V'Zot HaBerachah
Encyclopedia
V'Zot HaBerachah, VeZot Haberakha, or Zos Habrocho ( — Hebrew
for "and this is the blessing
," the first words
in the parshah) is the 54th and last weekly Torah portion (parshah) in the annual Jewish
cycle of Torah reading
and the 11th and last in the book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes Jews generally read it in September or October on the Simchat Torah
festival. Immediately after reading parshah V'Zot HaBerachah, Jews also read the beginning of the Torah
, Genesis
(the beginning of parshah Bereishit
), as the second Torah reading for Simchat Torah.
The parshah sets out the farewell blessing of Moses
for the 12 Tribes of Israel and then the death
of Moses.
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, bade the Israelite
s farewell with this blessing: God
came from Sinai
, shone on them from Seir
, appeared from Paran
, and approached from Ribeboth-kodesh, lightning
flashing from God’s right
. God love
d the people, holding their hallowed in God’s hand
. The people followed in God’s steps, accepting God’s Torah as the heritage
of the congregation of Jacob
. God became King
in Jeshurun
when the chiefs
of the tribe
s of Israel
assembled.
Moses prayed that the Tribe of Reuben
survive, though its numbers were few.
Moses asked God to hear
the voice
of the Tribe of Judah
, restore it, and help it against its foes.
Moses prayed that God would be with the Levite
s, who held God’s Urim and Thummim
, whom God tested at Massah
and Meribah
, who disregarded family
ties to carry out God’s will, who would teach God’s law
s to Israel, and who would offer God’s incense
and offerings
. Moses asked God to bless their substance, favor their undertakings, and smite their enemies.
Moses said that God loved and always protected the Tribe of Benjamin
, who rested securely
beside God, between God’s shoulder
s.
Moses called on God to bless the Tribe of Joseph
with dew
, the yield of the sun
, crops in season, the bounty of the hill
s, and the favor of the Presence in the burning bush
. Moses likened the tribe to a firstling bull
, with horns
like a wild ox, who gores the peoples from one end of the earth
to the other.
Moses exhorted the Tribe of Zebulun
to rejoice on its journeys
, and the Tribe of Issachar
in its tent
s. They invited their kin to the mountain
where they offered sacrifices of success; they drew from the riches of the sea
and the hidden hoards of the sand
.
Moses blessed the God who enlarged the Tribe of Gad
, who was poised like a lion
, who chose the best, the portion of the revered chieftain, who executed God’s judgments for Israel.
Moses called the Tribe of Dan
a lion’s whelp that leapt from Bashan
.
Moses told the Tribe of Naphtali
, sated with favor and blessed by God, to take possession on the west and south.
Moses prayed that the Tribe of Asher
be the favorite among the tribes, dip its feet
in oil
, and have door
bolts
of iron
and copper
and security
all its days.
Moses said that there was none like God, riding through the heavens to help, an everlasting refuge and support, Who drove out the enemy. Thus Israel dwelt untroubled in safety
in a land
of grain
and wine
under heaven’s dripping dew. Who was like Israel, a people delivered by God, God’s protecting Shield
and Sword
triumphant over Israel’s cringing enemies.
s of Moab
to Mount Nebo
, and God showed him the whole land. God told Moses that this was the land that God had sworn
to assign to the descendants of Abraham
, Isaac
, and Jacob.
So Moses the servant of God died there, in the land of Moab, at God’s command, and God buried
him in the valley
in the land of Moab, near Beth-peor, although no one knew his burial place. Moses was 120 years old when he died, but his eye
s were undimmed and his vigor unabated. The Israelites mourned
for 30 days. Joshua
was filled with the spirit of wisdom
because Moses had laid his hands on him, and the Israelites heeded him.
Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet
like Moses, whom God singled out, face
to face, for the signs and portents that God sent him to display against Pharaoh
and Egypt
, and for all the awesome power that Moses displayed before Israel.
present parallel listings of the twelve tribes, presenting contrasting characterizations of their relative strengths:
for the parshah in Joshua
and and is then often repeated in the book of Joshua, in (twice), and and thereafter in 2 Kings
and 2 Chronicles
and By the end of the book of Joshua, Joshua himself has earned the title, in and And thereafter, David
is also called by the same title, in Psalm
and
counted ten instances in which Scripture refers to the death of Moses (including three in the parshah and two in the haftarah for the parshah), teaching that God did not finally seal the harsh decree until God declared it to Moses. Rabbi Johanan cited these ten references to the death of Moses: (1) “But I must die in this land; I shall not cross the Jordan”; (2) “The Lord said to Moses: ‘Behold, your days approach that you must die’”; (3) “[E]ven now, while I am still alive in your midst, you have been defiant toward the Lord; and how much more after my death”; (4) “For I know that after my death, you will act wickedly and turn away from the path that I enjoined upon you”; (5) “And die in the mount that you are about to ascend, and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron
died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his kin”; (6) “This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, bade the Israelites farewell before his death”; (7) “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, at the command of the Lord”; (8) “Moses was 120 years old when he died”; (9) “Now it came to pass after the death of Moses”; and (10) “Moses My servant is dead.” Rabbi Johanan taught that ten times it was decreed that Moses should not enter the Land of Israel, but the harsh decree was not finally sealed until God revealed it to him and declared (as reported in ): “It is My decree that you should not pass over.” (Deuteronomy Rabbah
11:10.)
The Tosefta
found in demonstration of the proposition that Providence rewards a person measure for measure. Thus just as Abraham rushed three times to serve the visiting angel
s in 6, and 7, so God rushed three times in service of Abraham’s children when in God “came from Sinai, rose from Seir to them, [and] shined forth from mount Paran.” (Tosefta Sotah 4:1.)
The Sifre
expanded on the metaphor of God as an eagle in teaching that just as an eagle enters her nest only after shaking her chicks with her wings, fluttering from tree to tree to wake them up, so that they will have the strength to receive her, so when God revealed God’s self to give the Torah to Israel, God did not appear from just a single direction, but from all four directions, as says, “The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Seir to them,” and Habakkuk
says, “God comes from the south.” (Sifre to Deuteronomy 314.)
The students of Rav Shila’s academy deduced from the words “from His right hand, a fiery law for them” in that Moses received the Torah from God’s hand. (Babylonian Talmud
Sotah 4b.)
Rabbi Hanina
taught that the world was unworthy to have cedar trees, but God created them for the sake of the Tabernacle (for example, in the acacia-wood of Exodus ) and the Temple, as says, “The trees of the Lord have their fill, the cedars of Lebanon, which He has planted,” once again interpreting Lebanon to mean the Temple. Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman
in the name of Rabbi Jonathan
taught that there are 24 kinds of cedars, of which seven are especially fine, as Isaiah
says, “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia-tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane-tree, and the larch together.” God foresaw that the Tabernacle would be made of these trees, as says, “Wherein the birds make their nests,” and “birds” refers to those birds that the priests offered. And when says, “As for the stork , the fir-trees are her house,” the , chasidah (stork) refers to the High Priest, of whom says, “Your Thummim and Your Urim
be with Your holy one .” (Exodus Rabbah
35:1.)
A midrash
employed a parable to explain why God held Aaron as well as Moses responsible when Moses struck the rock, as Numbers
reports, “and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ‘Because you did not believe in me.’” The midrash told how a creditor came to take away a debtor's granary and took both the debtor's granary and the debtor's neighbor’s granary. The debtor asked the creditor what his neighbor had done to warrant such treatment. Similarly, Moses asked God what Aaron had done to be blamed when Moses lost his temper. The midrash taught that it on this account that praises Aaron, saying, “And of Levi he said: ‘Your Thummim and your Urim be with your holy one, whom you proved at Massah, with whom you strove at the waters of Meribah.’” (Numbers Rabbah
19:9.)
Rabbi Meir
taught that when the Israelites stood by the sea, the tribes competed with each other over who would go into the sea first. The tribe of Benjamin
went first, as says: “There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them (rodem),” and Rabbi Meir read rodem, “ruling them,” as rad yam, “descended into the sea.” Then the princes of Judah threw stones at them, as says: “the princes of Judah their council (rigmatam),” and Rabbi Meir read rigmatam as “stoned them.” For that reason, Benjamin merited hosting the site of God’s Temple
, as says: “He dwells between his shoulders.” Rabbi Judah
answered Rabbi Meir that in reality, no tribe was willing to be the first to go into the sea. Then Nahshon ben Aminadab
stepped forward and went into the sea first, praying in the words of “Save me O God, for the waters come into my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing . . . . Let not the water overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up.” Moses was then praying, so God prompted Moses, in words parallel those of “My beloved ones are drowning in the sea, and you prolong prayer before Me!” Moses asked God, “Lord of the Universe, what is there in my power to do?” God replied in the words of “Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward. And lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.” Because of Nahshon’s actions, Judah merited becoming the ruling power in Israel, as says, “Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion,” and that happened because, as says, “The sea saw [him], and fled.” (Babylonian Talmud Sotah 36b–37a.)
A midrash told that when in the steward found Joseph’s cup in Benjamin’s belongings, his brothers beat Benjamin on his shoulders, calling him a thief and the son of a thief, and saying that he had shamed them as Rachel
had shamed Jacob when she stole Laban’s
idols in And by virtue of receiving those unwarranted blows between his shoulders, Benjamin’s descendants merited having the Divine Presence rest between his shoulders and the Temple rest in Jerusalem, as reports, “He dwells between his shoulders” (Midrash Tanhuma
Mikeitz 10.)
The Mishnah
applied to Moses the words of “He executed the righteousness of the Lord and His ordinances with Israel,” deducing therefrom that Moses was righteous and caused many to be righteous, and therefore the righteousness of the many was credited to him. (Mishnah Avot 5:18.) And the Tosefta taught that the ministering angels mourned Moses with these words of (Tosefta Sotah 4:9.)
A midrash taught that as God created the four cardinal directions, so also did God set about God’s throne four angels — Michael
, Gabriel
, Uriel
, and Raphael
— with Michael at God’s right. The midrash taught that Michael got his name as a reward for the manner in which he praised God in two expressions that Moses employed. When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, Moses began to chant, in the words of “Who is like You, o Lord.” And when Moses completed the Torah, he said, in the words of “There is none like God , O Jeshurun
.” The midrash taught that mi combined with ka'el to form the name Mi-ka'el . (Numbers Rabbah 2:10.)
Reading the words, “And he lighted upon the place,” in to mean, “And he met the Divine Presence (Shechinah
),” Rav Huna
asked in Rabbi Ammi
's name why assigns to God the name “the Place.” Rav Huna explained that it is because God is the Place of the world (the world is contained in God, and not God in the world). Rabbi Jose ben Halafta
taught that we do not know whether God is the place of God’s world or whether God’s world is God’s place, but from which says, “Behold, there is a place with Me,” it follows that God is the place of God’s world, but God’s world is not God’s place. Rabbi Isaac taught that reading “The eternal God is a dwelling place,” one cannot know whether God is the dwelling-place of God’s world or whether God’s world is God’s dwelling-place. But reading “Lord, You have been our dwelling-place,” it follows that God is the dwelling-place of God’s world, but God’s world is not God’s dwelling-place. And Rabbi Abba ben Judan taught that God is like a warrior riding a horse with the warrior’s robes flowing over on both sides of the horse. The horse is subsidiary to the rider, but the rider is not subsidiary to the horse. Thus says, “You ride upon Your horses, upon Your chariots of victory.” (Genesis Rabba
h 68:9.)
Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman in the name of Rabbi Jonathan cited for the proposition that the dead can talk to each another. says: “And the Lord said to him (Moses): ‘This is the land that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying . . . .’” Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman reasoned that the word “saying” here indicates that just before Moses died, God told Moses to say to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that God had carried out the oath that God had sworn to them. (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 18b.) The Gemara
explained that God told Moses to tell them so that they might be grateful to Moses for what he had done for their descendants. (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 19a.)
The Sifre taught that the description of of Moses as “the servant of the Lord” was not one of derision but one of praise. For Amos
also called the former prophets “servants of the Lord,” saying: “For the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His counsel to His servants the prophets.” (Sifre to Deuteronomy 357:11:1.)
Rabbi Eleazar taught that Miriam died with a Divine kiss, just as Moses had. As says, “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab by the mouth of the Lord,” and says, “And Miriam died there” — both using the word “there” — Rabbi Eleazar deduced that both Moses and Miriam died the same way. Rabbi Eleazar explained that does not say that Miriam died “by the mouth of the Lord” because it would be indelicate to say so. ( Babylonian Talmud Moed Katan 28a.)
The Mishnah and Tosefta cited for the proposition that Providence treats a person measure for measure as that person treats others. And so because, as relates, Moses attended to Joseph’s bones, so in turn, none but God attended him, as reports that God buried Moses. (Mishnah Sotah 1:7–9; Tosefta Sotah 4:8.) The Tosefta deduced that Moses was thus borne on the wings of God’s Presence from the portion of Reuben (where the Tosefta deduced from that Moses died on Mount Nebo) to the portion of Gad (where the Tosefta deduced from the words “there a portion of a ruler was reserved” in that Moses was buried). (Tosefta Sotah 4:8.)
Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina taught that demonstrates one of God’s attributes that humans should emulate. Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina asked what means in the text, “You shall walk after the Lord your God.” How can a human being walk after God, when says, “[T]he Lord your God is a devouring fire”? Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina explained that the command to walk after God means to walk after the attributes of God. As God clothes the naked — for says, “And the Lord God made for Adam
and for his wife coats of skin, and clothed them” — so should we also clothe the naked. God visited the sick — for says, “And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre
” (after Abraham was circumcised in ) — so should we also visit the sick. God comforted mourners — for says, “And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son” — so should we also comfort mourners. God buried the dead — for says, “And He buried him in the valley” — so should we also bury the dead. (Babylonian Talmud Sotah 14a.) Similarly, the Sifre
on taught that to walk in God’s ways means to be (in the words of ) “merciful and gracious.” (Sifre to Deuteronomy 49:1.)
The Mishnah taught that some say the miraculous burial place of Moses — the location of which reports no one knows to this day — was created on the eve of the first Sabbath at twilight. (Avot 5:6.)
