Hashem G-d of Truth

Many religious Jews feel that they cannot go for the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, because to them it means giving up Jewish tradition, and proper spiritual life. This is the paradox of religious life, and the reason why there are so many "Chiloni" Jews. Hence, most religious Jews "despise" truth and knowledge, meaning the full truth, which is Keter in Kabbalistic terminology, and try to settle for Chochma. Going from Chochma to Keter is like a crossing a wild river if one cannot swim, too far for most. The transition involves reversing oneself, giving oneself over to Hashem G-d of Truth (Yeremyahu 10:10), in truth.

כי אתה הדעת מאסת

Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Fragments of Hoshea 4-6.

A Thought For Pesach

From Tehilim 118:

The stone which the builders despised
has become the cornerstone!
This has emanated from Hashem,
it is wondrous in our eyes.

The builders do not take time to think about things, they build. They know about the "professors," the "academics," who are only making things up. Who takes them serious?

We are in the building phase. The cornerstone that we found is the truth, the Torah of Hashem. That is enough, and, besides, we know the builders. They build as they must.

כי אתה הדעת מאסת

(Hoshea 4:6)

Chag Sameach!

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה

I have finished preparing the 160 Perakim of the "Minhag Kadum", of 160 words each, on average. I scheduled them to appear on Sunday mornings. The only exceptions are the Perakim 157-160, which will appear in the course of the week before Nissan 1, 5778, as this is a normal, short, instance of "three years," of 37 months. In the case of an instance of 38 months, the Perakim 157-160 are to be used in the extra month. Of course, after Perek 160, Perek 1 is read, in the week before Nissan 1, starting the new cycle.

Preparing the 160 Perakim gave me a chance to validate the decisions I made, comparing them with Richard Elliott Friedman's latest book; an experience which left me very happy.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה

The Historical Truth

We have stated that the Halacha is according to J, as opposed to E. The case is similar to the case of Beit Hillel and Beit Shammai. Beit Hillel ruled only after considering Beit Shammai, and therefore the Halacha is according to Beit Hillel. However, if you are looking for the absolute truth of a matter, consider Beit Shammai.

Is it not strange that such differences of opinion exists between J and E? Is it not a sign that Yetziat Mitzrayim and the wanderings through the Midbar did not happen? My answer is that of course "it happened." However, the differences of opinion do point to something. Yetziat Mitzrayim happened to (ancestors of) E, and the wanderings through the Midbar happened to (ancestors of) J. And the ancestors of E were different from the ancestors of J!

In other words, if you are looking for the historical truth of Yetziat Mitzrayim, look in the sources of E. If you are looking for the historical truth of the wanderings through the Midbar, look in the sources of J. You have to look deep, though.

Warnings

The prophet Jeremyahu (7:22) warns:

For I did not speak with your fathers and I did not command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Mitzrayim about matters of offering and sacrifice.

And the prophet Yeshayahu (1:11) said similarly:

Hear the word of Hashem, rulers of Sedom: give ear to the Torah of our God, you people of Amora. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? says Hashem.

The Torah of Hashem, is not the Torah of Ezra. Rather, the Torah of Hashem is the Torah Kedumah.

A sad and bitter voice, indeed.

Some Edits Undone

Some edits, by an editor related to P, which bothered me, are undone in the below two (similar) fragments, from Yeremyahu 3:14-17 and 23:3-4. The text flows without them.

שׁוּבוּ בָנִים שׁוֹבָבִים נְאֻם-יְהוָה, כִּי אָנֹכִי בָּעַלְתִּי בָכֶם; וְלָקַחְתִּי אֶתְכֶם אֶחָד מֵעִיר, וּשְׁנַיִם מִמִּשְׁפָּחָה, וְהֵבֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם, צִיּוֹן. וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם רֹעִים, כְּלִבִּי; וְרָעוּ אֶתְכֶם, דֵּעָה וְהַשְׂכֵּיל. בָּעֵת הַהִיא, יִקְרְאוּ לִירוּשָׁלִַם כִּסֵּא יְהוָה, וְנִקְווּ אֵלֶיהָ כָל-הַגּוֹיִם לְשֵׁם יְהוָה, לִירוּשָׁלִָם; וְלֹא-יֵלְכוּ עוֹד--אַחֲרֵי, שְׁרִרוּת לִבָּם הָרָע

