Ariel your Representee, Representee of Ephraim and adviser (not a rabbi but friendly adviser) of Bet Yisrael international on the Har HaBayit.

 Ariel your Representee, Representee of Ephraim and adviser (not a rabbi but friendly adviser) of Bet Yisrael international on the Har HaBayit. 

Shortly after this experience, the concept of a Supreme G-d incarnates in human flesh, became to me totally incomprehensible. After all, G-d in the Ten Commandments first and foremost forbade such graven images, meaning to portray the Creator within the image of any of His creations. Am Yisrael cannot create an image of the G-d of Israel, Creator of the Universe. Such an application was just too grandiose an absurdity for the Biblical Am Yisrael mind. And so, it must be for everyone of Am Yisrael. If we make an image of the G-d of Israel, we are NOT or no longer, part of Am Yisrael

Later when my mother was dying, when I reached the age of 17, she told me when I was alone with her: ‘please Pray you are Jewish’……. Many, many years later I read about a ‘tradition’ under Anushim that many times they give it over to only one child in their family that they are Jewish. After that my mother went over slowly, I started to read about Jewish History, Jewish philosophy searching in the government history/archive but didn’t find a Jewish for parent. I tried to accept that I am not Jewish. Sometimes I tried to cover it up that I am Jewish….. On a certain moment I started, ones two times in a week to read in the library of the university in my hometown Jewish books. Torah, Talmud, Mishna etc. Learned to read Hebrew, Aramaic and koine Greek from a Christian Theologue and History of both languages. A while I went to church or Christians groups, but it turned out they never accepted me. Many, many years back my last contact with Christians from the Christians Embassy of Jerusalem one ‘Christian friend’ ‘approached’ me in a very angry way and said: When do you give yourself over to Jesus? I said: I cannot! I love Hashem. I only try the do what He desire from me. The ‘Christian friend’ said to me: You are very bad! You and I know that Jesus is god. So I left so completely as possible Christianity.

What I never could explain: I believe The rebbe Yeshua HaNotsry was The Tzaddik HaDor of his generation. Messiah Ben Yosef – The viceroy of Messiah Ben David - The ultimate redeemer of Yisrael.

Not so long time ago it became almost ‘Halacha’: Forbidden to read the NT, let say to study. So, after my ‘last-experience’ with Christianity, I left it further to study and the read the NT.

One of the pillars of the entire Torah is to run away from any form of ‘service to any other God.’ ‘Avoda Zara’ It is a capital sin and extremely crucial to the observance of Torah. An Israelite who violates this sin willingly is like he violated all of the Torah, and he loses many of his halachic privileges as an Israelite.

HaShem teaches us that very clearly in His Word,

Shemot (Exodus) - Chapter 20

1God spoke all these words, to respond:

אוַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֵ֛ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹֽר:

**God spoke: **Heb. אֱלֹהִים. [The word] אֱֱלֹהִיםalways means “a judge.” [This Divine Name is used here] because there are some sections in the Torah [that contain commandments] that if a person performs them, he receives a reward, but if not, he does not receive any punishment for them. I might think that so it is with the Ten Commandments. Therefore, Scripture says: “God (אֱלֹהִים) spoke,” [signifying God’s role as] a Judge, [Whose function is] to mete out punishment [when the Ten Commandments are not obeyed]. [from Mechilta]

**וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים: **אֵין אֱלֹהִים אֶלָּא דַּיָּן; לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה שֶׁאִם עֲשָׂאָן אָדָם מְקַבֵּל שָׂכָר, וְאִם לָאו אֵינוֹ מְקַבֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם פֻּרְעָנוּת, יָכוֹל אַף עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת כֵּן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים – דַּיָּן לִפָּרַע (מכילתא):

**all these words: **[This] teaches [us] that the Holy One, blessed be He, said the Ten Commandments in one utterance, something that is impossible for a human being to say [in a similar way]. If so, why does the Torah say again, “I am [the Lord, your God (verse 2)]” and “You shall have no…” (verse 3)? Because He later explained each statement [of the Ten Commandments] individually. — [from Mechilta]

**אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה: **מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד, מַה שֶּׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְאָדָם לוֹמַר כֵּן, אִם כֵּן מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר עוֹד אָנֹכִי וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ? שֶׁחָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ עַל כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ (שם):

**to respond: **Heb. לֵאמֹר, lit., to say. [This] teaches [us] that they responded to the positive [commandments], “Yes,” and to the negative [commandments], “No.” -[from Mechilta]

**לֵאמֹֽר: **מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹנִין עַל הֵן הֵן וְעַל לָאו לָאו (שם):

2"I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

באָֽנֹכִ֨י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֽוֹצֵאתִ֩יךָ֩ מֵאֶ֨רֶץ מִצְרַ֜יִם מִבֵּ֣ית עֲבָדִ֗ים:

**Who took you out of the land of Egypt: **The taking [you] out [of Egypt] is sufficient reason for you to be subservient to Me. Alternatively, [God mentions the Exodus] since He revealed Himself on the sea as a valiant warrior, and here He revealed Himself as an old man full of mercy, as it is said: “and beneath His feet was like the form of a brick of sapphire” (Exod. 24:10). That [brick] was before Him at the time of the enslavement [to remember the Israelites’ suffering when they made bricks as slaves], “and like the appearance of the heavens” (Exod. 24:10), [i.e., there was joy before Him] when they were redeemed. Since I change in [My] appearances, do not say that they are two [Divine] domains, [but] I am He Who took you out of Egypt and [I am He Who performed the miracles] by the sea (Mechilta). Alternatively, [God mentions the Exodus] since they [the Israelites] heard many voices [during the revelation], as it is said: “And all the people saw the voices” (verse 15), [meaning that] voices came from four directions and from the heavens and from the earth, [so] do not say that there are many domains (Exod. Rabbah 5:9). And why did He say [this] in the singular [possessive], אֱלֹהֶי? In order to give Moses an opening to offer a defense in the incident of the calf. This is [the meaning of] “Why, O Lord, should Your anger be kindled against Your people?” (Exod. 32:11). You did not command them, “You shall not have the gods of others before Me,” but [You commanded] me alone (Exod. Rabbah 43:5).

**אֲשֶׁר הֽוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם: **כְּדַאי הִיא הַהוֹצָאָה שֶׁתִּהְיוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים לִי; דָּבָר אַחֵר, לְפִי שֶׁנִּגְלָה בַיָּם כְּגִבּוֹר מִלְחָמָה וְנִגְלָה כָּאן כְּזָקֵן מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, – שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְתַחַת רַגְלָיו כְּמַעֲשֵׂה לִבְנַת הַסַּפִּיר (שמות כ"ד), זוֹ הָיְתָה לְפָנָיו בִּשְׁעַת הַשִּׁעְבּוּד, וּכְעֶצֶם הַשָּׁמַיִם, מִשֶּׁנִּגְאֲלוּ – הוֹאִיל וַאֲנִי מִשְׁתַּנֶּה בְמַרְאוֹת, אַל תֹּאמְרוּ שְׁתֵּי רָשׁוּיוֹת הֵן, אָנֹכִי הוּא אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַל הַיָּם. דָּבָר אַחֵר לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ שוֹמְעִין קוֹלוֹת הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֶת הַקּוֹלֹת – קוֹלוֹת בָּאִין מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת וּמִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וּמִן הָאָרֶץ – אַל תֹּאמְרוּ רָשׁוּיוֹת הַרְבֵּה הֵן; וְלָמָה אָמַר לְשׁוֹן יָחִיד אֱלֹהֶיךָ? לִתֵּן פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְמֹשֶׁה לְלַמֵּד סָנֵגוֹרְיָא בְּמַעֲשֵׂה הָעֵגֶל, וְזֶה שֶׁאָמַר לָמָה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ – לֹא לָהֶם צִוִּיתָ לֹא יִהְיֶה לָכֶם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים אֶלָּא לִי לְבַדִּי (שמות רבה):

**out of the house of bondage: **Literally, out of the house of slaves. [I.e.,] from Pharaoh’s house, where you were slaves to him. Or perhaps [Scripture] means only: from the house of slaves, that they were slaves to [other] slaves? Therefore, Scripture says: “and He redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt” (Deut. 7:8). Consequently, you must say that they were slaves to Pharaoh, but not slaves to [other] slaves. — [from Exod. Rabbah 43:5]

**מִבֵּית העבדים: **מִבֵּית פַּרְעֹה שֶׁהֱיִיתֶם עֲבָדִים לוֹ, אוֹ אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים שֶׁהָיוּ עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וַיִּפְדְּךָ מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים מִיַּד פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם (דברים ז'), אֱמֹר מֵעַתָּה עֲבָדִים לַמֶּלֶךְ הָיוּ וְלֹא עֲבָדִים לַעֲבָדִים (מכילתא):

3You shall not have the gods of others in My presence.