The Tosefta deduced from and 1:10–11 (in the haftarah for the parshah), and 4:19 that Moses died on the seventh of Adar
. (Tosefta Sotah 11:7; Babylonian Talmud Kiddushin 38a.)
and Sefer ha-Chinuch
, there are no commandments
in the parshah.
(Maimonides. Mishneh Torah
. Cairo
, Egypt, 1170–1180. Reprinted in Maimonides. The Commandments: Sefer Ha-Mitzvoth of Maimonides. Translated by Charles B. Chavel, 2 vols. London: Soncino Press, 1967. ISBN 0-900689-71-4. Sefer HaHinnuch: The Book of [Mitzvah] Education. Translated by Charles Wengrov, 5:443. Jerusalem: Feldheim Pub., 1988. ISBN 0-87306-497-6.)
desert to Lebanon
, from the Euphrates
to the Mediterranean Sea
. God enjoined Joshua to be strong and of good courage, for none would be able to stand in his way, as God would lead him all of his life. God exhorted Joshua strictly to observe God’s law, and to meditate on it day and night, so that he might succeed.
Joshua told his officers to have the Israelites prepare food, for within three days they were to cross the Jordan to possess the land that God was giving them. Joshua told the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to remember their commitment to Moses, whereby God would give them their land on the east side of the Jordan and their wives, children, and cattle would stay there, but the men would fight at the forefront of the Israelites until God gave the Israelites the land of Israel. They answered Joshua that they would follow his commands just as they had followed Moses. Whoever rebelled against Joshua’s command would be put to death.
. The parshah (in ) reports that “Moses commanded us a law” , and in the haftarah (in ), God told Joshua to observe “the law that Moses . . . commanded you” . While in the parshah (in ), God told Moses that he “shall not cross over” , in the haftarah (in ), God told Joshua to “cross over” . The parshah (in ) and the haftarah (in and ) both call Moses the “servant of the Lord” . And the parshah (in ) and the haftarah (in ) both report the death of Moses.
God’s reference to Moses as “my servant” in and echoes God’s application of the same term to Abraham (in ), Moses (in and ), and Caleb
(in ). And later, God used the term to refer to Moses (in and Malachi
), David (in 2 Samuel
and and and Jeremiah
and Ezekiel
and and and and ), Isaiah
(in ), Eliakim the son of Hilkiah (in ), Israel (in and and and and and ), Nebuchadnezzar (in and ), Zerubbabel
(in Haggai
), the Branch (in Zechariah
), and Job
(in Job
and ).
God’s promise in to give Joshua “every spot on which your foot treads” echoes the same promise by Moses to the Israelites in And God’s promise to Joshua in that “no man shall be able to stand before you” echoes the same promise by Moses to the Israelites in
God’s encouragement to Joshua to be “strong and resolute” in is repeated by God to Joshua in and and by the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to Joshua in These exhortations echo the same encouragement that Moses gave the Israelites (in the plural) in and that Moses gave Joshua in and Note also God’s instruction to Moses to “charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him” in And later Joshua exhorted the Israelites to be “strong and resolute” (in the plural) in and David encouraged his son and successor Solomon
with the same words in and
God’s admonishes Joshua in “to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded you; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then you shall make your ways prosperous, and then you shall have good success.” This admonition echoes the admonition of Moses in that the king: “shall write him a copy of this law in a book . . . . And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn . . . to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; . . . and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.”
In Joshua reminded the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh of their commitment to fight for the Land of Israel using language very similar to that in Note also the account in And the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh affirm their commitment with the same verbs in (“we will do . . . so will we obey,” , na’aseh . . . nishmah) with which the Israelites affirmed their fealty to God in (“will we do, and obey,” .
In Joshua directed the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh that “you shall pass over before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them.” Previously, in God directed Moses and Eleazer to “take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from 20 years old and upward, . . . all that are able to go forth to war in Israel.” That census yielded 43,730 men for Reuben , 40,500 men for Gad , and 52,700 men for Manasseh — for a total of 136,930 adult men “able to go forth to war” from the three tribes. But reports that “about 40,000 ready armed for war passed on in the presence of the Lord to battle” from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh — or fewer than 3 in 10 of those counted in Chida
explained that only the strongest participated, as Joshua asked in for only “the mighty men of valor.” Kli Yakar
suggested that more than 100,000 men crossed over the Jordan to help, but when they saw the miracles at the Jordan, many concluded that God would ensure the Israelites’ success and they were not needed. (See Reuven Drucker. Yehoshua: The Book of Joshua: A New Translation with a Commentary Anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic, and Rabbinic Sources, 153. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2000. ISBN 0899060870.)
taught that Joshua wrote the book of Joshua. (Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 14b, 15a.) Noting that says, “And Joshua son of Nun
the servant of the Lord died,” the Gemara (reasoning that Joshua could not have written those words and the accounts thereafter) taught that Eleazar
the High Priest completed the last five verses of the book. But then the Gemara also noted that the final verse, says, “And Eleazar the son of Aaron died,” and concluded that Eleazar’s son Phinehas
finished the book. (Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 15a.)
Rav Judah
taught in the name of Rav
that upon the death of Moses, God directed Joshua in to start a war to distract the Israelites’ attention from the leadership transition. Rav Judah reported in the name of Rav that when Moses was dying, he invited Joshua to ask him about any doubts that Joshua might have. Joshua replied by asking Moses whether Joshua had ever left Moses for an hour and gone elsewhere. Joshua asked Moses whether Moses had not written in “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. . . . But his servant Joshua the son of Nun departed not out of the Tabernacle.” Joshua’s words wounded Moses, and immediately the strength of Moses waned, and Joshua forgot 300 laws, and 700 doubts concerning laws arose in Joshua’s mind. The Israelites then arose to kill Joshua (unless he could resolve these doubts). God then told Joshua that it was not possible to tell him the answers (for, as tells, the Torah is not in Heaven). Instead, God then directed Joshua to occupy the Israelites’ attention in war, as reports. (Babylonian Talmud Temurah 16a.)
The Gemara taught that God’s instruction to Moses in to put some of his honor on Joshua was not to transfer all of the honor of Moses. The elders of that generation compared the countenance of Moses to that of the sun and the countenance of Joshua to that of the moon. The elders considered it a shame and a reproach that there had been such a decline in the stature of Israel’s leadership in the course of just one generation. (Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 75a.)
Rabbi Yosé the son of Rabbi Judah said that after the death of Moses (reported in and ), the pillar of cloud, the manna
, and the well ceased. Rabbi Yosé the son of Rabbi Judah taught that when the Israelites left Egypt, Providence appointed three good providers for them: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. On their account, Providence gave the Israelites three gifts: the pillar of cloud of the Divine Glory, manna, and the well that followed them throughout their sojourns. Providence provided the well through the merit of Miriam, the pillar of cloud through the merit of Aaron, and the manna through the merit of Moses. When Miriam died, the well ceased, but it came back through the merit of Moses and Aaron. When Aaron died, the pillar of cloud ceased, but both of them came back through the merit of Moses. When Moses died, all three of them came to an end and never came back, as says, “In one month, I destroyed the three shepherds.” (Tosefta Sotah 11:8.) Similarly, Rabbi Simon taught that wherever it says, “And it came to pass after,” the world relapsed into its former state. Thus, says: “Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,” and immediately thereafter, the well, the manna, and the clouds of glory ceased. (Genesis Rabbah 62:4.)
A midrash taught that includes the words “Moses’s attendant” to instruct that God gave Joshua the privilege of prophecy as a reward for his serving Moses as his attendant. (Numbers Rabbah 12:9.)
A midrash read to promise the Children of Israel not only the Land of Israel (among many privileges and obligations especially for Israel), but all its surrounding lands, as well. (Exodus Rabbah 15:23.)
A midrash taught that and call the Euphrates “the Great River” because it encompasses the Land of Israel. The midrash noted that at the creation of the world, the Euphrates was not designated “great.” But it is called “great” because it encompasses the Land of Israel, which calls a “great nation.” As a popular saying said, the king’s servant is a king, and thus Scripture calls the Euphrates great because of its association with the great nation of Israel. (Genesis Rabbah 16:3.)
Noting that in God told Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you,” the Rabbis asked why Joshua lived only 110 years (as reported in and ) and not 120 years, as Moses did (as reported in ). The Rabbis explained that when God told Moses in to “avenge the children of Israel of the Midian
ites; afterward shall you be gathered to your people,” Moses did not delay carrying out the order, even though God told Moses that he would die thereafter. Rather, Moses acted promptly, as reports: “And Moses sent them.” When God directed Joshua to fight against the 31 kings, however, Joshua thought that if he killed them all at once, he would die immediately thereafter, as Moses had. So Joshua dallied in the wars against the Canaan
ites, as reports: “Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.” In response, God shortened his life by ten years. (Numbers Rabbah 22:6.)
The Rabbis taught in a Baraita that four things require constant application of energy: (1) Torah study, (2) good deeds, (3) praying, and (4) one’s worldly occupation. In support of the first two, the Baraita cited God’s injunction in “Only be strong and very courageous to observe to do according to all the law that My servant Moses enjoined upon you.” The Rabbis deduced that one must “be strong” in Torah and “be courageous” in good deeds. In support of the need for strength in prayer, the Rabbis cited “Wait for the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage, yea, wait for the Lord.” And in support of the need for strength in work, the Rabbis cited “Be of good courage, and let us prove strong for our people.” (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 32b.)
The admonition of provoked the Rabbis to debate whether one should perform a worldly occupation in addition to studying Torah. The Rabbis in a Baraita questioned what was to be learned from the words of “And you shall gather in your corn and wine and oil.” Rabbi Ishmael replied that since says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night,” one might think that one must take this injunction literally (and study Torah every waking moment). Therefore directs one to “gather in your corn,” implying that one should combine Torah study with a worldly occupation. Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai questioned that, however, asking if a person plows in plowing season, sows in sowing season, reaps in reaping season, threshes in threshing season, and winnows in the season of wind, when would one find time for Torah? Rather, Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai taught that when Israel performs God’s will, others perform its worldly work, as says, “And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, aliens shall be your plowmen and vine-trimmers; while you shall be called ‘Priests of the Lord,’ and termed ‘Servants of our God.’” And when Israel does not perform God’s will, it has to carry out its worldly work by itself, as says, “And you shall gather in your corn.” And not only that, but the Israelites would also do the work of others, as says, “And you shall serve your enemy whom the Lord will let loose against you. He will put an iron yoke upon your neck until He has wiped you out.” Abaye
observed that many had followed Rabbi Ishmael’s advice to combine secular work and Torah study and it worked well, while others have followed the advice of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai to devote themselves exclusively to Torah study and not succeeded. Rava
would ask the Rabbis (his disciples) not to appear before him during Nisan
(when corn ripened) and Tishrei
(when people pressed grapes and olives) so that they might not be anxious about their food supply during the rest of the year. (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 35b.)
Rabbi Eleazar deduced from that God created people to study Torah. Rabbi Eleazar deduced from “Yet man is born for toil just as sparks fly upward,” that all people are born to work. Rabbi Eleazar deduced from Proverbs
“The appetite of a laborer labors for him, for his mouth craves it of him,” that Scripture means that people are born to toil by mouth — that is, study — rather than toil by hand. And Rabbi Eleazar deduced from “This book of the Torah shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein,” that people were born to work in the Torah rather than in secular conversation. And this coincides with Rava’s dictum that all human bodies are receptacles; happy are they who are worthy of being receptacles of the Torah. (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 99b.)
Rabbi Joshua ben Levi
noted that the promise of that whoever studies the Torah prospers materially is also written in the Torah and mentioned a third time in the Writings
. In the Torah, says: “Observe therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may make all that you do to prosper.” It is repeated in the Prophets in “This book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then you shall make your ways prosperous, and then you shall have good success.” And it is mentioned a third time in the Writings in “But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he shall prosper.” (Babylonian Talmud Avodah Zarah 19b.)
The Rabbis considered what one needs to do to fulfill the commandment of Rabbi Jose interpreted the analogous term “continually” in which says “And on the table you shall set the bread of display, to be before [God] continually.” Rabbi Jose taught that even if they took the old bread of display away in the morning and placed the new bread on the table only in the evening, they had honored the commandment to set the bread “continually.” Rabbi Ammi analogized from this teaching of Rabbi Jose that people who learn only one chapter of Torah in the morning and one chapter in the evening have nonetheless fulfilled the precept of that “this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night.” Rabbi Johanan said in the name of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai that even people who read just the Shema
morning and evening thereby fulfill the precept of Rabbi Johanan taught that it is forbidden, however, to teach this to people who through ignorance are careless in the observance of the laws (as it might deter them from further Torah study). But Rava taught that it is meritorious to say it in their presence (as they might think that if merely reciting the Shema twice daily earns reward, how great would the reward be for devoting more time to Torah study). (Babylonian Talmud Menachot 99b.)
Ben Damah the son of Rabbi Ishmael’s sister once asked Rabbi Ishmael whether one who had studied the whole Torah might learn Greek wisdom. Rabbi Ishmael replied by reading to Ben Damah “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night.” And then Rabbi Ishmael told Ben Damah to go find a time that is neither day nor night and learn Greek wisdom then. Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman, however, taught in the name of Rabbi Jonathan that is neither duty nor command, but a blessing. For God saw that the words of the Torah were most precious to Joshua, as says, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. And he would then return to the camp. His minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tent.” So God told Joshua that since the words of the Torah were so precious to him, God assured Joshua (in the words of ) that “this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth.” A Baraita was taught in the School of Rabbi Ishmael, however, that one should not consider the words of the Torah as a debt that one should desire to discharge, for one is not at liberty to desist from them. (Babylonian Talmud Menachot 99b.)
Like Rabbi Ishmael, Rabbi Joshua also used to warn against studying Greek philosophy. They asked Rabbi Joshua what the law was with regard to people teaching their children from books in Greek. Rabbi Joshua told them to teach Greek at the hour that is neither day nor night, as says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, and you will meditate therein day and night.” (Tosefta Avodah Zarah 1:20.)
Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai taught that God used the words of to bolster Joshua when Joshua fought the Amorite
s at Gibeon. Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai told that when God appeared to Joshua, God found Joshua sitting with the book of Deuteronomy in his hands. God told Joshua (using the words of ) to be strong and of good courage, for the book of the law would not depart out of his mouth. Thereupon Joshua took the book of Deuteronomy and showed it to the sun and told the sun that even as Joshua had not stood still from studying the book of Deuteronomy, so the sun should stand still before Joshua. Immediately (as reported in ), “The sun stood still.” (Genesis Rabbah 6:9.)