וַאֲנִי, אֲקַבֵּץ אֶת-שְׁאֵרִית צֹאנִי, מִכֹּל הָאֲרָצוֹת, אֲשֶׁר-הִדַּחְתִּי אֹתָם שָׁם; וַהֲשִׁבֹתִי אֶתְהֶן עַל-נְוֵהֶן. וַהֲקִמֹתִי עֲלֵיהֶם רֹעִים, וְרָעוּם; וְלֹא-יִירְאוּ עוֹד וְלֹא-יֵחַתּוּ וְלֹא יִפָּקֵדוּ, נְאֻם-יְהוָה

The Flood Story of D

There was a time that the Torah Kedumah was combined with D and the Deuteronomistic history books. At that time, the following was added to the Torah Kedumah. It was likely a response to P, the competing priestly Torah, with H, the holiness code, being the competitor of D.

And Hashem said to Noah, "Come, you and all your household, into an ark, for I have seen you as virtuous in front of me in this generation. Of all the pure animals, take seven pairs, male and female, and of the animals that are not pure, two, male and female. Also of the birds of the skies seven pairs, male and female, to keep the seed alive on the face of the earth. "Because in seven more days I will rain on the earth, forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe out all of the substance that I have made from on the face of the earth." And Noah did according to all that Hashem had commanded him. And Noah and his sons and his wife and his son's wives with him came to the ark from before the waters of the flood. And seven days later the waters of the flood were on the earth. And there was rain on the earth, forty days and forty nights. And Hashem closed it for him.

And the flood was on the earth for forty days, and the waters multiplied and raised the ark, and it was lifted from the earth. And the water grew strong and multiplied very much on the earth, and the ark went on the face of the waters. And the waters had grown very, very strong on the earth, so they covered all the high mountains under the entire heavens. Fifteen cubits above, the waters grew stronger, and they covered the mountains. Everything that had breathing spirit of life in its nostrils, everything that was on the ground, died. And He wiped out all of the substance that was on the face of the earth, from human to animal to creeping thing and to birds of the skies, and they were wiped out from the earth, and just Noah and those who were with him in the ark were left.

And the rain was restrained from the skies. And the waters went back from the earth, going back continually. And it was at the end of forty days, and Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made. And he let a dove go from him to see whether the waters had eased from the face of the earth. And the dove did not find a resting place for its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for waters were on the face of the earth, and he put out his hand and took it brought it to him to the ark. And he waited still another seven days, and he again let a dove go from the ark. And the dove came to him at evening time, and there was an olive leaf torn off in its mouth, and Noah knew that the waters had eased from the earth. And he waited still another seven days, and he let a dove go, and it did not come back to him ever again. And Noah turned back the covering of the ark and looked, and saw that the face of the earth had dried.

About the phenomenon of competing Torahs, the prophet fulminated:

אֵיכָה תֹאמְרוּ חֲכָמִים אֲנַחְנוּ וְתוֹרַת יְהוָה אִתָּנוּ אָכֵן הִנֵּה לַשֶּׁקֶר עָשָׂה עֵט שֶׁקֶר סֹפְרִים

(Yeremyahu 8:8)

A Minhag Kadum

We propose to kind of reestablish a Minhag Kadum, in the separate blog, by having a background reading of the Torah Kedumah, which is the Torah of Yetsira, being as much from the left as from the right, starting at the beginning of Nissan, until the end of Adar (Beth) three years later, i.e., a triennial cycle. The reading of the Torah Kedumah takes maximally 38 months, which is 160 weeks, and then the cycle starts anew.

As noted before, the Torah Kedumah, the Torah of the world of Yetsira, has 25600 real words, which is 100*2^8, which is 160*160 (noting that 160=5*2^5).

Therefore, the natural division of the Torah Kedumah is in units of 160 words, and there are 160 readings of this kind!

There are two instances of long three years of 38 months, in 57 years. The other three years are all normal, 37 months. In a normal cycle, we read the final batch of readings the last Shabbat of Adar (Beth). In a long cycle, of 38 months, there is no such need.

We will post the weekly readings, every week, with a translation into English. The format of a post that contains a reading is Kedumah N (X) Y, where N is the index and goes from 1 to 160, and X is the number of words until now, that is, by approximation X = 160*N. The value of Y is the exact number of words in the reading, being around 160. A reference to a reading has the form Kedumah n: y, which shall mean word number y of Kedumah n.