גלֹ֣א יִֽהְיֶ֣ה־לְךָ֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים אֲחֵרִ֜ים עַל־פָּנַ֗י:

**You shall not have: **Why was this said? Since it says, “You shall not make for yourself, etc.” I know only that one may not make [graven idols, etc.] How do I know that one may not keep what was already made? Therefore, Scripture states: “You shall not have.” -[Mechilta]

**לֹא יִֽהְיֶה־לְךָ: **לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? לְפִי שֶׁנֶּ' לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲשֶׂה, הֶעָשׂוּי כְּבָר מִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא יְקַיֵּם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ (שם):

**the gods of others: **Heb. אֱלֹהִים אִחֵרִים, which are not gods, but that others have made them for gods over themselves. It is impossible to interpret this passage to mean: gods other than I, since it is a disgrace for Heaven to call them gods along with Him. Alternatively: strange gods, for they are strange to their worshippers. They cry out to them, but they do not answer them, and it appears as if it [the god] were a stranger, who never knew him [the worshipper]. — [from Mechilta]

**אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים: **שֶׁאֵינָן אֱלוֹהוּת אֶלָּא אֲחֵרִים עֲשָׂאוּם אֱלֹהִים עֲלֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן לְפָרֵשׁ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים זוּלָתִי, שֶׁגְּנַאי כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה לִקְרֹאותָם אֱלוֹהוּת אֶצְלוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁהֵם אֲחֵרִים לְעוֹבְדֵיהֶם – צוֹעֲקִים אֲלֵיהֶם וְאֵינָן עוֹנִין אוֹתָם, וְדוֹמֶה כְּאִלּוּ הוּא אַחֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַכִּירוֹ מֵעוֹלָם:

**in My presence: **Heb. עַל-פָּנָּי[This means] as long as I exist [signifying forever. God states this so] that you should not say that only that generation was commanded [prohibited] concerning idolatry. — [from Mechilta]

**עַל־פָּנַי: **כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֲנִי קַיָּם, שֶׁלֹּא תֹאמַר לֹא נִצְטַוּוּ עַל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר (מכילתא):

4You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness which is in the heavens above, which is on the earth below, or which is in the water beneath the earth.

דלֹ֣א תַֽעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֣ פֶ֣סֶל | וְכָל־תְּמוּנָ֡ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם | מִמַּ֡עַל וַֽאֲשֶׁר֩ בָּאָ֨רֶץ מִתַּ֜חַת וַֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּמַּ֣יִם | מִתַּ֣חַת לָאָ֗רֶץ:

**a graven image: **Heb. פֶּסֶל[It is called by this name] because it is sculpted (נִפְסָל).

**פֶסֶל: **עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנִּפְסָל:

**or any likeness: **The likeness of anything that is in the heavens.

**וְכָל־תְּמוּנָה: **תְּמוּנַת דָּבָר אשר בשמים:

5You shall neither prostrate yourself before them nor worship them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a zealous God, Who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, upon the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me,

הלֹֽא־תִשְׁתַּֽחֲוֶ֣ה לָהֶם֘ וְלֹ֣א תָֽעָבְדֵם֒ כִּ֣י אָֽנֹכִ֞י יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אֵ֣ל קַנָּ֔א פֹּ֠קֵ֠ד עֲוֹ֨ן אָבֹ֧ת עַל־בָּנִ֛ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִ֖ים לְשֽׂנְאָ֑י:

**a zealous God: **Heb. קַנָּא, zealous to mete out punishment. He does not forgo retaliating by forgiving the sin of idolatry. Every [expression of] קַנָּאmeans enprenemant in Old French, zealous anger. He directs His attention to mete out punishment.

**אֵל קַנָּא: **מְקַנֵּא לִפָּרַע וְאֵינוֹ עוֹבֵר עַל מִדָּתוֹ לִמְחֹל עַל עֲבוֹדַת אֱלִילִים; כָּל לְשׁוֹן קַנָּא אנפרי"מנט בְּלַעַז – נוֹתֵן לֵב לִפָּרַע:

**of those who hate Me: **As the Targum [Onkelos paraphrases: when the sons continue to sin following their fathers, i.e.], when they cling to their fathers’ deeds.

**לְשֽׂנְאָי: **כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, כְּשֶׁאוֹחֲזִין מַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם בִּידֵיהֶם

6and [I] perform loving kindness to thousands [of generations], to those who love Me and to those who keep My commandments.

ווְעֹ֤שֶׂה חֶ֨סֶד֙ לַֽאֲלָפִ֔ים לְאֹֽהֲבַ֖י וּלְשֹֽׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֹתָֽי:

**perform loving-kindness: **And He keeps (stores up) the mercy which a person does to give a reward for it to the thousand generations of that person’s descendants. It follows, therefore, that the measure of good (reward) is greater than the measure of punishment in the proportion of one to five hundred, for the former is threatened only to four generations whilst the latter is bestowed upon thousands (two thousands at least). (Tosefta Sotah 4:1; see Rashi on Exodus 34:7)

**ועושה חסד: **וְנוֹצֵר חֶסֶד שֶׁאָדָם עוֹשֶׂה, לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר עַד לְאַלְפַּיִם דוֹר; נִמְצֵאת מִדָּה טוֹבָה יְתֵרָה עַל מִדַּת פֻּרְעָנוּת אַחַת עַל חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת, שֶׁזּוֹ לְאַרְבָּעָה דּוֹרוֹת וְזוֹ לַאֲלָפִים (תוספתא סוטה ד'):

7You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain, for the Lord will not hold blameless anyone who takes His name in vain.

זלֹ֥א תִשָּׂ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ לַשָּׁ֑וְא כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יְנַקֶּה֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־יִשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ לַשָּֽׁוְא:

**You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain: **You shall not swear in vain by the name of the Lord, your God. — [Onkelos] לַֹשָוְא-[This word appears twice in this verse.] (The second [mention of לַֹשָוְאis an expression of falsehood, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: לְֹשִיקְרָא, as it says [in Shavuos 21a]: "What constitutes a vain oath? If one swears contrary to what is known, [for example, saying] about a stone pillar that it is [made of] gold. (The first [mention of לַֹשָוְאis an expression of vanity, as the Targum [Onkelos] renders: [לְמַגָּנָא].) This [refers to] one who swears for no reason and in vain, [for example making an oath] concerning [a pillar] of wood, [saying] that it is wood, and concerning [a pillar] of stone, [saying] that it is stone. — [from Shevuoth 29a, Mechilta]

**לַשָּׁוְא: **חִנָּם, לַהֶבֶל, וְאֵיזֶהוּ שְׁבוּעַת שָׁוְא? נִשְׁבַּע לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶת הַיָּדוּעַ – עַל עַמּוּד שֶׁל אֶבֶן שֶׁהוּא שֶׁל זָהָב (שבועות כ"ט):

The reason why Israel, Ephraim is expelled:

Melachim II (II Kings) - Chapter 18

11And the king of Assyria exiled Israel to Assyria, and he settled them in Halah and in Habor, the Gozan River, and the cities of Media.

יאוַיֶּ֧גֶל מֶֽלֶךְ־אַשּׁ֛וּר אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַשּׁ֑וּרָה וַיַּנְחֵ֞ם בַּחְלַ֧ח וּבְחָב֛וֹר נְהַ֥ר גּוֹזָ֖ן וְעָרֵ֥י מָדָֽי:

12Because they did not obey the Lord their God and transgressed His covenant, all that He had commanded Moses the servant of the Lord, and they did not obey nor did they do [His will].

יבעַ֣ל | אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֗וּ בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם וַיַּעַבְרוּ֙ אֶת־בְּרִית֔וֹ אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔ה משֶׁ֖ה עֶ֣בֶד יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ וְלֹ֥א עָשֹֽוּ:

What came out of Israel, Ephraim:

Hoshea (Hosea) - Chapter 1

1The word of the Lord which came to Hosea the son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel.

אדְּבַֽר־יְהֹוָ֣ה | אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֗ה אֶל־הוֹשֵׁ֙עַ֙ בֶּן־בְּאֵרִ֔י בִּימֵ֨י עֻזִּיָּ֥ה יוֹתָ֛ם אָחָ֥ז יְחִזְקִיָּ֖ה מַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה וּבִימֵ֛י יָֽרָבְעָ֥ם בֶּן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:

**The word of the Lord which came to Hosea the son of Beeri in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, etc.: **He buried these four kings during his lifetime, for he outlived them all. From here they derived the maxim: Woe is to authority, for it buries its holders [from Pesachim 87b].

**דבר ה' אשר היה אל הושע בן בארי בימי עוזיה יותם וגו': **ארבעה מלכים הללו קפח בימיו שהאריך שנים בחיי כולם מכאן אמרו אוי לה לרבנות שמקברת את בעלי':

**and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash: **He was of the sons of Jehu [i.e., a great grandson of Jehu], and he too reigned with Uzziah and Jotham, but a meritorious deed caused him to be counted with these righteous men, since he did not heed slander concerning Amos, as is explained in Pesachim, in the chapter entitled הָאִשָּׁה, “The woman” (87b), as it is stated: “(Amos 7:10) And Amaziah sent etc. ‘Amos has conspired against you etc.’”

**ובימי ירבעם בן יואש: **מבני יהוא ואף הוא מלך עם עוזיה ויותם אלא שגרמה לו זכות להמנות עם הצדיקים הללו לפי שלא קבל לשון הרע על עמוס כמו שמפורש בפסחים בפ' האשה (דף טז) שנאמר (עמוס ז׳:י׳) וישלח אמציה וגומר קשר עליך עמוס וגו':

2At the beginning of the Lord's speaking to Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea: Go, take yourself a wife of harlotry and children of harlotry, for the land goes astray from following the Lord.

