The Final Chapter

Here is the final and eighth chapter, BaMidbar, of Torah. The remaining parts of Torah are "d'rabbanan". There are three parts of "d'rabbanan" discernable: Sefer Devarim, the book of Holiness (Vayikra 17-26), and the rest of difference between the eight chapters, and the Torah as we know it.

Shemot

From Sefer Shemot, three chapters, for Chag Shavuot:

Mitzrayim
Giluyim
Covenant

Still one to come, BaMidbar, on Sefer BaMidbar.

Chodesh Tov, Shabbat Shalom, and Chag Sameach!

Four Chapters

All of Sefer Bereshit, in four chapters, for Chag Shavuot:

Toledot HaShamayim v'HaAretz
Avraham
Yitzchak and Yaakov
Yisrael

The first two have been mentioned before. The third and fourth have less dramatic changes, but still there are changes. The third chapter is until the final separation from Edom, the fourth is about Yisrael only, until the end of Sefer Bereshit.

On Shavuot, we think about Ruth. I think about Tuv too. May the above links be helpful.

Chag Sameach!

Zadok ben Achituv

There was a shoemaker from Divon, and he was called Tuv, as he did good all his life. He came to Chevron and settled there. Tuv made shoes and uttered wisdom and became loved by all. He became old, and a girl called Chemed came to care for him. Tuv did not come near her, and he became very old. One night he shivered from cold, and Chemed came to keep him warm, and he came to her. That night, Tuv died. Chemed gave birth to a son, Achituv. He was the father of Zadok ben Achituv, who was chosen by David.

See, the priest is chosen by the king. He chose one from the Levite city of Chevron, because life led him there.

The above story I made up, and its message is hopefully clear. Divon is close to Chevron, but it is in Moav. When a king will come, and will choose a Cohen, then we will have one.

The Tent of Shem

Ruth the Moabite went with Naomi, and it says that "Ruth clinged to her." She was following the progenitor of her nation of whom it says, "Lot went with him," with Abraham. Lot and Ruth come to realize Noach's blessing that "Yafeth will dwell in the tents of Shem." The case of Ruth shows that the blessing Davka refers to the places of power. That is the tent of Shem. Don't think "Moavi" and not "Moavit,", that law came to stop a prevalent matter. The Moavi and the Ammoni, they "went with him," because of Noach's blessing.

The tent of Shem once was the kingship, Malchut. Then the tent became the priesthood, the background of the sadducees, the J2 cohanim. That did not end well. In our time, the tent of Shem are the positions of power in Medinat Yisrael, and, to lesser degree, the rabbanut. Beware, be careful, but know that it will end well. Ruth was sincere, as was Lot. Yafeth will sincerely dwell in the tents of Shem.

Tonight is Yom Yerushalayim. Julius Wellhausen was born on this date, 170 years ago, 104 years before the rise of the Medina. I imagine he would have liked this Dvar Torah.

Avraham and Lot

In the document about Avraham, find the life of Avraham, son of Shem, and Lot, son of Yafeth. Two chapters are not included, Bereshit 17 (about the Brit Mila) and 23 (about buying the burying plot in Chevron), and a relatively small number of verses are similarly omitted, because of the priestly editor.

Lot is described as fathering Moab and Ammon. Avraham gets from HaShem a very important promise regarding the land, around which everything circles. Avraham's sons divide into two groups. From Sarah his wife, almost taken by the Egyptian Paraoh, there is Yitzchak, his miraculous son, who almost was not born, and almost died prematurely. Yitzchak finds his wife Rivka in a special, almost supernatural, fashion. Yitzchak and Rivka are the subject of the next Torah chapter. And there is Yishmael, as well as other brothers, who are described as taking hold from near Mitsrayim to near Assyria.

Shem and Yafeth

In Toledot HaShamayim v'HaAretz you will find how (what remains of) Parshat Noach is a perfect ending of the story. Noach brought two things to the world. He called upon the Name of HaShem, and brought sacrifices to Him, and he was the first to plant a vineyard. The Mabul, the flood, you will not find in the above document. It is largely an invention of the priestly editor, and that which seemingly is not, drowned in it. The end of the Toledot HaShamayim v'HaAretz concerns Shem and Yafeth, the J1 and J2 haplo-types, in modern parlance.

Shabbat Shalom

Ever wondered about Shabbat being a remembrance of both Ma'aseh Bereshit and Yetsiat Mitsrayim? Here is an answer: there are two Kiddushim.

We see the Shabbat as the Yom Echad of Creation. Therefore it is natural, during Kiddush at the beginning of Shabbat, to emphasize Ma'aseh Bereshit, as we do. At the 15th hour, however, it becomes natural to emphasize Yetsiat Mitsrayim, as we do. Currently, this is about 11.00 in the morning. Shabbat Shalom!