Finally, the closed paragraph sign is represented by a new line. and open paragragh sign by a new line plus a carriage return, that is, by an open, blank, line.

An Extraordinary Question

This is a reply to an extraordinary question, by Yosef: "According to the chart, Yovel years have had absolutely no relevance vis a vis Jewish historical events.... until the last century? Seems like a stretch to suddenly accord two coincidences out of three millennia with such significance."

The secret is in what we have dubbed the count of Chesed. There are three contributors to the count of Chesed. First, there is a cycle of 12 years, then there is a cycle of 19 years, then there is a cycle of 49 years. What follows is a summary.

When does the cycle of 19 years start? In 5309, after a Tikkun of the Arizal, and after which the secular breakthrough started. This breakthrough had many scientific consequences, but its ultimate political consequence was the estabishment of the Jewish State, the secular Jewish State. This is a Tikkun, because in the centuries before the Churban, Israel had a State, but it was steeped in Avodah Zarah. The Avodah Zarah was the real reason for the Churban, though this reason is never mentioned. Still, it had the teachings of Moshe as basis, uniquely so, and the long exile was a consequence, a positive consequence.

After the Tikkun of the secular Jewish State, the cycle of 49 years started as years of Chesed, in the year 5727. That year, 499 and 500 were thus reached, in other words, in the terms of the GR"A, טצ"ץ of the right was reached. There are three טצ"ץ counts, and you can read about them here. In the year 5776, the value 507, of the right, is reached. It is the beginning of a process of clarification regarding the nature of the Jewish State, which will avoid the trap of Avodah Zarah, but which will, of course, not stay secular.

Avodah of Aharon

The text of this week's Parasha, which is being read next week, is quite likely one of the latest to have entered the Divine document, authored by J. It has J's protest, the actions of Moshe, against the Avodah of Aharon. However, Aharon merely adapted himself to the nation, to its desire for a natural religion.

Therefore, he, P, took "gold" from various sources, from Edom, from Mitzraim, from Bavel, and constructed a religion that was acceptable to the nation, based on the writings of Moshe, which were altered a little, by "Moshe." Aharon did this Avodah in a reversible fashion, with great Chochmah. This is the work of P and the redactor R, the sons of Aharon, and is encoded by J, in our Parasha.

ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך כתית למאור להעלת נר תמיד

It is a tradition by now to mention the first Pasuk of Parshat Tetzaveh in the week that it is read. Let me do it a bit differently this time, and start with a different Pasuk, which we also saw, Bereshit 15:9.

This Pasuk mentions three sacrifices, the Eglah Meshuleshet, the Ez Meshuleshet, and the Ayil Meshulash, which correspond to three three-fold "wars" in our time.

The first instance of this, the war of independence, was "predicted" to be related to טצ"ץ, in the sense that the gematria of the date is 999. Indeed, year 5708 is the year that 999/2 was reached by the exile count.

Likewise, the other great wars, the six-day war of 5727, and the Yom Kippur war of 5734 were טצ"ץ wars.

In short, all of the above wars were in the years in which the three counts, the exile count, the count of Din, and the count of Chesed, reached the value 999/2. This is Eglah Meshuleshet.

The three counts reach 507 in accordance with the first Pasuk of this week's Parasha. It contains the number 507, ז"ך, along side three numbers כ"ת, י"ת, זי"ת. These numbers, seen as years that elapsed since the year 5366, exactly fit the years in which 507 is reached by the three counts. This is Ez Meshuleshet.

Regarding Ayil Meshulash, see this post.

A Masoretic Note

The document of the Torah has 26000 words, 26*1000. May they be One in the Hands of HaShem. Out of the 26000 words, 400 are paragraph markers. That leaves 25600 real words, or 100*2^8. May they be One in Your Hands.

Glaring Differences

E stresses the plagues in Mitzraim, J does not know about these plagues. J stresses the wanderings through the Desert, E does not know about these wanderings. J has the people eat Manna, but E has them eat only cakes from Mitzraim. Do E and J agree on anything? They agree that Moshe went up to Har Sinai, the mountain of G-d. They agree that there was a calamity before that, but then again, they differ regarding the details. J says there was a calamity from HaShem; E has a calamity through human actors, the Bnei Levi. Both agree, that they came from Mitzraim, and both agree that Moshe could not handle the people alone, although they differ on the details of that. J says that there was a Divine command to institute the Sanhedrin; E has Yitro coming along with his human advice.