בתְּחִלַּ֥ת דִּבֶּר־יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּהוֹשֵׁ֑עַ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־הוֹשֵׁ֗עַ לֵ֣ךְ קַח־לְךָ֞ אֵ֚שֶׁת זְנוּנִים֙ וְיַלְדֵ֣י זְנוּנִ֔ים כִּֽי־זָנֹ֚ה תִזְנֶה֙ הָאָ֔רֶץ מֵאַֽחֲרֵ֖י יְהֹוָֽה:

**At the beginning of the Lord’s speaking to Hosea: **Lit. in the beginning the Lord spoke to Hosea. Therefore, our Rabbis stated: The first of the four prophets who prophesied (in these days): Hosea, Isaiah, Amos, and Micah. [Parshandatha reads: in the days of Uzziah. Michah, in fact, is not mentioned as having prophesized in the days of Uzziah, but only in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah; this will be explained further. In Pesachim 87a, we read: at that time] Isaiah prophesized [at the time of the earthquake (Parshandatha)], as it is stated: (Isaiah 6:4) “And the doorposts quaked etc.” And that was the day that Uzziah was stricken when he entered the Temple, for the ethereal beings clamored to burn him, and the earthly beings to swallow him as the punishment of Korah’s company, among which there were [some] swallowed up and [some] burned. Concerning Amos, it is stated: (Amos 1:1) “Two years before the earthquake.” [Amos, accordingly, preceded Isaiah.] And Micah was the last of all of them, for it is said concerning him: (Micah 1:1) “In the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,” and Uzziah is not mentioned in his regard (Cf. Pesachim 87a; Seder Olam, ch. 20; Tanhuma Tzav 13; Rashi, Isaiah 6:4). But the simple meaning of the verse is: At the beginning of the speech which the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Hosea, he said this to him.

**תחלת דבר ה' בהושע: **רבותינו אמרו תחילה לארבעה נביאים שנתנבאו (בימים הללו) הושע ישעיה עמוס ומיכה ישעיה נתנבא שנאמר (ישעיה ו) וינועו אמות הסיפים וגומר והוא היה יום שנתנגע עוזיה שנכנס להיכל שרעשו העליונים לשורפו ותחתונים לבולעו כעונשן של עדת קרח שהיו בהם בלועין ושרופים בעמוס נאמר שנתים לפני הרעש והושע קדם לכולם ומיכה היה אחרון לכולם שנאמר בו (מיכה א) בימי יותם אחז יחזקיה ולא נאמר בו עוזיה, ופשוטו של מקרא תחילת דיבור שנדבר הקב"ה עם הושע אמר לו כן:

**take yourself a wife of harlotry: **Our Rabbis said: This is to be explained according to its apparent meaning: Since he said about Israel, “Exchange them for another nation,” as is explained in Pesachim at the beginning of the chapter entitled האשה, “The woman” (87a).

**קח לך אשת זנונים: **רבותינו אמרו כמשמעו לפי שאמר על ישראל החליפם באומה אחרת כמו שמפורש בפסחים ר"פ האשה:

**and children of harlotry: **For she will bear you children who will be of possible illegitimacy. And Jonathan paraphrased: Prophesy a prophecy about the inhabitants of the cities of idolatry. The word קַח, stated here is an expression of teaching, [derived from לֶקַח, doctrine]. Teach them to repent.

**וילדי זנונים: **שתלד לך ילדים שיהיו ספיקי ממזרות, ויונתן תירגם איתנבי נבואה על יתבי קרתא טעוותא וקח האמור כאן ל' לימוד הוא למד אותן לשוב בתשובה:

**goes astray: **Heb. תִּזְנֶה. This is the present tense.

**כי זנה תזנה: **לשון הווה הוא:

3And he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

גוַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ וַיִּקַּ֔ח אֶת־גֹּ֖מֶר בַּת־דִּבְלָ֑יִם וַתַּ֥הַר וַתֵּֽלֶד־ל֖וֹ בֵּֽן:

**Gomer: **Our Rabbis (Pesachim 87a) said. That was her name by dint of her harlotry, for all would gratify their lust on her (גּוֹמְרִין) and they would tread upon her like a pressed fig (דְּבֵלָה). [That is a euphemism for sexual contact.] Jonathan, however, paraphrases: גֹּמֶר, that if they would return from their way, their retribution would be finished, and if not, they will be like unripe figs falling from the fig tree.

**את גומר: **רבותינו אמרו כך שמה על שם זנותה שהכל גומרין בה ודשין בה כדבלה, וי"ת גומר שאם ישובו מדרכם גמרה פורענותם ואם לאו יהיו כנובלת מתאנה:

**and she conceived and bore: **Jonathan paraphrases: And they continued to do evil deeds.

**ותהר ותלד: **ואוסיפו למעבד עובדין בישין:

4And the Lord said to him: Name him Jezreel, for, in a short time, I will visit the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and I will terminate the kingdom of the house of Israel.

דוַיֹּ֚אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֵלָ֔יו קְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יִזְרְעֶ֑אל כִּֽי־ע֣וֹד מְעַ֗ט וּפָ֨קַדְתִּ֜י אֶת־דְּמֵ֚י יִזְרְעֶאל֙ עַל־בֵּ֣ית יֵה֔וּא וְהִ֨שְׁבַּתִּ֔י מַמְלְכ֖וּת בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:

**Name him Jezreel: **Jonathan renders: Call their name the scattered ones. I.e. prophesy over them that they will be exiled, and they will be sown among the peoples.

**קרא שמו יזרעאל: **קרי שומהון מבדריא, התנבא עליהן שיגלו ויהיו זרועין בארצות:

**the blood of Jezreel: **To be understood according to its Aramaic translation: the blood of the house of Ahab, whom Jehu slew in Jezreel because they worshipped Baal, and he and his sons went afterwards and worshipped pagan deities; therefore, I account for them the blood of the house of Ahab as innocent blood.

**את דמי יזרעאל: **כתרגומו את דמי בית אחאב שהרג יהוא ביזרעאל על שעבדו את הבעל והלכו הוא ובניו אחרי כן ועבדו עבודת עכו"ם לכך אני חושב עליהם דמי בית אחאב כדם נקי:

**upon the house of Jehu: **Jeroboam the son of Joash was of the sons of Jehu, and his son Zechariah was assassinated.

**על בית יהוא: **ירבעם בן יואש מבני יהוא היה (מלכים ב טו) וזכריה בנו נהרג:

5And it shall come to pass on that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.

הוְהָיָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וְשָֽׁבַרְתִּי֙ אֶת־קֶ֣שֶׁת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖מֶק יִזְרְעֶֽאל:

6And she conceived again and bore a daughter, and He said to him: Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will not continue to grant clemency to the house of Israel, but I will mete out their portion to them.

ווַתַּ֚הַר עוֹד֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בַּ֔ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ קְרָ֥א שְׁמָ֖הּ לֹ֣א רֻחָ֑מָה כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אוֹסִ֜יף ע֗וֹד אֲרַחֵם֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּֽי־נָשֹ֥א אֶשָּׂ֖א לָהֶֽם:

**I will not continue to grant clemency Heb.: **אֲרַחֵם, like לְרַחֵם, to grant clemency.

**לא אוסיף עוד ארחם: **לרחם:

**but I will mete out their portion to them: **I will mete out to them the portion of their cup and their deed. This expression is like (Gen. 43:34), “And he gave out portions (וַיִּשָּׂא מַשְׂאֹת).”

**כי נשא אשא להם: **אחלק להם מנת כוסם ופעולתם כמו וישא משאת (בראשית מג):

7But to the house of Judah will I grant clemency, and I will save them by the Lord their God, but I will not save them with the bow, with the sword, with war, with steeds, or with riders.

זוְאֶת־בֵּ֚ית יְהוּדָה֙ אֲרַחֵ֔ם וְהֽוֹשַׁעְתִּ֖ים בַּֽיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹ֣א אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֗ם בְּקֶ֚שֶׁת וּבְחֶ֙רֶב֙ וּבְמִלְחָמָ֔ה בְּסוּסִ֖ים וּבְפָֽרָשִֽׁים:

**But to the house of Judah will I grant clemency: **after I terminate the kingdom of Israel, for after the ten tribes were exiled, the house of Judah was the object of clemency from Hezekiah until Zedakiah.

**ואת בית יהודה ארחם: **לאחר שאשבית את ממלכות ישראל שמשגלו עשרת השבטים היו בית יהודה בכלל הרחמים מחזקיהו עד צדקיהו:

8And she weaned Lo-ruhamah, and she conceived and bore a son.

חוַתִּגְמֹ֖ל אֶת־לֹ֣א רֻחָ֑מָה וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֥לֶד בֵּֽן:

**And she weaned Lo ruhamah: **According to the Targum, we explain: And that generation shall perish among the nations where they were exiled.

**ותגמול את לא רוחמה: **לפי תרגומו ויכלה אותו הדור בין העכו"ם שגלו שם:

**and she conceived and bore a son: **According to the Targum: And they continued and committed evil deeds. But according to its simple meaning, we explain it as it apparently means.

**ותהר ותלד בן: **ואוסיפו ועבדו עובדין בישין, ולפי פשוטו כמשמעו:

9And He said: Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people, and I will not be yours.

טוַיֹּ֕אמֶר קְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ לֹ֣א עַמִּ֑י כִּ֚י אַתֶּם֙ לֹ֣א עַמִּ֔י וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י לֹֽא־אֶהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם:

But HaShem said by the giving of Torah long before,

1And it will be, when all these things come upon you the blessing and the curse which I have set before you that you will consider in your heart, among all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you,

אוְהָיָה֩ כִֽי־יָבֹ֨אוּ עָלֶ֜יךָ כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הַבְּרָכָה֙ וְהַקְּלָלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַֽהֲשֵֽׁבֹתָ֙ אֶל־לְבָבֶ֔ךָ בְּכָ֨ל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדִּיחֲךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה:

2and you will return to the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and you will listen to His voice according to all that I am commanding you this day you and your children,

בוְשַׁבְתָּ֞ עַד־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֣ בְקֹל֔וֹ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם אַתָּ֣ה וּבָנֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:

3then, the Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you. He will once again gather you from all the nations, where the Lord, your God, had dispersed you.