The Tosefta reasoned that if God charged even the wise and righteous Joshua to keep the Torah near, then so much more so should the rest of us. The Tosefta noted that says, “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hand upon him,” and says, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. And he would then return to the camp; and his minister, Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, stirred not from the midst of the Tent.” And yet in God enjoined even Joshua: “This Book of the Torah shall not depart out of your mouth, but recite it day and night.” The Tosefta concluded that all the more so should the rest of the people have and read the Torah. (Tosefta Sanhedrin 4:8–9.)
Rabbi Berekiah
, Rabbi Hiyya
, and the Rabbis of Babylonia taught in Rabbi Judah’s name that a day does not pass in which God does not teach a new law in the heavenly Court. For as says, “Hear attentively the noise of His voice, and the meditation that goes out of His mouth.” And meditation refers to nothing but Torah, as says, “You shall meditate therein day and night.” (Genesis Rabbah 49:2, 64:4.)
A midrash deduced from and that Israel neither entered nor left the Jordan without permission. The midrash interpreted the words of Ecclesiastes “If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place,” to speaks of Joshua. The midrash explained that just as the Israelites crossed the Jordan with permission, so they did not leave the Jordan River bed without permission. The midrash deduced that they crossed with permission from in which God told Joshua, “Pass through the midst of the camp and charge the people thus: Get provisions ready, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan.” And the midrash deduced that they left the Jordan River bed with permission from which reports, “Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying: ‘Come up out of the Jordan.’” (Ecclesiastes Rabbah
10:5.)
A midrash pictured the scene in using the Song of Songs
as an inspiration. The midrash said, “Your lips are like a thread of scarlet and your speech is comely,” (in the words of ) when the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said to Joshua (in ), “All that you have commanded us we will do, and we will go wherever you send us.” (Song of Songs Rabbah 4:4:4 [4:7].)
The Gemara attributes to Solomon (or others say Benaiah
) the view that the word “only” in limited the application of the death penalty mandated by the earlier part of the verse. The Gemara tells how they brought Joab
before the Court, and Solomon judged and questioned him. Solomon asked Joab why he killed Amasa
(David’s nephew, who commanded Absalom
’s rebel army). Joab answered that Amasa disobeyed the king’s order (and thus under should be put to death), when (as reports) King David told Amasa to call the men of Judah together within three days and report, but Amasa delayed longer than the time set for him. Solomon replied that Amasa interpreted the words “but” and “only” . Amasa found the men of Judah just as they had begun Talmudic study. Amasa recalled that says, “Whoever rebels against [the King’s] commandments and shall not hearken to your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death.” Now, one might have thought that this holds true even if the king were to command one to disregard the Torah. Therefore, continues, “Only be strong and of good courage!” (And the word “only” implies a limitation on the duty to fulfill the king’s command where it would run counter to Torah study.) (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 49a.)
prayer in each of the three prayer services
. (Reuven Hammer. Or Hadash: A Commentary on Siddur Sim Shalom
for Shabbat and Festivals, 6. New York: The Rabbinical Assembly, 2003. ISBN 0-916219-20-8.)
In the Yigdal
hymn, the seventh verse, “In Israel, none like Moses arose again, a prophet who perceived His vision clearly,” derives from the observation of that “there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” (Menachem Davis. The Schottenstein Edition Siddur for Weekdays with an Interlinear Translation, 16–17. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2002. ISBN 1-57819-686-8.)
, Sephardi Jews each week base the songs of the services on the content of that week's parshah. For parshah V'Zot HaBerachah, which falls on the holiday Simchat Torah
, Sephardi Jews apply Maqam Ajam, the maqam that expresses happiness, to commemorating the joy of finishing up the Torah readings, getting ready to begin the cycle again.
.jpg)
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
for "and this is the blessing
Blessing
A blessing, is the infusion of something with holiness, spiritual redemption, divine will, or one's hope or approval.- Etymology and Germanic paganism :...
," the first words
Incipit
Incipit is a Latin word meaning "it begins". The incipit of a text, such as a poem, song, or book, is the first few words of its opening line. In music, it can also refer to the opening notes of a composition. Before the development of titles, texts were often referred to by their incipits...
in the parshah) is the 54th and last weekly Torah portion (parshah) in the annual Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
cycle of Torah reading
Torah reading
Torah reading is a Jewish religious ritual that involves the public reading of a set of passages from a Torah scroll. The term often refers to the entire ceremony of removing the Torah scroll from the ark, chanting the appropriate excerpt with special cantillation, and returning the scroll to...
and the 11th and last in the book of Deuteronomy. It constitutes Jews generally read it in September or October on the Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle...
festival. Immediately after reading parshah V'Zot HaBerachah, Jews also read the beginning of the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
, Genesis
(the beginning of parshah Bereishit
Bereishit (parsha)
Bereishit, Bereshit, Bereishis, B'reshith, Beresheet, or Bereshees is the first weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. The parshah consists of Genesis . Jews read it on the first Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in October...
), as the second Torah reading for Simchat Torah.
The parshah sets out the farewell blessing of Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
for the 12 Tribes of Israel and then the death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
of Moses.
Summary
The blessing of Moses
Before he died, Moses, the man of GodMan of God
Man of God, in the Hebrew Bible is a title of respect applied to prophets and beloved religious leaders. The term appears 77 times in 71 verses of the Hebrew Bible, in application to up to 12 individuals:...
, bade the Israelite
Israelite
According to the Bible the Israelites were a Hebrew-speaking people of the Ancient Near East who inhabited the Land of Canaan during the monarchic period .The word "Israelite" derives from the Biblical Hebrew ישראל...
s farewell with this blessing: God
Names of God in Judaism
In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title; it represents the Jewish conception of the divine nature, and of the relationship of God to the Jewish people and to the world. To demonstrate the sacredness of the names of God, and as a means of showing respect and reverence for...
came from Sinai
Biblical Mount Sinai
The Biblical Mount Sinai is the mountain at which the Book of Exodus states that the Ten Commandments were given to Moses by God...
, shone on them from Seir
Seir
Seir . It is sometimes used as an alternative term for a goat, as in Seir La'Azazel .* Seir - "Prince" in Ancient Egyptian, a name used by the Egyptians to refer the god of the dead known to the Greeks as Osiris...
, appeared from Paran
Desert of Paran
The Desert of Paran or Wilderness of Paran , is the place in which the Hebrew Bible says the Israelites spent part of their 40 years of wandering: Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran...
, and approached from Ribeboth-kodesh, lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
flashing from God’s right
Relative direction
The most common relative directions are left, right, forward, backward, up, and down. No absolute direction corresponds to any of the relative directions. This is a consequence of the translational invariance of the laws of physics: nature, loosely speaking, behaves the same no matter what...
. God love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
d the people, holding their hallowed in God’s hand
Hand
A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered extremity located at the end of an arm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs...
. The people followed in God’s steps, accepting God’s Torah as the heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
of the congregation of Jacob
Jacob
Jacob "heel" or "leg-puller"), also later known as Israel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the New Testament and the Qur'an was the third patriarch of the Hebrew people with whom God made a covenant, and ancestor of the tribes of Israel, which were named after his descendants.In the...
. God became King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
in Jeshurun
Jeshurun
Jeshurun, in the Hebrew Bible, is a poetic name for Israel. Derived from root word meaning upright, just, straight. Describes Israel when it does not stray away from the standards set by and upheld by God. Jeshurun appears four times in the Hebrew Bible — three times in Deuteronomy and...
when the chiefs
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
of the tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
s of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
assembled.
Moses prayed that the Tribe of Reuben
Tribe of Reuben
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Reuben was one of the Tribes of Israel.From after the conquest of the land by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel in c. 1050 BC, the Tribe of Reuben was a part of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes. No central government...
survive, though its numbers were few.
Moses asked God to hear
Hearing (sense)
Hearing is the ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations through an organ such as the ear. It is one of the traditional five senses...
the voice
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
of the Tribe of Judah
Tribe of Judah
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Judah was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes....
, restore it, and help it against its foes.
Moses prayed that God would be with the Levite
Levite
In Jewish tradition, a Levite is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan, the Levites were the only Israelite tribe that received cities but were not allowed to be landowners "because the Lord the God of Israel himself is their inheritance"...
s, who held God’s Urim and Thummim
Urim and Thummim
In ancient Israelite religion and culture, Urim and Thummim is a phrase from the Hebrew Scriptures or Torah associated with the Hoshen , divination in general, and cleromancy in particular...
, whom God tested at Massah
Massah
Massah is one of the locations which the Torah identifies as having been travelled through by the Israelites, during the Exodus, although the list of visited stations in the Book of Numbers doesn't mention it...
and Meribah
Meribah
Meribah is one of the locations which the Torah identifies as having been travelled through by the Israelites, during the Exodus, although the continuous list of visited stations in the Book of Numbers doesn't mention it...
, who disregarded family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
ties to carry out God’s will, who would teach God’s law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
s to Israel, and who would offer God’s incense
Incense
Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...
and offerings
Korban
The term offering as found in the Hebrew Bible in relation to the worship of Ancient Israel is mainly represented by the Hebrew noun korban whether for an animal or other offering...
. Moses asked God to bless their substance, favor their undertakings, and smite their enemies.
Moses said that God loved and always protected the Tribe of Benjamin
Tribe of Benjamin
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Benjamin בִּנְיָמִין was one of the Tribes of Israel.From after the conquest of the land by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel in c. 1050 BCE, the Tribe of Benjamin was a part of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes...
, who rested securely
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
beside God, between God’s shoulder
Shoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
s.
Moses called on God to bless the Tribe of Joseph
Tribe of Joseph
The Tribe of Joseph was one of the Tribes of Israel, though since Ephraim and Manasseh together traditionally constituted the tribe of Joseph, it was often not listed as one of the tribes, in favour of Ephraim and Manasseh being listed in its place; consequently it was often termed the House of...
with dew
Dew
[Image:Dew on a flower.jpg|right|220px|thumb|Some dew on an iris in Sequoia National Park]]Dew is water in the form of droplets that appears on thin, exposed objects in the morning or evening...
, the yield of the sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, crops in season, the bounty of the hill
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
s, and the favor of the Presence in the burning bush
Burning bush
The burning bush is an object described by the Book of Exodus as being located on Mount Sinai; according to the narrative, the bush was on fire, but was not consumed by the flames, hence the name...
. Moses likened the tribe to a firstling bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
, with horns
Horn (anatomy)
A horn is a pointed projection of the skin on the head of various animals, consisting of a covering of horn surrounding a core of living bone. True horns are found mainly among the ruminant artiodactyls, in the families Antilocapridae and Bovidae...
like a wild ox, who gores the peoples from one end of the earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
to the other.
Moses exhorted the Tribe of Zebulun
Tribe of Zebulun
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Zebulun was one of the Tribes of Israel....
to rejoice on its journeys
Quest
In mythology and literature, a quest, a journey towards a goal, serves as a plot device and as a symbol. Quests appear in the folklore of every nation and also figure prominently in non-national cultures. In literature, the objects of quests require great exertion on the part of the hero, and...
, and the Tribe of Issachar
Tribe of Issachar
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Issachar was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes...
in its tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
s. They invited their kin to the mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
where they offered sacrifices of success; they drew from the riches of the sea
Sea
A sea generally refers to a large body of salt water, but the term is used in other contexts as well. Most commonly, it means a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, and is commonly used as a synonym for ocean...
and the hidden hoards of the sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
.
Moses blessed the God who enlarged the Tribe of Gad
Tribe of Gad
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Gad was one of the Tribes of Israel.From after the conquest of the land by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel in c. 1050 BC, the Tribe of Gad was a part of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes. No central government existed,...
, who was poised like a lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, who chose the best, the portion of the revered chieftain, who executed God’s judgments for Israel.
Moses called the Tribe of Dan
Tribe of Dan
The Tribe of Dan, also sometimes spelled as "Dann", was one of the Tribes of Israel. Though known mostly from biblical sources, they were possibly descendants of the Denyen Sea Peoples who joined with Hebrews...
a lion’s whelp that leapt from Bashan
Bashan
Bashan or Basan is a biblical place first mentioned in , where it is said that Chedorlaomer and his confederates "smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth", where Og the king of Bashan had his residence. At the time of Israel's entrance into the Promised Land, Og came out against them, but was utterly routed...
.
Moses told the Tribe of Naphtali
Tribe of Naphtali
The Tribe of Naphtali was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes...
, sated with favor and blessed by God, to take possession on the west and south.
Moses prayed that the Tribe of Asher
Tribe of Asher
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Asher! was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes...
be the favorite among the tribes, dip its feet
Foot
The foot is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made up of one or more segments or bones, generally including claws...
in oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
, and have door
Door
A door is a movable structure used to open and close off an entrance, typically consisting of a panel that swings on hinges or that slides or rotates inside of a space....
bolts
Deadbolt
A dead bolt or dead lock , is a locking mechanism distinct from a spring bolt lock because a deadbolt cannot be moved to the open position except by rotating the lock cylinder. The more common spring bolt lock uses a spring to hold the bolt in place, allowing retraction by applying force to the...
of iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
and security
Security
Security is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
all its days.
Moses said that there was none like God, riding through the heavens to help, an everlasting refuge and support, Who drove out the enemy. Thus Israel dwelt untroubled in safety
Safety
Safety is the state of being "safe" , the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types or consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be...
in a land
Land of Israel
The Land of Israel is the Biblical name for the territory roughly corresponding to the area encompassed by the Southern Levant, also known as Canaan and Palestine, Promised Land and Holy Land. The belief that the area is a God-given homeland of the Jewish people is based on the narrative of the...
of grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
and wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
under heaven’s dripping dew. Who was like Israel, a people delivered by God, God’s protecting Shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
and Sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
triumphant over Israel’s cringing enemies.
The death of Moses
Moses went up from the steppeSteppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
s of Moab
Moab
Moab is the historical name for a mountainous strip of land in Jordan. The land lies alongside much of the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. The existence of the Kingdom of Moab is attested to by numerous archeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes the Moabite victory over...
to Mount Nebo
Mount Nebo (Jordan)
Mount Nebo is an elevated ridge that is approximately 817 meters above sea level, in what is now western Jordan. The view from the summit provides a panorama of the Holy Land and, to the north, a more limited one of the valley of the River Jordan...