But Moshe went up, both agree. To meet HaShem.

This seems to be somewhat different in Sefer Bereshit. Regarding Yosef, for instance. Both E and J agree that Yosef was brought to Mitzraim, that he rose to a position of power, that he tested his brothers, and that they were reunited. The same basic story is told, seen through different glasses.

The point is that the editor of the combined "work" of E and J was not bothered by the differences. To the contrary, it seems that the editor loved them. Moshe went up, and from up there, there are no differences. But from down here, the differences proved too glaring to be tolerated. Hence P came, "Aharon," and covered it all up, with his editing pen, and with his Avodah Zarah, the molten calf.

They exclaimed: "This is your god, Israel, which brought you up from the land Mitzraim." And Aharon called out and said: "A festival to HaShem tomorrow!" Moshe said to Aharon: "What did this people do to you, that you brought a grievous sin upon it." Aharon said: "Let not my master's anger flare up. You know that the people is disposed towards evil." That is, towards a natural religion. So I said to them, "Who has gold?" Golden stories, which they want to believe. "I threw it in the fire, and this calf emerged."

Numberless Multitude

How many people were standing at Har Sinai? The answer is hidden from us. According to J, the nation was originally 600,000 people, but afterwards, yet before Har Sinai, died Am Rav, a large multitude, from Israel. According to E, the disaster was less, 3000 people died, but no number is given from which to subtract it. A mixed multitude was among them, according to E. And E tells us that the nation was still Rav, a multitude, in the eyes of Moav. However, if one would want a number, there is no answer. Israel was a numberless multitude, but, according to J, substantially fewer than 600,000 people.

Another Move/Merge

This paragraph, from BaMidbar 21, is not in its proper place:

וַתִּקְצַר נֶפֶשׁ-הָעָם, בַּדָּרֶךְ. וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם, בֵּאלֹהִים וּבְמֹשֶׁה, לָמָה הֶעֱלִיתֻנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר: כִּי אֵין לֶחֶם, וְאֵין מַיִם, וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה, בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל. וַיְשַׁלַּח יְהוָה בָּעָם, אֵת הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים, וַיְנַשְּׁכוּ, אֶת-הָעָם; וַיָּמָת עַם-רָב, מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וַיָּבֹא הָעָם אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ חָטָאנוּ, כִּי-דִבַּרְנוּ בַיהוָה וָבָךְ--הִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל-יְהוָה, וְיָסֵר מֵעָלֵינוּ אֶת-הַנָּחָשׁ; וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה, בְּעַד הָעָם. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף, וְשִׂים אֹתוֹ, עַל-נֵס; וְהָיָה, כָּל-הַנָּשׁוּךְ, וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ, וָחָי. וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה נְחַשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת, וַיְשִׂמֵהוּ עַל-הַנֵּס; וְהָיָה, אִם-נָשַׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ אֶת-אִישׁ--וְהִבִּיט אֶל-נְחַשׁ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, וָחָי

And this paragraph needs it:

