks of the first •dâmꞋ, when the first •dâmꞋ khâtâ. Were it not for ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu, sitting on the Throne of Rakham•imꞋ, he wouldn't have been ratified even for an hour. Yet, ha-Qâ•doshꞋ, Bâ•rukhꞋ Hu, promised his seed after him that He would conduct Himself with a measure of rakham•imꞋ with them. As it is said, "For generation and generation is Your trustworthiness'" (Tᵊhil•imꞋ 119.90).
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