, and God showed him the whole land. God told Moses that this was the land that God had sworn
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
to assign to the descendants of Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
, Isaac
Isaac
Isaac as described in the Hebrew Bible, was the only son Abraham had with his wife Sarah, and was the father of Jacob and Esau. Isaac was one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites...
, and Jacob.
So Moses the servant of God died there, in the land of Moab, at God’s command, and God buried
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
him in the valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
in the land of Moab, near Beth-peor, although no one knew his burial place. Moses was 120 years old when he died, but his eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
s were undimmed and his vigor unabated. The Israelites mourned
Mourning
Mourning is, in the simplest sense, synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate...
for 30 days. Joshua
Joshua
Joshua , is a minor figure in the Torah, being one of the spies for Israel and in few passages as Moses's assistant. He turns to be the central character in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Joshua...
was filled with the spirit of wisdom
Wisdom
Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...
because Moses had laid his hands on him, and the Israelites heeded him.
Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
like Moses, whom God singled out, face
Face
The face is a central sense organ complex, for those animals that have one, normally on the ventral surface of the head, and can, depending on the definition in the human case, include the hair, forehead, eyebrow, eyelashes, eyes, nose, ears, cheeks, mouth, lips, philtrum, temple, teeth, skin, and...
to face, for the signs and portents that God sent him to display against Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
and Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
, and for all the awesome power that Moses displayed before Israel.
Deuteronomy chapter 33
and JudgesBook of Judges
The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as...
present parallel listings of the twelve tribes, presenting contrasting characterizations of their relative strengths:
| Tribe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Reuben Tribe of Reuben According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Reuben was one of the Tribes of Israel.From after the conquest of the land by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel in c. 1050 BC, the Tribe of Reuben was a part of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes. No central government... |
Jacob’s first-born, Jacob’s might, the first-fruits of Jacob’s strength, the excellency of dignity, the excellency of power; unstable as water, he would not have the excellency because he mounted his father's bed and defiled it | let him live and not die and become few in number | among their divisions were great resolves of heart; they sat among the sheepfolds to hear the piping for the flocks, and did not contribute; at their divisions was great soul-searching |
| Simeon Tribe of Simeon According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Simeon was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BC, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes... |
brother of Levi Levi Levi/Levy was, according to the Book of Genesis, the third son of Jacob and Leah, and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Levi ; however Peake's commentary suggests this as postdiction, an eponymous metaphor providing an aetiology of the connectedness of the tribe to others in the Israelite... , weapons of violence were their kinship; let Jacob’s soul not come into their council, to their assembly, for in their anger they slew men, in their self-will they hewed oxen; cursed was their fierce anger and their cruel wrath, Jacob would divide and scatter them in Israel |
not mentioned | not mentioned |
| Levi Levite In Jewish tradition, a Levite is a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi. When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan, the Levites were the only Israelite tribe that received cities but were not allowed to be landowners "because the Lord the God of Israel himself is their inheritance"... |
brother of Simeon Simeon (Hebrew Bible) According to the Book of Genesis, Simeon was, the second son of Jacob and Leah, and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Simeon. However, some Biblical scholars view this as postdiction, an eponymous metaphor providing an etiology of the connectedness of the tribe to others in the Israelite... , weapons of violence were their kinship; let Jacob’s soul not come into their council, to their assembly, for in their anger they slew men, in their self-will they hewed oxen; cursed was their fierce anger and their cruel wrath, Jacob would divide and scatter them in Israel |
his Thummim and Urim would be with God; God proved him at Massah, with whom God strove at the waters of Meribah; he did not acknowledge his father, mother, brothers, or children; observed God’s word, and would keep God’s covenant; would teach Israel God’s law; would put incense before God, and whole burnt-offerings on God’s altar; God bless his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite the loins of his enemies | not mentioned |
| Judah Tribe of Judah According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Judah was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes.... |
his brothers would praise him, his hand would be on the neck of his enemies, his father's sons would bow down before him; a lion's whelp, from the prey he is gone up, he stooped down, he couched as a lion and a lioness, who would rouse him? the scepter would not depart from him, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, as long as men come to Shiloh, to him would the obedience of the peoples be; binding his foal to the vine and his ass's colt to the choice vine, he washes his garments in wine, his eyes would be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk | God hear his voice, and bring him in to his people; his hands would contend for him, and God would help against his adversaries | not mentioned |
| Zebulun Tribe of Zebulun According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Zebulun was one of the Tribes of Israel.... |
would dwell at the shore of the sea, would be a shore for ships, his flank would be upon Zidon Sidon Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah... |
he would rejoice in his going out, with Issachar he would call peoples to the mountain; there they would offer sacrifices of righteousness, for they would suck the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the sand | they that handle the marshal's staff; jeopardized their lives for Israel |
| Issachar Tribe of Issachar According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Issachar was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes... |
a large-boned ass, couching down between the sheep-folds, he saw a good resting-place and the pleasant land, he bowed his shoulder to bear and became a servant under task-work | he would rejoice in his tents, with Zebulun he would call peoples to the mountain; there they would offer sacrifices of righteousness, for they would suck the abundance of the seas, and the hidden treasures of the sand | their princes were with Deborah Deborah Deborah was a prophetess of Yahweh the God of the Israelites, the fourth Judge of pre-monarchic Israel, counselor, warrior, and the wife of Lapidoth according to the Book of Judges chapters 4 and 5.... |
| Dan Tribe of Dan The Tribe of Dan, also sometimes spelled as "Dann", was one of the Tribes of Israel. Though known mostly from biblical sources, they were possibly descendants of the Denyen Sea Peoples who joined with Hebrews... |
would judge his people, would be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path, that bites the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward | a lion's whelp, that leaps forth from Bashan | sojourned by the ships, and did not contribute |
| Gad Tribe of Gad According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Gad was one of the Tribes of Israel.From after the conquest of the land by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel in c. 1050 BC, the Tribe of Gad was a part of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes. No central government existed,... |
a troop would troop upon him, but he would troop upon their heel | blessed be God Who enlarges him; he dwells as a lioness, and tears the arm and the crown of the head; he chose a first part for himself, for there a portion of a ruler was reserved; and there came the heads of the people, he executed God’s righteousness and ordinances with Israel | Gilead Gilead In the Bible "Gilead" means hill of testimony or mound of witness, , a mountainous region east of the Jordan River, situated in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It is also referred to by the Aramaic name Yegar-Sahadutha, which carries the same meaning as the Hebrew . From its mountainous character... stayed beyond the Jordan and did not contribute |
| Asher Tribe of Asher According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Asher! was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes... |
his bread would be fat, he would yield royal dainties | blessed above sons; let him be the favored of his brothers, and let him dip his foot in oil; iron and brass would be his bars; and as his days, so would his strength be | dwelt at the shore of the sea, abided by its bays, and did not contribute |
| Naphtali Tribe of Naphtali The Tribe of Naphtali was one of the Tribes of Israel.Following the completion of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelite tribes after about 1200 BCE, Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes... |
a hind let loose, he gave goodly words | satisfied with favor, full with God’s blessing, would possess the sea and the south | were upon the high places of the field of battle |
| Joseph Tribe of Joseph The Tribe of Joseph was one of the Tribes of Israel, though since Ephraim and Manasseh together traditionally constituted the tribe of Joseph, it was often not listed as one of the tribes, in favour of Ephraim and Manasseh being listed in its place; consequently it was often termed the House of... |
a fruitful vine by a fountain, its branches run over the wall, the archers have dealt bitterly with him, shot at him, and hated him; his bow abode firm, and the arms of his hands were made supple by God, who would help and bless him with blessings of heaven above, the deep beneath, the breast and the womb; Jacob’s blessings, mighty beyond the blessings of his ancestors, would be on his head, and on the crown of the head of the prince among his brothers | blessed of God was his land; for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep beneath, and for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, and for the precious things of the yield of the moons, for the tops of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the everlasting hills, and for the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof, and the good will of God; the blessing would come upon the head of Joseph Joseph (Hebrew Bible) Joseph is an important character in the Hebrew bible, where he connects the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Canaan to the subsequent story of the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.... , and upon the crown of the head of him that is prince among his brothers; his firstling bullock, majesty was his; and his horns were the horns of the wild-ox; with them he would gore all the peoples to the ends of the earth; they were the ten thousands of Ephraim Ephraim Ephraim ; was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Joseph and Asenath. Asenath was an Egyptian woman whom Pharaoh gave to Joseph as wife, and the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of On. Ephraim was born in Egypt before the arrival of the children of Israel from Canaan... and the thousands of Manasseh Manasseh (tribal patriarch) Manasseh or Menashe was, according to the Book of Genesis, the first son of Joseph and Asenath. Asenath was an Egyptian woman whom Pharaoh gave to Joseph as wife, and the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of On. Manasseh was born in Egypt before the arrival of the children of Israel from Canaan... |
out of Ephraim came they whose root is in Amalek Amalek The Amalekites are a people mentioned a number of times in the Hebrew Bible. They are considered to be descended from an ancestor Amalek.... |
| Benjamin Tribe of Benjamin According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Benjamin בִּנְיָמִין was one of the Tribes of Israel.From after the conquest of the land by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel in c. 1050 BCE, the Tribe of Benjamin was a part of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes... |
a ravenous wolf, in the morning he devoured the prey, at evening he divided the spoil | God’s beloved would dwell in safety by God; God covered him all the day, and dwelt between his shoulders | came after Ephriam |
Deuteronomy chapter 34
The characterization of Moses as the “servant of the Lord” in is echoed in the haftarahHaftarah
The haftarah or haftoroh is a series of selections from the books of Nevi'im of the Hebrew Bible that is publicly read in synagogue as part of Jewish religious practice...
for the parshah in Joshua
Book of Joshua
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament. Its 24 chapters tell of the entry of the Israelites into Canaan, their conquest and division of the land under the leadership of Joshua, and of serving God in the land....
and and is then often repeated in the book of Joshua, in (twice), and and thereafter in 2 Kings
Books of Kings
The Book of Kings presents a narrative history of ancient Israel and Judah from the death of David to the release of his successor Jehoiachin from imprisonment in Babylon, a period of some 400 years...
and 2 Chronicles
Books of Chronicles
The Books of Chronicles are part of the Hebrew Bible. In the Masoretic Text, it appears as the first or last book of the Ketuvim . Chronicles largely parallels the Davidic narratives in the Books of Samuel and the Books of Kings...
and By the end of the book of Joshua, Joshua himself has earned the title, in and And thereafter, David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
is also called by the same title, in Psalm
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
and
Deuteronomy chapter 33
Rabbi JohananYochanan bar Nafcha
Rabbi Yochanan ;...
counted ten instances in which Scripture refers to the death of Moses (including three in the parshah and two in the haftarah for the parshah), teaching that God did not finally seal the harsh decree until God declared it to Moses. Rabbi Johanan cited these ten references to the death of Moses: (1) “But I must die in this land; I shall not cross the Jordan”; (2) “The Lord said to Moses: ‘Behold, your days approach that you must die’”; (3) “[E]ven now, while I am still alive in your midst, you have been defiant toward the Lord; and how much more after my death”; (4) “For I know that after my death, you will act wickedly and turn away from the path that I enjoined upon you”; (5) “And die in the mount that you are about to ascend, and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron
Aaron
In the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites...
died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his kin”; (6) “This is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, bade the Israelites farewell before his death”; (7) “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, at the command of the Lord”; (8) “Moses was 120 years old when he died”; (9) “Now it came to pass after the death of Moses”; and (10) “Moses My servant is dead.” Rabbi Johanan taught that ten times it was decreed that Moses should not enter the Land of Israel, but the harsh decree was not finally sealed until God revealed it to him and declared (as reported in ): “It is My decree that you should not pass over.” (Deuteronomy Rabbah
Deuteronomy Rabbah
Deuteronomy Rabbah is an aggadic midrash or homiletic commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy. Unlike Bereshit Rabbah, the Midrash to Deuteronomy which has been included in the collection of the Midrash Rabbot in the ordinary editions does not contain running commentaries on the text of the Bible,...
11:10.)
The Tosefta
Tosefta
The Tosefta is a compilation of the Jewish oral law from the period of the Mishnah.-Overview:...
found in demonstration of the proposition that Providence rewards a person measure for measure. Thus just as Abraham rushed three times to serve the visiting angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s in 6, and 7, so God rushed three times in service of Abraham’s children when in God “came from Sinai, rose from Seir to them, [and] shined forth from mount Paran.” (Tosefta Sotah 4:1.)
The Sifre
Sifre
Sifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
expanded on the metaphor of God as an eagle in teaching that just as an eagle enters her nest only after shaking her chicks with her wings, fluttering from tree to tree to wake them up, so that they will have the strength to receive her, so when God revealed God’s self to give the Torah to Israel, God did not appear from just a single direction, but from all four directions, as says, “The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Seir to them,” and Habakkuk
Book of Habakkuk
The Book of Habakkuk is the eighth book of the 12 minor prophets of the Hebrew Bible. It is attributed to the prophet Habakkuk, and was probably composed in the late 7th century BC. A copy of chapters 1 and 2 is included in the Habakkuk Commentary, found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.Chapters 1-2...
says, “God comes from the south.” (Sifre to Deuteronomy 314.)
The students of Rav Shila’s academy deduced from the words “from His right hand, a fiery law for them” in that Moses received the Torah from God’s hand. (Babylonian Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
Sotah 4b.)