גוְשָׁ֨ב יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־שְׁבֽוּתְךָ֖ וְרִֽחֲמֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁ֗ב וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה:

**The Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles: **Heb. וְשָׁב, lit., The Lord, your God, will (Himself) return (with) your exiles. [That is, the verb שָׁבis in the simple conjugation. Now, since we understand the verse to mean: “The Lord your God will bring back your exiles,”] Scripture should have written, וְהֵשִׁיב ה׳ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ[with the verb וְהֵשִׁיבbeing in the causative conjugation, meaning “to bring back”]. But [although the meaning of the verse is indeed, “The Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles,”] our Rabbis learned from [the simple conjugation of the verb] here [which alludes to God Himself returning], that the Shechinah resides among Israel, as it were, in all the misery of their exile, and when the Jews are redeemed [from their exile], God writes [in Scripture an expression of] redemption for Himself [to allude to the fact that He has also been redeemed, as it were,] so that He Himself returns along with Israel’s exiles (Meg. 29a). A further [lesson] may be learned [from the unusual form of the verb which expresses “to bring back the exiles”]: The day on which Israel’s exiles will be gathered is so monumental and [this ingathering] will be such a difficult [procedure, as it were], that it is as though God Himself must literally take each individual Jew with His very hands, [taking him] out of his place [in exile. We see] the same concept [brought up in Scripture,] when the verse says, “And you will be gathered up, one by one, O children of Israel” (Isa. 27:12). [That verse refers to the ingathering of Israel’s exiles from Babylon. However,] we find this [idea] also regarding the [ingathering of] exiles from the other nations, as the verse says, “And I shall bring back the exiles of Moab (וְשַׁבְתִּי שְׁבוּת מוֹאָב)” (Jer. 48:47).

**וְשָׁב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת־שְׁבֽוּתְךָ: **הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב "וְהֵשִׁיב" אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן כִּבְיָכוֹל שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצָרַת גָּלוּתָם, וּכְשֶׁנִּגְאָלִין הִכְתִּיב גְּאֻלָּה לְעַצְמוֹ — שֶׁהוּא יָשׁוּב עִמָּהֶם. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁגָּדוֹל יוֹם קִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת וּבְקֹשִׁי, כְּאִלּוּ הוּא עַצְמוֹ צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת אוֹחֵז בְּיָדָיו מַמָּשׁ אִישׁ אִישׁ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו כ"ז) "וְאַתֶּם תְּלֻקְּטוּ לְאַחַד אֶחָד בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", וְאַף בְּגָלֻיּוֹת שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת מָצִינוּ כֵן (ירמיהו מ"ח) "וְשַׁבְתִּי שְׁבוּת מוֹאָב":

4Even if your exiles are at the end of the heavens, the Lord, your God, will gather you from there, and He will take you from there.

דאִם־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה נִדַּֽחֲךָ֖ בִּקְצֵ֣ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם מִשָּׁ֗ם יְקַבֶּצְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וּמִשָּׁ֖ם יִקָּחֶֽךָ:

5And the Lord, your God, will bring you to the land which your forefathers possessed, and you [too] will take possession of it, and He will do good to you, and He will make you more numerous than your forefathers.

הוֶֽהֱבִֽיאֲךָ֞ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־יָֽרְשׁ֥וּ אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֥ וְהִרְבְּךָ֖ מֵֽאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ:

6And the Lord, your God, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, [so that you may] love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, for the sake of your life.

ווּמָ֨ל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וְאֶת־לְבַ֣ב זַרְעֶ֑ךָ לְאַֽהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֥ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ לְמַ֥עַן חַיֶּֽיךָ:

7And the Lord, your God, will place all these curses upon your enemies and upon your adversaries, who pursued you.

ז וְנָתַן֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הָֽאָל֖וֹת הָאֵלֶּ֑ה עַל־אֹֽיְבֶ֥יךָ וְעַל־שֽׂנְאֶ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר רְדָפֽוּךָ:

8And you will return and listen to the voice of the Lord, and fulfill all His commandments, which I command you this day.

חוְאַתָּ֣ה תָשׁ֔וּב וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֖ בְּק֣וֹל יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעָשִׂ֨יתָ֙ אֶת־כָּל־מִצְו‍ֹתָ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּֽוֹם:

9And the Lord, your God, will make you abundant for good in all the work of your hands, in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your soil. For the Lord will once again rejoice over you for good, as He rejoiced over your forefathers,

טוְהוֹתִֽירְךָ֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ בְּכֹ֣ל | מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֶ֗ךָ בִּפְרִ֨י בִטְנְךָ֜ וּבִפְרִ֧י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֛ וּבִפְרִ֥י אַדְמָֽתְךָ֖ לְטֹבָ֑ה כִּ֣י | יָשׁ֣וּב יְהֹוָ֗ה לָשׂ֤וּשׂ עָלֶ֨יךָ֙ לְט֔וֹב כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֖שׂ עַל־אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ:

10when you obey the Lord, your God, to observe His commandments and His statutes written in this Torah scroll, [and] when you return to the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.

יכִּ֣י תִשְׁמַ֗ע בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֤ר מִצְו‍ֹתָיו֙ וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתּוֹרָ֖ה הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֤י תָשׁוּב֙ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּכָל־לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וּבְכָל־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:

11For this commandment which I command you this day, is not concealed from you, nor is it far away.

יאכִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָֽנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹֽא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹֽא־רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא:

**is not concealed from you: **לֹא-נִפְלֵאת. It is not concealed from you, just as it is said: כִּי יִפָּלֵא(Deut. 17:8), [which the Targum renders as:] אֲרִי יִתְכְּסֵי[lit.,“(If the matter) is concealed”]; similarly, the verse, וַתֵּרֶד פְּלָאִים(Lam. 1:9), [which means,] “she went down into concealment,” [i.e.,] she was covered and considered [as if] hidden.

**לֹֽא־נִפְלֵאת הִוא מִמְּךָ: **לֹא מְכֻסָּה הִיא מִמְּךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים י"ז) "כִּי יִפָּלֵא" — אֲרֵי יִתְכַּסֵּי, (איכה א') "וַתֵּרֶד פְּלָאִים" — וַתֵּרֶד בְּמַטְמוֹנִיּוֹת, מְכֻסָּה, חֲבוּשָׁה בְּטָמוּן:

12It is not in heaven, that you should say, "Who will go up to heaven for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?"

יבלֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַֽעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֨יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַֽעֲשֶֽׂנָּה:

**It is not in heaven: **for if it were in heaven, you would have to climb up after it [in order] to learn it. - [Eruvin 55a]

**לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא: **שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיְתָה בַשָּׁמַיִם, הָיִיתָ צָרִיךְ לַעֲלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ לְלָמְדָהּ:

13Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, "Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?"

יגוְלֹֽא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַֽעֲבָר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַֽעֲשֶֽׂנָּה:

14Rather, [this] thing is very close to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can fulfill it.

ידכִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִלְבָֽבְךָ֖ לַֽעֲשׂתֽוֹ:

**Rather, [this] thing is very close to you: **The Torah was given to you in writing and [accompanied by an] oral [explanation].

**כִּֽי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ: **הַתּוֹרָה נִתְּנָה לָכֶם בִּכְתָב וּבְעַל פֶּה:

15Behold, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil,

טורְאֵ֨ה נָתַ֤תִּי לְפָנֶ֨יךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע:

**life and good: **Each one [life or death,] is dependent upon the other: If you do good, you will be granted life, while if you do evil, you will receive death. The verse now proceeds to explain how this is so [as follows]:

**אֶת־הַֽחַיִּים וְאֶת־הַטּוֹב: **זֶה תָּלוּי בָּזֶה — אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה טוֹב הֲרֵי לְךָ חַיִּים, וְאִם תַּעֲשֶׂה רַע הֲרֵי לְךָ הַמָּוֶת, וְהַכָּתוּב מְפָרֵשׁ וְהוֹלֵךְ הֵיאַךְ:

16inasmuch as I command you this day to love the Lord, your God, to walk in His ways, and to observe His commandments, His statutes, and His ordinances, so that you will live and increase, and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land to which you are coming to take possession of it.

טזאֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽנֹכִ֣י מְצַוְּךָ֘ הַיּוֹם֒ לְאַֽהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת בִּדְרָכָ֔יו וְלִשְׁמֹ֛ר מִצְו‍ֹתָ֥יו וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֑יו וְחָיִ֣יתָ וְרָבִ֔יתָ וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בָּאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:

**Inasmuch as I am commanding you this day to love [the Lord your God]: **This is “good” [referred to in the verse 15]; and upon this, is dependent:

**אֲשֶׁר אָֽנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לְאַֽהֲבָה: **הֲרֵי הַטּוֹב, וּבוֹ תָלוּי:

**so that you will live and increase: **This is “life” [referred to in the verse 15. After this, the verse continues]:

**וחיית ורבית: **הֲרֵי הַחַיִּים:

17But if your heart deviates and you do not listen, and you will be drawn astray, and you will prostrate yourself to other deities and serve them,

יזוְאִם־יִפְנֶ֥ה לְבָֽבְךָ֖ וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁמָ֑ע וְנִדַּחְתָּ֗ וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוִ֛יתָ לֵֽאלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים וַֽעֲבַדְתָּֽם:

**But if your heart deviates: **This is “evil” [referred to in verse 15. The verse continues]:

**וְאִם־יִפְנֶה לְבָֽבְךָ: **הֲרֵי הָרָע:

18I declare to you this day, that you will surely perish, and that you will not live long days on the land, to which you are crossing the Jordan, to come and take possession thereof.