Complete Reconstruction

Here is a complete reconstruction of Parashat Bereshit, or Toldot HaShamayim v'HaAretz. In addition to what we said earlier, the birth of Noach was changed. Noach is restored to be a pure descendant of Kain. The settings of the next Parasha, Parshat Noach, are clear. All of mankind are descendants of the murderous Kain, but if you are Noach and Na'amah you will be blessed. Birth is not "kovea," as Lemech said, and this the priestly editor wanted suppressed. It is a Mashal, obviously.

וַיֹּאמֶר לֶמֶךְ לְנָשָׁיו, עָדָה וְצִלָּה שְׁמַעַן קוֹלִי--נְשֵׁי לֶמֶךְ, הַאְזֵנָּה אִמְרָתִי: כִּי אִישׁ הָרַגְתִּי לְפִצְעִי, וְיֶלֶד לְחַבֻּרָתִי. כִּי שִׁבְעָתַיִם, יֻקַּם-קָיִן; וְלֶמֶךְ, שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָה. וַיּוֹלֶד, בֵּן, וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמוֹ נֹחַ, לֵאמֹר: זֶה יְנַחֲמֵנוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂנוּ, וּמֵעִצְּבוֹן יָדֵינוּ, מִן-הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר אֵרְרָהּ יְהוָה; אָז הוּחַל, לִקְרֹא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה

The truth was replaced, and it will be restored. It is being restored. But understand that HaShem had to agree, in measure. For as long as the Galut would last, that is, until, at latest, 5796.

Sheshet Yamim

Why did the priestly editor add the six days of Creation to the Torah? It was no doubt because of a Sevara, a piece of logic. See, Am Yisrael was already obligated to keep the Shabbat. For instance, we read in Shemot 34:21:

שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲבֹד, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי תִּשְׁבֹּת; בֶּחָרִישׁ וּבַקָּצִיר, תִּשְׁבֹּת

and in Exodus 23:12:

שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תַּעֲשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂיךָ, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי תִּשְׁבֹּת--לְמַעַן יָנוּחַ, שׁוֹרְךָ וַחֲמֹרֶךָ, וְיִנָּפֵשׁ בֶּן-אֲמָתְךָ, וְהַגֵּר

Perhaps the people were lax about Shabbat observance, and they needed, in the eyes of the priestly editor, an additional reason for keeping the Shabbat. If the people had to have one day of rest after working for six days, is it not logical that HaShem did the same thing in Creation?

After it was added to the account of Creation, other instances of Sheshet Yamim (Shemot 20:9, 31:17) were added to passages in the Torah, to suggest that just like HaShem worked six days and rested on the seventh day, so should the Jew. The priestly editor likely had great success, the Torah became much more convincing.

But, really, prior to the priestly editor, the truth was opposite. The priestly editor, hopefully with the best of intentions, added a layer of Sheker to the Torah.

Interestingly, davka the verses by the priestly editor are said in the Kiddushim for Shabbat. On Shabbat eve we recite what is written on the seventh day of Creation. On the Shabbat day we (not if you follow the GR"A) recite davka the problematic verses Shemot 20:9 and Shemot 31:17. Download from here my repair of the Kiddushim, which involves the above two verses on the Shabbat day and the reconstruction of the beginning of Torah on Shabbat eve. Of course, we have in mind this view of the Shabbat: Rather than emulating the resting of HaShem, we contemplate about what HaShem does in the world.

The Beginning of the Torah

In Bereshit 2:4 it says

אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ, בְּהִבָּרְאָם: בְּיוֹם, עֲשׂוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים--אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם

This has two sentences in one verse. The second is slightly ill-formed. Moreover, the first sentence announces something that is not coming up. Rather, what is announced was edited out, by the priestly editor. The original version must have been:

אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ, בְּהִבָּרְאָם: בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ. וְהָאָרֶץ, הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, וְחֹשֶׁךְ, עַל-פְּנֵי תְהוֹם; וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים, מְרַחֶפֶת עַל-פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם. וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים, יְהִי אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר. וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת-הָאוֹר, כִּי-טוֹב; וַיַּבְדֵּל אֱלֹהִים, בֵּין הָאוֹר וּבֵין הַחֹשֶׁךְ. וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָאוֹר יוֹם, וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ קָרָא לָיְלָה; וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר, יוֹם אֶחָד. וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ, וְכָל-צְבָאָם, בְּיוֹם, עֲשׂוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים--אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם:

The priestly editor changed things around to have Creation last seven days. But it still says Yom Echad, not Yom Rishon. The editor felt free to insert, to reorder, not to change the wording of authorative text. Also, the editor left a mark, the letter ה in בְּהִבָּרְאָם is written smaller. The above is the beginning of the Torah, לעניות דעתי, L'Aniut Da'ati, prior to the priestly revolution.