Rabbi Hanina
Chaninah
Chaninah, also called Haninah, Chananiah, etc. was a Tanna of the 2nd century, contemporary of Judah ben Bathyra, Matteya ben Ḥeresh, and Jonathan . Who his father was is not stated; nor is anything known of his early years. He was named after his grandfather, Hananiah, and educated by his uncle,...
taught that the world was unworthy to have cedar trees, but God created them for the sake of the Tabernacle (for example, in the acacia-wood of Exodus ) and the Temple, as says, “The trees of the Lord have their fill, the cedars of Lebanon, which He has planted,” once again interpreting Lebanon to mean the Temple. Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman
Samuel ben Nahman
Samuel ben Nahman or Samuel Nahmani was a rabbi of the Talmud, known as an amora, who lived in the Land of Israel from the beginning of the 3rd century until the beginning of the 4th century. He was a pupil of R. Jonathan ben Eleazar and one of the most famous haggadists of his time...
in the name of Rabbi Jonathan
Rabbi Jonathan
Rabbi Jonathan was a Palestinian tanna of the 2nd century and schoolfellow of R. Josiah, apart from whom he is rarely quoted. Jonathan is generally so cited without further designation; but there is ample reason for identifying him with the less frequently occurring Jonathan b. Joseph Rabbi...
taught that there are 24 kinds of cedars, of which seven are especially fine, as Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
says, “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia-tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane-tree, and the larch together.” God foresaw that the Tabernacle would be made of these trees, as says, “Wherein the birds make their nests,” and “birds” refers to those birds that the priests offered. And when says, “As for the stork , the fir-trees are her house,” the , chasidah (stork) refers to the High Priest, of whom says, “Your Thummim and Your Urim
Urim and Thummim
In ancient Israelite religion and culture, Urim and Thummim is a phrase from the Hebrew Scriptures or Torah associated with the Hoshen , divination in general, and cleromancy in particular...
be with Your holy one .” (Exodus Rabbah
Exodus Rabbah
Exodus Rabbah is the midrash to Exodus, containing in the printed editions 52 parashiyyot. It is not uniform in its composition.- Structure :In parashiyyot i.-xiv...
35:1.)
A midrash
Midrash
The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible....
employed a parable to explain why God held Aaron as well as Moses responsible when Moses struck the rock, as Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
reports, “and the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ‘Because you did not believe in me.’” The midrash told how a creditor came to take away a debtor's granary and took both the debtor's granary and the debtor's neighbor’s granary. The debtor asked the creditor what his neighbor had done to warrant such treatment. Similarly, Moses asked God what Aaron had done to be blamed when Moses lost his temper. The midrash taught that it on this account that praises Aaron, saying, “And of Levi he said: ‘Your Thummim and your Urim be with your holy one, whom you proved at Massah, with whom you strove at the waters of Meribah.’” (Numbers Rabbah
Numbers Rabbah
Numbers Rabbah is a religious text holy to classical Judaism. It is a midrash comprising a collection of ancient rabbinical homiletic interpretations of the book of Numbers ....
19:9.)
Rabbi Meir
Rabbi Meir
Rabbi Meir or Rabbi Meir Baal Hanes was a Jewish sage who lived in the time of the Mishna. He was considered one of the greatest of the Tannaim of the fourth generation . According to legend , his father was a descendant of the Roman Emperor Nero who had converted to Judaism. His wife Bruriah is...
taught that when the Israelites stood by the sea, the tribes competed with each other over who would go into the sea first. The tribe of Benjamin
Tribe of Benjamin
According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Benjamin בִּנְיָמִין was one of the Tribes of Israel.From after the conquest of the land by Joshua until the formation of the first Kingdom of Israel in c. 1050 BCE, the Tribe of Benjamin was a part of a loose confederation of Israelite tribes...
went first, as says: “There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them (rodem),” and Rabbi Meir read rodem, “ruling them,” as rad yam, “descended into the sea.” Then the princes of Judah threw stones at them, as says: “the princes of Judah their council (rigmatam),” and Rabbi Meir read rigmatam as “stoned them.” For that reason, Benjamin merited hosting the site of God’s Temple
Temple in Jerusalem
The Temple in Jerusalem or Holy Temple , refers to one of a series of structures which were historically located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem, the current site of the Dome of the Rock. Historically, these successive temples stood at this location and functioned as the centre of...
, as says: “He dwells between his shoulders.” Rabbi Judah
Judah ben Ilai
Judah bar Ilai, also known as Judah ben Ilai, Rabbi Judah or Judah the Palestinian , was a tanna of the 2nd Century and son of Rabbi Ilai I. Of the many Judahs in the Talmud, he is the one referred to simply as "Rabbi Judah" and is the most frequently mentioned sage in the Mishnah.Judah bar Ilai...
answered Rabbi Meir that in reality, no tribe was willing to be the first to go into the sea. Then Nahshon ben Aminadab
Nahshon
Nahshon or Naḥshon ben ʿAmminadabh was, according to the Book of Exodus, the son of Amminadab; descendant in the fifth generation of Judah, brother-in-law of Aaron and an important figure in the Hebrew's Passage of the Red Sea which according to the Jewish Midrash he initiated by walking in head...
stepped forward and went into the sea first, praying in the words of “Save me O God, for the waters come into my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing . . . . Let not the water overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up.” Moses was then praying, so God prompted Moses, in words parallel those of “My beloved ones are drowning in the sea, and you prolong prayer before Me!” Moses asked God, “Lord of the Universe, what is there in my power to do?” God replied in the words of “Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward. And lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it; and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.” Because of Nahshon’s actions, Judah merited becoming the ruling power in Israel, as says, “Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominion,” and that happened because, as says, “The sea saw [him], and fled.” (Babylonian Talmud Sotah 36b–37a.)
A midrash told that when in the steward found Joseph’s cup in Benjamin’s belongings, his brothers beat Benjamin on his shoulders, calling him a thief and the son of a thief, and saying that he had shamed them as Rachel
Rachel
Rachel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, is a prophet and the favorite wife of Jacob, one of the three Biblical Patriarchs, and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. She was the daughter of Laban and the younger sister of Leah, Jacob's first wife...
had shamed Jacob when she stole Laban’s
Laban (Bible)
Laban is the son of Bethuel, brother of Rebekah and the father of Leah and Rachel and Bilhah and Zilpah as described in the Book of Genesis. As such he is brother-in-law to Isaac and both father-in-law and uncle to Jacob...
idols in And by virtue of receiving those unwarranted blows between his shoulders, Benjamin’s descendants merited having the Divine Presence rest between his shoulders and the Temple rest in Jerusalem, as reports, “He dwells between his shoulders” (Midrash Tanhuma
Tanhuma
Midrash Tanhuma is the name given to three different collections of Pentateuch haggadot; two are extant, while the third is known only through citations. These midrashim, although bearing the name of R. Tanḥuma, must not be regarded as having been written or edited by him...
Mikeitz 10.)
The Mishnah
Mishnah
The Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
applied to Moses the words of “He executed the righteousness of the Lord and His ordinances with Israel,” deducing therefrom that Moses was righteous and caused many to be righteous, and therefore the righteousness of the many was credited to him. (Mishnah Avot 5:18.) And the Tosefta taught that the ministering angels mourned Moses with these words of (Tosefta Sotah 4:9.)
A midrash taught that as God created the four cardinal directions, so also did God set about God’s throne four angels — Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
, Gabriel
Gabriel
In Abrahamic religions, Gabriel is an Archangel who typically serves as a messenger to humans from God.He first appears in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. In the Gospel of Luke Gabriel foretells the births of both John the Baptist and of Jesus...
, Uriel
Uriel
Uriel is one of the archangels of post-Exilic Rabbinic tradition, and also of certain Christian traditions...
, and Raphael
Raphael (archangel)
Raphael is an archangel of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, who in the Judeo-Christian tradition performs all manners of healing....
— with Michael at God’s right. The midrash taught that Michael got his name as a reward for the manner in which he praised God in two expressions that Moses employed. When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, Moses began to chant, in the words of “Who is like You, o Lord.” And when Moses completed the Torah, he said, in the words of “There is none like God , O Jeshurun
Jeshurun
Jeshurun, in the Hebrew Bible, is a poetic name for Israel. Derived from root word meaning upright, just, straight. Describes Israel when it does not stray away from the standards set by and upheld by God. Jeshurun appears four times in the Hebrew Bible — three times in Deuteronomy and...
.” The midrash taught that mi combined with ka'el to form the name Mi-ka'el . (Numbers Rabbah 2:10.)
Reading the words, “And he lighted upon the place,” in to mean, “And he met the Divine Presence (Shechinah
Shekhinah
Shekinah is the English spelling of a grammatically feminine Hebrew word that means the dwelling or settling, and is used to denote the dwelling or settling divine presence of God, especially in the Temple in Jerusalem.-Etymology:Shekinah is derived...
),” Rav Huna
Rav Huna
Rav Huna , a Kohen, was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the second generation and head of the Academy of Sura; He was born about 216, died in 296-297 ).-Youth:...
asked in Rabbi Ammi
Rabbi Ammi
Ammi, Aimi, Immi is the name of several Jewish Talmudists, known as amoraim, who lived in the Land of Israel and Babylonia. In the Babylonian Talmud the first form only is used; in the Jerusalem Talmud all three forms appear, Immi predominating, and sometimes R. Ammi is contracted into "Rabmi" or...
's name why assigns to God the name “the Place.” Rav Huna explained that it is because God is the Place of the world (the world is contained in God, and not God in the world). Rabbi Jose ben Halafta
Jose ben Halafta
Rabbi Jose ben Halafta or Yose ben Halafta was a Tanna of the fourth generation . Jose was a student of Rabbi Akiba and was regarded as one of the foremost scholars of halakha and aggadah of his day...
taught that we do not know whether God is the place of God’s world or whether God’s world is God’s place, but from which says, “Behold, there is a place with Me,” it follows that God is the place of God’s world, but God’s world is not God’s place. Rabbi Isaac taught that reading “The eternal God is a dwelling place,” one cannot know whether God is the dwelling-place of God’s world or whether God’s world is God’s dwelling-place. But reading “Lord, You have been our dwelling-place,” it follows that God is the dwelling-place of God’s world, but God’s world is not God’s dwelling-place. And Rabbi Abba ben Judan taught that God is like a warrior riding a horse with the warrior’s robes flowing over on both sides of the horse. The horse is subsidiary to the rider, but the rider is not subsidiary to the horse. Thus says, “You ride upon Your horses, upon Your chariots of victory.” (Genesis Rabba
Genesis Rabba
Genesis Rabba is a religious text from Judaism's classical period. It is a midrash comprising a collection of ancient rabbinical homiletical interpretations of the Book of Genesis ....
h 68:9.)
Deuteronomy chapter 34
The Sifre taught that one should not read to say, “the Lord showed him . . . as far as the hinder sea ,” but, “the Lord showed him . . . as far as the final day .” The Sifre thus read to say that God showed Moses the entire history of the world, from the day on which God created the world to the day on which God would cause the dead to live again. (Sifre to Deuteronomy 357:5:11.)Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman in the name of Rabbi Jonathan cited for the proposition that the dead can talk to each another. says: “And the Lord said to him (Moses): ‘This is the land that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying . . . .’” Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman reasoned that the word “saying” here indicates that just before Moses died, God told Moses to say to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that God had carried out the oath that God had sworn to them. (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 18b.) The Gemara
Gemara
The Gemara is the component of the Talmud comprising rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah. After the Mishnah was published by Rabbi Judah the Prince The Gemara (also transliterated Gemora or, less commonly, Gemorra; from Aramaic גמרא gamar; literally, "[to] study" or "learning by...
explained that God told Moses to tell them so that they might be grateful to Moses for what he had done for their descendants. (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 19a.)
The Sifre taught that the description of of Moses as “the servant of the Lord” was not one of derision but one of praise. For Amos
Book of Amos
The Book of Amos is a prophetic book of the Hebrew Bible, one of the Twelve Minor Prophets. Amos, an older contemporary of Hosea and Isaiah, was active c. 750 BCE during the reign of Jeroboam II, making the Book of Amos the first biblical prophetic book written. Amos lived in the kingdom of Judah...
also called the former prophets “servants of the Lord,” saying: “For the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His counsel to His servants the prophets.” (Sifre to Deuteronomy 357:11:1.)
Rabbi Eleazar taught that Miriam died with a Divine kiss, just as Moses had. As says, “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab by the mouth of the Lord,” and says, “And Miriam died there” — both using the word “there” — Rabbi Eleazar deduced that both Moses and Miriam died the same way. Rabbi Eleazar explained that does not say that Miriam died “by the mouth of the Lord” because it would be indelicate to say so. ( Babylonian Talmud Moed Katan 28a.)
Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina taught that demonstrates one of God’s attributes that humans should emulate. Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina asked what means in the text, “You shall walk after the Lord your God.” How can a human being walk after God, when says, “[T]he Lord your God is a devouring fire”? Rabbi Hama son of Rabbi Hanina explained that the command to walk after God means to walk after the attributes of God. As God clothes the naked — for says, “And the Lord God made for Adam
Adam
Adam is a figure in the Book of Genesis. According to the creation myth of Abrahamic religions, he is the first human. In the Genesis creation narratives, he was created by Yahweh-Elohim , and the first woman, Eve was formed from his rib...
and for his wife coats of skin, and clothed them” — so should we also clothe the naked. God visited the sick — for says, “And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre
Mamre
Mamre , full Hebrew name Elonei Mamre , refers to a Canaanite cultic shrine dedicated to the supreme, sky god of the Canaanite pantheon, El. Talmudic sources refer to the site as Beth Ilanim or Botnah. it was one of the three most important "fairs", market place or caravanserai, in Palestine...
” (after Abraham was circumcised in ) — so should we also visit the sick. God comforted mourners — for says, “And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son” — so should we also comfort mourners. God buried the dead — for says, “And He buried him in the valley” — so should we also bury the dead. (Babylonian Talmud Sotah 14a.) Similarly, the Sifre
Sifre
Sifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
on taught that to walk in God’s ways means to be (in the words of ) “merciful and gracious.” (Sifre to Deuteronomy 49:1.)
The Mishnah taught that some say the miraculous burial place of Moses — the location of which reports no one knows to this day — was created on the eve of the first Sabbath at twilight. (Avot 5:6.)
The Tosefta deduced from and 1:10–11 (in the haftarah for the parshah), and 4:19 that Moses died on the seventh of Adar
Adar
Adar is the sixth month of the civil year and the twelfth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar. It is a winter month of 29 days...
. (Tosefta Sotah 11:7; Babylonian Talmud Kiddushin 38a.)
Commandments
According to MaimonidesMaimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
and Sefer ha-Chinuch
Sefer ha-Chinuch
The Sefer ha-Chinuch , often simply "the Chinuch" is a work which systematically discusses the 613 commandments of the Torah. It was published anonymously in 13th century Spain...
