BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
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Triennial Cycle (Triennial Torah Cycle) / Septennial Cycle (Septennial Torah Cycle)
Three and 1/2 year Lectionary Readings
Tebet 25, 5774 – Dec 27/Dec 28, 2013
Second Year of the Triennial Reading Cycle
Fifth Year of the Shmita Cycle
Candle Lighting and Habdalah Times:
Conroe & Austin, TX, U.S.
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 5:20 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 6:18 PM
Jakarta, Indonesia
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 5:50 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 6:42 PM
Olympia, WA, U.S.
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 4:10 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 5:21 PM
Sheboygan & Manitowoc, WI, US
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 4:02 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 5:09 PM
Brisbane, Australia
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 6:27 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 7:25 PM
Manila & Cebu, Philippines
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 5:17 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 6:10 PM
Murray, KY, & Paris, TN. U.S.
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 4:26 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 5:28 PM
Singapore, Singapore
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 6:49 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 7:41 PM
Chattanooga, & Cleveland, TN, U.S.
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 5:18 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 6:19 PM
Miami, FL, U.S.
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 5:20 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 6:15 PM
San Antonio, TX, U.S.
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 5:25 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 6:22 PM
St. Louis, MO, U.S.
Fri. Dec 27 2013 – Candles at 4:28 PM
Sat. Dec 28 2013 – Habdalah 5:30 PM
For other places see: http://chabad.org/calendar/candlelighting.asp
Roll of Honor:
This Torah commentary comes to you courtesy of:
His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David and beloved wife HH Giberet Batsheva bat Sarah
His Honor Paqid Adon David ben Abraham
His Honor Paqid Adon Ezra ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Karmela bat Sarah,
Her Excellency Giberet Sarai bat Sarah & beloved family
His Excellency Adon Barth Lindemann & beloved family
His Excellency Adon John Batchelor & beloved wife
Her Excellency Giberet Laurie Taylor
His Eminence Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham and beloved wife HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah
Her Excellency Prof. Dr. Conny Williams & beloved family
Her Excellency Giberet Gloria Sutton & beloved family
His Excellency Adon Yoel ben Abraham
His Excellency Adon Tsuriel ben Abraham and beloved wife Giberet Gibora bat Sarah
Page 1 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
For their regular and sacrificial giving, providing the best oil for the lamps, we pray that G-d’s richest
blessings be upon their lives and those of their loved ones, together with all Yisrael and her Torah Scholars,
amen ve amen!
Also a great thank you and great blessings be upon all who send comments to the list about the contents
and commentary of the weekly Torah Seder and allied topics.
If you want to subscribe to our list and ensure that you never lose any of our commentaries, or would like
your friends also to receive this commentary, please do send me an E-Mail to benhaggai@GMail.com with
your E-Mail or the E-Mail addresses of your friends. Toda Rabba!
Shabbat “BaYom HaSh’mini” – “On the eighth day”
& Shabbat Mevar’chim HaChodesh Shebat
(Proclamation of the New Moon of the Month of Shebat)
Wednesday Evening January 01, 2014 – Thursday Evening January 02, 2014
Shabbat
Torah Reading:
Weekday Torah Reading:
‫בַּ ּיֹום הַּ ְּׁש ִמינִ י‬
“BaYom HaSh’mini”
“On the eighth day”
“en el octavo día”
Vayiqra (Lev.) 9:1 – 10:7
B’Midbar (Num.) 28:9-15
Ashlamatah:
Ezekiel 43:27 – 44:5, 28-30
Special: I Samuel 20:18,42
Psalm 77:11-21
Saturday Afternoon
Reader 1 – Vayiqra 9:1-4
Reader 2 – Vayiqra 9:5-7
Reader 3 – Vayiqra 9:8-10
Reader 1 – Vayiqra 10:8-10
Reader 2 – Vayiqra 10:9-11
Reader 3 – Vayiqra 10:8-11
Reader 4 – Vayiqra 9:11-16
Monday & Thursday
Mornings
Reader 6 – Vayiqra 9:22-24 Reader 1 – Vayiqra 10:8-10
Reader 7 – Vayiqra 10:1-7 Reader 2 – Vayiqra 10:9-11
Maftir – Vayiqra 10:5-7 Reader 3 – Vayiqra 10:8-11
1 Pet 3:1-7; Lk 12:2-9, 13-21 Ezekiel 43:27 – 44:5, 28-30
Acts 22:1-21
I Samuel 20:18,42
Reader 5 – Vayiqra 9:17-21
Blessings Before Torah Study
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d, King of the universe, Who has sanctified us through Your commandments, and commanded
us to actively study Torah. Amen!
Please Ha-Shem, our G-d, sweeten the words of Your Torah in our mouths and in the mouths of all Your people Israel. May we and
our offspring, and our offspring's offspring, and all the offspring of Your people, the House of Israel, may we all, together, know
Your Name and study Your Torah for the sake of fulfilling Your desire. Blessed are You, Ha-Shem, Who teaches Torah to His people
Israel. Amen!
Blessed are You, Ha-Shem our G-d, King of the universe, Who chose us from all the nations, and gave us the Torah. Blessed are
You, Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!
Ha-Shem spoke to Moses, explaining a Commandment. "Speak to Aaron and his sons, and teach them the following
Commandment: This is how you should bless the Children of Israel. Say to the Children of Israel:
Page 2 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
May Ha-Shem bless you and keep watch over you; - Amen!
May Ha-Shem make His Presence enlighten you, and may He be kind to you; - Amen!
May Ha-Shem bestow favor on you, and grant you peace. – Amen!
This way, the priests will link My Name with the Israelites, and I will bless them."
These are the Laws for which the Torah did not mandate specific amounts: How much growing produce must be left in the corner
of the field for the poor; how much of the first fruits must be offered at the Holy Temple; how much one must bring as an offering
when one visits the Holy Temple three times a year; how much one must do when doing acts of kindness; and there is no
maximum amount of Torah that a person must study.
These are the Laws whose benefits a person can often enjoy even in this world, even though the primary reward is in the Next
World: They are: Honouring one's father and mother; doing acts of kindness; early attendance at the place of Torah study -morning and night; showing hospitality to guests; visiting the sick; providing for the financial needs of a bride; escorting the
dead; being very engrossed in prayer; bringing peace between two people, and between husband and wife; but the study of Torah
is as great as all of them together. Amen!
Contents of the Torah Seder



The Priests Enter Upon Their Office – Leviticus 9:1-24
Death of Nadab and Abihu – Leviticus 10:1-5
The Priests Not to Mourn – Leviticus 10:6-7
Reading Assignment:
The Torah Anthology: Yalkut Me’Am Lo’Ez - Vol. XI: The Divine Service
By: Rabbi Yaaqov Culi & Rabbi Yitschaq Magriso, Translated by: Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
Published by: Moznaim Publishing Corp. (New York, 1989)
Vol. 11 – “The Divine Service,” pp. 187-216.
Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 9:1 – 10:7
RASHI
1. And it was on the eighth day, that Moses
summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.
2. And he said to Aaron, "Take for yourself a bull calf
as a sin offering, and a ram as a burnt offering, [both]
unblemished, and bring [them] near before the LORD.
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
1. On the eighth day of the anointing of Aharon and
his sons, and the eighth day of that consecration,
being the first day of the month of Nisan, when
Mosheh had erected the tabernacle, he took it not
down, neither ministered any longer at the altar; but
Mosheh called Aharon and his sons, and the elders of
the sanhedrin of Israel.
2. And he said to Aharon, Take you a calf, the young
of a bullock, for a sin offering, that Satan may not
accuse you concerning the calf that you made at
Page 3 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
RASHI
3. And to the children of Israel, you shall speak, saying,
'Take a he goat as a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb,
[both] in their first year and [both] unblemished, as a
burnt offering,
4. and an ox and a ram as peace offerings, to slaughter
before the LORD, and a meal offering mixed with oil,
for today the LORD is appearing to you.' "
5. And they took what Moses had commanded, to the
front of the Tent of Meeting, and the entire community
approached and stood before the LORD.
6. And Moses said, "This is the thing the LORD has
commanded; do [it], and the glory of the LORD will
appear to you."
7. And Moses said to Aaron, "Approach the altar and
perform your sin offering and your burnt offering,
atoning for yourself and for the people, and perform the
people's sacrifice, atoning for them, as the LORD has
commanded.
8. So Aaron approached the altar and slaughtered his
sin offering calf.
9. And Aaron's sons brought forward the blood to him,
and he dipped his finger into the blood, placing [some]
on the horns of the altar, and he poured the blood at the
base of the altar.
10. And the fat, the kidneys, and the diaphragm with
the liver from the sin offering, he caused to [go up in]
smoke on the altar, as the LORD had commanded
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
Horeb; and take a ram for the burnt sacrifice, that
there may be a memorial for you of the
righteousness/generosity of Izhak whom his father
bound as a ram on the mountain of worship, both of
them will be perfect, and bring them before the LORD.
3. And to the children of Israel spoke he, saying: Take
for yourselves a kid of the goats, because Satan
resembles him, lest he recount against you the
accusation concerning the kid of the goats, which
the sons (tribes) of Jakob killed, (Gen. xxxvii. 31,)
and offer him for a sin offering; and a calf, because ye
worshipped the calf, (Exod. xxxii. 4,) and a lamb of
the year, that there may be for you a memorial of the
righteousness/generosity of Izhak, whom his father
did bind as a lamb, both of them perfect, for a burnt
offering;
4. with a bullock and a lamb, for a hallowed oblation to
sacrifice before the LORD, that He may be gracious to
you; and a mincha mingled with oil of the olive. For
this day will the glory of the LORD's Shekinah be
revealed unto you.
5. And Aharon and his sons, and all the sons of Israel,
hastened and took what Mosheh commanded, and
presented them in front of the tabernacle of ordinance;
and the whole congregation drew near, and lifted up
their heart fully before the LORD.
6. And Mosheh said, This is the thing which you must
do. Put away the imagination of evil from your
hearts, and there will speedily (at once) be revealed
to you the glory of the Shekinah of the Lord.
7. But when Aharon saw at the corner of the altar the
form of the calf, he was afraid to approach to its side.
Mosheh, therefore, said to him, Take courage, and go
near to the altar, fearing not, and offer your sin
offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the
people, and perform the oblation of the people, and
make atonement for them, as the LORD has
commanded.
8. And Aharon approached to the altar with resolution,
and slew the calf for his own sin offering.
9. And the sons of Aharon brought the blood to him,
and he dipped his finger in the blood of the young
bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and the
rest of the blood he poured out at the foundation of the
altar, and sanctified it for the making of atonement
upon it.
10. And the fat, and the kidneys, with the caul of the
liver of the sin offering, he burned at the altar, as the
LORD had commanded Mosheh.
Page 4 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
RASHI
Moses.
11. And he burned the flesh and the hide in fire, outside
the camp.
12. And he slaughtered the burnt offering. And Aaron's
sons presented the blood to him, and he dashed it on the
altar, around.
13. And they presented the burnt offering to him in its
[prescribed] pieces, along with the head. And he caused
[them] to [go up in] smoke on the altar.
14. And he washed the innards and the legs, and he
caused [them] to [go up in] smoke on the altar, along
with the burnt offering.
15. And he brought forward the people's sacrifice; he
took the people's sin offering goat, slaughtered it, and
made it a sin offering, like the first one.
16. And he brought forward the burnt offering and
prepared it according to the law.
17. And he brought forward the meal offering, filled his
palm with it, and caused it to [go up in] smoke on the
altar, in addition to the morning burnt offering.
18. And he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the people's
peace offering, and Aaron's sons presented the blood to
him, and he dashed it on the altar, around,
19. and [they also presented] the fats from the ox and
from the ram: the tail, the [fatty] covering, the kidneys
and the diaphragm with the liver.
20. And they placed the fats on top of the breasts, and
he caused the fats to [go up in] smoke on the altar.
21. And Aaron had [already] waved the breasts and the
right thigh as a wave offering before the LORD, as
Moses had commanded.
22. And Aaron lifted up his hands towards the people
and blessed them. He then descended from preparing
the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace
offering.
23. And Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of
Meeting. Then they came out and blessed the people,
and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
11. But the flesh and the skin burned he with fire
without the camp.
12. And he killed the burnt offering, and the sons of
Aharon brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled it
upon the altar round about.
13. And they brought the burnt offering to him by its
divisions, and the head, and he burned (them) upon the
altar.
14. And he washed the inwards and the fat, and burned
the burnt offering, at the altar.
15. And they brought the oblation of the people. And
he took the goat for the people's sin offering and killed
it, and made atonement with the blood of the goat, as
he had made atonement with the blood of the calf of the
sin offering for himself, which he had offered before.
16. And they brought the burnt offering, and he
performed it after the rite of the burnt offering which he
had offered for himself.
17. And they brought the mincha, and he filled his
hands therefrom, and took of it a portion for its
memorial, and burned upon the altar, beside the
morning sacrifice
18. And he killed the bullock and the ram of the
hallowed oblations (peace offering) of the people, and
the sons of Aharon brought the blood to him, and he
sprinkled it upon the altar round about:
19. and the fat of the bullock, and of the ram, the tail,
and that which covers the inwards, and the two
kidneys, and the caul of the liver;
20. and he laid the fat upon the breast, and burned the
fat upon the altar.
21. But the breast and the right shoulder Aharon
uplifted, an elevation before the LORD, as the LORD
commanded Mosheh.
22. And Aharon stretched out his hands towards the
people and blessed them, and came down from the altar
with joy, after he had finished to perform the sin
offering and the burnt offering and the hallowed
oblation.
23. But when, after the oblations had been performed,
the Shekinah did not reveal itself, Aharon was
ashamed, and said to Mosheh, It may be that the Word
of the LORD has no pleasure in the work of my hands.
Then went Mosheh and Aharon into the tabernacle of
ordinance, and prayed for the people of the house of
Israel, and came forth and blessed the people, and said,
May the Word of the LORD receive your oblations
Page 5 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
RASHI
24. And fire went forth from before the LORD and
consumed the burnt offering and the fats upon the altar,
and all the people saw, sang praises, and fell upon their
faces.
1. And Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his
pan, put fire in them, and placed incense upon it, and
they brought before the LORD foreign fire, which
He had not commanded them.
2. And fire went forth from before the LORD and
consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
3. Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD
spoke, [when He said], 'I will be sanctified through
those near to Me, and before all the people I will be
glorified.' " And Aaron was silent.
4. And Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, the
sons of Aaron's uncle Uzziel, and said to them, "Draw
near; carry your kinsmen from within the Sanctuary, to
the outside of the camp.
5. So they approached and carried them with their
tunics to the outside of the camp, as Moses had spoken.
6. And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and to
Ithamar, his sons, "Do not leave your heads unshorn,
and do not rend your garments, so that you shall not
die, and lest He be angry with the entire community,
but your brothers, the entire house of Israel, shall
bewail the conflagration that the LORD has burned.
7. And do not go out of the entrance of the Tent of
Meeting, lest you die, because the Lord's anointing
oil is upon you." And they did according to Moses'
order.
TARGUM PSEUDO JONATHAN
with favour, and remit and forgive your sins. Then,
instant, instantly the Glory of the LORD's Shekinah
revealed itself to all the people:
24. and the Fire came forth from the Presence of the
LORD and consumed upon the altar the sacrifice and
the fat. And all the people saw, and gave praise, and
bowed in prayer upon their faces.
JERUSALEM: And bowed in prayer upon their faces.
1. But the sons of Aharon, Nadab and Abihu, took each
man his censer, and put fire therein, and laid sweet
incense upon it, and offered before the LORD
strange fire taken from (under) the hearth-pots,
which had not been commanded them.
JERUSALEM: Outside fire.
2. And a flame of fire came out from before the LORD
(as) with anger, and divided itself into four streams, (or
lines,) and penetrated their nostrils, and burned their
lives (souls) without destroying their bodies; and they
died before the LORD.
3. And Mosheh said, This is that which the LORD
spoke with me in Sinai, saying: In them who come
near before Me I will have the tabernacle to be
sacred, that, if they be not heedful in the service of
the oblations, I will burn them with flaming fire
from before Me, that in the sight of all the people I
may be glorified. And Aharon heard, and was
silent; and he received a good reward for his silence.
4. And Mosheh called unto Mishael and to Elzaphan,
the sons of Uzziel the Levite, the relative of Aharon,
and said to them, Take your brethren from the
sanctuary, and carry them, without the camp.
5. And they came nigh, and carried them with hooks of
iron in their garments, and buried them without the
camp, as Mosheh had directed.
6. And Mosheh said to Aharon, and to Elasar and to
Ithamar, his sons, Unbare not your heads, neither rend
your garments, lest you die by the burning fire, and
there be wrath upon all the congregation; but be silent
and justify the judgment upon you, and let all your
brethren of the house of Israel bewail the burning
which the LORD has kindled.
7. And from the door of the tabernacle of ordinance go
not forth lest you die; for the oil of the LORD's
consecration is upon you. And they did according to
the word of Mosheh.
Rashi & Targum Pseudo Jonathan
Page 6 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
for: B’Midbar (Num.) 28:9-15
Rashi
9 On the Shabbat day [the offering will be] two
yearling lambs without blemish, and two tenths [of an
ephah] of fine flour as a meal-offering, mixed with
[olive] oil, and its libation.
10 This is the burnt-offering on its Shabbat, in addition
to the constant (daily) burnt-offering and its libation.