Zerubavel

When did the priestly revolution happen? Between Zerubavel and Ezra, it happened. Two branches existed at the time of Zerubavel, the kingdom for Zerubavel and the (high) priesthood for Yehoshua. And we read:

"'On that day,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'I will take you, my servant Zerubavel son of Shealtiel,' declares the LORD, 'and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,' declares the LORD Almighty." (Chagai 2:23)

However, after that the branch of priesthood, Ezra, took all the power, and prophecy was halted. One goes up if the other goes down. And the crack has been heard, the crack in the branch of Ezra. A crack to make place for the other branch, for David, for Zerubavel.

And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a twig shall grow forth out of his roots. (Yeshaya 11:1)

The New Torah

A new Torah will be constructed, in Zion. It will (undo the priestly revolution, but it will) use sources of the old Torah, as well as modern Science. It will have Bereshit 15 as a contribution of Yisrael, and it will have Shmemot 27:20, as a contribution of Yehuda. The new Torah will be the Truth, for all of mankind. B'Ezrat HaShem, with the help of Heaven.

The Priestly Revolution

Divrei HaYamim is a layer of Tenach that needs an explanation. It has very little to add, except the things that we saw: a different view of King David, and a different view on who are the Priests. It is a priestly source, written by a priest, in the beginning of Bayit Sheni.

The book is seemingly necessary to finish off a revolution, the priestly revolution. The priestly revolution merges two peoples into one, the northern kingdom and the southern kingdom, Yisrael and Yehuda. To put it simple, it wanted to merge, in modern jargon, the J1 and J2 haplotypes. This was done by a merge of the holy books of Yisrael and Yehuda, by the work of what is called the P editor of the Torah. The merge necessitates the merging of the priesthoods, the task of Divrei HaYamim.

P took, roughly, what is now Bereshit 1 to 14 from the books of Yehuda. History in Yisrael started more or less with the story of Avraham, Yitschak and Yaakov, which was largely unknown in Yehuda. The story of Yetsiat Mitsraim was taken from both Yisrael and Yehuda, as both had a version. The priestly source added a lot of material about the sons of Aharon, about the rituals they were to do. The result is what we call the Torah.

Unity is worthy cause. The merging of holy books may be defended. But the addition of lots of material is not defendable. Falsehood obviously is not the way to achieve truth. Therefore, the priestly revolution failed. It must fail.

Divrei HaYamim

In Divrei HaYamim I:24 verses 3 and 6, we read the following:

"And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service."

And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

This is to make the house of Zadok into descendents of Aharon, thus making Zadok kosher. Before, Zadok is simply called the Cohen (Melachim I:4), or the Cohen of the Bnei Levi (Ezechiel 40,43,44,48). Note that it is not the first time that I found Divrei HaYamim to do this contemptible thing. This is what I meant by "those, in the religious politics of the time," who committed "utter falsehood," and who would have both groups come from Aharon, one from his son Elazar and one from Itamar his son.

It is an attempt to make reality subject to "the truth", but the truth is that the truth different. J1 and J2 cohanim are, in reality, incompatable, but their being the nucleus of Am Yisrael, that puts us rightly in Middle East.

Now, there is a further background to "the truth" of Divrei HaYamim. B'Ezrat HaShem, this "truth" and its background will be the subject of subsequent posts.

Question to Dov Stein

Before going further, I asked Rav Dov Stein the following question.

At http://www.thesanhedrin.org/en/index.php?title=Korban_Pesach_in_our_time:_Questions_and_Answers, Rav Dov Stein relates to the question:

How do we know that we have someone who is really a Cohen (Priest)? Is it important?

He answers:

There are alive today Cohanim with a documented tradition of lineage that is both reliable and verified.

Please ask Rav Stein whether these Cohanim are of Y-chromosomal haplotype J1 or of Y-chromosomal haplotype J2. It would seem that at most one of the two can be descendents of Aharon the Cohen.

Soldiers of the Truth

The following scientific fact is one that many "soldiers of the truth" treat with sudden silence, because I assume it is deemed too painful a subject. The subject of discussion are the haplogroups of Y-chromosome of the priestly class, the Cohanim. Roughly speaking, the results are as follows. A big minority of cohanim are a family that could be from Aharon HaCohen. This group belongs to a subclade of the haplogroup J1. A smaller minority are a family that could also be from Aharon HaCohen. The second group belongs to a subclade of haplogroup J2. However, the two groups have a common ancestor who lived more that 20,000 years ago. Therefore, one of the two groups cannot possibly be from Aharon.

The historical reality is pretty clear. The Zadokites, or Zadokim, or Sadducees, are one family, and the other Cohanim are the other family. Probably the Zadokim are from J2, and the other cohanim are from J1. There were those, in the religious politics of the time, who would have both groups come from Aharon, one from his son Elazar and one from Itamar his son. This is utter falsehood. It took a while, but the deceit has been caught.