, there are no commandments
Mitzvah
The primary meaning of the Hebrew word refers to precepts and commandments as commanded by God...
in the parshah.
(Maimonides. Mishneh Torah
Mishneh Torah
The Mishneh Torah subtitled Sefer Yad ha-Hazaka is a code of Jewish religious law authored by Maimonides , one of history's foremost rabbis...
. Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt, 1170–1180. Reprinted in Maimonides. The Commandments: Sefer Ha-Mitzvoth of Maimonides. Translated by Charles B. Chavel, 2 vols. London: Soncino Press, 1967. ISBN 0-900689-71-4. Sefer HaHinnuch: The Book of [Mitzvah] Education. Translated by Charles Wengrov, 5:443. Jerusalem: Feldheim Pub., 1988. ISBN 0-87306-497-6.)
Haftarah
The haftarah for the parshah is:- for Ashkenazi JewsAshkenazi JewsAshkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim , are the Jews descended from the medieval Jewish communities along the Rhine in Germany from Alsace in the south to the Rhineland in the north. Ashkenaz is the medieval Hebrew name for this region and thus for Germany...
: - for Sephardi JewsSephardi JewsSephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
:
Summary of the haftarah
After Moses’ death, God told Moses' minister Joshua to cross the Jordan with the Israelites. God would give them everyplace on which Joshua stepped, from the NegevNegev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
desert to Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, from the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. God enjoined Joshua to be strong and of good courage, for none would be able to stand in his way, as God would lead him all of his life. God exhorted Joshua strictly to observe God’s law, and to meditate on it day and night, so that he might succeed.
Joshua told his officers to have the Israelites prepare food, for within three days they were to cross the Jordan to possess the land that God was giving them. Joshua told the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to remember their commitment to Moses, whereby God would give them their land on the east side of the Jordan and their wives, children, and cattle would stay there, but the men would fight at the forefront of the Israelites until God gave the Israelites the land of Israel. They answered Joshua that they would follow his commands just as they had followed Moses. Whoever rebelled against Joshua’s command would be put to death.
Connection between the haftarah and the parshah
The haftarah carries forward the story in the parshah. As the parshah concludes the Torah, the haftarah begins the ProphetsNevi'im
Nevi'im is the second of the three major sections in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh. It falls between the Torah and Ketuvim .Nevi'im is traditionally divided into two parts:...
. The parshah (in ) reports that “Moses commanded us a law” , and in the haftarah (in ), God told Joshua to observe “the law that Moses . . . commanded you” . While in the parshah (in ), God told Moses that he “shall not cross over” , in the haftarah (in ), God told Joshua to “cross over” . The parshah (in ) and the haftarah (in and ) both call Moses the “servant of the Lord” . And the parshah (in ) and the haftarah (in ) both report the death of Moses.
The haftarah in inner-Biblical interpretation
The characterization of Joshua as Moses’s “assistant” in echoes (“his assistant,” , mesharto), (“his assistant,” , mesharto), and (Moses’s “assistant,” , mesharet). God charged Moses to commission Joshua inGod’s reference to Moses as “my servant” in and echoes God’s application of the same term to Abraham (in ), Moses (in and ), and Caleb
Caleb
Caleb is a male given name. A character called Caleb is named in both the Bible and Quran.-Caleb:When the Hebrews came to the outskirts of Canaan, the land that had been promised to them by God, after having fled slavery in Egypt, Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan to report on what was...
(in ). And later, God used the term to refer to Moses (in and Malachi
Book of Malachi
Malachi is a book of the Hebrew Bible, the last of the twelve minor prophets and the final book of the Neviim...
), David (in 2 Samuel
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
and and and Jeremiah
Book of Jeremiah
The Book of Jeremiah is the second of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the book of Isaiah and preceding Ezekiel and the Book of the Twelve....
and Ezekiel
Book of Ezekiel
The Book of Ezekiel is the third of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah and preceding the Book of the Twelve....
and and and and ), Isaiah
Isaiah
Isaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...
(in ), Eliakim the son of Hilkiah (in ), Israel (in and and and and and ), Nebuchadnezzar (in and ), Zerubbabel
Zerubbabel
Zerubbabel was a governor of the Persian Province of Judah and the grandson of Jehoiachin, penultimate king of Judah. Zerubbabel led the first group of Jews, numbering 42,360, who returned from the Babylonian Captivity in the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia . The date is generally thought to...
(in Haggai
Book of Haggai
The Book of Haggai is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanak, and has its place as the antepenultimate of the Minor Prophets or the "Book of the Twelve." It is a short book, consisting of only two chapters. The historical setting dates around 520 BCE before the Temple has been rebuilt...
), the Branch (in Zechariah
Book of Zechariah
The Book of Zechariah is the penultimate book of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew and Christian Bible, attributed to the prophet Zechariah.-Historical context:...
), and Job
Job (Biblical figure)
Job is the central character of the Book of Job in the Hebrew Bible. Job is listed as a prophet of God in the Qur'an.- Book of Job :The Book of Job begins with an introduction to Job's character — he is described as a blessed man who lives righteously...
(in Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
and ).
God’s promise in to give Joshua “every spot on which your foot treads” echoes the same promise by Moses to the Israelites in And God’s promise to Joshua in that “no man shall be able to stand before you” echoes the same promise by Moses to the Israelites in
God’s encouragement to Joshua to be “strong and resolute” in is repeated by God to Joshua in and and by the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to Joshua in These exhortations echo the same encouragement that Moses gave the Israelites (in the plural) in and that Moses gave Joshua in and Note also God’s instruction to Moses to “charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him” in And later Joshua exhorted the Israelites to be “strong and resolute” (in the plural) in and David encouraged his son and successor Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
with the same words in and
God’s admonishes Joshua in “to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded you; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then you shall make your ways prosperous, and then you shall have good success.” This admonition echoes the admonition of Moses in that the king: “shall write him a copy of this law in a book . . . . And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn . . . to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; . . . and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left; to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel.”
In Joshua reminded the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh of their commitment to fight for the Land of Israel using language very similar to that in Note also the account in And the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh affirm their commitment with the same verbs in (“we will do . . . so will we obey,” , na’aseh . . . nishmah) with which the Israelites affirmed their fealty to God in (“will we do, and obey,” .
In Joshua directed the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh that “you shall pass over before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and shall help them.” Previously, in God directed Moses and Eleazer to “take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from 20 years old and upward, . . . all that are able to go forth to war in Israel.” That census yielded 43,730 men for Reuben , 40,500 men for Gad , and 52,700 men for Manasseh — for a total of 136,930 adult men “able to go forth to war” from the three tribes. But reports that “about 40,000 ready armed for war passed on in the presence of the Lord to battle” from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh — or fewer than 3 in 10 of those counted in Chida
Chaim Joseph David Azulai
Chaim Joseph David Azulai ben Isaac Zerachia , commonly known as the Chida , was a Jerusalem born rabbinical scholar, a noted bibliophile, and a pioneer in the publication of Jewish religious writings.- Biography :Azulai was born in Jerusalem, where he received his education...
explained that only the strongest participated, as Joshua asked in for only “the mighty men of valor.” Kli Yakar
Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz
Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz was a rabbi, poet and Torah commentator, best known for his Torah commentary Keli Yakar.-Biography:...
suggested that more than 100,000 men crossed over the Jordan to help, but when they saw the miracles at the Jordan, many concluded that God would ensure the Israelites’ success and they were not needed. (See Reuven Drucker. Yehoshua: The Book of Joshua: A New Translation with a Commentary Anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic, and Rabbinic Sources, 153. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2000. ISBN 0899060870.)
The haftarah in classical Rabbinic interpretation
A BaraitaBaraita
Baraita designates a tradition in the Jewish oral law not incorporated in the Mishnah. "Baraita" thus refers to teachings "outside" of the six orders of the Mishnah...
taught that Joshua wrote the book of Joshua. (Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 14b, 15a.) Noting that says, “And Joshua son of Nun
Nun (Bible)
Nun , in the Hebrew Bible, was a man from the Tribe of Ephraim, grandson of Ammihud, son of Elishama, and father of Joshua. He grew up in and may have lived his entire life in the Israelites' Egyptian captivity, where the Egyptians "made life bitter for them with harsh labor at mortar and bricks...
the servant of the Lord died,” the Gemara (reasoning that Joshua could not have written those words and the accounts thereafter) taught that Eleazar
Eleazar
Eleazar , was a priest in the Hebrew Bible, the second Kohen Gadol - succeeding his father Aaron. He was a nephew of Moses.-Life:...
the High Priest completed the last five verses of the book. But then the Gemara also noted that the final verse, says, “And Eleazar the son of Aaron died,” and concluded that Eleazar’s son Phinehas
Phinehas
-Biblical figures:*Phinehas, son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the High Priest*Phinehas, son of the High Priest Eli. He was a priest at Shiloh, and died when the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant-Other :*Pinchas, the 41st weekly Torah portion....
finished the book. (Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 15a.)
Rav Judah
Judah ben Ezekiel
Judah ben Ezekiel , was a Babylonian amora of the 2nd generation. He was the most prominent disciple of Rav , in whose house he often stayed, and whose son Hiyya was his pupil...
taught in the name of Rav
Abba Arika
Abba Arika was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora of the 3rd century who established at Sura the systematic study of the rabbinic traditions, which, using the Mishnah as text, led to the compilation of the Talmud...
that upon the death of Moses, God directed Joshua in to start a war to distract the Israelites’ attention from the leadership transition. Rav Judah reported in the name of Rav that when Moses was dying, he invited Joshua to ask him about any doubts that Joshua might have. Joshua replied by asking Moses whether Joshua had ever left Moses for an hour and gone elsewhere. Joshua asked Moses whether Moses had not written in “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. . . . But his servant Joshua the son of Nun departed not out of the Tabernacle.” Joshua’s words wounded Moses, and immediately the strength of Moses waned, and Joshua forgot 300 laws, and 700 doubts concerning laws arose in Joshua’s mind. The Israelites then arose to kill Joshua (unless he could resolve these doubts). God then told Joshua that it was not possible to tell him the answers (for, as tells, the Torah is not in Heaven). Instead, God then directed Joshua to occupy the Israelites’ attention in war, as reports. (Babylonian Talmud Temurah 16a.)
The Gemara taught that God’s instruction to Moses in to put some of his honor on Joshua was not to transfer all of the honor of Moses. The elders of that generation compared the countenance of Moses to that of the sun and the countenance of Joshua to that of the moon. The elders considered it a shame and a reproach that there had been such a decline in the stature of Israel’s leadership in the course of just one generation. (Babylonian Talmud Bava Batra 75a.)
Rabbi Yosé the son of Rabbi Judah said that after the death of Moses (reported in and ), the pillar of cloud, the manna
Manna
Manna or Manna wa Salwa , sometimes or archaically spelled mana, is the name of an edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert according to the Bible.It was said to be sweet to the taste, like honey....
, and the well ceased. Rabbi Yosé the son of Rabbi Judah taught that when the Israelites left Egypt, Providence appointed three good providers for them: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. On their account, Providence gave the Israelites three gifts: the pillar of cloud of the Divine Glory, manna, and the well that followed them throughout their sojourns. Providence provided the well through the merit of Miriam, the pillar of cloud through the merit of Aaron, and the manna through the merit of Moses. When Miriam died, the well ceased, but it came back through the merit of Moses and Aaron. When Aaron died, the pillar of cloud ceased, but both of them came back through the merit of Moses. When Moses died, all three of them came to an end and never came back, as says, “In one month, I destroyed the three shepherds.” (Tosefta Sotah 11:8.) Similarly, Rabbi Simon taught that wherever it says, “And it came to pass after,” the world relapsed into its former state. Thus, says: “Now it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,” and immediately thereafter, the well, the manna, and the clouds of glory ceased. (Genesis Rabbah 62:4.)
A midrash taught that includes the words “Moses’s attendant” to instruct that God gave Joshua the privilege of prophecy as a reward for his serving Moses as his attendant. (Numbers Rabbah 12:9.)
A midrash read to promise the Children of Israel not only the Land of Israel (among many privileges and obligations especially for Israel), but all its surrounding lands, as well. (Exodus Rabbah 15:23.)
A midrash taught that and call the Euphrates “the Great River” because it encompasses the Land of Israel. The midrash noted that at the creation of the world, the Euphrates was not designated “great.” But it is called “great” because it encompasses the Land of Israel, which calls a “great nation.” As a popular saying said, the king’s servant is a king, and thus Scripture calls the Euphrates great because of its association with the great nation of Israel. (Genesis Rabbah 16:3.)
Noting that in God told Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you,” the Rabbis asked why Joshua lived only 110 years (as reported in and ) and not 120 years, as Moses did (as reported in ). The Rabbis explained that when God told Moses in to “avenge the children of Israel of the Midian
Midian
Midian , Madyan , or Madiam is a geographical place and a people mentioned in the Bible and in the Qur'an. It is believed to be in northwest Saudi Arabia on the east shore of the Gulf of Aqaba and the northern Red Sea...
ites; afterward shall you be gathered to your people,” Moses did not delay carrying out the order, even though God told Moses that he would die thereafter. Rather, Moses acted promptly, as reports: “And Moses sent them.” When God directed Joshua to fight against the 31 kings, however, Joshua thought that if he killed them all at once, he would die immediately thereafter, as Moses had. So Joshua dallied in the wars against the Canaan
Canaan
Canaan is a historical region roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and the western parts of Jordan...
ites, as reports: “Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.” In response, God shortened his life by ten years. (Numbers Rabbah 22:6.)
The Rabbis taught in a Baraita that four things require constant application of energy: (1) Torah study, (2) good deeds, (3) praying, and (4) one’s worldly occupation. In support of the first two, the Baraita cited God’s injunction in “Only be strong and very courageous to observe to do according to all the law that My servant Moses enjoined upon you.” The Rabbis deduced that one must “be strong” in Torah and “be courageous” in good deeds. In support of the need for strength in prayer, the Rabbis cited “Wait for the Lord, be strong and let your heart take courage, yea, wait for the Lord.” And in support of the need for strength in work, the Rabbis cited “Be of good courage, and let us prove strong for our people.” (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 32b.)