11 At the beginning of your months you will bring a
burnt-offering to Adonai, two young bulls, one ram,
seven yearling lambs, [all] without blemish.
12 And three tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a
meal-offering mixed with the [olive] oil for each bull,
two tenths [of an ephah] of fine flour as a mealoffering, mixed with the [olive] oil for the one ram,
13 And one tenth [of an ephah] of fine flour as a mealoffering mixed with the [olive] oil for each lamb. A
burnt-offering of pleasing aroma, a fire-offering to
Adonai.
14 Their libations [will be], one half of a hin for (a)
bull, one third of a hin for the ram, and one fourth of a
hin for (the) lamb, of wine. This is the burnt-offering of
each [Rosh] Chodesh, at its renewal throughout the
months of the year.
15 And [You will also bring] one he-goat for a sin
offering to Adonai, in addition to the constant (daily)
burnt-offering it will be done, and its libation.
Targum Pseudo Jonathan
9 but on the day of Shabbat two lambs of the year
without blemish, and two tenths of flour mixed with
olive oil for the mincha and its libation.
10 On the Sabbath you will make a Sabbath burnt
sacrifice in addition to the perpetual burnt sacrifice and
its libation.
11 And at the beginning of your months you will
offer a burnt sacrifice before the Lord; two young
bullocks, without mixture, one ram, lambs of the year
seven, unblemished;
12 and three tenths of flour mingled with oil for the
mincha for one bullock; two tenths of flour with olive
oil for the mincha of the one ram;
13 and one tenth of flour with olive oil for the mincha
for each lamb of the burnt offering, an oblation to be
received with favour before the Lord.
14 And for their libation to be offered with them, the
half of a hin for a bullock, the third of a hin for the ram,
and the fourth of a hin for a lamb, of the wine of
grapes. This burnt sacrifice will be offered at the
beginning of every month in the time of the removal of
the beginning of every month in the year;
15 and one kid of the goats, for a sin offering before the
Lord at the disappearing (failure) of the moon, with the
perpetual burnt sacrifice will you perform with its
libation.
Welcome to the World of P’shat Exegesis
In order to understand the finished work of the P’shat mode of interpretation of the Torah, one needs to take into
account that the P’shat is intended to produce a catechetical output, whereby a question/s is/are raised and an
answer/a is/are given using the seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel and as well as the laws of Hebrew Grammar
and Hebrew expression.
The Seven Hermeneutic Laws of R. Hillel are as follows
[cf. http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=472&letter=R]:
1. Ḳal va-ḥomer: "Argumentum a minori ad majus" or "a majori ad minus"; corresponding to the scholastic proof
a fortiori.
2. Gezerah shavah: Argument from analogy. Biblical passages containing synonyms or homonyms are subject,
however much they differ in other respects, to identical definitions and applications.
Page 7 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
3. Binyan ab mi-katub eḥad: Application of a provision found in one passage only to passages which are related
to the first in content but do not contain the provision in question.
4. Binyan ab mi-shene ketubim: The same as the preceding, except that the provision is generalized from two
Biblical passages.
5. Kelal u-Peraṭ and Peraṭ u-kelal: Definition of the general by the particular, and of the particular by the
general.
6. Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another Scriptural passage.
7. Dabar ha-lamed me-'inyano: Interpretation deduced from the context.
Rashi’s Commentary for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 9:1 – 10:7
1 And it was on the eighth day of the investitures. It was the first of the month of Nissan, the very day on
which the Mishkan was erected. And [this day] took ten “crowns” [of distinction], which are enumerated in
Seder Olam 7.- [Torath Kohanim 9:1]
[called...] the elders of Israel to inform them that it was by the express command of God that Aaron was entering
into the Kehunah Gedolah, so that they should not say that he entered of his own accord.
2 Take for yourself a bull-calf [This was] to inform [Aaron] that the Holy One, Blessed is He, had granted
him atonement through this calf for the incident involving the [golden] calf, which he had made.-[see
Tanchuma 10]
4 for today the Lord is appearing to you to make His Shechinah rest in the work of your hands [i.e., the work of
the Mishkan], and for this reason, these sacrifices are obligatory for this day.
7 Approach the altar [Moses had to order Aaron to do so,] because Aaron was bashful and afraid to approach
[the altar]. So Moses said to him: “Why are you ashamed? For this [function] you have been chosen!”-[Torath
Kohanim 9:7]
your sin offering The bull-calf.
and your burnt offering The ram.
the people’s offering The he-goat, the calf, and the lamb. Wherever the [unqualified] term ‫( עֵ גֶל‬calf) is stated [in
Scripture], it denotes one in the first year. This [rule] is derived from this passage. [The term ‫ פַּר‬denotes one in the
third year, ‫ עֵ ֶגל בֶּ ן־בָּ ָקר‬one in the second year, and ‫ עֵ גֶל‬one in the first year.]-[Torath Kohanim 4:208].
11 the flesh and the hide We do not find [in Scripture] an outside sin-offering [i.e., one whose blood is sprinkled
on the outside altar] to be burned, with the exceptions of this [instance] and [the sin-offerings] of the investitures.
And all these [exceptions] were [burnt] at the express command [of God].
12 presented Heb. ‫ ַויּ ְַמצִ יאוּ‬. [This term] denotes “presentation” and “preparation.”
15 and made it a sin-offering Heb. ‫ ַויְחַ ְטּ ֵאהוּ‬. He sacrificed it according to the law of the sin-offering )‫(חַ טָּ את‬.
like the first one like his own calf.
16 and prepared it according to the law which is specified regarding a voluntary burnt-offering in [Parashath]
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Vayikra (1:117) -[Beitzah 20a]
17 and he filled his palm I.e., the ‫[ ְק ִמיצָ ה‬i.e., the “fistful,” namely, scooping out three fingers-full of the meal
offering].-[Torath Kohanim 9:11]
in addition to the morning burnt offering All these sacrifices [Aaron] offered up [only] after [he had offered up
the morning] continual burnt offering.
19 and the [fatty] covering [I.e.,] the fat that covers the innards.
20 And they placed the [sacrificial] fats on top of the breasts After the waving, the kohen who performed the
waving gives [the portions] to another kohen to make them go up in smoke. The result is that [the portions] that
were on the top are now on the bottom [due to the kohen’s inverting the portions to place them into the receiving
hands of the next kohen. See Rashi on Lev. 7:30 for further explanation].-[Men. 62a]
22 and blessed them with the blessing of the kohanim [see Num. 6:2227]: ‫ יְבָ ֶרכְ ָך‬- "May the Lord bless you"... ‫י ֵָאר‬
-"May the Lord make His face shine"... ‫ יִָשָּׂ א‬-"May the Lord lift His face...."-[Torath Kohanim 10:22]
He then descended from the altar.
23 And Moses and Aaron went into [the Tent of Meeting] Why did they enter [the Tent of Meeting]? In the
section of the investitures, I found a baraitha added to our version of Torath Kohanim [which states the
following]: Why did Moses enter with Aaron? To teach him about the procedure of [burning] the incense. Or did
he perhaps enter only for another purpose? I can make a deduction: Descending [from the altar (verse 22)] and
entering [the Tent of Meeting (this verse) both] required blessing [the people]. Just as descending [from the altar]
is related to the service, so is entering [the Tent of Meeting] related to the service. Hence, you learn from here
why Moses entered with Aaron, [namely] to teach him about the procedure of [burning] the incense [which is
related to the service]. Another explanation [of why Moses entered with Aaron is]: When Aaron saw that all the
sacrifices had been offered and all the procedures had been performed, and yet the Shechinah had not descended
for Israel, he was distressed. He said, “I know that the Holy One, blessed is He, is angry with me, and on my
account the Shechinah has not descended for Israel.” So he said to Moses, “My brother Moses, is this what you
have done to me, that I have entered and been put to shame?” At once, Moses entered [the Tent of Meeting] with
him, and they prayed for mercy. Then the Shechinah came down for Israel.-[Torath Kohanim 9:16]
Then they came out and blessed the people They said: “May the pleasantness of the Lord, our God, be upon us
(Ps. 90:17); May it be God’s will that the Shechinah rest in the work of your hands.” [And why did they choose
this particular blessing?] Because throughout all seven days of the investitures, when Moses erected the Mishkan,
performed the service in it, and then dismantled it daily, the Shechinah did not rest in it. The Israelites were
humiliated, and they said to Moses, "Moses, our teacher, all the efforts we have taken were so that the Shechinah
should dwell among us, so that we would know that we have been forgiven for the sin of the [golden] calf!"
Therefore, Moses answered them (verse 6), "This is the thing the Lord has commanded; do [it], and the glory of
the Lord will appear to you. My brother Aaron is more worthy and important than I, insofar as through his
offerings and his service the Shechinah will dwell among you, and you will know that the Omnipresent has
chosen him."
24 and sang praises Heb. ‫ו ַָיּרֹנּוּ‬, as Targum [Onkelos] renders it [namely, “and they praised” God].
Chapter 10
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2 And fire went forth Rabbi Eliezer says: Aaron’s sons died only because they rendered halachic decisions in
the presence of Moses, their teacher. Rabbi Ishmael says: [They died because] they had entered the
sanctuary after having drunk wine. The proof is that after their death, [Scripture] admonished the survivors that
they may not enter the sanctuary after having drunk wine. This is analogous to a king who had a faithful
attendant. [When he found him standing at tavern entrances, he severed his head in silence and appointed another
attendant in his place. We would not know why he put the first to death, but for his enjoining the second thus,
“You must not enter the doorway of taverns,” from which we know that for such a reason he had put the first one
to death. Thus [it is said], “And fire went forth from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the
Lord.” But we would not know why they [Nadab and Abihu] died, but for His commanding Aaron, “Do not drink
wine that will lead to intoxication.” We know from this that they died precisely on account of the wine. For this
reason Scripture showed love to Aaron by directing the divine utterance to him alone, thus, “Do not drink wine
that will lead to intoxication,”] as recounted in Vayikra Rabbah (12:1).
3 This is what the Lord spoke But when did He speak? [It was when He said], “And I will meet with the
children of Israel, and it will be sanctified through My glory )‫בוֹדי‬
ִ ְ‫( ” (בִּ כ‬Exod. 29:43). Do not read ‫בוֹדי‬
ִ ְ‫בִּ כ‬,
“through My glory,” but ‫בִּ ְמכֻבָּ דַ י‬, “through My honorable ones.” Moses said to Aaron, "Aaron, my brother! I knew
that this House was to be sanctified through the beloved ones of the Omnipresent, but I thought it would be either
through me or through you. Now I see that they [Nadab and Abihu] were greater than I or you!"-[Vayikra Rabbah
12:2]
And Aaron was silent [and did not complain. Consequently,] he was rewarded for his silence. And what reward
did he receive? That God addressed him exclusively in the [ensuing] passage regarding those who drink wine [as
verse 8 says, “And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying...”].-[Vayikra Rabbah 12:2]
with those near to Me [I.e.,] My chosen ones.
and before all the people I will be glorified When the Holy One, blessed is He, exacts judgment upon the
righteous/generous, He becomes feared, exalted, and praised. Now, if this is so concerning the
righteous/generous, how much more is it so concerning the wicked! Similarly, the verse says “You are
awesome, O God, from Your sanctuaries )‫(מ ִמּ ְקדָּ שֶׁ יָך‬
ִ ” (Ps. 68:36). Do not read ‫“ ִמ ִמּ ְקדָּ שֶׁ יָך‬from Your sanctuaries,”
but ‫מ ְמּ ֻקדָּ שֶׁ יָך‬,
ִ “because of Your sanctified ones.”-[Zev. 115b].
4 Aaron’s uncle Uzziel was Amram’s brother, as it says, “And the sons of Kohath were [Amram...and Uzziel],
etc.” (Exod. 6:18).
carry your kinsmen [from within the Sanctuary], etc. As a person would say to his fellow [when someone had
died at a wedding feast], “Remove the deceased from before the bride so as not to disturb the joyous occasion.”
[Here, too, Mishael and Elzaphan were to remove the dead “from inside the sanctuary,” so as not to disturb the
serenity of the investitures of the Sanctuary.]
5 with their tunics [i.e., with the tunics] of the dead ones [the tunics of Nadab and Abihu, not Mishael and
Elzaphan, for the latter were Levites and did not wear the tunics of the kohanim]. This teaches us that their
garments had not been burnt, but [only] their souls. Two thread-like [sparks] of fire entered their nostrils [thereby
destroying their souls along with all their internal organs, but leaving their external body structures intact. See
Be’er Basadeh].-[Torath Kohanim 10:25]
6 Do not leave [your heads] unshorn [I.e.,] do not let your hair grow long.- [Torath Kohanim 10:25] [Had
Moses not commanded them, they would have let their hair grow long as a sign of mourning. We learn] from
here that a mourner is forbidden to cut his hair (Moed Katan 14b). "But you shall not disturb the happiness of
the Omnipresent [at the investitures of the Mishkan]."
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so that you shall not die But if you do so [and leave your heads unshorn and rend your garments], you will die.[Torath Kohanim 10:31]
But your brothers, the entire house of Israel, [shall bewail] From here [we learn] that when [Torah]
scholars are afflicted, all of Israel is obligated to mourn for them.
Welcome to the World of Remes Exegesis
Thirteen rules compiled by Rabbi Ishmael b. Elisha for the elucidation of the Torah and for making halakic
deductions from it. They are, strictly speaking, mere amplifications of the seven Rules of Hillel, and are collected
in the Baraita of R. Ishmael, forming the introduction to the Sifra and reading a follows:
1. Ḳal wa-ḥomer: Identical with the first rule of Hillel.
2. Gezerah shawah: Identical with the second rule of Hillel.
3. Binyan ab: Rules deduced from a single passage of Scripture and rules deduced from two passages. This
rule is a combination of the third and fourth rules of Hillel.
4. Kelal u-Peraṭ: The general and the particular.
5. u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The particular and the general.
6. Kelal u-Peraṭ u-kelal: The general, the particular, and the general.
7. The general which requires elucidation by the particular, and the particular which requires elucidation by
the general.
8. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it for pedagogic purposes elucidates the general
as well as the particular.
9. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of the special regulation which
corresponds in concept to the general, is thus isolated to decrease rather than to increase the rigidity of its
application.
10. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of some other special regulation
which does not correspond in concept to the general, is thus isolated either to decrease or to increase the
rigidity of its application.
11. The particular implied in the general and excepted from it on account of a new and reversed decision
can be referred to the general only in case the passage under consideration makes an explicit reference to
it.
12. Deduction from the context.
13. When two Biblical passages contradict each other the contradiction in question must be solved by
reference to a third passage.
Rules seven to eleven are formed by a subdivision of the fifth rule of Hillel; rule twelve corresponds to the
seventh rule of Hillel, but is amplified in certain particulars; rule thirteen does not occur in Hillel, while, on the
other hand, the sixth rule of Hillel is omitted by Ishmael. With regard to the rules and their application in general.
These rules are found also on the morning prayers of any Jewish Orthodox Siddur.
Ramban’s Commentary for: Vayiqra (Leviticus) 9:1 – 10:7
9:2. AND HE [Moses] SAID TO AARON: TAKE FOR YOURSELF A BULL- CALF FOR A SINOFFERING. Moses, our teacher, had been commanded about these offerings, as he said at the end [of the
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section], This is the thing which the Eternal commanded that you should do,1 although this [command for these
specific offerings] is not expressly mentioned. Similarly, And Moses said: This is the thing which the Eternal
has commanded: Let an omerful of it be kept throughout your generations,2 [where the verse indicates that
Moses received a Divine command although it is not specifically mentioned]. Also, I am the G-d of Beth-el,3
when Jacob related [to his wives all that G-d's angel had told him in the dream], even though it is not mentioned
in Scripture that he was so told. I have already shown to you4 many such examples in the sections on the
commandments regarding the Passover.
And unto the children of Israel you will speak. This means that Aaron is to speak to them thus, as it was His
wish that Aaron should be the one who commands in the name of G-d, and that he should be the one who would
bring the offerings, in order to elevate him in the eyes of the people. The correct interpretation is that the
expression and unto the children of Israel you will speak, means you [Aaron] and the elders mentioned [in Verse
1], since it was for that purpose that he called them,5 so that they should speak to the children of Israel, as in the
verse, And Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them: Draw out [and take you lambs].6 Or it
may be that [Moses] said to each of the elders, and unto the children of Israel you will speak [the singular word
you thus referring to each one of the elders]. Accordingly, the meaning of the section is as follows: and he
[Moses] said to Aaron: Take for yourself etc., and to [each of] the elders he said, and unto the children of Israel
you will speak. For one who speaks to many people usually addresses his command to each person individually,
something like that which it is said, And I commanded you at that time, saying etc.: You will pass over armed
before your brethren:7 There are many such cases in the Book of Deuteronomy [where Moses speaks to the
whole congregation, when his message is actually addressed to each person individually].
Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that the verse, And Moses said: This is the thing which the Eternal
commanded that you should do, means that "Moses had already told them, this is the thing." If so, it is possible
that the meaning of the verses be as follows: Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel, and Moses
said: This thing which the Eternal has commanded me you should do, that the Glory of the Eternal may
appear unto you; and he said unto Aaron: Take for yourself a bull-calf etc.; and unto the children of Israel you
will speak, saying: Take for yourselves a he-goat for a sin-offering etc.8 Thus [Moses] spoke briefly at first [as
in Verse 6] and then explained himself at the end [in Verses 2-4].