יחהִגַּ֤דְתִּי לָכֶם֙ הַיּ֔וֹם כִּ֥י אָבֹ֖ד תֹּאבֵד֑וּן לֹא־תַֽאֲרִיכֻ֤ן יָמִים֙ עַל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה עֹבֵר֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן לָב֥וֹא שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:

**that you will perish: **This is “death” [referred to in verse 15].

**כִּי אָבֹד תֹּאבֵדוּן: **הֲרֵי הַמָּוֶת:

19This day, I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses [that I have warned] you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. You shall choose life, so that you and your offspring will live;

יטהַֽעִדֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֘ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ הַֽחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֨וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ:

**This day, I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses: **For the heaven and earth exist for ever, and when the evil befalls you, they will be witnesses that I had warned you regarding all of this. Another explanation of “I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses, etc.” : The Holy One, Blessed is He, said to Israel, “Look at the heavens which I created to serve you. Have they ever changed their ways? Has the sphere of the sun ever failed to rise from the east to illuminate the entire world, as it is stated, ‘The sun rises, and the sun sets’ (Ecc. 1:5)? Look at the earth which I created to serve you. Has it ever changed its ways? Have you ever sown [in] it that it did not grow? Or have you ever sown wheat and it yielded barley? Now, they [heaven and earth] were created with neither reward nor loss in mind-for if they are meritorious [by fulfilling their purpose for which I created them], they nevertheless do not receive reward [for this]; and if they sin, they are not punished. And yet [even with this lack of incentive], they have never changed their ways! So you, who will receive reward if you are meritorious and who will be punished if you sin-how much more so [should you fulfill My will]!”- [Sifrei 32:1]

**הַֽעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ: **שֶׁהֵם קַיָּמִים לְעוֹלָם, וְכַאֲשֶׁר תִּקְרֶה אֶתְכֶם הָרָעָה יִהְיוּ עֵדִים שֶׁאֲנִי הִתְרֵיתִי בָכֶם בְּכָל זֹאת; דָּבָר אַחֵר — העדתי בכם היום את השמים וגו', אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הִסְתַּכְּלוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁבָּרָאתִי לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁמָּא שִׁנּוּ אֶת מִדָּתָם? שֶׁמָּא לֹא עָלָה גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה מִן הַמִּזְרָח וְהֵאִיר לְכָל הָעוֹלָם כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (קהלת א') "וְזָרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ"? הִסְתַּכְּלוּ בָאָרֶץ שֶׁבָּרָאתִי לְשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁמָּא שִׁנְּתָה מִדָּתָהּ? שֶׁמָּא זְרַעְתֶּם אוֹתָהּ וְלֹא צָמְחָה אוֹ שֶׁמָּא זְרַעְתֶּם חִטִּים וְהֶעֶלְתָה שְׂעוֹרִים? וּמָה אֵלּוּ שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לֹא לְשָׂכָר וְלֹא לְהֶפְסֵד, אִם זוֹכִין אֵין מְקַבְּלִין שָׂכָר וְאִם חוֹטְאִין אֵין מְקַבְּלִין פֻּרְעָנוּת, לֹא שִׁנּוּ אֶת מִדָּתָם, אַתֶּם שֶׁאִם זְכִיתֶם תְּקַבְּלוּ שָׂכָר וְאִם חֲטָאתֶם תְּקַבְּלוּ פֻּרְעָנוּת, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה (ספרי דברים ל"ב):

**you shall choose life: **[God says: “Even though you have free choice, nevertheless,] I instruct you to choose the portion of life.” It is like a man who says to his son, “Choose for yourself a fine portion of my estate,” and then directs him to the best portion, saying to him, “This [is the portion which] you should choose for yourself!” And regarding this, the verse says, “The Lord is my allotted portion and my cup; You guide my destiny” (Ps. 16:5). [The last clause, אַתָּה תּוֹמִי‏ךְ גּוֹרָלִי, literally means “You laid upon my lot.” That is to say:] “You laid my hand upon the good lot, saying, ‘Take this for yourself!’”

**וּבָֽחַרְתָּ בַּֽחַיִּים: **אֲנִי מוֹרֶה לָכֶם שֶׁתִּבְחֲרוּ בְּחֵלֶק הַחַיִּים, כְּאָדָם הָאוֹמֵר לִבְנוֹ, בְּחַר לְךָ חֵלֶק יָפֶה בְנַחֲלָתִי, וּמַעֲמִידוֹ עַל חֵלֶק הַיָּפֶה וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ אֶת זֶה בְּרֹר לְךָ, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (תהילים ט"ז) "ה' מְנָת חֶלְקִי וְכוֹסִי אַתָּה תּוֹמִיךְ גּוֹרָלִי" — הִנַּחְתָּ יָדִי עַל גּוֹרָל הַטּוֹב לוֹמַר אֶת זֶה קַח לְךָ:

20To love the Lord your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him. For that is your life and the length of your days, to dwell on the land which the Lord swore to your forefathers to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob to give to them.

כלְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ בְּקֹל֖וֹ וּלְדָבְקָה־ב֑וֹ כִּ֣י ה֤וּא חַיֶּ֨יךָ֙ וְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמֶ֔יךָ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת עַל־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע יְהֹוָ֧ה לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּלְיַֽעֲקֹ֖ב לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם:

The Navi Hosea is confirming it,

Hoshea (Hosea) - Chapter 2

1And the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which shall neither be measured nor counted; and it shall come to pass that, instead of saying to them, "You are not My people," it shall be said to them, "The children of the living God."

אוְֽ֠הָיָה מִסְפַּ֚ר בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כְּח֣וֹל הַיָּ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יִמַּ֖ד וְלֹ֣א יִסָּפֵ֑ר וְֽ֠הָיָה בִּמְק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יֵֽאָמֵ֚ר לָהֶם֙ לֹֽא־עַמִּ֣י אַתֶּ֔ם יֵֽאָמֵ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י אֵֽל־חָֽי:

**And the number… shall be: **What is the connection of retribution and consolation juxtaposed in one speech? Our Rabbis explained in Pesachim (87b): Hosea felt that he had sinned by saying, “Exchange them for another nation.” He stood and begged mercy for them (See above 1:2). And in Sifrei Devei Rav, in the section commencing: “And Israel abode in Shittim” (Num. 25) we learned: Rabbi says: Some sections are close to each other yet as far apart as east is far from west. “For you are not My people… And the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea.” What is the connection of one to the other? This can be compared to a king who became angry with his wife. He summoned a scribe to come and write a bill of divorcement. Before the scribe arrived, the king became reconciled with his wife. Said the king, “Is it possible that this scribe should leave here divided?” I.e. his heart should be divided and bewildered, saying, “Why did the king send for me?” He said to him, “Come and write that I am doubling her kethubah.” And according to its simple meaning, this is the reason for its juxtaposition. “For you are not My people, and I will not be yours.” I will show Myself as though I am not yours, and you shall be exiled among the nations, and even there you shall multiply and grow, and there you shall lay it to your heart to return to Me, as it is said through Moses (Deut. 30:1,3): “And you shall lay it to your heart among all the nations where… has exiled you etc. And the Lord your God shall return your captivity.” Here too, “And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together.”

**והיה מספר: **מה ענין פורענות ונחמה סמוכין בדבור אחד, ורבותינו פירשו בפסחים הרגיש הושע בעצמו שחטא על שאמר החליפם עמד ובקש עליהם רחמים, ובספרי דבי רב פרשת וישב ישראל בשטים שנינו רבי אומר יש פרשיות סמוכות זו לזו ורחוקות זו מזו כרחוק מזרח ממערב כי אתם לא עמי והיה מספר בני ישראל כחול הים מה ענין זה אצל זה משל למלך שכעס על אשתו שלח אחר הסופר לבוא ולכתוב לה גט עד שלא בא הסופר נתרצה המלך לאשתו אמר המלך אפשר יצא סופר זה מכאן חלוק כלומר לבו חלוק ותוהה לומר למה שלח אחרי אמר לו בא וכתוב לה שאני כופל לה כתובתה ולפי פשוטו כך היא סמיכתו כי אתם לא עמי ואנכי לא אהיה לכם אראה עצמי כאילו איני לכם ותגלו לבין האומות ואף שם תרבו ותצמחו ושם תשובו אל לבבכם לשוב אלי כמו שנאמר על ידי משה (דברים ל) והשבות אל לבבך בכל הגוים אשר הדיחך וגו' ושב ה' אלהיך את שבותך וגו' אף כאן ונקבצו בני יהודה ובני ישראל יחדיו וגו':

2And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head, and they shall go up from the land, for great is the day of Jezreel.

בוְ֠נִקְבְּצוּ בְּנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֚ה וּבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו וְשָׂמ֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם רֹ֥אשׁ אֶחָ֖ד וְעָל֣וּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּ֥י גָד֖וֹל י֥וֹם יִזְרְעֶֽאל:

**one head: **David their king.

**ראש אחד: **דוד מלכם:

**for great is the day of Jezreel: **The gathering of their sowing.

**כי גדול יום: **קבוץ זריעתם:

3Say to your brethren, "Ammi," and to your sisters, "Ruhamah."