וַיָּרֶב הָעָם, עִם-מֹשֶׁה, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, תְּנוּ-לָנוּ מַיִם וְנִשְׁתֶּה; וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, מֹשֶׁה, מַה-תְּרִיבוּן עִמָּדִי, מַה-תְּנַסּוּן אֶת-יְהוָה. וַיִּצְמָא שָׁם הָעָם לַמַּיִם, וַיָּלֶן הָעָם עַל-מֹשֶׁה; וַיֹּאמֶר, לָמָּה זֶּה הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, לְהָמִית אֹתִי וְאֶת-בָּנַי וְאֶת-מִקְנַי, בַּצָּמָא. וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָעָם הַזֶּה; עוֹד מְעַט, וּסְקָלֻנִי. וַיַּעֲמֹד מֹשֶׁה, בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה, וַיֹּאמֶר, מִי לַיהוָה אֵלָי; וַיֵּאָסְפוּ אֵלָיו, כָּל-בְּנֵי לֵוִי. וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שִׂימוּ אִישׁ-חַרְבּוֹ, עַל-יְרֵכוֹ; עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ מִשַּׁעַר לָשַׁעַר, בַּמַּחֲנֶה, וְהִרְגוּ אִישׁ-אֶת-אָחִיו וְאִישׁ אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ, וְאִישׁ אֶת-קְרֹבוֹ. וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי-לֵוִי, כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה; וַיִּפֹּל מִן-הָעָם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, כִּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אַלְפֵי אִישׁ. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם הַיּוֹם לַיהוָה, כִּי אִישׁ בִּבְנוֹ, וּבְאָחִיו--וְלָתֵת עֲלֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם, בְּרָכָה. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הָעָם, וְקַח אִתְּךָ, מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וּמַטְּךָ, אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת-הַיְאֹר--קַח בְּיָדְךָ, וְהָלָכְתָּ. הִנְנִי עֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ שָּׁם עַל-הַצּוּר, בְּחֹרֵב, וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר וְיָצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַיִם, וְשָׁתָה הָעָם; וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן מֹשֶׁה, לְעֵינֵי זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם, מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה: עַל-רִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל נַסֹּתָם אֶת-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, הֲיֵשׁ יְהוָה בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ, אִם-אָיִן

And here is the result of the merge. It is naturally divided into three sections, one from J, one from E, one from E and an editor of the combined text. The bold marks the text coming from the above "BaMidbar 21".

וַיָּרֶב הָעָם, עִם-מֹשֶׁה, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, תְּנוּ-לָנוּ מַיִם וְנִשְׁתֶּה; וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, מֹשֶׁה, מַה-תְּרִיבוּן עִמָּדִי, מַה-תְּנַסּוּן אֶת-יְהוָה. וַיְשַׁלַּח יְהוָה בָּעָם, אֵת הַנְּחָשִׁים הַשְּׂרָפִים, וַיְנַשְּׁכוּ, אֶת-הָעָם; וַיָּמָת עַם-רָב, מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל. וַיָּבֹא הָעָם אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ חָטָאנוּ, כִּי-דִבַּרְנוּ בַיהוָה וָבָךְ--הִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל-יְהוָה, וְיָסֵר מֵעָלֵינוּ אֶת-הַנָּחָשׁ; וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל מֹשֶׁה, בְּעַד הָעָם. וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שָׂרָף, וְשִׂים אֹתוֹ, עַל-נֵס; וְהָיָה, כָּל-הַנָּשׁוּךְ, וְרָאָה אֹתוֹ, וָחָי. וַיַּעַשׂ מֹשֶׁה נְחַשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת, וַיְשִׂמֵהוּ עַל-הַנֵּס; וְהָיָה, אִם-נָשַׁךְ הַנָּחָשׁ אֶת-אִישׁ--וְהִבִּיט אֶל-נְחַשׁ הַנְּחֹשֶׁת, וָחָי

וַתִּקְצַר נֶפֶשׁ-הָעָם, בַּדָּרֶךְ. וַיִּצְמָא שָׁם הָעָם לַמַּיִם. וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם, בֵּאלֹהִים וּבְמֹשֶׁה; וַיֹּאמֶר, לָמָּה זֶּה הֶעֱלִיתָנוּ, לְהָמִית אֹתִי וְאֶת-בָּנַי וְאֶת-מִקְנַי, בַּמִּדְבָּר: כִּי אֵין לֶחֶם, וְאֵין מַיִם, וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה, בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל. וַיִּצְעַק מֹשֶׁה אֶל-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָעָם הַזֶּה; עוֹד מְעַט, וּסְקָלֻנִי. וַיַּעֲמֹד מֹשֶׁה, בְּשַׁעַר הַמַּחֲנֶה, וַיֹּאמֶר, מִי לַיהוָה אֵלָי; וַיֵּאָסְפוּ אֵלָיו, כָּל-בְּנֵי לֵוִי. וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם, כֹּה-אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, שִׂימוּ אִישׁ-חַרְבּוֹ, עַל-יְרֵכוֹ; עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ מִשַּׁעַר לָשַׁעַר, בַּמַּחֲנֶה, וְהִרְגוּ אִישׁ-אֶת-אָחִיו וְאִישׁ אֶת-רֵעֵהוּ, וְאִישׁ אֶת-קְרֹבוֹ. וַיַּעֲשׂוּ בְנֵי-לֵוִי, כִּדְבַר מֹשֶׁה; וַיִּפֹּל מִן-הָעָם בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, כִּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אַלְפֵי אִישׁ. וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, מִלְאוּ יֶדְכֶם הַיּוֹם לַיהוָה, כִּי אִישׁ בִּבְנוֹ, וּבְאָחִיו--וְלָתֵת עֲלֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם, בְּרָכָה