But this is not correct. Rather, after Moses had mentioned to them the offerings [which they were required to
bring on that day], and they brought that which Moses commanded,9 he said to them again, This is the thing
which the Eternal commanded that you should do, meaning that they should bring the offerings in the order that
he would command them, and afterwards the Glory of the Eternal would appear to them. Now since he had said,
for today the Eternal appears unto you,10 he went back and said that He would appear to them through His
Glory.
Now these offerings [which were brought on the eighth day after the completion of the seven-day consecration of
the priests], were not mentioned in the section of And this is the thing that you will do unto them to hallow them,
to minister unto Me,11 for there He only gave the command about the consecration, and their days of consecration
1
Verse 6.
Exodus 16:32.
3 Genesis 31:13.
4 Exodus 11:1. Also ibid., 12: 21.
5 As Verse 1 states: And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel.
6 Exodus 12:21.
7 Deuteronomy 3:18.
8 Verse 3. Ibn Ezra thus transposes the contents of Verse 6, and explains that it was said immediately in Verse 1, as an introduction to the
specific commands following.
9 Verse 5.
10 Verse 4.
11 Exodus 29:1.
2
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were completed with the seven days and their offerings, but now on the eighth day, they themselves brought the
offerings [whereas on the seven days of the consecration, the offerings were brought by Moses]. Thus these
offerings [brought on the eighth day] were a kind of initiation for the priests, as was the meal-offering of
the baken cakes12 command for future generations [which were brought] on the day when he is anointed.13
It is possible that it was in order to atone for the incident of the golden calf that He now gave them these
added offerings, for at the time when He commanded the section of And this is the thing that you will do unto
them to hallow them, to minister unto Me, the golden calf had not yet been made, as I have explained,14 and
therefore He did not mention them [these offerings] there. It is thus not as Rashi wrote there, that the bullock
[offered on each of the seven days of consecration] was to atone for the incident of the golden calf, but these
bullocks were to purify the altar,15 and for Aaron and his sons in order to hallow them, and it was this calf
[brought] on the eighth day that was to atone for the incident of the golden calf. Thus Aaron's offerings [on
this eight day] were the same as his offerings on the Day of Atonement,16 [namely, the bull-calf for a sinoffering, and a ram for a burnt-offering, as mentioned in the verse before us], and the people's sin-offering [on
this eighth day] was the same as their sin-offering on the Day of Atonement, namely, one he-goat for a sinoffering.17 So also have the Rabbis said in the Tosephta of the section of consecration, in the Torath Kohanim,18
that this calf [brought on the eighth day] was to atone for the incident of the golden calf. Thus they
interpreted: "For what reason did Israel bring more offerings [on this day] than Aaron?19 It was on account of
what He said to them: 'You [the people] have in your hands [sin] at the beginning, and you have in your hands
[sin] at the end.' You have sinned at the beginning, as it is written [when the brothers sold Joseph], and they killed
a he-goat,20 and you have sinned at the end, as it is said, they have made them a molten calf.21 Therefore let them
bring the he-goat [for a sin-offering] to atone for the incident connected with that of the he-goat, and let them
bring a calf [as a burnt-offering] to atone for the incident of the golden calf."
It would appear that because the reason for Aaron's sin-offering [on this eighth day] was the same as that of his
sin-offering on the Day of Atonement, therefore he burnt it [outside the camp]22 as the one of the Day of
Atonement is burnt23 even though this sin-offering [of the eighth day] was "an outer sin-offering”24 [while that of
the Day of Atonement was "an inner sin-offering"], for Moses did not explain that he should do so. But perhaps
12
Above. 6:13-15.
Ibid, Verse 13. I.e., on the day that the ordinary priests are installed into the priestly service. The High Priest, however, brought this
meal-offering every day. Ramban thus suggests that the offerings brought on the eighth day [as explained in this section] were a sort of
initiation, comparable to the meal-offering brought in future generations by the ordinary priest once in his lifetime, and by the High Priest
every day.
14 See Ramban above, 8:1: "By way of the proper interpretation of Scripture etc."
15 See Ramban above, 8:15.
16 Further, 16:3: Herewith will Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering.
17 Verse 3 here, and further, 16: 5. - On the Day of Atonement there were actually two he-goats for a sin-offering, but only one was brought
as an offering in the Sanctuary (see further, 16:8-22).
18 Torath Kohanim, at the beginning of Shemini 4.
19 Israel's sin-offering on that day was a he-goat, while Aaron's was a calf. As a burnt-offering Israel brought a calf and a ram, while
Aaron's was only a ram. The Torath Kohanim suggests a reason why the people's offerings had to be more than those of Aaron, and also
why their sin offering was a he-goat, unlike that of Aaron which was a calf.
20 Genesis 37:31.
21 Exodus 32:8.
22 Further, Verse 11. Rashi wrote that this was done at the express command of G-d. But Ramban at this point suggests that this procedure
was adopted on the basis of a similar law on the Day of Atonement, since the reason for both offerings was identical.
23 Further, 16:27.
24 See in Seder Tzav, Note 52. Ramban’s concluding thought here -- "for Moses did not explain that he should do so" - is thus to be
understood as follows: Since Scripture does not relate that Moses commanded Aaron, to burn his sin-offering outside the camp although it
was not "an inner sin-offering," the question arises why did Aaron do so [as stated in Verse 11]? It must be, Ramban suggests, because
the reason for Aaron's sin-offering on this eighth day of the initiation was the same as that of his sin-offering on the Day of
Atonement, which being "an inner sin-offering" is rightfully burnt outside the camp, and hence Aaron on this eighth day did
similarly. In the text following, Ramban will suggest that Aaron actually received this command from Moses, and the reason why
Scripture did not mention it is explained in the text of Ramban.
13
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Aaron was indeed so commanded, and [it is not mentioned because] Scripture did not want to prolong the matter,
it being known that Aaron would only do what Moses said, and that Moses would only say what G-d had
commanded.
7. DRAW NEAR UNTO THE ALTAR. 8. AND AARON DREW NEAR UNTO THE ALTAR AND SLEW
THE CALF. It seems to me in accordance with the plain meaning of Scripture that Moses said to Aaron: "Draw
near to the north side of the altar and offer there the sin-offering and the burnt-offering, for they are to be
slaughtered on the north side of the altar."25 Moses, however, said it briefly since Aaron already knew [that these
offerings were to be slaughtered on the north side of the altar].
Our Rabbis in the Torath Kohanim were, however, prompted by [the use of] these expressions to draw a parable
[and to say]:26 "To what can this be compared? To a human king who married a woman, who in her shyness [did
not dare to enter] before him. Her sister then approached her, saying, 'My sister, why did you enter into this
matter? Was it not in order that you serve the king? Embolden yourself and go in to serve the king!' Similarly did
Moses say to Aaron: 'My brother! Why were you chosen to be the High Priest? Was it not so that you minister
before G-d? Embolden yourself and come and do your priestly activities.' Some Rabbis say that Aaron saw the
[horned] altar in the form of the bull [which - as stated in Psalms 106:20 - Israel had worshipped], and he was
frightened by it. Then Moses came near and said to him, 'My brother, Aaron, do not be afraid of that which you
fear. Embolden yourself and come near it.' This is why he said, draw near unto the altar, and [Aaron] drew near
unto the altar - with zeal.” The reason for this [apparition which Aaron saw in the altar] was that since Aaron was
the holy one of the Eternal,27 having no sin on his soul except for the incident of the golden calf, therefore that
sin was firmly fixed in his mind, something like that which is said, and my sin is ever before me.28 It thus
appeared to him as if the form of the calf was there [in the altar] preventing his [attaining] atonement [through the
offerings he was to bring]. That is why Moses said to him, "Embolden yourself so that you should not be of such
humble spirit," for G-d has already accepted his works.29 Other scholars explain that it was Satan who showed
him this apparition, just as they have said there in the Torath Kohanim:30 "My brother Aaron, although G-d has
agreed to grant atonement for your sin, you must nonetheless close the mouth of Satan [through your
offerings], lest he accuse you when you enter the Sanctuary etc." And the expression, and make atonement
for yourself, and for the people means as follows: "draw near unto the altar to bring all the offerings, and offer
first your sin-offering, and your burnt-offering, and make atonement for yourself first with your offerings, and
for the people afterwards, through bringing their offering and atoning for them by means thereof." Thus Moses
taught Aaron that the guiltless should come and effect atonement for those who are guilty.31
17. BESIDES THE BURNT-OFFERING OF THE MORNING. Scripture had to mention this here, in order to
teach us that the burnt-offering of the people [which was a special offering for that day] did not exempt [them
from bringing] the Daily burnt-offering, nor did it precede it [as nothing may ever be offered before the Daily
burnt-offering of the morning]. But Scripture did not have to mention this about the seven days of consecration
[namely that the offerings of those days were to be offered besides the burnt-offering of the morning], because
those were offerings of individuals [i.e., Aaron and his sons] to consecrate them as priests, and it is selfunderstood that such offerings did not exempt [them from bringing] the Daily burnt-offering, nor did they precede
it.
25
Above, 1:11; 6:18.
Torath Kohanim, beginning of Shemini 8. The Rabbis were prompted by the use of the phrase "draw near," which Ramban explained to
mean "draw near to the north side of the altar."
27 Psalms 106:16.
28 Ibid. 51:5.
29 See Ecclesiastes 9:7.
30 Torath Kohanim. beginning of Shemini 3.
31 Yoma 43b.
26
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In the Torath Kohanim the Rabbis have taught:32 "And the meal-offering was presented,' and he filled his hand
therefrom and burnt it on the altar, besides the burnt-offering of the morning. What does this come to teach us?
Shall we say it teaches us that if he could not obtain the meal-offering [which was offered with every burntoffering] that he should nevertheless bring the animal [as a burnt-offering]? [That could not be the case], for it has
already been stated, And the burnt-offering was presented, and he offered it according to the ordinances.33 If
so, why does it say, and he burnt it [i.e., the meal-offering] upon the altar, besides the burnt-offering of the
morning? It is to teach us that there were two meal-offerings there, one for the [Daily] burnt-offering and one
[brought] by itself' [for the burnt-offering of the people, which was a special offering of that eighth day].
The meaning of this text [of the Torath Kohanim] is as follows: Had Scripture stated, "And the burnt-offering was
presented, and he offered it according to the ordinance, besides the burnt-offering of the morning," the sense
thereof would have been to teach that the Daily burnt-offering precedes [the other offerings], as He says in the
section of the Additional Offerings, it will be offered beside the continual burnt-offering, and the drink-offering
thereof;34 beside the continual burnt-offering.35 But since He mentioned the meal-offering - stating, And the
meal-offering was presented; and he filled his hand therefrom, and burnt it on the altar, besides the burntoffering of the morning - it appears that [the phrase, besides the burnt-offering of the morning] is said with
reference to the meal-offering. Therefore the Rabbis commented that if it comes to say that he offered this mealoffering alone, but did not offer the drink-offering of the Daily burnt-offering nor that of the people's burntoffering [of the eighth day], because he only found [ingredients] for this freewill meal-offering - [that could not be
the case]. For [in the preceding verse] it has already been stated, And the burnt-offering was presented, and he
offered it according to the ordinance,36 which means that it was offered according to its ordinance, with the
drink-offering. [Thus we cannot derive from here a principle that the lack of the drink-offering does not prevent
the bringing of the offering itself, if the meal-offering and the wine for the drink-offering are not obtainable.] If
so, why does it say, And the meal-offering was presented etc. and he burnt it on the altar, besides the burntoffering of the morning? It is to teach that he offered this meal-offering [of the people's burnt-offering brought
on the eighth day] "besides the burnt-offering of the morning and its meal-offering," for this meal-offering was
not the drink-offering [which is an obligatory part of the Daily burnt-offering], but was the free-will meal-offering
of Israel [namely part of the burnt-offering of the people which they brought on that day].37
19. 'V'HAMECHASEH' AND THAT WHICH COVERS THE INWARDS. "That is, the fat which covers the
inwards." Thus the language of Rashi. But it does not appear to me to be correct, for why should He mention
[only] this particular fat and not the other fats [which were burnt on the altar ]?38 Rather, the word hamechaseh in
my opinion is a term for all the fats, since all fats which are burnt on the altar are "covering" [fats]. One is the fat
which covers the inwards,39 and the second is all the fat that is upon the inwards, and that too "covers" [the
inwards]; the fat which is upon the kidneys covers them, as does also the fat which is upon the loins.40 This is
32
Torath Kohanim, beginning of Shemini 12. The meaning of this quote will be explained by Ramban further on in the text.
Verse 16.
34 Numbers 28:15.
35 Ibid., Verse 31.
36 Verse 16. This shows that the drink-offering was brought together with the people's burnt-offering of the eighth day, for otherwise it
would not have been according to the ordinance. The question then re-appears: why is the phrase besides the burnt-offering of the
morning mentioned in connection with the meal-offering?
37 For one might have thought that since the burnt-offering of the people brought especially on this eighth day was also a public one, it
should be exempted from the duty of bringing a meal-offering, as the meal-offering of the Daily Whole-offering had already been brought;
hence Scripture stated that this meal-offering which came with the people's burnt-offering, was offered “besides the burnt-offering of the
morning and its meal-offering." It should be pointed out that Ramban refers to this meal-offering as minchath-nedavah, ("freewill mealoffering") not because of its voluntary nature, namely that it be optional for Israel to bring it or not. The name minchath-nedavah, is only
to distinguish it from the meal-offering which constantly accompanied the Daily Whole-offering of the people. while this one represented
the willing spirit of the people on this day. See further my Hebrew commentary p. 45.
38 See above, 3:3-4.
39 Ibid., 3:3, etc.
40 Ibid, Verse 4.
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similar to that which the Rabbis have said:41 "Fat which the meat covers is permissible to be eaten, for the
Merciful One said, the fat which is upon the loins [is called 'fat'], and not that which is within the loins." This
verse is thus a continuation of the above: and Aaron's sons delivered unto him the blood42 of the ox and the ram
mentioned [in the first part of that verse], and the fat of the ox,43 but of the ram they presented to him the fat tail
and "the fat" [as the word mechaseh indicates], and of the two [the ox and the ram, they presented to him] the
kidneys, and the lobe of the liver. Scripture states, And they put the fat upon the breasts,44 for they placed the fat
tail, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver at the bottom, and the [other] fats on the top of them, and everything
upon the breasts. Thus the fats alone were visible above. this being the respectful way to burn them [on the altar].
20. AND HE BURNT THE FAT UPON THE ALTAR - together with the others mentioned [namely, the fat
tail, and that which covers the inwards, and the lobe of the liver, and the breasts]. But because the burning of the
fats is greater, He mentions [only] them. Similarly, it consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fats.45
22. AND AARON LIFTED UP HIS HANDS TOWARD THE PEOPLE, AND BLESSED THEM - "with the
priestly benediction: The Eternal bless you .... The Eternal make His face shine upon you ... The Eternal lift up
His countenance upon you ... "46 Thus the language of Rashi. But if so, the section of Speak unto Aaron and
unto his sons, saying: Thus you will bless the children. of Israel, in the Book of Numbers.:47 takes chronological
precedence over this section! Perhaps it is [indeed] so since it is placed near to that which it says there, And it
came to pass on the day that Moses had made an end of setting up the Tabernacle48 [which was on the first of
Nisan - "the eighth day" herein discussed].
It is possible to say that Aaron spread forth his hands towards heaven and blessed the people, just as Solomon did,
as it is said, And Solomon stood before the altar of the Eternal in the presence of all the congregation of Israel,
and spread forth his hands, toward heaven49 and there it is said, And he stood, and blessed all the congregation
of Israel with a loud voice, saying, etc.50 Therefore Scripture does not mention that Moses commanded him to do
so [i.e., to say the priestly blessing, since it had in fact not yet been given].
In the Baraitha51 of the section of consecration in the Torath Kohanim I have seen it said:52 "And he blessed
them. This is an unspecified blessing [the nature of which] you do not know. Scripture [therefore] went back and
explained it further on: The Eternal bless you, and keep you. The Eternal make His face to shine upon you, and
be gracious unto you. The Eternal lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Nonetheless, I could
still say that the Rabbis of this Baraitha were saying as follows: "This blessing with which Aaron blessed the
people of his own accord, is unspecified, and Scripture did not explain to us what it was. But the blessing that the
priests have been commanded to say in all future generations, has been expressly set forth, it applying to all
priests alike forever. Or it may be that [the Rabbis of this Baraitha] are of the opinion that here He commanded
him [to say] the priestly blessing for that day, and later on [as stated in the Book of Numbers] this blessing was
given to Aaron and his sons for the succeeding generations.
10:2. AND THERE CAME FORTH FIRE 'MILIPHNEI' (FROM BEFORE) THE ETERNAL. The
41
Chullin 93a.
Verse 18.
43 In Verse 19 before us.
44 Verse 20.
45 Verse 24. Here too, Scripture singles out "the fats," although the fire also consumed the tail, etc., because the burning of the fats was
greater.