גאִמְר֥וּ לַֽאֲחֵיכֶ֖ם עַמִּ֑י וְלַֽאֲחֽוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם רֻחָֽמָה:

**Say to your brethren, “Ammi”: **To be explained according to the Targum: Return to My Torah, and I will grant clemency to your nation.

**אמרו לאחיכם עמי: **כתרגומו תובו לאורייתי ועל כנישתכון ארחם:

4Strive with your mother, strive, for she is not My wife, and I am not her Husband, and let her remove her harlotries from her face and her adulteries from between her breasts.

דרִ֚יבוּ בְאִמְּכֶם֙ רִ֔יבוּ כִּֽי־הִיא֙ לֹ֣א אִשְׁתִּ֔י וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י לֹ֣א אִישָׁ֑הּ וְתָסֵ֚ר זְנוּנֶ֙יהָ֙ מִפָּנֶ֔יה וְנַֽאֲפוּפֶ֖יהָ מִבֵּ֥ין שָׁדֶֽיהָ:

**Strive with your mother, strive: **With your nation of today, which is the mother of future generations.

**ריבו באמכם: **בכנסייה שלכם של עכשיו שהיא אם לדורות הבאים:

**and her adulteries from between her breasts: **It is customary among the adulteresses that they [i.e., their lovers] squeeze them between their breasts. Jonathan renders: And the worship of idols from among her cities.

**מבין שדיה: **דרך הנואפות שממעכין להם בין דדיהם ויונתן תירגם ופולחן טעותהא מבין קירוהא:

5Lest I strip her naked and leave her as [on] the day she was born; and I make her like a desert, and I set her like an arid land, and cause her to die of thirst.

הפֶּן־אַפְשִׁיטֶ֣נָּה עֲרֻמָּ֔ה וְהִ֨צַּגְתִּ֔יהָ כְּי֖וֹם הִוָּֽלְדָ֑הּ וְשַׂמְתִּ֣יהָ כַמִּדְבָּ֗ר וְשַׁתִּ֙הָ֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ צִיָּ֔ה וַֽהֲמִתִּ֖יהָ בַּצָּמָֽא:

**as [on] the day she was born: **Like the day that I found her in Egypt, as is delineated in Ezekiel (16:4, 5): “And as for your birth, on the day you were born your navel was not cut etc. No eye took pity on you etc. with a loathing of your body.”

**כיום הולדה: **כיום שמצאתיה במצרים כמו שמפורש (ביחזקאל ט״ז:ד׳) ומולדתך ביום הולדת אותך לא כרת שרך ותושלכי על פני השדה בגועל נפשך לא חסה עליך עין (שם):

**like a desert: **This alludes to the decrees that I decreed upon you (Parshandatha: them) in the desert, viz. that there they should perish and there they would die (Num. 14:35).

**כמדבר: **גזירות שגזרתי עליהם במדבר שם יתמו ושם ימותו (במדבר י״ד:ל״ה):

**and [I will] cause her to die: **Jonathan renders: And I will kill her.

**והמתיה: **ואקטלינה:

6And I will not pity her children for they are children of harlotries.

ווְאֶת־בָּנֶ֖יהָ לֹ֣א אֲרַחֵ֑ם כִּֽי־בְנֵ֥י זְנוּנִ֖ים הֵֽמָּה:

7For their mother played the harlot; she who conceived them behaved shamefully, for she said, "I will go after my lovers, those who give my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drinks. "

זכִּ֚י זָֽנְתָה֙ אִמָּ֔ם הוֹבִ֖ישָׁה הֽוֹרָתָ֑ם כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה אֵֽלְכָ֞ה אַֽחֲרֵ֚י מְאַֽהֲבַי֙ נֹֽתְנֵ֚י לַחְמִי֙ וּמֵימַ֔י צַמְרִ֣י וּפִשְׁתִּ֔י שַׁמְנִ֖י וְשִׁקּוּיָֽי:

**their mother: **Their nation.

**אמם: **כנסיה שלהם:

**she who conceived them behaved shamefully: **Jonathan, who renders: Their teachers are ashamed. The wise men who teach them with instructions are ashamed before the ignorant populace. They tell them, “You shall not steal,” but they steal. “You shall not lend for interest,” but they lend.

**הובישה הורתם: **בהיתו מלפיהון החכמים המורים להם הוראות בושים מפני עמי הארץ אומרים להם לא תגנובו והם גונבים לא תלוו ברבית והם מלווים:

**after my lovers: **In the ways of the nations.

**אחרי מאהבי: **בדרכי העכו"ם:

8Therefore, behold I will close off your way with thorns, and I make a fence against her, and she shall not find her paths.

חלָכֵ֛ן הִֽנְנִי־שָׂ֥ךְ אֶת־דַּרְכֵּ֖ךְ בַּסִּירִ֑ים וְגָֽדַרְתִּי֙ אֶת־גְּדֵרָ֔הּ וּנְתִֽיבוֹתֶ֖יהָ לֹ֥א תִמְצָֽא:

**behold I will close off: **Heb. שָׂךְan expression of closing. Comp. (Isaiah 5:5) “remove its hedge (מְשׂוּכָּתוֹ);” (Proverbs 15:19) “as though hedged (כִּמְשֻּׂכַת) by thorns.”

**הנני שך: **ל' סגירה כמו הסר משוכתו (ישעיהו ה׳:ה׳) כמשוכת חדק (משלי טו):

**your way: **The ways and paths in which you go.

**את דרכך: **דרכים ושבילים שאת הולכת בהם:

9And she shall pursue her lovers and not overtake them, and she shall seek them and not find them; and she shall say, "I will go and return to my first Husband, for it was better for me then than now.

טוְרִדְּפָ֚ה אֶת־מְאַֽהֲבֶ֙יהָ֙ וְלֹֽא־תַשִּׂ֣יג אֹתָ֔ם וּבִקְשָׁ֖תַם וְלֹ֣א תִמְצָ֑א וְאָֽמְרָ֗ה אֵֽלְכָ֚ה וְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־אִישִׁ֣י הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לִ֛י אָ֖ז מֵעָֽתָּה:

**her lovers: **Egypt and Assyria, and you will not be able to seek aid from them.

**ורדפה: **ממשקלות לשון כבד הוא זה כמו (שם יב) ומרדף רקים פורקציי"ר בלע"ז כלומר תחזור אחריהם ולא תשיגם:

**And she shall pursue: **Heb. וְרִדְּפָהThis is one of the intensive conjugations. Comp. (Proverbs 12:11) “and he who pursues empty ones” (porcacier in O.F:, poursuivra in modern French), to pursue. I.e. she will follow them and not overtake them.

**את מאהביה: **מצרים ואשור ולא תוכלי לבקש מהם עזרה:

**and she shall seek them: **Heb. וּבִקְשָׁתַם, a combination of אוֹתָם וּבִקְשָׁה.

**ובקשתם: **ובקשה אותם:

10But she did not know that I gave her the corn, the wine, and the oil, and I gave her much silver and gold, but they made it for Baal.

יוְהִיא֙ לֹ֣א יָֽדְעָ֔ה כִּ֚י אָֽנֹכִי֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔הּ הַדָּגָ֖ן וְהַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְהַיִּצְהָ֑ר וְכֶ֨סֶף הִרְבֵּ֥יתִי לָ֛הּ וְזָהָ֖ב עָשׂ֥וּ לַבָּֽעַל:

**But she did not know: **She did not lay it to her heart, but showed herself as unknowing.

**לא ידעה: **לא שמה אל לבה והראית עצמה כלא יודעת:

**and I gave her much silver and gold: **but they made it for Baal.

**וכסף הרביתי לה וזהב: **והם עשאוהו לבעל:

11Therefore, I will return and take My corn in its time and My wine in its appointed season, and I will separate My wool and My flax, to cover her nakedness.

יאלָכֵ֣ן אָשׁ֔וּב וְלָֽקַחְתִּ֚י דְגָנִי֙ בְּעִתּ֔וֹ וְתִֽירוֹשִׁ֖י בְּמֽוֹעֲד֑וֹ וְהִצַּלְתִּי֙ צַמְרִ֣י וּפִשְׁתִּ֔י לְכַסּ֖וֹת אֶת־עֶרְוָתָֽהּ:

**in its time: **At the time the produce completes its ripening.

**בעתו: **בעת גמר בישול הפירות:

**and I will separate: **[Heb. וְהִצַּלְתִּי] from her.

**והצלתי: **ממנה:

**My wool and My flax: **which was to cover her nakedness, Every expression of הָצָלָהin Scripture is an expression of separation and setting apart. Proof of this we find in (Gen. 31: 9) “And God separated (וַיַצֵּל) your father’s cattle,” (ibid.:16) “For all the wealth that… separated (הִצִיל).”

**צמרי ופשתי: **אשר היה לכסות את ערותה, כל הצלה שבמקרא לשון תרומה והפרשה הוא ומוכיח עליו ויצל אלהים את מקנה אביכם (בראשית ל״א:ט׳) כי כל העושר אשר הציל (שם):

12And now, I will bare her disgrace before the eyes of her lovers, and no man shall save her from My hand.