The admonition of provoked the Rabbis to debate whether one should perform a worldly occupation in addition to studying Torah. The Rabbis in a Baraita questioned what was to be learned from the words of “And you shall gather in your corn and wine and oil.” Rabbi Ishmael replied that since says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night,” one might think that one must take this injunction literally (and study Torah every waking moment). Therefore directs one to “gather in your corn,” implying that one should combine Torah study with a worldly occupation. Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai questioned that, however, asking if a person plows in plowing season, sows in sowing season, reaps in reaping season, threshes in threshing season, and winnows in the season of wind, when would one find time for Torah? Rather, Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai taught that when Israel performs God’s will, others perform its worldly work, as says, “And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, aliens shall be your plowmen and vine-trimmers; while you shall be called ‘Priests of the Lord,’ and termed ‘Servants of our God.’” And when Israel does not perform God’s will, it has to carry out its worldly work by itself, as says, “And you shall gather in your corn.” And not only that, but the Israelites would also do the work of others, as says, “And you shall serve your enemy whom the Lord will let loose against you. He will put an iron yoke upon your neck until He has wiped you out.” Abaye
Abaye
Abaye was a rabbi of the Jewish Talmud who lived in Babylonia [בבל], known as an amora [אמורא] born about the close of the third century; died 339 . His father, Kaylil, was the brother of Rabbah bar Nachmani, a teacher at the Academy of Pumbedita. Abaye's real name was Nachmani, after his...
observed that many had followed Rabbi Ishmael’s advice to combine secular work and Torah study and it worked well, while others have followed the advice of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai to devote themselves exclusively to Torah study and not succeeded. Rava
Rava (amora)
For the third generation Amora sage of Babylon, with a similar name, see: Joseph b. Hama .Abba ben Joseph bar Ḥama, who is exclusively referred to in the Talmud by the name Rava , was a Jewish Talmudist who lived in Babylonia, known as an amora, born in 270. He is one of the most often-cited Rabbis...
would ask the Rabbis (his disciples) not to appear before him during Nisan
Nisan
Nisan is the first month of the ecclesiastical year and the seventh month of the civil year, on the Hebrew calendar. The name of the month is Babylonian; in the Torah it is called the month of the Aviv, referring to the month in which barley was ripe. It is a spring month of 30 days...
(when corn ripened) and Tishrei
Tishrei
Tishrei or Tishri , Tiberian: ; from Akkadian "Beginning", from "To begin") is the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year in the Hebrew calendar. The name of the month is Babylonian. It is an autumn month of 30 days...
(when people pressed grapes and olives) so that they might not be anxious about their food supply during the rest of the year. (Babylonian Talmud Berakhot 35b.)
Rabbi Eleazar deduced from that God created people to study Torah. Rabbi Eleazar deduced from “Yet man is born for toil just as sparks fly upward,” that all people are born to work. Rabbi Eleazar deduced from Proverbs
Book of Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs , commonly referred to simply as Proverbs, is a book of the Hebrew Bible.The original Hebrew title of the book of Proverbs is "Míshlê Shlomoh" . When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms. In the Greek Septuagint the title became "paroimai paroimiae"...
“The appetite of a laborer labors for him, for his mouth craves it of him,” that Scripture means that people are born to toil by mouth — that is, study — rather than toil by hand. And Rabbi Eleazar deduced from “This book of the Torah shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein,” that people were born to work in the Torah rather than in secular conversation. And this coincides with Rava’s dictum that all human bodies are receptacles; happy are they who are worthy of being receptacles of the Torah. (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 99b.)
Rabbi Joshua ben Levi
Joshua ben Levi
Joshua ben Levi or Yehoshua ben Levi was an amora who lived in the land of Israel of the first half of the third century. He headed the school of Lydda in the southern Land of Israel. He was an elder contemporary of Johanan bar Nappaha and Resh Lakish, who presided over the school in Tiberias...
noted that the promise of that whoever studies the Torah prospers materially is also written in the Torah and mentioned a third time in the Writings
Ketuvim
Ketuvim or Kəṯûḇîm in actual Biblical Hebrew is the third and final section of the Tanak , after Torah and Nevi'im . In English translations of the Hebrew Bible, this section is usually entitled "Writings" or "Hagiographa"...
. In the Torah, says: “Observe therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may make all that you do to prosper.” It is repeated in the Prophets in “This book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then you shall make your ways prosperous, and then you shall have good success.” And it is mentioned a third time in the Writings in “But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he shall prosper.” (Babylonian Talmud Avodah Zarah 19b.)
The Rabbis considered what one needs to do to fulfill the commandment of Rabbi Jose interpreted the analogous term “continually” in which says “And on the table you shall set the bread of display, to be before [God] continually.” Rabbi Jose taught that even if they took the old bread of display away in the morning and placed the new bread on the table only in the evening, they had honored the commandment to set the bread “continually.” Rabbi Ammi analogized from this teaching of Rabbi Jose that people who learn only one chapter of Torah in the morning and one chapter in the evening have nonetheless fulfilled the precept of that “this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night.” Rabbi Johanan said in the name of Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai that even people who read just the Shema
Shema Yisrael
Shema Yisrael are the first two words of a section of the Torah that is a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services...
morning and evening thereby fulfill the precept of Rabbi Johanan taught that it is forbidden, however, to teach this to people who through ignorance are careless in the observance of the laws (as it might deter them from further Torah study). But Rava taught that it is meritorious to say it in their presence (as they might think that if merely reciting the Shema twice daily earns reward, how great would the reward be for devoting more time to Torah study). (Babylonian Talmud Menachot 99b.)
Ben Damah the son of Rabbi Ishmael’s sister once asked Rabbi Ishmael whether one who had studied the whole Torah might learn Greek wisdom. Rabbi Ishmael replied by reading to Ben Damah “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night.” And then Rabbi Ishmael told Ben Damah to go find a time that is neither day nor night and learn Greek wisdom then. Rabbi Samuel ben Nahman, however, taught in the name of Rabbi Jonathan that is neither duty nor command, but a blessing. For God saw that the words of the Torah were most precious to Joshua, as says, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. And he would then return to the camp. His minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tent.” So God told Joshua that since the words of the Torah were so precious to him, God assured Joshua (in the words of ) that “this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth.” A Baraita was taught in the School of Rabbi Ishmael, however, that one should not consider the words of the Torah as a debt that one should desire to discharge, for one is not at liberty to desist from them. (Babylonian Talmud Menachot 99b.)
Like Rabbi Ishmael, Rabbi Joshua also used to warn against studying Greek philosophy. They asked Rabbi Joshua what the law was with regard to people teaching their children from books in Greek. Rabbi Joshua told them to teach Greek at the hour that is neither day nor night, as says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, and you will meditate therein day and night.” (Tosefta Avodah Zarah 1:20.)
Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai taught that God used the words of to bolster Joshua when Joshua fought the Amorite
Amorite
Amorite refers to an ancient Semitic people who occupied large parts of Mesopotamia from the 21st Century BC...
s at Gibeon. Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai told that when God appeared to Joshua, God found Joshua sitting with the book of Deuteronomy in his hands. God told Joshua (using the words of ) to be strong and of good courage, for the book of the law would not depart out of his mouth. Thereupon Joshua took the book of Deuteronomy and showed it to the sun and told the sun that even as Joshua had not stood still from studying the book of Deuteronomy, so the sun should stand still before Joshua. Immediately (as reported in ), “The sun stood still.” (Genesis Rabbah 6:9.)
The Tosefta reasoned that if God charged even the wise and righteous Joshua to keep the Torah near, then so much more so should the rest of us. The Tosefta noted that says, “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hand upon him,” and says, “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. And he would then return to the camp; and his minister, Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, stirred not from the midst of the Tent.” And yet in God enjoined even Joshua: “This Book of the Torah shall not depart out of your mouth, but recite it day and night.” The Tosefta concluded that all the more so should the rest of the people have and read the Torah. (Tosefta Sanhedrin 4:8–9.)
Rabbi Berekiah
Rabbi Berekiah
R. Berekiah was a Jewish Amora sage of the Land of Israel, of the fourth generation of the Amora era. He is known for his work on the Aggadah, and there are many of his statements there, and many statements he delivered in the authority of other sages....
, Rabbi Hiyya
Hiyya the Great
Rabbi Hiyya or Hiyya the Great was a Jewish sage of the Land of Israel during the transitional generation between the Tannaic and Amoraic Jewish sages eras . He is accounted as one of the notable sages of these times, and was the son of Abba Karsala from Kafri in Babylon....
, and the Rabbis of Babylonia taught in Rabbi Judah’s name that a day does not pass in which God does not teach a new law in the heavenly Court. For as says, “Hear attentively the noise of His voice, and the meditation that goes out of His mouth.” And meditation refers to nothing but Torah, as says, “You shall meditate therein day and night.” (Genesis Rabbah 49:2, 64:4.)
A midrash deduced from and that Israel neither entered nor left the Jordan without permission. The midrash interpreted the words of Ecclesiastes “If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place,” to speaks of Joshua. The midrash explained that just as the Israelites crossed the Jordan with permission, so they did not leave the Jordan River bed without permission. The midrash deduced that they crossed with permission from in which God told Joshua, “Pass through the midst of the camp and charge the people thus: Get provisions ready, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan.” And the midrash deduced that they left the Jordan River bed with permission from which reports, “Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying: ‘Come up out of the Jordan.’” (Ecclesiastes Rabbah
Ecclesiastes Rabbah
Ecclesiastes Rabbah or Kohelet Rabbah is an haggadic commentary on Ecclesiastes, included in the collection of the Midrash Rabbot. It follows the Biblical book verse by verse, only a few verses remaining without comment. In the list of the old sedarim for the Bible four sedarim are assigned to...
10:5.)
A midrash pictured the scene in using the Song of Songs
Song of songs
Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. It may also refer to:In music:* Song of songs , the debut album by David and the Giants* A generic term for medleysPlays...
as an inspiration. The midrash said, “Your lips are like a thread of scarlet and your speech is comely,” (in the words of ) when the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said to Joshua (in ), “All that you have commanded us we will do, and we will go wherever you send us.” (Song of Songs Rabbah 4:4:4 [4:7].)
The Gemara attributes to Solomon (or others say Benaiah
Benaiah
Benaiah, son of the priest Jehoiada, was David's general for the army of the Kingdom of Israel and his chief bodyguard . The stories of him follow that he once killed a Egyptian with the Egyptian's own spear and a club. He was also said to have killed a lion in a snowy pit.He was one of David's...
) the view that the word “only” in limited the application of the death penalty mandated by the earlier part of the verse. The Gemara tells how they brought Joab
Joab
Joab the son of Zeruiah, was the nephew of King David and the commander of his army, according to the Hebrew Bible.- Name :...
before the Court, and Solomon judged and questioned him. Solomon asked Joab why he killed Amasa
Amasa
Amasa is a person in the Hebrew Bible. He was the son of Abigail , who was sister to King David and Zeruiah, the mother of Joab. Hence, Amasa was a nephew to David, a cousin to Joab, as well as a cousin to Absalom....
(David’s nephew, who commanded Absalom
Absalom
According to the Bible, Absalom or Avshalom was the third son of David, King of Israel with Maachah, daughter of Talmai, King of Geshur. describes him as the most handsome man in the kingdom...
’s rebel army). Joab answered that Amasa disobeyed the king’s order (and thus under should be put to death), when (as reports) King David told Amasa to call the men of Judah together within three days and report, but Amasa delayed longer than the time set for him. Solomon replied that Amasa interpreted the words “but” and “only” . Amasa found the men of Judah just as they had begun Talmudic study. Amasa recalled that says, “Whoever rebels against [the King’s] commandments and shall not hearken to your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death.” Now, one might have thought that this holds true even if the king were to command one to disregard the Torah. Therefore, continues, “Only be strong and of good courage!” (And the word “only” implies a limitation on the duty to fulfill the king’s command where it would run counter to Torah study.) (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 49a.)
In the liturgy
Jews call on God to restore God’s sovereignty in Israel, reflected in with the words “reign over us” in the weekday AmidahAmidah
The Amidah , also called the Shmoneh Esreh , is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy. This prayer, among others, is found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book...
prayer in each of the three prayer services
Jewish services
Jewish prayer are the prayer recitations that form part of the observance of Judaism. These prayers, often with instructions and commentary, are found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book....
. (Reuven Hammer. Or Hadash: A Commentary on Siddur Sim Shalom
Siddur Sim Shalom
Siddur Sim Shalom may refer to any siddur in a family of siddurim, Jewish prayerbooks, and related commentaries on these siddurim, published by the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism....
for Shabbat and Festivals, 6. New York: The Rabbinical Assembly, 2003. ISBN 0-916219-20-8.)
In the Yigdal
Yigdal
Yigdal is a Jewish hymn which in various rituals shares with Adon 'Olam the place of honor at the opening of the morning and the close of the evening service. It is based on the 13 Articles of Faith formulated by Moses ben Maimon, and was written by Daniel ben Judah Dayan , who spent eight years...
hymn, the seventh verse, “In Israel, none like Moses arose again, a prophet who perceived His vision clearly,” derives from the observation of that “there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” (Menachem Davis. The Schottenstein Edition Siddur for Weekdays with an Interlinear Translation, 16–17. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2002. ISBN 1-57819-686-8.)
The Weekly Maqam
In the Weekly MaqamThe Weekly Maqam
In Mizrahi and Sephardic Middle Eastern Jewish prayer services, each Shabbat the congregation conducts services using a different maqam. A maqam , which in Arabic literally means 'place', is a standard melody type and set of related tunes. The melodies used in a given maqam aims effectively to...
, Sephardi Jews each week base the songs of the services on the content of that week's parshah. For parshah V'Zot HaBerachah, which falls on the holiday Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle...
, Sephardi Jews apply Maqam Ajam, the maqam that expresses happiness, to commemorating the joy of finishing up the Torah readings, getting ready to begin the cycle again.
Early nonrabbinic
- JosephusJosephusTitus Flavius Josephus , also called Joseph ben Matityahu , was a 1st-century Romano-Jewish historian and hagiographer of priestly and royal ancestry who recorded Jewish history, with special emphasis on the 1st century AD and the First Jewish–Roman War, which resulted in the Destruction of...
, Antiquities of the JewsAntiquities of the JewsAntiquities of the Jews is a twenty volume historiographical work composed by the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in the thirteenth year of the reign of Roman emperor Flavius Domitian which was around 93 or 94 AD. Antiquities of the Jews contains an account of history of the Jewish people,...