46 Numbers 6:24-26.
47 Ibid., Verse 23.
48 Ibid, 7:1.
49 I Kings 8:22.
50 Ibid, Verse 55.
51 See Seder Vayikra Note 65.
52 Torath Kohanim. beginning of Shemini 30.
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meaning of "miliphnei the Eternal" is like: "from before the pnei (presence of) the Eternal." The student learned
[in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand, for I have already explained this.53 The nature of the sin of
Nadab and Abihu you may know from that which it says, and they offered 'strange fire' before the Eternal,54 and
it does not say "and they offered before the Eternal 'incense' which He had not commanded them." Thus they put
incense upon the fire, similarly to that which Scripture says, they will put incense 'bapecha' (before You),55 and
they directed their thoughts only to this,56 and thus it was not a fire-offering of a sweet savor.57 This is the sense
of the expression, and they laid 'aleha' (upon her) incense.58 and it does not say "and they laid upon them [i.e.,
the censers] incense," as is said with reference to the company of Korah, and put fire therein, and put incense
upon them,59 and again it is said there, and put incense upon them.60 But here it says upon her, to allude [to the
fact] that they put the incense only on "the fire," [and therefore it says], And there came forth fire from before
the Eternal, and devoured them. It is possible that the verse which He said, You will offer no strange incense
thereon,61 alludes to this, meaning that he should not cause it [the fire] to be strange. It is in connection with this
that Scripture states, when they [Nadab and Abihu] drew near before the Eternal, and died,62 which means
"when they offered l'phanav they died."63
3. THIS IS THAT THE ETERNAL SPOKE, SAYING: THROUGH THEM THAT ARE NEAR UNTO ME
I WILL BE SANCTIFIED.' "Where had He spoken this? In the verse, and [the Tent] will be sanctified
'bichvodi' (by My Glory).64 Do not read the word as bichvodi (by My Glory) but bimechubodai (through My
honored ones). Moses said to Aaron: 'My brother Aaron, I knew that this Sanctuary was to be hallowed by those
who are beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, and I thought that it would be either through me or through you.
Now I see that your sons were holier65 than I and you.'" Thus the language of Rashi, based on the interpretation of
our Rabbis. But if so, the verse, and [the Tent] will be sanctified 'bichvodi' means "that it will become holy in the
eyes of all the people through my honored ones, and they will know that I dwell therein."
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra also wrote: "This is that the Eternal spoke, saying, means: G-d had already told me that
He would show His sanctity through those that were near to Him. This is similar in meaning to the verse, You
only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.66 And when
I will show them this holiness of Mine, then I will become glorified before all the people and they will fear Me."
But if this is so, then this is a statement not written [in the text], that G-d informed Moses of His ways and that
such is the nature of His attribute!
In my opinion there is no need for all this. For by way of the plain meaning of Scripture, the expression "G-d
spoke" refers to His decrees, His thought, and the manner of His ways, and the term "speaking" is used with
reference to all these [in humans]. Thus: I spoke with my own heart,67 means "I reflected on this thought." And
53
Exodus 30:1.
Verse 1.
55 Deuteronomy 33:10. See following note.
56 In quoting the language of Ramban, Menachem of Ricanti adds the following explanatory note' "Know that the incense is offered
towards the attribute of justice, as it is said, they will put incense 'b’apecha' (literally: 'before Your anger'). It is for this reason that the
burning of incense stays the plague. (Numbers 17: 11-15). However, the priest who offered it had to direct his mind to the perfect Unity of
G-d. And since Nadab and Abihu directed it only to the attribute of justice (see Note 58), therefore they were punished." See further, my
Hebrew commentary p. 46.
57 Above, 1:9, etc.
58 Verse 1. The word aleha (upon her) is an allusion to the attribute of justice.
59 Numbers 16:7.
60 Ibid., Verse 17.
61 Exodus 30:9.
62 Further, 16:1.
63 I.e., when they offered the incense l'phanav alone [to the attribute of justice alone, as explained above] they died.
64 Exodus 29:43.
65 In Rashi: "greater."
66 Amos 3:2.
67 Ecclesiastes 1:16.
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this is 'hadavar' that Joshua did circumcise,68 means "this is 'the cause' why Joshua did so." 'AI d'var'(because
of) the money.69 Similarly, And let her be your master's son's wife, as the Eternal has spoken,70 means "as He
hath decreed." Likewise: In his days did Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho; with his firstborn he laid the
foundation thereof, and with his youngest son Segub he set up the gates thereof according to the word of the
Eternal, which He spoke by the hand of Joshua the son of Nun,71 Thus Moses said here: "This incident is that
which G-d decreed, 'saying to His heart': Through them that are near unto Me I will be sanctified so that they
should not break forth into My sanctity; and before all the people I Will be glorified, so that they treat My
dwelling-place with respect."
'V AYIDOM AHARON' (AND AARON WAS SILENT). This means that he had cried aloud, but then he
became silent. Or perhaps the meaning thereof is as in the verse, let not the apple of your eye 'tidom' (cease).72
4. AND MOSES CALLED MISHAEL AND ELZAPHAN, THE SONS OF UZZIEL THE UNCLE OF
AARON, AND SAID UNTO THEM: DRAW NEAR, CARRY YOUR BRETHREN FROM BEFORE THE
SANCTUARY OUT OF THE CAMP. I have found written in the Torath Kohanim in the section of the
consecration:73 "Rabbi Eliezer says: the sons of Aaron died outside [the Sanctuary], in a place where the Levites
[Mishael and Elzaphan] were permitted to enter, as it is said, So they drew near, and carried them in their
tunics.74 If so, why then does it say, and they died before the Eternal?75
It was an angel who smote them [Nadab and Abihu] and thrust them out of the Sanctuary [and they did not die
until they were outside it]. Rabbi Akiba says: they died inside the Sanctuary, as it is said, and they died before the
Eternal. If so, why does it say, So they drew near, and carried them in their tunics [since Levites are not
permitted to enter the Sanctuary]? They put iron hooks on them, and dragged them and brought them out of the
Sanctuary." Thus far is the text of the Baraitha, and the meaning thereof is as follows: Even though priests are
also forbidden to enter the Sanctuary except at the time of Service,76 this prohibition applies only if they enter it
needlessly. But one may enter the Sanctuary in order to remove an uncleanness, or to make Temple repairs. For
thus we were taught in the Torath Kohanim:77 "I might think one is not permitted to enter the Sanctuary to make
the beaten plates [for a covering of the golden altar, or for the Holy of Holies]; Scripture therefore says, 'Only' he
shall not go in unto the Veil 78 [the word 'only' denoting an exception to the general law]; such is their command:
priests may go in there [at any time to make the above repairs]. If there are no priests present, Levites may enter.
If there are no [ritually] pure ones [priests or Levites], impure ones may go in. If there are no unblemished ones,
blemished ones may enter there." Now on that day [when Nadab and Abihu died] there were no priests present
[who could remove them from the Sanctuary where they had died], since [Aaron and his two remaining sons]
were expressly commanded that they should not defile themselves for them.79 But since it was possible to do it
68
Joshua 5:4.
Genesis 43:18.
70 Ibid., 24:51.
71 I Kings 16:34. Here too, it does not mean "which G-d spoke," since we nowhere find that He did say so, but "which He decreed." Cf. the
words of Joshua (Joshua 6:26).
72 Lamentations 2:18. Here then the meaning would be: "and Aaron ceased to shed tears." According to the first interpretation, he was
silent, not crying out aloud, but he still shed tears. But according to the second interpretation he was calmed completely.
73 Torath Kohanim, beginning of Shemini 38.
74 Verse 5.
75 Verse 2.
76 In other words, there is basically no difference between the priests and the Levites as far as the prohibition against a needless entry into
the Sanctuary is concerned. If there is a need for it, such as removing an impure object from it, both are permitted [as explained further on
in the text] to enter at any time. And if so, why the opinion of Rabbi Akiba that Mishael and Elzaphan put iron hooks on the bodies of
Nadab and Abihu in order to remove them from the Sanctuary when they could have gone in directly and remove them? See "The
Commandments," Vol. II, pp. 66-67.
77 Torath Kohanim, Emor 3:11.
78 Further, 21:23.
79 Verse 7. - So the question appears: Why did Mishael and Elzaphan have to resort to the use of iron hooks when they could have entered
the Sanctuary? The answer is: since it was possible etc.
69
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through dragging them out with iron hooks, [Mishael and Elzaphan] were not permitted to enter there. [Such is
the opinion of Rabbi Akiba.] But Rabbi Eliezer, who is of the opinion [that an angel thrust Nadab and Abihu out
of the Sanctuary, and they died outside, thinks] that since Scripture states of Mishael and Elzaphan, so they drew
near, it was outside the Sanctuary [that they died], and therefore he does not say [as does Rabbi Akiba] that they
dragged them outside in their tunics. The meaning of the expression in their tunics is that Nadab and Abihu were
then dressed in the priestly garments. Moses thus commanded that they carry them out of the camp, and there
they should strip them of their priestly garments, and clothe them in burial shrouds, and bury them, as was their
custom with other people who died in the desert. After that they purified the sacred garments and they were used
by the other priests.
6. LET NOT THE HAIR OF YOUR HEADS GO LOOSE. "[This means]: do not grow your hair long. From
this [the fact that Scripture forbade these particular mourners to let their hair grow long], we learn that a mourner
is forbidden to cut his hair. [Moses thus said to them: Normally a mourner may not cut his hair], but you must not
disturb the joy of C-d.
THAT YOU DIE NOT. But if you do this you will die." Thus far the language of Rashi.
Now that which Rashi says, "From this we learn that a mourner is forbidden to cut his hair," is merely a Scriptural
support for a Rabbinic enactment.80 Moreover, according to this explanation one cannot then interpret: "But if you
do this [i.e., you let your hair grow long] you will die." Rather81 it was optional in the case of Aaron's sons,
Scripture stating: "You are not obliged to let your hair grow long and rend your garments, as are other mourners;
that you die not, meaning that you will not be liable to death if you do so [i.e., neither let your hair grow nor rend
your garments], but other mourners are liable [to death] if they fail to observe it." Thus also have the Rabbis said
in the Gemara of Mashkin:82 "A mourner who did not let his hair grow long, and did not rent his garments, is
liable [to punishment of death], as it is said, Let not the hair of your heads go loose, neither rend your clothes,
that you die not; but other mourners who do not let their hair grow long, or rend their garments, are liable [to that
punishment]." But this text is similar to other Rabbinic laws for which the Talmud merely found a Scriptural
support, for letting one's hair grow long and rending one's garments when in mourning are only matters of
Rabbinic ordinance. Or perhaps the mourning of the first day [after the death and burial] is a law given to Moses
at Sinai, being derived from that of aninuth [the state of mourning before the burial of a relative] according to the
opinion of the Gaonim.83
But the real meaning of the verse is an admonition to Aaron's sons, and listen to the meaning thereof. Our Rabbis
have already said84 that a High Priest may bring an offering whilst he is still an onen85 but may not eat it. If any of
his next of kin86 die, he is not allowed to let his hair grow or rend his garments or defile himself for them, as it is
said, he will not let the hair of his head go loose, nor rend his clothes; neither will he enter [a tent containing] a
80
See in Exodus, Seder Yithro, p. 314. Note 449.
Ramban’s point is thus: Instead of Rashi’s interpretation "That you die not. But if you [the sons of Aaron] do this [i.e.: let your hair
grow long] you will die" -- the real explanation is as follows: "That you die not. You need not fear death for not letting your hair grow
long," as other mourners would be so punishable if they would not let their hair grow.
82 This tractate of the Talmud is now called Moed Katan. The text referred to is found there, 24a. 'Mashkin is the name of the first chapter
of the tractate. On the term Gemara see in Exodus, Seder Bo, p. 132. Note 204.
83 See in Exodus, Seder Ki Thisa, p. 521, Note 74.
84 Moed Katan 14b.
85 An onen by law of the Torah is a mourner on the day of death of his relative whether before or after burial on that day. [On the night
following he is an onen by law of the Rabbis. If burial has not taken place on the day of death he continues to be an onen by law of the
Rabbis. When burial finally takes place he is an onen by law of the Rabbis even after burial, but at night he is no longer considered an
onen at all.] An onen is to be distinguished from an avel who is a mourner for a period of seven or thirty days. The laws of mourning as
affecting the Divine Service in the Tabernacle and its holy offerings relate to the priest when he is an onen.
86 These are: mother, father, son, daughter, brother and sister by the same father. The Sages added: husband, wife, brother and sister by the
same mother (Mishneh Torah, Shoftim, Hilchoth Avel 2:1).
81
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dead body.87 Now since he is permitted to bring offerings whilst he is an onen, Scripture therefore said about him,
Neither will he go out of the Sanctuary, nor profane the Sanctuary of his G-d.88 This means that He warned him
against going out of the Sanctuary and leaving the Service, for this would be a profanation of G-d's Name. Now
this warning against leaving the Sanctuary at the time of the Service applies to all priests, except that in the case
of the High Priest He taught that he may bring offerings whilst he is still an onen [whereas an ordinary priest must
interrupt his Service and another one completes it, and he is not permitted to leave the Sanctuary until it is
completed]. Accordingly, if the High Priest [on becoming apprised of the death of a near relative], leaves the
Service and goes out of the Sanctuary whilst he is an onen, he is liable [to punishment] just like any [ordinary]
priest who leaves the Service and goes as he pleases.
Now Moses warned Aaron here that he should not let his hair grow long, nor rend his garments, for this [negative]
commandment applies to him [as High Priest] for all times. But his sons who were ordinary priests, were not
permitted to bring offerings on that day since they were onenim [mourners whose dead are still unburied], and an
onen who officiates profanes the Service. They were in fact obliged to defile themselves for their brothers, and
similarly they were either permitted or obliged89 to let their hair grow and to rend their garments. Yet Moses
warned them against doing all this as a special decision ["in order not to disturb the joy of G-d" on that occasion,
as mentioned above by Rashi]. Therefore Moses charged Mishael and Elzaphan that they should defile themselves
for the dead, and not the priests. He further commanded [the priests] not to let their hair grow, nor to rend their
garments, just like their father, [who as High Priest was not permitted to do so], and not to cry at all. This is the
meaning of the verse, but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Eternal
has kindled,90 but not you. All this was in order not to disturb G-d's joy [by their displaying signs of mourning].
He treated this strictly by making them liable to death [by the hand of Heaven] if they would disturb the joyous
occasion in any way.
It is possible that Moses was commanded about this from the mouth of the Almighty, even though it is not
expressly written, or that he derived it from that which he was commanded [to relay to Aaron and his sons for the
seven days of consecration], and you will keep the charge of the Eternal, that you die not91 [from which Moses
learned] that the charge of the Eternal includes also the eighth day. Now it was revealed to and known by the
Creator of the world that the sons of Aaron were destined to be onenim, and yet He commanded that they should
not leave the Sanctuary; thus [we see that here exceptionally] they were not to defile themselves for the dead or to
mourn at all.
Now the sons of Aaron, the priests that were anointed,92 even though they were ordinary priests, yet [G-d] made
the law applicable to them during the days of the consecration to be like the law of the priest anointed for war in
future generations,93 since he [too] must not let his hair grow long or rend his garments or defile himself for
deceased relatives, just like the High Priest, but he may not perform the rites of offerings whilst he is an onen
[although the High Priest may do so]. Thus Aaron's sons, too, did not perform the rites of the offerings on that
day, as the Rabbis interpreted:94 "And Aaron spoke unto Moses: Behold, this day have they offered their sinoffering.95 Did they [i.e., my sons] then bring the offering - they who are ordinary priests? It was I [Aaron] that
offered -- I who am the High Priest [who may offer even when being an onen]." Now during this entire incident
87
Further 21:10-11.
Ibid, Verse 12.
89 "Permitted" if the text quoted above from "the Gemara of Mashkin" is merely a Scriptural support for a Rabbinic ordinance. as Ramban
has it: "obliged," if the final decision of the law is in accordance with the opinion of the Gaonim (mentioned above). that the mourning of
the first day [after death and burial] is a law declared to Moses on Sinai.
90 Verse 6.
91 Above, 8:35.
92 Numbers 3:3.
93 Horayoth 12b.
94 Zebachim 101a.
95 Further. Verse 19.
88
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nothing [which was to be done during] the consecration was abolished, since the offerings had already been
brought, and at night they all ate of the hallowed food which they were to eat. It is possible that this law applied to
Elazar and Ithamar [Aaron's remaining sons] all their lives, namely, that their laws be like those of the priest
anointed for war [as mentioned above], because they had been anointed with the oil of anointment, this being the
sense of the expression, [And you will not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting ... ] for the anointing oil
of the Eternal is upon you.96
I have already mentioned,97 the Baraitha of the Torath Kohanim98 which states: "And you will not go out from
the door of the Tent of Meeting. I might think that [on becoming apprised of the death of a near relative, an
ordinary priest may not leave the Sanctuary] whether he is ministering or not; Scripture therefore says, Neither
will he go out of the Sanctuary, nor profane.99 When is he not permitted to go out, so that [only by his staying
there] he does not profane it? I must say that this applies only when he is ministering. Lest you die - from the
negative you infer the positive [that if they do go out in the middle of their ministering, they are liable to death by
the hand of Heaven]. For the anointing oil of the Eternal is upon you. Why is this said? I might think that this
tells me only that Aaron and his sons, who were anointed with the oil of anointment, are liable to death if they
leave the Sanctuary whilst they are ministering. How do I know that [the prohibition applies also to] all priests at
all times? Scripture therefore says, for the anointing oil of the Eternal is upon you."100 Similarly have I also seen
in the Tosephta101 of Tractate Sanhedrin: "The Sages said to Rabbi Yehudah: The verse Neither shall he go out of
the Sanctuary only applies at the time of ministration."