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, עֲבֹר לִפְנֵי הָעָם, וְקַח אִתְּךָ, מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וּמַטְּךָ, אֲשֶׁר הִכִּיתָ בּוֹ אֶת-הַיְאֹר--קַח בְּיָדְךָ, וְהָלָכְתָּ. הִנְנִי עֹמֵד לְפָנֶיךָ שָּׁם עַל-הַצּוּר, בְּחֹרֵב, וְהִכִּיתָ בַצּוּר וְיָצְאוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַיִם, וְשָׁתָה הָעָם; וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּן מֹשֶׁה, לְעֵינֵי זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם, מַסָּה וּמְרִיבָה: עַל-רִיב בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל נַסֹּתָם אֶת-יְהוָה לֵאמֹר, הֲיֵשׁ יְהוָה בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ, אִם-אָיִן

I left the third section like it is, although it is clear that originally מַסָּה was the name of the place described in the first section, and מְרִיבָה was the name of the place described in the second section.

Note that this is the fourth serious edit of adjacent parts of the Torah.

Direct Trip To Moav

Unlike what we said in the previous post, "BaMidbar 11" is usually considered part of E. Why? Because, I guess, the reference to the Manna. It says in "BaMidbar 11":

וְעַתָּה נַפְשֵׁנוּ יְבֵשָׁה, אֵין כֹּל--בִּלְתִּי, אֶל-הַמָּן עֵינֵינוּ. וְהַמָּן, כִּזְרַע-גַּד הוּא; וְעֵינוֹ, כְּעֵין הַבְּדֹלַח. שָׁטוּ הָעָם וְלָקְטוּ וְטָחֲנוּ בָרֵחַיִם, אוֹ דָכוּ בַּמְּדֹכָה, וּבִשְּׁלוּ בַּפָּרוּר, וְעָשׂוּ אֹתוֹ עֻגוֹת; וְהָיָה טַעְמוֹ, כְּטַעַם לְשַׁד הַשָּׁמֶן. וּבְרֶדֶת הַטַּל עַל-הַמַּחֲנֶה, לָיְלָה, יֵרֵד הַמָּן, עָלָיו

However, in the beginning of Parshat Vayisu, the E-source says:

וַיִּסְעוּ בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵרַעְמְסֵס, סֻכֹּתָה. וְגַם-עֵרֶב רַב, עָלָה אִתָּם, וְצֹאן וּבָקָר, מִקְנֶה כָּבֵד מְאֹד. וַיֹּאפוּ אֶת-הַבָּצֵק אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, עֻגֹת מַצּוֹת--כִּי לֹא חָמֵץ: כִּי-גֹרְשׁוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ, וְגַם-צֵדָה, לֹא-עָשׂוּ לָהֶם

The question is which עֻגוֹת are the better fit to the E-source text:

וַיְדַבֵּר הָעָם, בֵּאלֹהִים וּבְמֹשֶׁה, לָמָה הֶעֱלִיתֻנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם, לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר: כִּי אֵין לֶחֶם, וְאֵין מַיִם, וְנַפְשֵׁנוּ קָצָה, בַּלֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל

What is לֶּחֶם הַקְּלֹקֵל, the miserable bread? It must refer to the bread that they brought from Mitzrayim. From our point of view, it is obvious. It could not refer to the Manna, because of what we said about Pesach, that the Manna is a notion of J.

And the question raises itself. If Israel had only bread from Mitzrayim, how long can the trip through the Desert have lasted? The answer of E is in its silence. It is silent about the Meraglim, and the punishment. It is silent about Edom, and the neccessity to go around it. It is silent about the wars with the Amorites (BaMidbar 22:2 is from the J-source; Balak is introduced in verse 4), and Sichon, et cetera. What we know is that it took too long for the bread to stay good. It seems that in E, Israel made a direct trip from the Mountain of G-d to Moav.