4:8:47–49. Circa 93–94. Reprinted in, e.g., The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged, New Updated Edition. Translated by William WhistonWilliam WhistonWilliam Whiston was an English theologian, historian, and mathematician. He is probably best known for his translation of the Antiquities of the Jews and other works by Josephus, his A New Theory of the Earth, and his Arianism...
, 124–25. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Pub., 1987. ISBN 0-913573-86-8.
Classical Rabbinic
- MishnahMishnahThe Mishnah or Mishna is the first major written redaction of the Jewish oral traditions called the "Oral Torah". It is also the first major work of Rabbinic Judaism. It was redacted c...
Sotah 1:7–9; Avot 5:6, 18. Land of Israel, circa 200 C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., The Mishnah: A New Translation. Translated by Jacob NeusnerJacob NeusnerJacob Neusner is an American academic scholar of Judaism who lives in Rhinebeck, New York.-Biography:Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Neusner was educated at Harvard University, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America , the University of Oxford, and Columbia University.Neusner is often celebrated...
, 449, 686, 688. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988. ISBN 0-300-05022-4. - ToseftaToseftaThe Tosefta is a compilation of the Jewish oral law from the period of the Mishnah.-Overview:...
: Maaser Sheni 5:27; Sotah 4:1, 8–9, 11:7; Bava Kamma 8:18; Sanhedrin 4:9. Land of Israel, circa 300 C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., The Tosefta: Translated from the Hebrew, with a New Introduction, 1:330, 844, 847–48, 879; 2:999, 1160. Translated by Jacob Neusner. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Pub., 2002. ISBN 1-56563-642-2. - SifreSifreSifre refers to either of two works of Midrash halakhah, or classical Jewish legal Biblical exegesis, based on the biblical books of Bamidbar and Devarim .- The Talmudic-Era Sifre :The title "Sifre debe Rab" is used by R. Hananeel on Sheb. 37b, Alfasi on Pes...
to Deuteronomy 342:1–357:20. Land of Israel, circa 250–350 C.E. Reprinted in, e.g., Sifre to Deuteronomy: An Analytical Translation. Translated by Jacob Neusner, 2:399–462. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1987. ISBN 1-55540-145-7. - Jerusalem TalmudJerusalem TalmudThe Jerusalem Talmud, talmud meaning "instruction", "learning", , is a collection of Rabbinic notes on the 2nd-century Mishnah which was compiled in the Land of Israel during the 4th-5th century. The voluminous text is also known as the Palestinian Talmud or Talmud de-Eretz Yisrael...
: Berakhot 23a, 77a; Terumot 71b; Yoma 16a. Land of Israel, circa 400 CE. Reprinted in, e.g., Talmud Yerushalmi. Edited by Chaim Malinowitz, Yisroel Simcha Schorr, and Mordechai Marcus, vols. 1–2, 8, 21. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 2005–2011. - Genesis RabbaGenesis RabbaGenesis Rabba is a religious text from Judaism's classical period. It is a midrash comprising a collection of ancient rabbinical homiletical interpretations of the Book of Genesis ....
h 1:4, 11; 6:9; 36:3; 39:11; 68:9; 72:5; 75:6, 12; 77:1; 82:5; 84:6; 86:3; 93:6–7; 95; 95:1, 4; 96; 97; 98:4, 12–13, 20; 99:2, 4, 9, 12; 100:9, 12. Land of Israel, 5th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Midrash Rabbah: Genesis. Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2. - Leviticus RabbahLeviticus RabbahLeviticus Rabbah, Vayikrah Rabbah, or Wayiqra Rabbah is a homiletic midrash to the Biblical book of Leviticus . It is referred to by Nathan ben Jehiel in his Aruk as well as by Rashi in his commentaries on , and elsewhere. According to Leopold Zunz, Hai Gaon and Nissim knew and made use of it...
1:4; 4:1; 9:3; 10:7; 21:2, 6; 25:2; 28:6; 30:2; 31:4; 32:2; 35:11; 36:4. Land of Israel, 5th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Midrash Rabbah: Leviticus. Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2.
- Babylonian TalmudTalmudThe Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
: Berakhot 6a, 18b, 33a, 51a, 56b–57a, 62a; Shabbat 63a, 118b; Pesachim 52a, 72b; Yoma 12a, 26a, 53b, 66b, 83b; Sukkah 42a; Beitzah 25b; Rosh Hashanah 21b, 26a, 32b; Megillah 6a, 16a, 26a, 31a; Moed Katan 21a, 25b, 28a; Chagigah 12b, 16a; Ketubot 103b; Sotah 4b, 7b, 9b, 11b, 13b–14a, 37a; Kiddushin 38a, 66b; Bava Kamma 2b, 17a, 38a, 81b, 92a–b; Bava Batra 8a, 14a, 15a, 17a, 56a, 79a; Sanhedrin 39a, 42a, 46b, 59a, 91b–92a, 104a; Makkot 11a–12a, 23b–24a; Avodah Zarah 2b; Zevachim 54a–b, 118b; Menachot 30a, 53b, 85b, 93b; Chullin 89a. Babylonia, 6th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Talmud Bavli. Edited by Yisroel Simcha Schorr, Chaim Malinowitz, and Mordechai Marcus, 72 vols. Brooklyn: Mesorah Pubs., 2006.
Medieval
- Deuteronomy RabbahDeuteronomy RabbahDeuteronomy Rabbah is an aggadic midrash or homiletic commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy. Unlike Bereshit Rabbah, the Midrash to Deuteronomy which has been included in the collection of the Midrash Rabbot in the ordinary editions does not contain running commentaries on the text of the Bible,...
2:5, 9; 3:12; 5:4; 7:5; 8:2; 11:1–10. Land of Israel, 9th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Midrash Rabbah: Deuteronomy. Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2. - Exodus RabbahExodus RabbahExodus Rabbah is the midrash to Exodus, containing in the printed editions 52 parashiyyot. It is not uniform in its composition.- Structure :In parashiyyot i.-xiv...
1:16; 2:6; 5:9–10; 15:14; 19:5; 25:8; 30:8; 33:7; 35:1; 38:4; 40:1, 2; 41:4; 43:4; 48:4; 52:1. 10th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Midrash Rabbah: Exodus. Translated by S. M. Lehrman. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2. - Solomon ibn GabirolSolomon ibn GabirolSolomon ibn Gabirol, also Solomon ben Judah , was an Andalucian Hebrew poet and Jewish philosopher with a Neoplatonic bent. He was born in Málaga about 1021; died about 1058 in Valencia.-Biography:...
. A Crown for the King, 14:167–68. Spain, 11th Century. Translated by David R. Slavitt, 22–23. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-511962-2.
- RashiRashiShlomo Yitzhaki , or in Latin Salomon Isaacides, and today generally known by the acronym Rashi , was a medieval French rabbi famed as the author of a comprehensive commentary on the Talmud, as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh...
. Commentary. Deuteronomy 33–34. TroyesTroyesTroyes is a commune and the capital of the Aube department in north-central France. It is located on the Seine river about southeast of Paris. Many half-timbered houses survive in the old town...
, France, late 11th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Rashi. The Torah: With Rashi’s Commentary Translated, Annotated, and Elucidated. Translated and annotated by Yisrael Isser Zvi Herczeg, 5:371–403. Brooklyn: Mesorah Publications, 1997. ISBN 0-89906-030-7. - Numbers RabbahNumbers RabbahNumbers Rabbah is a religious text holy to classical Judaism. It is a midrash comprising a collection of ancient rabbinical homiletic interpretations of the book of Numbers ....
1:12; 2:7, 10; 3:6; 8:9; 10:8; 11:2; 12:1, 3–4, 9; 13:4, 8, 15–18, 20; 14:1, 4, 9–10; 15:12–13, 18; 19:9, 13; 20:4; 22:9. 12th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., Midrash Rabbah: Numbers. Translated by Judah J. Slotki. London: Soncino Press, 1939. ISBN 0-900689-38-2. - Esther RabbahEsther RabbahEsther Rabbah is the midrash to the Book of Esther in the current Midrash editions. From its plan and scope it is apparently an incomplete collection from the rich haggadic material furnished by the comments on the scroll of Esther, which has been read since early times at the public service on...
7:11, 13; 10:4. - Song of Songs Rabbah 1:13, 49, 56; 3:19, 23; 4:8, 17; 5:7, 9, 15; 7:12.
- Lamentations RabbahLamentations RabbahThe Midrash on Lamentations or Eichah Rabbah , like Bereshit Rabbah and the Pesiḳta ascribed to Rab Kahana, belongs to the oldest works of the Midrashic literature. It begins with 36 consecutive proems forming a separate collection, certainly made by the author of the Midrash...
2:6; 3:1, 22. - Ecclesiastes RabbahEcclesiastes RabbahEcclesiastes Rabbah or Kohelet Rabbah is an haggadic commentary on Ecclesiastes, included in the collection of the Midrash Rabbot. It follows the Biblical book verse by verse, only a few verses remaining without comment. In the list of the old sedarim for the Bible four sedarim are assigned to...
4:7; 10:5, 20. - ZoharZoharThe Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...
1:6b, 10a, 70a, 163a, 170b, 185b, 192b, 198a, 200b, 227b, 235a, 236a–b, 238b, 241b, 244b, 246b; 2:27a, 81a, 82a, 84a, 89a, 90b, 131a, 135a, 166b, 206b, 215a; 3:14a, 104b, 192a. Spain, late 13th Century. Reprinted in, e.g., The Zohar. Translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon. 5 vols. London: Soncino Press, 1934.
Modern
- Thomas HobbesThomas HobbesThomas Hobbes of Malmesbury , in some older texts Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy...
. LeviathanLeviathan (book)Leviathan or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Common Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil — commonly called simply Leviathan — is a book written by Thomas Hobbes and published in 1651. Its name derives from the biblical Leviathan...
, 3:33, 34, 42. England, 1651. Reprint edited by C. B. MacphersonC. B. MacphersonCrawford Brough Macpherson O.C. M.Sc. D. Sc. was an influential Canadian political scientist who taught political theory at the University of Toronto.-Life:...
, 417, 433, 521–22. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Classics, 1982. ISBN 0140431950. - Moses MendelssohnMoses MendelssohnMoses Mendelssohn was a German Jewish philosopher to whose ideas the renaissance of European Jews, Haskalah is indebted...
. JerusalemJerusalem (Mendelssohn)Jerusalem or On Religious Power and Judaism is the title of a book written by Moses Mendelssohn, which was first published in 1783 – the same year, when the Prussian officer Christian Wilhelm von Dohm published the second part of his Mémoire Concerning the amelioration of the civil status of the...
, § 2. Berlin, 1783. Reprinted in Jerusalem: Or on Religious Power and Judaism. Translated by Allan Arkush; introduction and commentary by Alexander AltmannAlexander AltmannAlexander Altmann was an Orthodox Jewish scholar and rabbi born in Kassa, Austria-Hungary, today Košice, Slovakia. He emigrated to England in 1938 and later settled in the United States, working productively for a decade and a half as a professor within the Philosophy Department at Brandeis...
, 123. Hanover, N.H.: Brandeis Univ. Press, 1983. ISBN 0-87451-264-6. - Emily DickinsonEmily DickinsonEmily Elizabeth Dickinson was an American poet. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to a successful family with strong community ties, she lived a mostly introverted and reclusive life...
. Poem 112 (Where bells no more affright the morn —). Circa 1859. Poem 168 (If the foolish, call them "flowers" —). Circa 1860. Poem 597 (It always felt to me — a wrong). Circa 1862. Poem 1733 (No man saw awe, nor to his house). 19th Century. In The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Edited by Thomas H. Johnson, 53, 79–80, 293–94, 703. New York: Little, Brown & Co., 1960. ISBN 0-316-18414-4.
- Thomas MannThomas MannThomas Mann was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and 1929 Nobel Prize laureate, known for his series of highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novellas, noted for their insight into the psychology of the artist and the intellectual...
. Joseph and His BrothersJoseph and His BrothersJoseph and His Brothers is a four-part novel by Thomas Mann, written over the course of 16 years. Mann retells the familiar stories of Genesis, from Jacob to Joseph , setting it in the historical context of the Amarna Period...
. Translated by John E. WoodsJohn E. WoodsJohn E. Woods is a translator who specializes in translating German literature, since about 1978. His work includes much of the fictional prose of Arno Schmidt and the works of contemporary authors such as Ingo Schulze and Christoph Ransmayr...
, 788. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005. ISBN 1-4000-4001-9. Originally published as Joseph und seine Brüder. Stockholm: Bermann-Fischer Verlag, 1943. - Morris Adler. The World of the Talmud, 40. B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundations, 1958. Reprinted Kessinger Publishing, 2007. ISBN 0548080003.
- Martin BuberMartin BuberMartin Buber was an Austrian-born Jewish philosopher best known for his philosophy of dialogue, a form of religious existentialism centered on the distinction between the I-Thou relationship and the I-It relationship....
. On the Bible: Eighteen studies, 80–92. New York: Schocken Books, 1968. - Jeffrey H. Tigay. The JPS Torah Commentary: Deuteronomy: The Traditional Hebrew Text with the New JPS Translation, 317–40, 519–25. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1996. ISBN 0-8276-0330-4.
- William H.C. Propp. “Why Moses Could Not Enter The Promised Land.” Bible ReviewBible ReviewBible Review was a publication that sought to connect the academic study of the Bible to a broad general audience. Covering both the Old and New Testaments, Bible Review presented critical and historical interpretations of biblical texts, and “reader-friendly Biblical scholarship” from 1985 to...
. 14 (3) (June 1998). - Alan Lew. This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation, 226. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 2003. ISBN 0-316-73908-1.
- Suzanne A. Brody. “These Blessings.” In Dancing in the White Spaces: The Yearly Torah Cycle and More Poems, 112. Shelbyville, Kentucky: Wasteland Press, 2007. ISBN 1-60047-112-9.
- Esther JungreisEsther JungreisEsther Jungreis is the founder of the international Hineni movement in America. A Holocaust survivor, she has made it her life's mission to bring back Jews to Orthodox Judaism.-Biography:...
. Life Is a Test, 266. Brooklyn: Shaar Press, 2007. ISBN 1-4226-0609-0.
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