Now according to this interpretation, the warning and punishment [under consideration] applied to [both] Aaron
and his sons, so that if they went out from the door of the Tent of Meeting at the time of performing the Service,
they would be liable [to death by the hand of Heaven]. But since it was Aaron who brought the offerings on that
day, therefore [Moses] warned him [especially] that he should not leave the Service and go out. His sons,
however, were onenim on that day and did not perform the Service, If so, [the question appears]: how were they
included in this warning [not to leave the Service and go out of the Sanctuary, when they were in fact doing no
Service to begin with]? Perhaps we may say that Moses said to all of them, and you will not go out from the door
of the Tent of Meeting at the time of the Service, lest you die, and they knew that Aaron [as High Priest] could
perform the rites of offering [although] an onen and therefore he is included in the prohibition at once, but his
sons are included in the prohibition and punishment whenever they would be fit for the Service from that day
onwards, It is for this reason that He said here in an unqualified manner, and you will not go out from the door of
the Tent of Meeting, and did not explain until when this [prohibition] applied, whether until the evening or the
next day, since His intent was that they should not leave the Service, and this was to be a commandment applying
to all generations.
It is possible that the command to the sons of Aaron was a special decision, that they should not go out from there
on that day102 [specifically], just as their father [could not leave], this being in honor of the joyous occasion [i.e.
the culmination of the erection of the Tabernacle and inauguration of the priests], but ordinary priests throughout
the generations are warned against leaving their Service on the basis of the verse which states, Neither will he go
96
Verse 7.
At the end of Seder Tzav, Verse 35.
98 Torath Kohanim, Shemini Milu'im 42.
99 Further, 21:12.
100 See Ramban above, 8:35, at end of verse, for explanation of this final interpretation.
101
"Supplement." After the Mishnah was completed by Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, a contemporary of his, Rabbi Chiya, compiled a collection
of Tannaitic statements and traditions closely allied in form to the Mishnah. The Tosephta follows the order of the tractates of the Mishnah.
102 Having explained above that the admonition applied to Aaron's sons not on that eighth day, but its effect began from the following day
onwards, when they would be permitted to minister in the Sanctuary, Ramban now writes that it was possibly a special decision that even
on that eighth day they should not leave the Sanctuary, just like their father, who, as High Priest, was permitted to bring offerings as an
onen and was therefore prohibited from leaving the Sanctuary, This was to serve as a mark of honor and indication of the joyousness of the
occasion.
97
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out of the Sanctuary, nor profane, which means that any priest who goes out of the Sanctuary and leaves his
Service profanes it thereby, Thus the verse here [And you will not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting,
lest you die, for the anointing oil of the Eternal is upon you], is only necessary to derive the punishment, that
whoever leaves the Service and goes out is subject to death [by the hand of Heaven], for it says, for the anointing
oil of the Eternal is upon you, and that anointment is upon them for all generations, as it says, and their
anointing oil will be to them for an everlasting priesthood.103 So also the Rabbis taught in the Baraitha of Torath
Kohanim:104 "From here the Rabbis have derived the principle that no mark of mourning whatever is
shown for those executed by the court.105 Perhaps you will say, 'We [the brothers] will go to our homes and
mourn, grieve and cry [over the death of Nadab and Abihu], behold G-d has already commanded us not to go out
of the Sanctuary." From this text it would appear that it was a special decision to the effect that those who
died through the Heavenly Court, should be treated like those executed by a [human] court for
transgressions, in which case the rule is that [the relatives of the executed] come and greet the judges and
the witnesses.106 Here too, they were to remain standing before G-d in the day of his espousals, and in the day of
the gladness of his heart.107 "In the day of his espousals - this is the day of Sinai [i.e., the Giving of the Torah].
And in the day of the gladness of his heart - this is the day [of the setting up] of the Tent of Meeting."108
Ketubim: Tehillim (Psalms) 77:11-21
Rashi
1. For the conductor on jeduthun, a song of Asaph.
2. My voice is to God, and I shall cry out; my voice is
to God, and hearken to me.
3. On the day of my distress, I sought the Lord; my
wound oozes at night and does not abate; my soul
refuses to be comforted.
4. I remember God and I stir; I speak and my spirit
becomes faint, forever.
5. You held fast the awakenings of my eyes; I throb and
I do not speak.
6. I think of days of yore, ancient years.
7. I recall my music at night; I speak with my heart and
my spirit searches.
8. "Will the Lord forsake [me] forever and nevermore
be appeased?
Targum
1. For praise; composed by Jeduthun for Asaph; a
psalm.
2. My voice is raised in the presence of the LORD, and
I will complain; my voice is raised in the presence of
God; hear my utterance!
3. In the day of my distress, I sought instruction from
the presence of the LORD; the spirit of prophecy rested
on me in the night; my eye ran with tears and will not
stop; my soul refused to be comforted.
4. I will remember God and I will tremble in the
presence of the LORD; I will speak, and my spirit will
be weary forever.
5. You have shut the lids of my eyes; I am smitten, and
I will not speak.
6. I have counted up the good days which were at the
beginning, the good years of long ago.
7. I will remember my psalm in the night; I will speak
with the thoughts of my heart, and the mind of my
spirit will examine miracles.
8. Can the LORD be far off forever, and no longer
show favor again?
103
Exodus 40:15.
Torath Kohanim. Shemini Milu'im 28.
105 "The analogy is not complete. For those executed by the court no one mourns, neither close relatives nor anyone else. Here only the
close relatives were forbidden to mourn, while for others it was expressly commanded. let your brethren, the whole house of Israel,
bewail the burning which the Eternal has kindled" (Verse 6) (Rabad in his commentary on Torath Kohanim).
106 Sanhedrin 46a. "As if to say. 'We have nothing against you in our hearts, for you have judged the judgment of truth' " (Ibid.).
107 Song of Songs 3:11.
108 There are various versions to this interpretation. The final Mishnah in Tractate Taanith has it: "In the day of his espousals this is the
Giving of the Torah. And in the day of the gladness of his heart -- this is the building of the Sanctuary" [in Jerusalem].
104
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Rashi
9. Has His kindness ended forever? Has He issued a
decree for all generations?
10. Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He, in
anger, shut off His mercy forever?
11. And I said, "This is to terrify me, the change of the
right hand of the Most High."
12. I recall the deeds of Yah when I remember Your
wonder from time immemorial.
13. And I meditate over all Your works, and I speak of
Your deeds.
14. O God, Your way is in sanctity. Who is a power as
great as God?
15. You are the God Who works wonders; You made
known Your might among the peoples.
16. You redeemed Your people with Your arm, the
sons of Jacob and Joseph forever.
17. The waters perceived You, O God, the waters
perceived You, they trembled, even the deeps quaked.
18. They poured forth thick waters; the skies let out a
voice, even your arrows went abroad.
Targum
9. Can He have cut off His favor forever? Is the decree
of evil complete for all generations?
10. Can God have forgotten to have pity? Or has He
gotten too angry to sustain His compassion forever?
11. And I said, "It is my sickness; they have forgotten
the might of the right hand of the Most High."
ANOTHER TARGUM: And I said, "It is my petition,
years that he shortened by days."
12. I will remember the acts of God, for I will
remember Your wonders from of old.
13. And I meditated on all Your good works, and I will
speak of the intricacy of Your miracles.
14. O God, because Your ways are holy, what god is
great like the God of Israel?
15. You are the God who works wonders; You have
made known Your might among the peoples.
16. You have redeemed Your people with the strength
of Your arm, the sons that Jacob sired and whom
Joseph fed, forever.
17. They saw Your presence in the midst of the sea, O
God; they saw Your might by the sea; the Gentiles
trembled, even the deeps will be shaken.
18. The clouds of heaven made water descend, the
heights gave voice; also comes the hail, your arrows,
and are ablaze.
19. The sound of Your outcry was heard in the sphere;
lightning lit up the world, the earth rattled and shook.
19. The sound of Your thunder is like a wheel; the
lightning illuminated the world; the earth shook and
quaked.
20. In the sea was Your way, and Your path in the 20. In the sea of Suph was Your path, and Your
mighty waters, and Your steps were not known.
highway in the many waters; and the track of Your
steps were not discerned.
21. You led Your people like sheep by the hand of 21. You guided Your people as a flock, by the hand of
Moses and Aaron.
Moses and Aaron.
Rashi’s Commentary for: Psalms 77:11-21
11 And I said, “This is to terrify me” My thoughts tell me, “This is only to terrify me and frighten me into
returning to Him.”
to terrify me Heb. ‫חלותי‬, like ‫לחלוֹתי‬, to terrify me, an expression of sickness and terror.
the change of the right hand of the Most High How the right hand of the Most High changed. It was mighty
with strength and now He has withdrawn His right hand.
13 And I meditate over all Your works that You have already done for us.
14 Your way is in sanctity Your manner is to sanctify Your name in the world, to execute justice upon the
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wicked.
17 The waters perceived You [The] mighty [waters perceived You] when You were revealed by the sea.
18 They poured forth thick waters The skies poured forth a stream of thick waters.
Your arrows Heb. ‫חצציך‬, like ‫חצֶ יָך‬.
ִ
19 like a wheel Heb. ‫בגלגל‬, like ‫כגלגל‬. The sound of Your thunder [rolled] like a wheel on the sea to confuse the
camp of the Egyptians.
20 and Your steps were not known The steps are not recognizable on the water. [The word] ‫ ועקבותיָך‬means
trazes in Old French, footprints.
Meditation from the Psalms
Psalms 77:11-21
By: H.Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David
This week we are looking at the second half of psalm 77. Just to provide a bit of continuity I have included my
opening from last week.
The superscription of this psalm ascribes authorship to Assaf. Assaf’s unique talent was the ability to find
something to sing about even in the bleakest gloom. Thus, this chapter was written to provide a certain
perspective regarding the proper response to situations when the righteous/generous faces crisis and hardship,
Heaven forbid.109
I would like to continue to explore the kol, the voice, because the word kol - ‫קול‬, voice, in our psalm, resonates
with deep meaning. We find this interesting word again, in our week’s portion of psalm 77:
Tehillim (Psalms) 77:18 The voice of Your thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the
world: the earth trembled and shook.
Why does Assaf speak of thunder having a voice? Why not speak about it’s sound? Clearly the kol, the voice, is
telling us something special. This bears exploring, nevertheless it is important to keep in mind what we wrote last
week.
Though a voice is noticed on the outside, that is, after it has left the mouth of a person – or the lightning, it
actually originates deep within that entity which produces it, and is associated with the second level of the soul
called, “Ruach”, which in this context, translates as “wind”. In Kabbalah, Ruach is the level of soul considered to
be the essence of physical man. This is why, as Onkelos110 explains, back in Genesis, that when G-d breathed the
“living soul” into man, the direct result was the ability to speak.
We have a common proverb that says, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it”. Clearly the voice is more
109
These opening remarks are excerpted, and edited, from: The ArtScroll Tanach Series, Tehillim, A new translation with a commentary
anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic, and rabbinic sources. Commentary by Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, Translation by Rabbi
Avrohom Chaim Feuer in collaboration with Rabbi Nosson Scherman.
110 Onkelos is the name of a famous convert to Judaism in Tannaic times (c. 35–120 CE). He is the author of the famous Targum Onkelos.
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telling than the words. Our psalmist seems to be suggesting that the voice of the thunder is conveying something
about HaShem’s mood as he calls it “Your” thunder.
We all grew up with that proverb, and although what you say can be just as important, the message of the above
dictum rings true: communicating an idea consists of content and presentation. Very often, it is easy to judge a
person’s inner being just by the way he presents an idea through his outer being, that is, his body and his voice.
“Kol” carries with it a duality where the internal of the word, and of the speaker, is reflected in the external. Of
necessity, the duality of the voice, is implied in the word kol itself. The gematria111 of kol is 136. The gematria of
the hidden milui112 is also 136. Thus it is hinted that only when the internal aspect of the kol is like the outside, is
it in its true integrity.
The hidden milui is calculated as follows:
Gematria
‫–ק‬
100
‫ו‬6
‫ל‬30
-------------136
‫קוף‬
‫וו‬
‫למד‬
-
Hidden Milui
186
‫ וף‬- 86
12
‫–ו‬6
74
‫ מד‬- 44
------------136
When the external and the internal, of a person, are in perfect harmony with each other, then the Kol, the voice, as
in one’s prayer or supplication, goes straight to the Heaven. This is implied in the verse:
Shemot (Exodus) 28:35 the sound (The kol) of the high priest will be heard when he enters the Sanctuary.
Kol draws down and reveals an entity’s quality; something that was previously hidden is revealed. For example, a
human being’s voice reveals his intellect or his emotions. The voice, not the words, of a person betrays what is
internal to the person. Voice stress analysis uses this to attempt to discern the truth of a person’s words. The
sound of our voice is the essence of who we are. Kol is communication without words which transcends the
limitations of language and its barriers.
Kol is unfettered by the specifics of the message. It is a degree of expression that requires no words because it is
the projection of the essence of the caller. The message is the person, pure G-dliness without filtering or
manipulation. Words convey the thoughts of the person’s mind, but kol projects the very person himself.
Rabbeinu Bachya tell us that the Midrash113 says that the Torah was given with seven voices. King Solomon
writes114 "its pillars are seven". What are these seven voices which are the seven pillars? Rabbeinu Bachya
surprises us: the seven voices are the seven nekudot or sounds with which we give voice to the letters of the alefbet! Think of it: kamatz, patach, tzere, segol, cholom, shuruk, chirik - aw, ah, ei, eh, o, u, ee. It is with these
111
Numerical value of the letters
The internal letters of each letter of the word kol. The word Milui means “filling”. This is one of the devices used in Kabbalah to
explore deeper dimensions of Hebrew words. The great Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Luria used this method extensively to reveal hidden
meanings in the Torah text. One finds the Milui of a Hebrew word by spelling it in its full form in the following manner. For example, the
letter Aleph (‫ )א‬is filled out by the three letters that make up the name of the letter: Aleph Lamed Peh (‫)אלף‬. The hidden milui counts only
the letters not included in the original word. In our case, the letters of the word kol would be spelled out Kaf, Vav, Peh; Vav, Vav,
and Lamed, Mem, Dalet. The milui would then be the ‘inside’ letters [Vav, Peh, Vav, Mem, Dalet] which equals 136.
112
113
114
Shemot Rabbah 28:4
Mishle (Proverbs) 9:1
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sounds that our letters come to life and attain meaning. These are the seven voices with which the entire world
comes to life. These are the seven sounds which are the very pillars of our existence. All that is depends upon
these seven sounds. The letters are the body. The sounds are the soul. It is only in the oral law that we have these
sounds preserved as the Torah has no nekudot. The voice of HaShem, the oral Torah, is mighty indeed!
In Beresheet (Genesis) 28:10ff, we learn about the dream that Ya’aqob has when he leaves Israel to go to the
house of Laban. The Torah says “And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached
heavenward”.115 The Baal Haturim116 points out that the gematria (numerical value) of the word Sulam, ladder, is
equal to one hundred thirty-six, which is the same gematria as the word Kol, as we just learned. We can deduce
from this symbolism that just as the ladder in Ya’aqob’s dream connected earth to heaven allowing the angels to
go up and down, so to our voice is the mechanism that connects us to heaven.
Voice, kol, is joined to HaShem’s thought. However, we don’t get to the place of words or speech until Torah can
be understood through an authoritative rabbinic chain of interpretation. What this means is that the garments of
Torah are the narratives and the halakhic readings. The true Torah, though, is the soul of soul, where no
distinction exists between the innermost Torah and the divine self of HaShem. When we recite the Shema this is
what we are confirming … that soul of soul, that acceptance and admission of the revealed, or not revealed,
aspects of HaShem.
The words “hear”, shema, and “voice”, kol, together have powerful resonance. The first time they are found
together is in Eden. There, the Torah states: “And [Adam and Eve] heard the voice of the Lord, G-d, moving
about in the garden. Thus, kol is not just the voice from the larynx, it is the deeper voice that comes from G-d
Himself. This correlates with what we learned last week, that the voice is the origin of speech. Prophecy
originates with the voice from HaShem.
That is why, when on Rosh Hashanah we blow shofar, the ram’s horn, the wording of the blessing is: “to hear
the voice of the shofar”. No wonder: The shofar sound is produced by the inner breath, the inner Godliness, the
inner soul, To blow the shofar, we breathe out the breath that G-d breathed into Adam when the human being was
first created. Thus, hearing the kol of the shofar takes us back to Eden.
The three major “tools” to achieve forgiveness from HaShem are prayer, repentance, and charity. This is what
we say in Mussaf of Rosh HaShana and Yom HaKippurim. Some machzorim have another set of words printed
above these three. They are not said, but they are there. Prayer = kol (voice). Repentance is aided by fasting.
And charity is performed with money. Each of these three words is numerically equal to 136. 100+6+30 =
90+6+40 = 40+40+6+50. The identical Gematria of the synonyms speaks of an equality of significance in the
quest for Divine forgiveness.
Three different messages of kol are echoed in the mitzva of shofar. Shofar is the call that re-enacts the moment of
creation. Shofar is the call that brings us back to Sinai when the Torah was given. And shofar is the call that will
ring out when the Mashiach comes. Thus the mitzva is to hear the kol, the voice, of the shofar!