J's Number

To which author does "BaMidbar 11," which we restored in its proper place, before Parshat Yitro, belong?

Parshat Yitro belongs to E, and rightly so. Only E could write that Yitro came to Har HaElohim, and there are many instances of "Elohim" in this Parasha. Yitro says: "For this matter is too hard for you, you will not be able to do it alone," and he suggests that Moshe appoint leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens.

On the other hand, in "BaMidbar 11" it says: "Gather to Me seventy men from the elders of Israel" and "I will increase some of the spirit that is upon you and place it upon them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, and you shall not bear it alone." See, the problem has been solved already, and much more spiritually!

Therefore, in my opinion, "BaMidbar 11" must be attributed to J. Then, both E and J address, successively, the same problem: Moshe cannot do it alone. Both indicate a solution to the problem. In E, it says that the original suggestion was from Yitro, and J claims that HaShem came up with a solution, the Sanhedrin. Both solutions are mentioned because both have merits.

And the implication is that the number 600,000 for the initial size of Israel, is J's number.

Damim: Blood and Currency Flow

See this, from Rabbi Nachman Kahana.

שֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי, הָעָם

Here is the formulation of the 600,000 Pasuk, which we restored to its original position

וַיֹּאמֶר, מֹשֶׁה, שֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי, הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי בְּקִרְבּוֹ

It "replaces" the phrase

כְּשֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף רַגְלִי הַגְּבָרִים, לְבַד מִטָּף

which, in my understanding, P borrowed from the original Pasuk, and added to the first Pasuk here. There is an important difference between the two formulations. The original Pasuk has that the nation started out as 600,000 people; the copy version has 600,000 men, excluding women, and excluding children. We take it that the change is indicative of an agenda.

הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא

On Pesach we recite,

הָא לַחְמָא עַנְיָא

the bread of affliction, and celebrate it. But the bread of affliction has a background. There were some who said, "give us meat," and their were others who said, "give us water," and it was a source of great strife in Israel.

Know that this is what will be in the financial crisis that awaits us.

Another Move

In between these two edits, I added another one. A whole chapter from Parshat Behaalotcha, BaMidbar 11, was moved to just after the mention of Chag HaMatzot. The reason is the mention of 600,000 men and the Manna in "BaMidbar 11", which fit naturally in the "new" location. The 600,000 men fit P's description of the 600,000 men on foot early on in the Parasha, the mention of the Manna comes just after its introduction. The people complain about the lack of meat in "BaMidbar 11" and also that fits nice. It is moved to just before the people complain about water, and the Levi'im kill 3,000 men. It is assumed that the move to Behaalotcha was done by the same "late" priestly editor that moved the killing of the 3,000 men, and moved Chag HaMatzot. The editor left the mention of 600,000 men on foot, in the beginning of the Parasha, which therefore must be removed once "BaMidbar 11" is restored to its original place.

Passover

Pesach is a Chag for both E and J, especially this year.

E will celebrate that the problems that will affect the world, will not affect us. Moreover, we will note the evil which the nations of the world wanted to do to Israel. They will be forced to back out, because of their problems. The evil will pass-over us, so to say.

And J will celebrate how that will happen, and celebrates the Manna, the food in the Desert. It is through the Divine sustenance in the Desert period, that the hunger will pass-over us.

Trust in HaShem

Pesach as seen by J is the celebration of Divine sustenance, especially in the Desert, i.e., at times that the nations of the world go through a crisis. We know that crises generate progress, through Divine guidance, as the history of life teaches, and as we celebrate on Shabbat. How provident it is, therefore, that the seventh day of Pesach, according to J, is always on Shabbat. So, when you see the financial storm coming, coming close, there is no reason to despair. To the contrary, trust in HaShem!

Mikdash in Space-Time

Regarding the ten commandments, we can read the Pasuk

זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, לְקַדְּשׁו; וְעָשׂוּ לִי, מִקְדָּשׁ; וְשָׁכַנְתִּי, בְּתוֹכָם

as referring to the Mikdash in "time and space," וְשָׁכַנְתִּי, בְּתוֹכָם, in "them," in "four dimensions." How can this be done? By remembering the Shabbat in the dimension of time, זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, לְקַדְּשׁו and by building the Mishkan, וְעָשׂוּ לִי, מִקְדָּשׁ, in three dimensions. That is why the commandment is "plural" and "singular" at once; it refers to the Mikdash in "space-time."