יבוְעַתָּ֛ה אֲגַלֶּ֥ה אֶת־נַבְלֻתָ֖הּ לְעֵינֵ֣י מְאַֽהֲבֶ֑יהָ וְאִ֥ישׁ לֹֽא־יַצִּילֶ֖נָּה מִיָּדִֽי:

**and no man shall save her from My hand: **Even the merits of the Patriarchs have been depleted. [from Shabbath 55a]

**ואיש לא יצילנה מידי: **אף זכות אבותם תמה:

13And I will terminate all her rejoicing, her festival[s], her new moon[s], and her Sabbath[s], and all her appointed seasons.

יגוְהִשְׁבַּתִּי֙ כָּל־מְשׂוֹשָׂ֔הּ חַגָּ֖הּ חָדְשָׁ֣הּ וְשַׁבַּתָּ֑הּ וְכֹ֖ל מֽוֹעֲדָֽהּ:

14And I will lay waste her vine[s] and her fig tree[s], [concerning] which she said, "They are my hire, which my lovers have given me," and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall devour them.

ידוַֽהֲשִׁמֹּתִ֚י גַּפְנָהּ֙ וּתְאֵ֣נָתָ֔הּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽמְרָ֗ה אֶתְנָ֥ה הֵ֙מָּה֙ לִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתְנוּ־לִ֖י מְאַֽהֲבָ֑י וְשַׂמְתִּ֣ים לְיַ֔עַר וַֽאֲכָלָ֖תַם חַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶֽה:

**And I will lay waste: **Heb. וַהֲשִׁמֹּתִי, an expression of desolation (שְּׁמָמָה).

**והשמותי: **לשון שממה:

**hire: **אֶתְנָה, like אֶתְנָן.

**אתנה: **כמו אתנן:

**and I will make them a forest: **where the beasts walk and eat the fruit.

**ושמתים ליער: **שהחיות מהלכות שם ואוכלות הפירות:

15And I will visit upon her the days of the baalim, to whom she burnt incense, and she adorned herself with her earrings and her jewelry, and went after her lovers, and she forgot Me, says the Lord.

טווּפָֽקַדְתִּ֣י עָלֶ֗יהָ אֶת־יְמֵ֚י הַבְּעָלִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תַּקְטִ֣יר לָהֶ֔ם וַתַּ֚עַד נִזְמָהּ֙ וְחֶלְיָתָ֔הּ וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ אַֽחֲרֵ֣י מְאַֽהֲבֶ֑יהָ וְאוֹתִ֥י שָֽׁכְחָ֖ה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה:

**And I will visit upon her: **the retribution of…

**ופקדתי עליה: **שכר פורענות:

**the days of the baalim to whom she burnt incense: **constantly to them, and this is a present tense.

**ימי הבעלים אשר תקטיר: **תמיד להם ול' הווה הוא:

**and she adorned herself with her earrings and her jewelry: **Heb. וַתַּעַד, an expression of jewelry (עֲדִי). Like a harlot who adorns herself to greet her paramours.

**ותעד נזמה וחליתה: **ל' עדי כזונה המתקשטת לקראת נואפים:

**and her jewelry: **And חֶלְיָתָהis an Arabic term meaning jewelry.

**וחליתה: **בל' ערבי הוא קישוט:

16Therefore, behold I will allure her and lead her into the desert, and I will speak comfortingly to her heart.

טזלָכֵ֗ן הִנֵּ֚ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ מְפַתֶּ֔יהָ וְהֹֽלַכְתִּ֖יהָ הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְדִבַּרְתִּ֖י עַל־לִבָּֽהּ:

**Therefore, behold I will allure her: **I will persuade her to be drawn after Me (losanjier in O.F., to flatter or cajole). Other editions read: atrayray in O.F. (attirerai). I will lure, attract. And what is the allurement?

**לכן הנה אנכי מפתיה: **משדלה להמשך אחרי לוזאניי"ר בלע"ז ומהו הפיתוי:

**and lead her into the desert: **In exile, which is to her like a desert and a wasteland. And there she will lay up to her heart that it was better for her when she performed My will than when she rebelled against Me.

**והולכתיה המדבר: **בגולה שהוא לה כמדבר וציה ושם תשיב אל לבה כי טוב לה כשעשתה רצוני מכשמרדה בי:

17And I will give her her vineyards from there and the depth of trouble for a door of hope, and she shall dwell there as in the days of her youth, and as the day of her ascent from the land of Egypt.

יזוְנָתַ֨תִּי לָ֚הּ אֶת־כְּרָמֶ֙יהָ֙ מִשָּׁ֔ם וְאֶת־עֵ֥מֶק עָכ֖וֹר לְפֶ֣תַח תִּקְוָ֑ה וְעָ֚נְתָה שָּׁ֙מָּה֙ כִּימֵ֣י נְעוּרֶ֔יהָ וּכְי֖וֹם עֲלוֹתָ֥הּ מֵאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרָֽיִם:

**her vineyards: **Jonathan rendered this as an expression of managers and leaders. Comp. (Job 24:18) “he will not face the way of the vineyards,” meaning that the people of the generation of the flood had made up their mind not to follow the righteous leaders, such as Noah and Methusalah. And so, (Song 1:6) “my vineyard I did not guard.” The allusion is to the worship of idols instead of worshipping God, the Leader. Another explanation:

**את כרמיה: **ת"י לשון פרנסים ומנהיגים וכן לא יפנה דרך כרמים (איוב כ״ד:י״ח) וכן כרמי שלי לא נטרתי (שיר השירים א׳:ו׳) ד"א:

**and lead her into the desert: **To the desert of Sihon and Og, and with the same expression Ezekiel prophesied (20:35, 38), “And I will bring you there to the desert of the peoples, and I will contend with you there, etc. As I continued with your forefathers etc., and I will bring them into the tradition of the covenant. And I will purge you of those who rebel…” but the righteous I will keep alive. That is the intention of “her vineyards.” [from Ruth Rabbah 5:6, Pesikta d’Rav Kahana 49b].

**והולכתיה המדבר: **למדבר סיחון ועוג ובסגנון זה נתנבא (יחזקאל כ׳:ל״ה) שנאמר והבאתי אתכם אל מדבר העמים ונשפטתי אתכם שם כאשר נשפטתי את אבותיכם והבאתי אתכם במסורת הברית וברותי מכם המורדים וגו' והכשרים אקיים וזהו את כרמיה:

**and the depth of trouble: **Heb. עֶמֶק עָכוּר. The depth of the exile where they were troubled I will give her for a door of hope (an expectation of hope), for, out of those troubles, she will take heart to return to Me.

**ואת עמק עכור: **עומק הצרות שהן עכורים שם אתן לה לפתח תקוה שמתוך אותן צרות תתן לב לשוב אלי:

**and she shall dwell there: **Heb. וְעָנְתָה, an expression of dwelling. Comp. (Nahum 2:12) “a den (מְעוֹן) of lions.” [from Machbereth Menachem p. 135]

**וענתה שמה: **ל' דירה כמו מעון אריות (נחום ב):

**as in the days of her youth: **when she dwelt in Egypt a long time.

**כימי נעוריה: **שישבה במצרים ימים רבים:

**and as the day of her ascent, etc.: **as Israel cried out to me in Egypt because of the subjugation and I redeemed her, so also now.

**וכיום עלותה וגו': **שצעקה אלי ממצרים מתוך שיעבוד וגאלתיה כן גם עתה:

18And it shall come to pass on that day, says the Lord, you shall call [Me] Ishi, and you shall no longer call Me Baali.

יחוְהָיָ֚ה בַיּֽוֹם־הַהוּא֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה תִּקְרְאִ֖י אִישִׁ֑י וְלֹֽא־תִקְרְאִי־לִ֥י ע֖וֹד בַּעֲלִֽי:

**you shall call [Me] Ishi, etc: **You shall worship Me out of love and not out of fear. Ishi is an expression of marriage and the love of one’s youth.

**תקראי אישי וגו': **תעבדוני מאהבה ולא מיראה אישי לשון אישות וחיבת נעורים:

**Baali: **An expression of mastership and fear. And our Rabbis (Pesachim 87a, Kethuboth 71b) explained: Like a bride in her father-in-law’s house, and not like a bride in her father’s house.

**בעלי: **לשון אדנות ומורא ורבותינו פירשו ככלה בבית חמיה ולא ככלה בבית אביה:

19And I will remove the names of the baalim from her mouth, and they shall no longer be mentioned by their name.

יטוַֽהֲסִֽרֹתִ֛י אֶת־שְׁמ֥וֹת הַבְּעָלִ֖ים מִפִּ֑יהָ וְלֹֽא־יִזָּכְר֥וּ ע֖וֹד בִּשְׁמָֽם:

**and they shall no longer be mentioned: **I.e. Israel shall no longer be mentioned by the name of the baalim. Or, the baalim shall no longer be mentioned by the name of Israel, saying that they are their gods. Or, the name of the baalim shall no longer be mentioned, as it is stated. (Isa. 2:18) “And the idols shall completely pass away.”

**ולא יזכרו עוד: **ישראל בשמם של בעלים או לא יזכרו הבעלים בשמם של ישראל לומר שהם אלהות להם או לא יזכר שם הבעלים עוד כד"א (ישעיהו ב׳:י״ח) והאלילים כליל יחלוף:

20And I will make a covenant for them on that day with the beasts of the field and with the fowl of the sky and the creeping things of the earth; and the bow, the sword, and war I will break off the earth, and I will let them lie down safely.