Rashi, in his comments on psalm 20, says that the Kol HaShem is thunder that causes the hind to calf!117
Further, the Gemara tells us about the thunder.
Berachoth 59a R. Alexandri said in the name of R. Joshua b. Levi: Thunder was created only to straighten
out the crookedness of the heart, as it says: God has so made it that men should fear before him.118
115
Beresheet (Genesis) 28:12.
Rabbi Ya’akob ben Raash (Rabbenu Asher).
117 Tehillim (Psalms) 29:9.
118 Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 3:14.
116
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When a person hears a clap of thunder and flinches, the experience may give him pause. When the Chafetz
Chaim, zt”l, used to hear thunder he would ask “What does Father want?”
Our psalmist said:
Tehillim (Psalms) 77:18 The voice of Your thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world:
the earth trembled and shook.
So, what does our pasuk (verse) mean? To understand this answer we need to remember a footnote from a couple
of weeks ago (or a parsha from a year ago). Here is what Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu wrote:
Shemot (Ex.) 19:16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder
(the voices of the Hakhamim) and lightning flashes (the Hakhamim running back and forth to elucidate
the Torah) and a thick cloud upon the mountain (governance [kingdom] of God [through the Hakhamim
and Bate Din as opposed to human kings]) and a very loud voice of the shofar (Tiferet - Darshan or
Maggid [Prophet]), so that all the people who were in the camp (world) trembled.
With this in mind, lets re-translate our pasuk:
Tehillim (Psalms) 77:18 The voice of Your Hakhamim was in the heaven: the Hakhamim lightens the
world: the earth trembles and shakes.
Now we have a whole new insight into the meaning of HaShem’s kol, of voice, as it is projected into the world!
If kol HaShem is thunder, then kol HaShem are our Hakhamim.
Ashlamatah: Yechezeqel (Ezekiel) 43:27 – 44:5, 28-30
Rashi
27. And when they have completed the days, {S} then it
shall be that on the eighth day and thenceforth, the
priests shall make your burnt offerings and your peaceofferings on the altar, and I will accept you with
satisfaction, says the Lord God. {S}
Targum
27. When they have completed the days, {S} on the
eighth day and onward, the priests will offer your burnt
offerings and your holy sacrifices, on the altar; and
your sacrifices will be favorably accepted, says the
LORD God. {S}
1. And he brought me back by way of the Outer 1. Then he brought me back towards the outer gate of
Sanctuary Gate that faces eastward, and it was closed.
the Sanctuary, which faces east; and it was closed.
2. And the Lord said to me; This gate shall be closed, it
shall not be opened, and no man shall come through it,
for the Lord God of Israel comes through it, and it
shall be closed.
3. The prince [I permit]-he is a prince; he shall sit
therein to eat bread before the Lord; by the way of the
hall of the gate he shall come, and by the same way he
shall leave.
4. And he brought me by way of the Northern Gate
before the House, and I saw that behold the glory of the
Lord filled the House of the Lord, and I fell upon face.
2. And the LORD said to me: "This gate must remain
closed; it must not be opened; and no one will enter by
it, for the LORD, the God of Israel, has been revealed
above it, and it must remain closed.
3. It will be for the prince. The prince, only he may sit
in it, to eat bread before the LORD; he will enter by
way of the vestibule of the gate, and will go out by the
same way.
4. Then he brought me in by way of the north gate,
which is in front of the Temple; and I looked, and
behold, the Temple of the LORD was filled with the
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Rashi
5. And the Lord said to me; Son of man, mark well, see
with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I am
speaking with you, regarding all the statutes of the
House of the Lord and regarding all its instructions, and
you shall mark well the entrance of the House with all
the exits of the Sanctuary.
6. And you shall say to the rebellious [people], to the
House of Israel; So said the Lord God: You have done
enough of all your abominations, O House of Israel.
7. By bringing aliens of uncircumcised heart and of
uncircumcised flesh to be in My Sanctuary to profane
My House, by offering up My food, fat and blood, and
they broke My covenant in addition to all your
abominations.
8. You did not keep the watch of My holy things, and
you appointed keepers of My watch in My Sanctuary.
{S}
Targum
glory of the LORD, and I bowed down on my face.
5. Then the LORD said to me, Son of Adam, take note,
observe with your eyes and listen with your ears to
everything which I speak with you, concerning all the
regulation of the Temple of the LORD, and everything
which is proper for it; note well the entrances to the
Temple, as well as all the exits of the Sanctuary.
6. And you will say to the rebellious people; to the
House of Israel, Thus says the LORD God: Too many
for you, are all your abominations, O House of Israel,
7. by your bringing of foreigners, wicked of heart and
uncircumcised of flesh, to be in My Sanctuary, to
desecrate My Temple, when you offer up My sacrifice,
the fat and the blood of My holy sacrifices; and they
have altered My covenant with all your abominations.
8. You have not kept watch on My holy things, but you
appointed others to be guardians for you of the holy
watch of My Memra in My Sanctuary. {S}
15. ¶ But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok,
who kept the charge of My sanctuary when the
Children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall
come near Me to minister to Me, and they shall stand
before Me to offer Me fat and blood, says the Lord
God.
16. They shall enter My Sanctuary, and they shall
approach My Table to minister to Me, and they shall
keep My charge.
17. And it shall be, when they enter the gates of the
Inner Court, they shall be clothed with linen garments
and no wool shall be upon them when they minister the
gates of the Inner Court and within.
18. Linen hats shall be upon their heads, and linen
breaches shall be upon their loins; they shall not gird
themselves in a place that sweats.
19. But when they go out into the Outer Court, into the
Outer Court to the people, they shall put off their
garments wherein they minister and place them in
chambers belonging to the Sanctuary and clothe
themselves with other garments, and they shall not
sanctify the people with their garments.
20. And [the hair of] their heads they are not to
shave but also not to let it grow wild; they must be
careful to trim the hair of their heads.
21. And wine may no priest drink when they come
into the Inner Court.
22. And neither a widow nor a divorced woman may
they take for wives, but they shall take virgins from the
descendants of the House of Israel; also the widow
15. ¶ But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok,
who kept the watch of My Sanctuary when the children
of Israel strayed from My worship, they will approach
for My worship to serve before Me, and they will serve
at My altar, to offer up before Me the fat and the blood
of the holy sacrifices. says the LORD God.
16. They will enter My Sanctuary, and they will
approach My table of the Display-bread, to minister
before Me, and they will keep the watch of My Memra.
17. And when they enter the gates of the inner court,
they will wear linen garments; no woolen cloak will be
upon them when they serve at the gates of the inner
court and within.
18. Turbans of linen will be upon their heads, and linen
trousers on their loins; they will not gird their loins;
they will gird their hearts.
19. And when they go out of the court of the Sanctuary
to the outer court, to mingle with the people, they will
put off their garments in which they serve and lay them
in the sacred chambers; and they will put on other
garments, so that they should not mingle with the
people in their vestments.
20. They will not shave their heads nor let their hair
grow wild; they will only trim the hair of their
heads.
21. No priests will drink wine when they enter the
inner court.
22. A widow and a divorced woman, they will not
marry, but they may marry a virgin descended from the
House of Israel; and a widow, who is a widow of
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Rashi
who is only a widow, some of the priests may marry.
23. And My people shall they teach the difference
between holy and profane, and cause them to
discern between the impure and the pure.
24. And in dispute they shall stand in judgment,
according to My ordinances shall they decide it; and
My teachings and My statutes shall they keep in all
My appointed times, and My Sabbaths they shall
sanctify.
25. To no human corpse shall they come to defile
themselves, except to father and to mother and to son
and to daughter, to brother and to a sister who has had
no husband, shall they defile themselves.
26. And after his purification they shall count seven
days for him.
27. And on the day that he enters the Sanctuary, into
the Inner Court, to minister in the Sanctuary, he shall
offer his sin offering, says the Lord God.
28. It shall be to them for an inheritance, I am their
inheritance; You shall give them no possession in
Israel, I am their possession.
29. The meal-offering and the sin-offering and the
guilt- offering are they to eat, and everything that is
vowed to be banned in Israel shall belong to them.
30. And the first of all the first-fruits, and every heaveoffering; everything from every sort of your heaveofferings shall belong to the priests; also the first out of
your kneading-troughs shall you give to the priest, to
bring enduring blessing into your home.
31. Anything that has died of itself or is fatally
wounded, whether it be bird or beast, the priests may
not eat. {P}
Targum
other priests, they may marry.
23. They will teach My people the difference
between the sacred and the unconsecrated, and they
will make known to them the distinction between
the unclean and the clean.
24. In matters of judicial litigation, they will rise to
judge; they will judge according to the judgments of
My will; they will keep My Torah and My statutes
concerning all My festivals; and My Sabbaths they
will keep holy.
25. He will not enter where there is a dead person,
thereby defiling himself; except that they may defile
themselves for a father or mother, for a son or daughter,
for a brother or an unmarried sister.
26. After his purification, they will count seven days
for him.
27. And on the day of his entry into the Sanctuary, into
the inner court, to serve in the Sanctuary, he will offer
his sin offering, says the LORD God.
28. Their share of inheritance will be the residue of
My sacrifice, but you will give them no possession in
Israel; the gifts that I give them these are their
possession.
29. The meal offering and the sin offering and the guilt
offering they will eat; and everything in Israel which is
set apart as sacred, will be for them.
30. And the first of everything; the first fruits of every
kind, and all contributions which you set aside, will be
entirely for the priests; and your first batch of bread
you will give to the priests, so that a blessing may
settle upon your home.
31. The priests will not eat anything of bird and of
cattle that has died a natural death or has been torn by
wild beasts. {P}
Rashi’s Commentary to: Yechezeqel (Ezekiel) 43:27 – 44:5, 28-30
27 and I will accept you with satisfaction [Heb. ‫אתי‬
ִ ִ‫וְ ָרצ‬,] from ‫ ָרצוֹן‬will.
Chapter 44
2 shall be closed Our Rabbis interpreted this verse as referring to the southern wicket, for the gate of the Heichal
had a wicket, a small entrance. So we learned in Tractate Middoth (4:2): The Great Gate had two wickets, one in
the south and one in the north. No one ever entered the one in the south, of which Ezekiel says, “This gate shall be
closed.”
comes through it in the future.
Page 29 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
3 The prince [I permit]; he is a prince, etc. The prince I give permission. He is a prince, and is esteemed, and it
is not fitting for him to sit and eat with the rest of the priests in the chambers.
he shall sit therein in its space.
by way of the hall of the gate he shall come When he enters the Inner Court in order to enter this small gate to
eat therein, he shall enter by way of the hall of the Court’s eastern gate and leave the same way. Now since it
states below (46:9), concerning: “But when the people of the land come before the Lord on the Festivals, he who
enters by way of, etc.” Scripture commanded making the Court a shortcut since that entry was [made] for the sake
of appearing [before God]. He must therefore be well seen [i.e., throughout the entire Court]. It was necessary to
specify here concerning visits during the rest of the year that he should not make it a shortcut because this visit is
not for the sake of appearing, as is that of the Pilgrimage Festivals. This matter is corroborated many more times
in this account.
The prince The High Priest is a prince, and because of his importance he will be permitted to eat the meat
and bread of hallowed status in that gate, which is opened for him at the time of his eating.
by way of the hall of the gate he shall come By way of the hall of the Eastern Gate he shall enter the Court and
come up to that wicket to eat his bread therein.
and by the same way he shall leave For this is not fit for a shortcut, as are the rest of the gates. Throughout the
day, when not during the time of the prince’s eating, it shall be closed.
7 aliens [lit. sons of an alien.] [Sons of] one whose deeds have become alienated from his Father in Heaven; this
is an apostate who worships idols. They are the ones “of uncircumcised heart.”
and of uncircumcised flesh [a] priest whose brothers died because of circumcision.
15 But the priests, the Levites [i.e., the priests, who are] of the tribe of Levi.
the sons of Zadok Since he was the High Priest who served as the first one in the Sanctuary of Solomon’s
days, they are called by his name.
when...went astray [Heb. ‫בִּ ְתעוֹת‬,] quand ils erraient, in Fr., when they strayed.
17 when they enter the gates of the Inner Court the Inner Sanctum on the Day of Atonement.
and no wool shall be upon them They shall not wear the blue wool that was in the robe and girdle on the Day of
Atonement during the service in the Inner Court.
18 they shall not gird themselves in a place that sweats We learned in a baraitha (Zeb. 18b, 19a): They do not
gird themselves in a place where they sweat, neither above their elbows nor below their loins, which is a place of
sweat, en la suor in O.F., on (whatever causes) sweat. Another explanation: The Torah prohibited the priests from
wearing woolen raiment because wool causes the body to sweat (not found in some editions).
hats [Heb. ‫פַאֲ ֵרי‬.] c(h)apelas in O.F., hats, head dress.
19 into the Outer Court, into the Outer Court Since he was speaking of the Heichal and the Inner Sanctum,
Page 30 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
and he called them the “Inner Court,” and in relation to them, he should call the Israelites’ Court an “Outer
Court,” he therefore had to double it twice to say that he is speaking of the Men’s Court, the area that all Israel
enter.
and place them in chambers belonging to the Sanctuary as stated by our master Moses, may he rest in peace
(Lev. 16: 23): “after that, he shall take off the linen garments which he had put on, etc., and he shall leave them
there.”
and they shall not sanctify the people [Heb. ‫י ְַק ְדשׁוּ ֶאתהָ עָ ם וְ ל ֹא‬, lit. they shall not sanctify the people.] Jonathan
renders: and they shall not mingle with the people in their garments, [i.e.,] they shall not touch the people with
their holy garments, for ordinary garments are not ritually clean as regards [contaminating] holy garments.
20 And [the hair of] their heads they are not to shave to remove all the hair.
but also not to let it grow wild They may not let their hair grow very long.
they must be careful to trim [Heb. ‫כָּסוּם יִכְ ְסמוּ‬, (to cut the hair so that it appears)] like spelt )‫(כֻּסֶ מֶ ת‬, which is
arranged on the ear [with] the end of one beside the root of another. So I heard in the name of Rabbi Menahem of
blessed memory. It is possible to explain it as an expression for a measure of a medium thing, neither shearing [all
the hair of] the head nor letting the hair grow long, but a medium amount, amo(d)ler in O.F., to cut to medium
length.
21 when they come into the Inner Court to the Heichal.
22 but...virgins may the High Priests take. But there are some priests who may take a widow, namely, the
ordinary ones, and this is the meaning of “some of the priests may marry”; there are some priests who are
permitted to marry a widow.
who is only a widow A real [widow], excluding a divorcee and a woman upon whom the rite of chalitzah
was performed; although she is unmarried, she is forbidden even for an ordinary [priest].
26 And after his purification and after he has separated from the corpse. So was it taught in Moed Katan (15b).
27 And on the day that he enters into the Sanctuary for the first time to initiate himself into the service, he shall
offer up his sin-offering; this is his one tenth of an ephah [of flour]. In Moed Katan (16a) the following is taught:
the regular priest requires one tenth of an ephah on the day of his initiation, as it is stated (Lev. 6:13): “This is the
offering of Aaron and his sons, etc.” and as is explained in Tractate Menachoth (51b).
28 It shall be to them the priesthood, for an inheritance.
29 and everything that is holy [Heb. ‫חֶ ֶרם‬,] an expression of sanctity, and so is every expression of ‫[ חֶ ֶרם‬when
used] in the context of hallowed things.
30 to bring enduring blessings into your home [Heb. ַ‫לְהָ נִיח‬,] aposer on O.F., (to cause) to rest, settle, as in
(Exod. 10:14): “and it rested )‫ (וֳ ָינָח‬throughout all the borders of Egypt.”
31 Anything that has died of itself or is fatally wounded, etc. Since nipping the neck of the bird sin-offering
was permitted, which is [tantamount to] an animal that died of itself or was fatally wounded [since it is not the
normal method of slaughter], he had to warn them concerning [eating] other creatures that died of themselves or
Page 31 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
were fatally wounded. So our Sages explain.
Special Ashlamatah: I Samuel 20:18,42
Rashi
Targum
18. And Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new 18. And Jonathan said to him: “Tomorrow is the (new)
moon, and you will be remembered, for your seat will moon, and you will be sought out, for your dining place
be vacant.
will be empty.”
42. And Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace! (And 42. And Jonathan said to David: “Go in peace, for the
bear in mind) that we have sworn both of us in the two of us have sworn by the name of the LORD saying,
name of the Lord, saying, 'May the Lord be between ‘May the Memra of the LORD be a witness between
me and you, and between my descendants and your me and you, and between my sons and your sons
descendants forever.' And he arose and went away; and forever.’” And he arose and went; and Jonathan entered
Jonathan came to the city.
the city.
Verbal Tallies
By: H. Em. Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David
& HH Giberet Dr. Elisheba bat Sarah
Vayikra (Leviticus) 9:1 – 10:7
Shmuel alef (I Samuel) 20:18,42
Tehillim (Psalms) 77:11-21
Yehezechel (Ezekiel) 43:27 – 44:5, 28-30
1 Pet 3:1-7, Lk 12:2-9, Lk 12:13-21, Acts 22:1-21
The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Ashlamata are:
Israel - ‫ישראל‬, Strong’s number 03478.
Return / Back - ‫שוב‬, Strong’s number 07725.
LORD - ‫יהוה‬, Strong’s number 03068.
God - ‫אלהים‬, Strong’s number 0430.