This connection between זָכוֹר אֶת-יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת, לְקַדְּשׁו and וְעָשׂוּ לִי, מִקְדָּשׁ lies behind the Melachot that are forbidden on Shabbat, the time to think about how, indeed, all things and all beings, during all of time, are the Mikdash of יְהוָה.

Pesach and Chag HaMatzot

Did you ever wonder about the relation between Pesach and the Matzot we eat all week? It is clear now: Pesach proper is an E Chag, while Chag HaMatzot is a J Chag. According to J, the Chag lasts a week, a specific week, a week of celebration of the Divine sustenance, in general, and specifically in the Desert. The Matzot resemble the Manna, according to J. According to E, the Chag is one day, when we reenact the Pesach sacrifice. It seems that E also intended the eating of Matzot, as "they could not be leavened" (Shemot 12:34,39), as we cite on Seder Night. There is no explicit date for this day, in E, but it makes sense to have it in the beginning of Chag HaMatzot, either on the first day, or the day before, the zeroth day. Anyway, this is how we end up with "Pesach" lasting one week, with a Chag to HaShem on the last day, and a Chag on the first day. The importance of the last day of Pesach is not clear to many, as the first day takes all the attention. However, know that the "Halacha" is according to J.

J-stamps of Approval

How are the following Pesukim related?

כִּי-עָצֹר עָצַר יְהוָה, בְּעַד כָּל-רֶחֶם לְבֵית אֲבִימֶלֶךְ, עַל-דְּבַר שָׂרָה, אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָהָם

וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה, מִן-הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר, אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם; וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּנִי. וַיֹּאמֶר, אַל-תִּשְׁלַח יָדְךָ אֶל-הַנַּעַר, וְאַל-תַּעַשׂ לוֹ, מְאוּמָה

וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם שֵׁם-הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא, יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר הַיּוֹם, בְּהַר יְהוָה יֵרָאֶה. וַיִּקְרָא מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה, אֶל-אַבְרָהָם, שֵׁנִית, מִן-הַשָּׁמָיִם. וַיֹּאמֶר, בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי נְאֻם-יְהוָה

וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ, וְכָל-צְבָאָם, בְּיוֹם, עֲשׂוֹת יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים--אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם

They are all Pesukim with the name יְהוָה in a context of a E-story, with the name אֱלֹהִים, that is being adopted into what must be described as the story of J, the Torah. In the first case, it makes an "inclusio" with the words אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָהָם, which confirms our conclusion regarding its proper position. The second and third cases are Pesukim that change the Pshat of the story, such that now it has become acceptable to J. The fourth case connects the preceding E-text to the J-text that follows. It also is a J-stamp of approval, for a text of E.

Two Edits

I made two changes to the Parasha. One change is that the description of Chag Matzot is moved to after the description of the Mannah. It is thus moved from E context to J context. My assumption is that a "late" editor moved it up, to right after

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. קַדֶּשׁ-לִי כָל-בְּכוֹר פֶּטֶר כָּל-רֶחֶם, בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--בָּאָדָם, וּבַבְּהֵמָה

where it is only hindering the flow of thought. In addition, the famous

מִי לַיהוָה אֵלָי

exclamation of Moshe, and the ensuing text about the Levite action, is moved from here to Massah uMerivah, that is, to right after the new position of Chag HaMatzot. Again, my assumption (based on Devarim 33:8,9; אֲשֶׁר נִסִּיתוֹ בְּמַסָּה תְּרִיבֵהוּ עַל-מֵי מְרִיבָה etc.) is that was moved by a "late" editor, likely the same one that moved Chag Matzot.

The Torah Is Pure

Why did the Torah keep the version of E, that Yitzchak died at the Akeidah? What did the editor(s) of E-J think, did Yitzchak die or not? What did the redactor(s) think to do? If Yitzchak survived, he did not die!

In the light of this and this, one can say the following. According to E, Moshiach ben Yosef will die in the war of Gog and Magog, whereas according to J, he will live. It is left to history, to future history, to decide what will be. The Torah is pure; it contains both scenarios.