The verbal tallies between the Torah and the Psalm are:
God - ‫אלהים‬, Strong’s number 0430.
Yehezechel (Ezekiel) 44:1 Then he brought me back <07725> (8686) the way of the gate of the outward
sanctuary which looks toward the east; and it was shut.
Yehezechel (Ezekiel) 44:2 Then said the LORD <03068> unto me; This gate will be shut, it will not be opened,
and no man will enter in by it; because the LORD <03068>, the God <0430> of Israel <03478>, has entered in by
it, therefore it will be shut.
Tehillim (Psalms) 77:13 Your way, O God <0430>, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God <0410> as our
God <0430>?
Hebrew:
Page 32 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
Hebrew
English
!Arh]a; Aaron
vyai respective, one
lk;a' consumed, eat
Torah Seder
Lev 9:1 – 10:7
Lev 9:1
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:8
Lev 9:9
Lev 9:12
Lev 9:18
Lev 9:21
Lev 9:22
Lev 9:23
Lev 10:1
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:4
Lev 10:6
Lev 10:1
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:2
~yhil{a/ GOD
rm;a' saying, said
Ps 77:13
Ps 77:16
aAB went, enter, brought
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:3
Lev 9:6
Lev 9:7
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:4
Lev 10:6
Lev 9:23
tyIB; house
Lev 10:6
!Be sons
Lev 9:1
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:3
Lev 9:9
Lev 9:12
Lev 9:18
Lev 10:1
Lev 10:4
Lev 10:6
Lev 9:3
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:5
rb;D' speak,spoke, said,
say
%r,D, way
hz< this
dy" hands
hwhy LORD
Psalms
Psa 77:11-20
Ps 77:20
Ezek 44:2
Ezek 44:3
Ezek 44:29
Ezek 44:2
Ezek 44:2
Ezek 44:5
Ps 77:15
Ezek 44:2
Ezek 44:3
Ezek 44:4
Ezek 44:4
Ezek 44:5
Ezek 44:30
Ezek 44:5
Ezek 44:5
Ps 77:13
Ps 77:19
Lev 9:6
Lev 9:22
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:4
Lev 9:5
Lev 9:6
Ashlamatah
Ezek 43:27 – 44:5, 28-30
Ezek 44:1
Ezek 44:3
Ezek 44:4
Ezek 44:2
Ps 77:20
Page 33 of 45
Ezek 43:27
Ezek 44:2
Ezek 44:3
Ezek 44:4
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
Hebrew
English
~Ay day
ac'y" came, go
laer'f.yI Israel
lKo all, whole, entire
aol nor, no
x;Bez>mi altar
alem' filled
!mi outside, besides.
Before
hx'n>mi grain offering
hv,m Moses
Torah Seder
Lev 9:1 – 10:7
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:10
Lev 9:21
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:1
Lev 10:2
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:6
Lev 10:7
Lev 9:1
Lev 9:4
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:2
Lev 10:7
Lev 9:1
Lev 9:3
Lev 10:6
Lev 9:5
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:6
Lev 10:6
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:8
Lev 9:9
Lev 9:10
Lev 9:12
Lev 9:13
Lev 9:14
Lev 9:17
Lev 9:18
Lev 9:20
Lev 9:24
Lev 9:17
Lev 9:11
Lev 9:17
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:4
Lev 10:5
Lev 9:4
Lev 9:17
Lev 9:1
Lev 9:5
Lev 9:6
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:10
Lev 9:21
Lev 9:23
Lev 10:3
Psalms
Psa 77:11-20
Ashlamatah
Ezek 43:27 – 44:5, 28-30
Ezek 44:5
Ezek 43:27
Ezek 44:3
Ps 77:12
Ezek 44:2
Ezek 44:28
Ezek 44:29
Ezek 44:5
Ezek 44:29
Ezek 44:30
Ezek 44:2
Ezek 44:28
Ezek 43:27
Ezek 44:4
Ezek 44:29
Ezek 44:29
Ps 77:20
Page 34 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
Hebrew
English
lp;n" fell
!t;n" put, gave, give
~ynIP' before, face
vd,qo sanctuary
ha'r' appear
~Wf placed, mark
~l,v, peace offering
ynIymiv. eighth
taJ'x; sin
dAbK' glory
hl'[o burnt offering
~[; people
Torah Seder
Lev 9:1 – 10:7
Lev 10:4
Lev 10:5
Lev 10:6
Lev 10:7
Lev 9:24
Lev 9:9
Lev 10:1
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:4
Lev 9:5
Lev 9:21
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:1
Lev 10:2
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:4
Lev 10:4
Lev 9:4
Lev 9:6
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:24
Lev 9:20
Lev 10:1
Lev 9:4
Lev 9:18
Lev 9:22
Lev 9:1
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:3
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:8
Lev 9:10
Lev 9:15
Lev 9:22
Lev 9:6
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:3
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:12
Lev 9:13
Lev 9:14
Lev 9:16
Lev 9:17
Lev 9:22
Lev 9:24
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:15
Lev 9:18
Lev 9:22
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:3
Psalms
Psa 77:11-20
Ps 77:17
Ps 77:13
Ps 77:16
Ashlamatah
Ezek 43:27 – 44:5, 28-30
Ezek 44:4
Ezek 44:28
Ezek 44:30
Ezek 44:3
Ezek 44:4
Ezek 44:4
Ezek 44:5
Ezek 44:5
Ezek 43:27
Ezek 43:27
Ezek 44:29
Ezek 44:4
Ezek 43:27
Ps 77:14
Ps 77:15
Ps 77:20
Page 35 of 45
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
Hebrew
English
offered, making,
Works
hf'['
Torah Seder
Lev 9:1 – 10:7
Lev 9:6
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:16
Lev 9:22
Lev 10:7
Psalms
Psa 77:11-20
Ps 77:14
Ashlamatah
Ezek 43:27 – 44:5, 28-30
Ezek 43:27
Greek:
Greek
English
Torah Seder
Lev 9:1-10:7
Lev 10:4
Lev 10:6
ἀδελφός
brother
αἷμα
blood
ἀκούω
hear, heard
ἁμαρτία
sins
ἀνήρ
man, men
ἄνθρωπος
man, men
γίνομαι
Lev 9:1
γινώσκω
γυνή
came to pass,
place
know, known
wife
δόξα
glory
δύο
two
ἐγγίζω
εἷς
ἐνώπιον
approaching
one
before, in the sight
Lev 9:6
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:19
Lev 10:1
Lev 10:3
Lev 9:3
Psalms
Ps 77:11-21
Ashlamatah
Ezek 43:27 –
44:5, 28-30
Peshat
Mk/Jude/Pet
1 Pet 3:1-7
Remes 1
Luke
Lk 12:2-9
Luke
12:13
Remes 2
Acts/Romans
Acts 22:1-21
Acts 22:1
Acts 22:5
Acts 22:13
Acts 22:20
Luke 12:3
Acts 22:1
Acts 22:2
Acts 22:7
Acts 22:9
Acts 22:14
Acts 22:15
Acts 22:16
Lev 9:9
Lev 9:12
Lev 9:18
Eze 44:5
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:3
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:8
Lev 9:10
Lev 9:15
Lev 9:22
Ezek 44:29
Eze 44:5
Psa 77:18
1 Pet 3:1
1 Pet 3:5
1 Pet 3:7
1 Pet 3:4
Luke 12:8
Luke 12:9
Luke
12:14
Luke
12:16
1 Pet 3:6
Psa 77:19
Luke 12:2
1 Pet 3:1
1 Pet 3:5
Ezek 44:4
Acts 22:1
Acts 22:4
Acts 22:12
Acts 22:15
Acts 22:6
Acts 22:17
Acts 22:14
Acts 22:4
Acts 22:11
Luke 12:6
Acts 22:6
Eze 44:3
Page 36 of 45
1 Pet 3:4
Luke 12:6
Luke 12:6
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
Greek
English
ἐξέρχομαι
go forth
ἔξωθεν
ζωή
outside, external
life
θεός
GOD
θρίξ / τριχός hair
garment, cloak
ἱμάτιον
called
καλέω
καρδία
κεφαλή
heart
head
κληρονομία
κρυπτός
κύριος
inheritance
hidden
LORD
λαλέω
speak, spoke,
whispered
λέγω
say, said
Torah Seder
Lev 9:1-10:7
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:2
Lev 10:7
Lev 10:5
Psalms
Ps 77:11-21
Ashlamatah
Ezek 43:27 –
44:5, 28-30
Eze 44:3
Peshat
Mk/Jude/Pet
1 Pet 3:1-7
1 Pet 3:3
1 Pet 3:7
Ps 77:13
Ps 77:16
Ezek 44:2
1 Pet 3:4
1 Pet 3:5
1 Pet 3:3
1 Pet 3:3
1 Pet 3:6
Lev 10:6
Lev 9:1
Lev 10:4
Eze 44:5
Luke
12:15
Luke 12:6
Luke 12:8
Luke 12:9
Luke
12:20
Luke
12:21
Luke 12:7
Remes 2
Acts/Romans
Acts 22:1-21
Acts 22:18
Acts 22:3
Acts 22:14
Acts 22:20
1 Pet 3:4
Lev 9:13
Lev 10:6
Luke 12:7
Eze 44:28
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:4
Lev 9:5
Lev 9:6
Lev 9:7
Lev 9:10
Lev 9:21
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:1
Lev 10:2
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:6
Lev 10:7
Lev 9:3
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:5
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:3
Lev 9:6
Lev 9:7
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:4
Lev 10:6
Remes 1
Luke
Lk 12:2-9
Psa 77:11
Page 37 of 45
Ezek 43:27
Ezek 44:2
Ezek 44:3
Ezek 44:4
Ezek 44:5
1 Pet 3:4
1 Pet 3:6
Luke12:13
Luke 12:2
Acts 22:8
Acts 22:10
Acts 22:19
Ezek 44:5
Luke 12:3
Acts 22:9
Acts 22:10
Ezek 44:2
Ezek 44:5
Luke 12:3
Luke 12:4
Luke 12:5
Luke 12:8
Luk 12:13
Luk 12:14
Luk 12:15
Luk 12:16
Luk 12:17
Luk 12:18
Luk 12:19
Acts 22:7
Acts 22:8
Acts 22:10
Acts 22:13
Acts 22:14
Acts 22:18
Acts 22:19
Acts 22:21
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
Greek
English
μέγας
ὁδός
great
way
ὁράω
see, beware
οὐδείς
οὖς
πᾶς
no one
ears
all, entire,
whole
πίπτω /
πέτω
πούς
σήμερον
συναγωγή
fell
τάσσω
υἱός
arrange it, appointed
son
φοβέω
fear
φυλάσσω
φωνή
guard
voice
φῶς
light
feet
today
congregation,
synagogue
Torah Seder
Lev 9:1-10:7
Psalms
Ps 77:11-21
Psa 77:13
Psa 77:13
Psa 77:19
Ashlamatah
Ezek 43:27 –
44:5, 28-30
Peshat
Mk/Jude/Pet
1 Pet 3:1-7
Remes 1
Luke
Lk 12:2-9
Luk 12:20
Luk 12:18
Eze 44:1
Eze 44:3
Eze 44:4
Acts 22:4
Luk 12:15
Lev 9:5
Lev 9:23
Lev 9:24
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:6
Lev 9:24
Ps 77:12
Eze 44:2
Eze 44:5
Ezek 44:5
Ezek 44:29
Ezek 44:30
Luke 12:2
Luke 12:3
Luke 12:7
Luke 12:8
Luk 12:15
Luk 12:18
Ezek 44:4
Lev 9:14
Lev 9:4
Lev 9:5
Lev 10:3
Lev 10:6
Lev 9:1
Lev 9:2
Lev 9:3
Lev 9:9
Lev 9:12
Lev 9:18
Lev 10:1
Lev 10:4
Lev 10:6
Remes 2
Acts/Romans
Acts 22:1-21
Acts 22:14
Acts 22:15
Acts 22:18
Acts 22:3
Acts 22:5
Acts 22:10
Acts 22:12
Acts 22:15
Acts 22:7
Acts 22:3
Acts 22:3
Acts 22:19
Ps 77:15
Psa 77:16
Eze 44:5
Ezek 44:5
Acts 22:10
Luke 12:8
1 Pet 3:6
Luke 12:4
Luke 12:5
Luke 12:7
Luk 12:15
Psa 77:17
Psa 77:18
Luke 12:3
Page 38 of 45
Acts 22:20
Acts 22:7
Acts 22:9
Acts 22:14
Acts 22:6
Acts 22:9
Acts 22:11
BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
NAZAREAN TALMUD
SIDRA OF VAYIKRA (LEV.) LEV 9:1 – 10:7
“BAYOM HASH’MINI” “ON THE EIGHTH DAY”
BY: H. EM RABBI DR. ADON ELIYAHU BEN ABRAHAM &
H. EM. HAKHAM DR. YOSEF BEN HAGGAI
SCHOOL OF HAKHAM SHAUL
TOSEFTA
LUQAS (LK)
Mishnah ‫א‬:‫א‬
SCHOOL OF HAKHAM TSEFET
PESHAT
1 TSEFET (1 PET.)
Mishnah ‫א‬:‫א‬
¶ But nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, and (nothing
is) secret119 that will not be made known120. Therefore everything
that you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what
you have whispered in the secret chambers will be proclaimed on
the roof tops. “And I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those
who destroy the body, and after this can do nothing. But I will
show you whom you should fear: fear the One who has authority,
after the killing, to throw you into Gehinnom! Yes, I tell you, fear
this One! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one
of them is forgotten in the sight of God. But even the hairs of your
head are all numbered! Do not be afraid; you are worth more than
many sparrows.” “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me
before people, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before
the messengers of God, but the one who denies me before people
will be denied before the messengers of God.
Similarly,121 wives122 (women)123 being
subject to their own man (husband), so
that the husband, disobedient to the
Torah124 (word) will by the woman’s
(wife’s) reverential behavior (faithful
obedience – halakhic observance) turn
back the husband125 without direct
intervention, halakhic discussion or
argument as they (the husbands)
observe the purity of your reverential
behavior.126 Do not let your beauty be
merely the extraneous braiding of
hair and gold necklaces or adornment
of ornamental clothing. But let the
soul’s hidden true beauty (character)
which is humble in its faithful127
(peaceful/tranquil) spirit, which is
precious before God. For in this
manner righteous/generous women of
the past trusted in God adorning
themselves, by/in submitting to their
own husbands. As Sarah obeyed
Abraham’s words habitually calling
him “my lord:” you can become her
daughters also by appropriate
conduct without fear or intimidation.
Likewise,
you men
(husbands)
dwelling with your wives in intimate
knowledge (Da’at) according to the
¶ Now someone from the congregation said to him, “Rabbi
(Hakham), tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me!” But
he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over
you?” And he said to them, “Watch out and guard (shomer)
yourselves from all greediness, because one’s life does not consist
of one’s possessions.”
And he gave an analogy to them, saying, “The land of a certain
rich man yielded an abundant harvest. And he reasoned to
himself, saying, ‘What should I do? For I do not have anywhere I
can gather in my crops.’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear
down my granaries and build larger ones, and I will gather in
there all my grain and (good) possessions. And I will say to my
119
Verbal connection to 1 Tsefet (Pet.) 3:4
Verbal connection to 1 Tsefet (Pet.) 3:7
121 This adverb with its verb shows the continuity to the previous pericope. Elliott, John Hall. 1 Peter. New Haven, Conn.; London: Yale
University Press, 2007. p. 553 This shows us that the early Nazareans followed Civil halakhah as a normative behavior.
122 Note here that Hakham Tsefet speaks directly to the wives not making them inferior in a negative manner. While the woman is
considered the “weaker vessel,” she is not relegated to an inferior level.
123 Γυναικες can mean either “women” or “wives,” just as ανδρασιν can mean “men” or “husbands.”
124 It is from here that Hakham Shaul finds his basis for 1 st Corinthians 7. The implication and context here is that of unfaithfulness.
125 Cause the husband to repent
126 TDNT 9:198ff
127 Ἡσύχιος – hēsukhios seems to imply someone who is seated (steadfast) in tranquility and quiet. See TDNT 2:362ff
120
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soul, “Soul, you have many good possessions stored up for many
years. Relax, eat, drink, celebrate!” “But God said to him, ‘Fool!
Tonight your soul is demanded from you and the things which you
have prepared, who will they belong to?’ So is the one who
amasses wealth for himself, and who is not rich toward God!”
weakness of their vessel,128 assigning
honor to the wife as a fellow heir of a
life of chesed (loving-kindness), in
order not to be cut off in your
prayers.
SCHOOL OF HAKHAM SHAUL
REMES
2 LUQAS (ACTS)
Mishnah ‫א‬:‫א‬
And when there 1was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language129, saying, “Men—brethren
and fathers—listen to my defense to you now!” And when they heard that he was addressing them in the
Hebrew language, they became even more silent.
And he said, “I am a Jewish man born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of
Gamaliel, educated according to the exactness of the Torah (law) received (kibal) from Aboteinu (our
fathers), being zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I persecuted this Way (Nazarean Jewish
Congregations) to the death, tying up and delivering to prison both men and women, as indeed the high
priest and the whole council of elders130 can testify about me, from whom also I received letters to the
brethren in Damascus,131 and was traveling there to lead away those who were there also tied up to
Yerushalayim so that they could be punished.
“And it happened that as I was traveling and approaching Damascus around noon, suddenly the Ohr
HaGanuz (primordial light) from the heavens flashed around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice
saying to me, ‘Shaul, Shaul, why are you persecuting me?’And I answered, ‘Who are you, Master?’ And he
said to me, ‘I am Yeshua HaNotzri (Nazarean) whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me
saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. So I said, ‘What should I do,
Master?’ And the Master said to me, ‘Get up and proceed to Damascus, and there it will be told to you
about all the things that have been appointed for you to do.’
And as I could not see as a result of the brightness of that Ohr HaGanuz, I arrived in Damascus led by the
hand of those who were with me. And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the Torah (law –
nomos), well-spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me and stood by me and said to me, ‘Brother
Shaul, regain your sight!’ And at that same time I looked up at him and saw him. And he said, ‘The God of
our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his
mouth, because you will be a witness for him to all people of what you have seen and heard. And now why
are you delaying? Get up, be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on His (G-d’s) name!’ “And it
happened that when I returned to Jerusalem and I was praying in the temple courts, I was in a trance, and
saw him (the Master) saying to me, ‘Hurry and depart quickly from Jerusalem, because they will not
accept your testimony about me.’ And I said, ‘Master, they themselves know that from synagogue to
The so-called “weaker vessel” is the vessel through which G-d reveals his power (TDNT Vol. 1, Page 491). Women in Scripture are
understood to be the “weaker vessel” due to the effects upon herself of the monthly menstruation periods. This does not mean that women
are necessarily weaker than men, rather than compared to men they become weak at certain periods each month.
129 This clearly shows that the lingua franca of Israel at that time was Hebrews and not Aramaic or Greek.
130 Reference to the Sanhedrin is not to say that they as a whole consented to Hakham Shaul’s activities. However, they were indeed
“witnesses” to his activities. It was at the behest of the Kohen Gadol that Hakham Shaul had permission to persecute the Nazarean
Congregations.
131 There are two groups referred to here. The first being those congregations of the Shammaite Jews and the second being the
congregations of Tz’dukim (Sadducees) in Diaspora.
128
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Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
synagogue I was imprisoning and beating those who faithfully obeyed in you. And when the blood of your
witness Stephen was being shed, I myself also was standing near and was approving, and was guarding the
cloaks of those who were killing him.’ And he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the
Gentiles!’ ”
Nazarean Codicil to be read in conjunction with the following Torah Seder
Lev 9:1 – 10:7 Ps 77:11-21 Ezek 43:27–44:5, 28-30 1 Pet 3:1-7 Lk 12:2-9, 13-21 Acts 21:40B – 22:1 - 21
Commentary to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat
A SUBMISSIVE WIFE WHO CAN FIND?
Perhaps our title may seem amiss given all the discussion we have experienced in the recent past on “tiger wives”
etc. Our title is a play on the “Woman of Excellence” (valor) in Mishle (Proverbs) 31. We recite this passage to
our wives each Friday night as we enter into the blessed dimension of Shabbat.
Unwitting scholars try to posit the idea that the women in Nazarean communities of the first century lived after
the manner of the Greco-Roman world. This assumption is quite fraudulent. Women's obligations and
responsibilities are different from men's, but no less important, in some ways, women's duties are considered
more important. It is commonly held among the Sages that Jewish women are usually more spiritually attuned
than men are. When men and women are uncomfortable in their relationships, these boundaries need clear
definition. However, when both men and women are perfectly comfortable in their relationships they do not need
these boundaries to be defined because they are naturally outlined.
As we have discussed in the past, Judaism is deeply involved in the sanctification of time. This is equally true of
other areas of life such as relationships. Every relationship has its boundaries and limits. Furthermore, many
aspects of relationship remain non-verbal. Hakham Tsefet’s pericope lays the foundation for “Pauline” doctrine
on marriage and relationships. Hakham Tsefet is addressing a difficult situation in the area of marital
relationships. The “man” (husband) who is “disobedient to the Torah” in the present case is a husband who is
guilty of infidelity. What is Hakham Tsefet’s answer? “False is charm, vain is beauty; a God-fearing woman is the
one deserving of praise.” Here we find no room for infidelity. Nor do we condone that which is contrary to the
Torah. Hakham Tsefet can be referring to the Oral Torah as well as the written Torah. Hakham Tsefet’s pericope
is rhetorical and its grandiloquence is designed to make a halakhic point.
How is the idea of a woman of inner beauty appealing to a Jewish man? Quite simply the answer is that honorable
Jewish men desire to be Torah Scholars. The Torah Scholar is not overly preoccupied with vanity, false beauty
and fine jewelry. His eye is on the inner soul of a woman looking to see how is her soul “adorned?” The “G-d
fearing woman of Eshet Hayil is in all truth the “tiger wife” determined to make her husband a Sage/Hakham. Her
nature causes repentance and restoration without arguing halakhah. In the inner recesses of the husband’s heart, he
knows the Torah. Furthermore, he knows his failings and weaknesses.
Woven neatly into the present pericope is the power of the Cosmos. The two-fold concept is captured in the two
Greek phrases κόσμος – kosmos and Ασθενεστερω σκευει – asthenestro skeuei. The first phrase κόσμος –
kosmos has a double meaning. The first meaning is that of Cosmic order. The second is that of beauty. This is
because when one contemplates the Cosmos he sees the beauty of G-d’s creation, which is the result of the Oral
Torah. Therefore, true beauty is not only an appreciation of the universe as Structured Nomos (Torah), but true
beauty is to live in harmony with the Structured Nomos as pictured in the present pericope and in Eshet Hayil.
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Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
The phrase aσθενεστερω σκευει – asthenestro skeuei generally translated “weaker vessel,” is a vessel made
ready for the virtuous power (δύναμις) of G-d. The idea being posited here is a direct affront to men or women
who fall into the trap of infidelity. If the weaker vessel is able to remain pure before G-d as the “Eshet Hayil,”
how much the more should Jewish men be honorable Hakhamim. Hakham Shaul answers this pericope in his
Igeret to the Romans and the Corinthians132 saying even when the flesh/body is weak the ruach (hidden inner
man) is filled with the virtuous power (δύναμις) of G-d.
HAKHAM TSEFET HAKHAM SHAUL’S MENTOR
That Hakham Tsefet is the mentor of Hakham Shaul is simple Peshat. We have spoken of the honourable Hakham
Tsefet many times. We have also posited that idea that Hakham Tsefet was the teacher of Hakham Shaul. The
present pericope lends itself to this idea rather easily. Furthermore, we see in these words the foundation for
Hakham Shaul’s first Igeret (letter) to the Corinthians. Elliot133 finds interesting vocabulary parallels in Ephesians,
Colossians, Titus, and Timothy. The case in point shows that Hakham Shaul was not some outcast rebellious
against the Nazarean Hakhamim. The foregoing pericope of 2 Luqas presented Hakham Shaul under the authority
of the Nazarean Hakhamim as we stated previously. Any other interpretation is a bastardization of the text
hermeneutically and ethically. Suffice it to say, that we need not conjecture wether this matter is Peshat or Remes.
We will take this topic up below in our Remes Commentary where we will see Hakham Shaul’s allegorical
presentation of this truth.
Commentary to Hakham Shaul’s School of Remes
RABBAN GAMALIEL OR HAKHAM TSEFET?
And he said, “I am a Jewish man born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of
Gamaliel, educated according to the exactness of the Torah (law) received (kibal) from Aboteinu (our
fathers), being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
Born in the Diaspora and raised in Yerushalayim Hakham Shaul discusses his connection to the P’rushim
(Pharisees). We have pointed out in the past that either Hakham Shaul formerly held views, posited by the
Shammaites or he was a former Shammaite. It would appear that the latter is the case. He was very much like
Stephen of whom he witnessed his death. Likewise, as a zealot, Hakham Shaul used the Kohen Gadol to
accomplish his former obsessive goals. Hakham Shaul is now standing before a mixed multitude of people. The
false accusations against Hakham Shaul were most likely from the Shammaites. Some have posited the notion that
there was a pseudo-Paul teaching in Hakham Shaul’s name. This theory is founded on a false understanding of the
charges and opponents of Hakham Shaul. The two parties or Jewish groups that sought Hakham Shaul’s life, were
that of the Tz’dukim (Sadducees) and the Shammaites. Therefore, we see that Hakham Shaul’s plea to the School
of Hillel is prominent in this pericope. Each group had its reasons for wanting Hakham Shaul out of the picture.
The Shammaites saw him as a traitor. The rivalry of the two schools is illustrated in Faulk’s work “Jesus the
Pharisee.” We will not rehearse what we have discussed in the past for the sake of time and space. The Tzdukim
despised Hakham Shaul because he also turned his back on them. He used the Kohen Gadol and related Zeqenim
to accomplish his Shammait agenda. When the Ohr HaGanuz smote Hakham Shaul’s life it became transformed
indeed. However, this “transformation” set him at odds with the Tz’dukim and the Shammaites who now want his
life. In essence we see him crying out to the School of Hillel by stating that he sat at the feet of Gamaliel. Hakham
Shaul knew of Gamaliel’s great power in the Sanhedrin. One needs to recall 2 Luqas chapter five where Rabban
Gamaliel freed Hakham Tsefet. Furthermore, a cursory re-reading of that chapter will demonstrate the great
132
133
Cf. Rom. 8:26 & 2 Cor. 12:9
Elliott, John Hall. 1 Peter. New Haven, Conn.; London: Yale University Press, 2007. p. 553
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Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
jealously of the Tz’dukim towards the House of Hillel. Hakham Shaul now is placed between a “rock and a hard
place” as the cliché would imply. On one level, his speech is a plea to the House of Hillel and on the other hand,
his lecture is an insult to the Tz’dukim who cannot accept the notion that the master had risen from the dead.
Interestingly, when the Priesthood of the Tz’dukim move their occupation to Rome they started by making the
master a god as a means to derail the true Nazarean Jewish focus and enterprise.
HAKHAM SHAUL, HAKHAM TSEFET AND RABBAN GAMALIEL
Our thesis that Hakham Tsefet is the mentor of Hakham Shaul appears to be in jeopardy with the given pericope.
Hakham Shaul clearly states that he sat at the “feet of Gamaliel.” Hakham Shaul refers to Mishnah Aboth 1:4
m. Aboth 1:4 Yose b. Yoezer says, “Let your house be a gathering place for Hakhamim.” “And wallow in the
dust of their feet.” “And drink in their words with gusto.”
The Remes commentary of Hakham Shaul’s is always interpreted through the thirteen rules of Rabbi Yishmael.
We read these thirteen rules each week on Shabbat and weekday Shaharit services. Likewise, we post these rules
at the beginning of the Ramban’s weekly comments on the Torah. It should be clear by now that the Remes
portions of our materials are non-literal. We have discussed this at length in lectures and writings.
Therefore, if the statement that Hakham Shaul sat at the feet of Gamaliel is to be understood allegorically how do
we understand Hakham Shaul’s words? The allegorical words of Hakham Shaul point to the fact that he is directly
connected to the House of Hillel. However, Hakham Shaul never sat at Gamaliel’s feet. Had he truly sat at
Rabban Gamaliel’s feet, we would have expected him to intercede for Hakham Shaul as he did for Hakham Tsefet
in 2 Luqas (Acts) chapter five. While Hakham Shaul was the prisoner of the Roman guard, Rabban Gamaliel may
have had enough influence over the Tz’dukim to persuade the Roman guard to release Hakham Shaul. However,
the trio of Nazarean Pillars required Hakham Shaul to follow their orders in the previous pericope. Gamaliel was
not involved in this decision. This teaches us that Hakham Shaul was not under the direct prevue of Rabban
Gamaliel. What it also teaches is that Hakham Shaul submitted to the authority of the Nazarean Bet Din. The fact
that the Roman Guard arrests Hakham Shaul forbids the Nazarean Bet Din any authority in the matter. Here we
must note that the Roman guard was a very corrupt and easily leaned towards the will of the Tz’dukim. This
relationship was purely monetary. The Tz’dukim had no power over the Roman Guard except by means of
bribery.
Again, from the previous pericope and the present commentary we see that Hakham Shaul was under the prevue
of the Nazarean Bet Din. Therefore, we would ask, which of the trio of Hakhamim, Hakham Tsefet, Hakham
Ya’aqob or Hakham Yochanan was Hakham Shaul’s mentor? Logic (Sevarah) discounts Hakham Yochanan the
author of So’od Nazarean materials. Hakham Ya’aqob is the Head of the Nazarean Bet Din excluding him.
Therefore, the evidence leans towards Hakham Tsefet. This is deduced when we see, as noted previously that
Hakham Shaul’s materials align themselves with the writings of Hakham Tsefet. Likewise, we note that the Sofer
Hillel/Luke was the amanuensis of Hakham Tsefet before being assigned to Hakham Shaul. Hakham Shaul also
has repeated soferim in his life that were trained by Hakham Tsefet. Scholars note that the present writings of
Hakham Tsefet are echoed throughout Hakham Shaul’s writings. The “fifteen days” of Galatians 1:18 is also
allegorical for the four levels of Hermeneutics taught by Hakham Tsefet. Hakham Shaul tells us there that he
came to Yerushalayim after three years. These three years have other allegorical implications. However, we note
that the “fifteen days” is actually fifteen years. Those years being divided into the final cycle of So’od and then
the full cycle of the PaRDeS hermeneutical calendar. In other places, Hakham Shaul speaks of fourteen and
fifteen years. This “fifteen Year” calendar is very interesting because it follows the pattern of Gentile conversion.
Here our point is that when the Gentile turns to G-d he is immersed into a deep So’od atmosphere in the
beginning. This phase soon wanes into literal matters of Peshat. Hakham Shaul’s Damascus experience of being
exposed to the Ohr HaGanuz would fit this cycle and scenario very well.
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BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
Hakham Shaul sits at the feet of Gamaliel only because he sat at Hakham Tsefet’s feet. Hakham Tsefet sat at the
feet of the master who sat at the feet of Shimon ben Hillel. We say that Yeshua was of the house of Hillel.
However, he never sat at Hillel’s feet. His education was of “Hillel’s school.” Therefore, we might say that
Yeshua sat at Hillel’s feet meaning that he received the teachings of Hillel through his mentor Shimon ben Hillel.
In similar manner Hakham Shaul who learned at the feet of Hakham Tsefet may be said to have sat at the feet of
Gamaliel who was the resident representative of the School of Hillel at that time. Hakham Tsefet and Rabban
Gamaliel represented the Oral Torah of the house of Hillel. However, Hakham Tsefet’s teachings reflected the
Mesorah of the Master. It is plausible that Rabban Gamaliel and Yeshua sat together learning at the feet of
Shimon ben Hillel.
Questions for Reflection
1. From all the readings for this week, which particular verse or passage caught your attention and fired your
heart and imagination?
2. In your opinion, and taking into consideration all of the above readings for this Sabbath, what is the
prophetic message (the idea that encapsulates all the Scripture passages read) for this week?
Blessing After Torah Study
Barúch Atáh Adonai, Elohénu Meléch HaOlám,
Ashér Natán Lánu Torát Emét, V'Chayéi Olám Natá B'Tochénu.
Barúch Atáh Adonái, Notén HaToráh. Amen!
Blessed is Ha-Shem our God, King of the universe,
Who has given us a teaching of truth, implanting within us eternal life.
Blessed is Ha-Shem, Giver of the Torah. Amen!
“Now unto Him who is able to preserve you faultless, and spotless, and to establish you without a blemish,
before His majesty, with joy, [namely,] the only one God, our Deliverer, by means of Yeshua the Messiah our Master,
be praise, and dominion, and honor, and majesty, both now and in all ages. Amen!”
Coming Festival:
Chamishah Asar or Tu-BiShebat
(New Year of the Trees)
Shebat 15 – Evening 15th of January – Evening 16th of January, 2014
For further information see: http://www.betemunah.org/tubshevt.html
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BS”D (B’Siyata D’Shamaya)
Aramaic: With the help of Heaven
Next Shabbat:
Shabbat “Yayin V’Shekhar” – “Wine and strong drink”
Shabbat
Torah Reading:
Weekday Torah Reading:
‫יַיִ ן וְ שֵׁ כָר‬
“Yayin V’Shekhar”
“Wine and strong drink”
“Vino ni licor”
Vayiqra (Lev.) 10:8 – 11:47
Ashlamatah:
Ezekiel 44:21-29 + 45:15
Psalm 78:1-16
1 Pet 3:8-17; Lk 12:22-34
Acts 22:22-30
Saturday Afternoon
Reader 1 – Vayiqra 10:8-11 Reader 1 – Vayiqra 12:1-3
Reader 2 – Vayiqra 10:12-15 Reader 2 – Vayiqra 12:4-6
Reader 3 – Vayiqra 10:16-20 Reader 3 – Vayiqra 12:6-8
Reader 4 – Vayiqra 11:1-14
Monday & Thursday
Reader 5 – Vayiqra 11:15-28
Mornings
Reader 6 – Vayiqra 11:29-38 Reader 1 – Vayiqra 12:1-3
Reader 7 – Vayiqra 11:39-47 Reader 2 – Vayiqra 12:4-6
Maftir – Vayiqra 11:45-47 Reader 3 – Vayiqra 12:6-8
Ezekiel 44:21-29 + 45:15
Hakham Dr. Yosef ben Haggai
Rabbi Dr. Hillel ben David
Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham
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