כוְכָֽרַתִּ֨י לָהֶ֚ם בְּרִית֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא עִם־חַיַּ֚ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְעִם־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וְקֶ֨שֶׁת וְחֶ֚רֶב וּמִלְחָמָה֙ אֶשְׁבּ֣וֹר מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהִשְׁכַּבְתִּ֖ים לָבֶֽטַח:

**with the beasts of the field: **for I will destroy harmful creatures from the world. And so Scripture states (Isa. 11:9): “They shall neither harm nor destroy etc.”

**עם חית השדה: **שאשבית מזיקין מן העולם וכה"א (שם יא) לא ירעו ולא ישחיתו וגו':

21And I will betroth you to Me forever, and I will betroth you to Me with righteousness and with justice and with loving-kindness and with mercy.

כאוְאֵֽרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ לִ֖י לְעוֹלָ֑ם וְאֵֽרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ לִי֙ בְּצֶ֣דֶק וּבְמִשְׁפָּ֔ט וּבְחֶ֖סֶד וּבְרַֽחֲמִֽים:

**with righteousness and with justice: **which you practice.

**בצדק ובמשפט: **שתתנהגו בהן:

**and with loving-kindness and with mercy: **which will come to you from Me because of them. Concerning our father Abraham, it is written (Gen 18:19): “For I love him since he commands etc. to perform righteousness and justice.” And, corresponding to them, He bestowed upon his children loving-kindness and mercy, as it is said (Deut. 13:18): “And He shall grant you mercy;” (ibid. 7:12) “And the Lord your God shall keep for you the covenant and the loving-kindness.” When they ceased to perform righteousness and justice, as it is said (Amos 5:7): “Those who turn justice into wormwood, and righteousness they leave on the ground,” also the Holy One, blessed be He, took away from them the loving-kindness and the mercy, as it is said (Jer. 16:5): “for I have gathered in My peace from this people, says the Lord, the loving-kindness and the mercies.” And when they will return to perform righteousness and justice, they shall be redeemed immediately, as it is said (Isa. 1:27): “Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and her penitent through righteousness.” And the Holy One, blessed be He, will add mercy and loving-kindness to them and make a crown of all four of them and place it on their head.

**ובחסד וברחמים: **שיבא לך מאתי על ידיהם באברהם אבינו כתיב (בראשית י״ח:י״ט) כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה וגו' לעשות צדקה ומשפט וכנגדן נתן לבניו חסד ורחמים מאת הקב"ה שנאמר (דברים י״ג:י״ח) ונתן לך רחמים ושמר ה' אלהיך לך את הברית ואת החסד (שם יז) פסקו מן הצדקה והמשפט כמו שנאמר (עמוס ה׳:ז׳) ההופכים ללענה משפט וצדקה לארץ הניחו אף הקב"ה אסף מהם החסד והרחמים שנ' (ירמיהו ט״ו:א׳) כי אספתי את שלומי מאת העם הזה את החסד ואת הרחמים וכשיחזרו לעשות צדקה ומשפט שנאמר (ישעיהו א׳:כ״ז) ציון במשפט תפדה וגו' הקב"ה מוסיף עליהם רחמים וחסד ועושה אותן עטרה לארבעתן ומושיבן בראשן:

22And I will betroth you to Me with faith, and you shall know the Lord.

כבוְאֵֽרַשְׂתִּ֥יךְ לִ֖י בֶּאֱמוּנָ֑ה וְיָדַ֖עַתְּ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה:

**And I will betroth you to Me with faith: **For the reward of the faith, for, while in exile, you believed in the promises through My prophets. [from Mechilta 14:31 with variations]

**וארשתיך לי באמונה: **בשכר האמונה שהאמנת בגולה להבטחות שעל ידי נביאי:

23And it shall come to pass on that day, [that] I will answer, says the Lord; I will answer the heavens, and they shall answer the earth.

כגוְהָיָ֣ה | בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא אֶֽעֱנֶה֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶֽעֱנֶ֖ה אֶת־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְהֵ֖ם יַֽעֲנ֥וּ אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ:

**I will answer the heavens: **to pour upon the clouds from the rivulet of good that depends on My word. They will, in turn, answer to pour water upon the earth.

**אענה את השמים: **לצוק אל השחקים מפלג הטוב התלוים במאמר והם יענו לצוק מים על הארץ:

24And the earth shall answer the corn and the wine and the oil, and they shall answer Jezreel.

כדוְהָאָ֣רֶץ תַּֽעֲנֶ֔ה אֶת־הַדָּגָ֖ן וְאֶת־הַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְאֶת־הַיִּצְהָ֑ר וְהֵ֖ם יַֽעֲנ֥וּ אֶת־יִזְרְעֶֽאל:

**Jezreel: **The people of the exile who were scattered and then in gathered.

**את יזרעאל: **את בני הגולה שנזרעו ונקבצו:

25And I will sow her for Me in the land, and I will have compassion upon the unpitied one, and I will say to them that are not My people, "You are My people," and they shall say, "[You are] my God."

כהוּזְרַעְתִּ֚יהָ לִּי֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְרִֽחַמְתִּ֖י אֶת־לֹ֣א רֻחָ֑מָה וְאָֽמַרְתִּ֚י לְלֹֽא־עַמִּי֙ עַמִּי־אַ֔תָּה וְה֖וּא יֹאמַ֥ר אֱלֹהָֽי:

**And I will sow her for Me in the land: **As one who sows a se’ah in order to gather many korim, so will many proselytes be added to them. [from Pesachim 87b]

**וזרעתיה לי: **כזורע סאה להכניס כמה כורין כן יתוספו עליהן בארץ ישראל כמה גרים:

Hoshea (Hosea) - Chapter 3

1And the Lord said to me: Go again, love a woman beloved by her companion, yet an adulteress, like the love of the Lord of the children of Israel, who turn to other gods, and love goblets of grapes.

אוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י עוֹד לֵ֣ךְ אֱהַב־אִשָּׁ֔ה אֲהֻ֥בַת רֵ֖עַ וּמְנָאָ֑פֶת כְּאַֽהֲבַ֚ת יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהֵ֗ם פֹּנִים֙ אֶל־אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וְאֹֽהֲבֵ֖י אֲשִׁישֵׁ֥י עֲנָבִֽים:

**beloved by her companion: **Cherished by her husband and beloved to him, who [nonetheless] commits adultery under his domain, [paralleling thereby] the love of the Holy One, Blessed Is He, for the nation of Israel who [nonetheless] stray from under His domain towards other gods.

**אהובת רע: **חביבה על בעלה ואהובה לו והיא מנאפת תחתיו כאהבת הקב"ה את ישראל והם זונים תחתיו אל אלהים אחרים:

**goblets of grapes: **Heb. אֲשִׁישֵׁי עֲנָבִים. Menahem (Machbereth p. 34) explains. ‘goblets of wine.’ They are fond of becoming drunk with their wine and do not engage in Torah. And so we find that elsewhere he castigates for this: “that drink wine in bowls, etc” (Amos 6:6).

**אשישי ענבים: **פי' מנחם גביעי יין אוהבי' להשתכר ביינם ואינם עוסקים בתורה וכן מצינו שמוכיחם במקום אחר על כך השותים במזרקי יין (עמוס ו׳:ו׳):

2And I bought her for me for fifteen pieces of silver, and a 'chomer' of barley and a 'lethech' of barley.

בוָֽאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ לִּ֔י בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר כָּ֑סֶף וְחֹ֥מֶר שְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְלֶ֥תֶךְ שְׂעֹרִֽים:

**And I bought her: **It is an expression of a business transaction, ‘bargaine’ in Old French, similar to “which I have purchased (כָּרִיתִי) for me” (Gen. 50:5). Now in the sea-towns they refer to a sale (Heb. מְכִירָה) as כִּירָה[from Hullin 92a].

**ואכרה לי: **ל' סחורה ברגניי"א בלע"ז כמו (בראשית נ׳:ה׳) אשר כריתי לי ובכרכי הים קורין למכירה כירה:

**for fifteen pieces of silver, and a chomer of barley and a lethech of barley: **Jonathan paraphrases: “And I redeemed them at My command on the fifteenth day of the month of Nisan, and I made shekalim of silver an atonement for their souls, and I declared that they offer before me an ‘omer’ as heave- offering from the barley harvest; that is to say, I did not weary you with difficult duties.”

**בחמשה עשר כסף וחומר שעורים ולתך שעורים: **ת"י ופרקתינון במימרי ביום חמשה עשר לירח ניסן ויהב ית כסף תקליא כיפור לנפשיהון ואמרית דיהון מקרבין קדמי עומר ארמותא מעללת שעורין כלומר לא הוגעתים בדברים קשים:

**for fifteen pieces of silver: **It is the numerical equivalent of Nissan. Now in the Pesikta it is expounded: “fifteen pieces of silver,” on the fifteenth day of Nissan. Now a chomer and a lethech total forty-five, for the chomer equals thirty seah, and the lethech is a half-chomer.

**בחמשה עשר כסף: **בגמטריא ניסן ובפסיקתא הוא נדרש בט"ו כסף בט"ו בניסן וחומר ולתך הרי ארבעים וחמשה שהחומר ל' סאה והלתך חצי חומר:

3And I said to her: 'You shall remain as mine for many days; you shall not play the harlot, and you shall not belong to another man; so will I be towards you.

גוָֽאֹמַ֣ר אֵלֶ֗יהָ יָמִ֚ים רַבִּים֙ תֵּ֣שְׁבִי לִ֔י לֹ֣א תִזְנִ֔י וְלֹ֥א תִֽהְיִ֖י לְאִ֑ישׁ וְגַם־אֲנִ֖י אֵלָֽיִךְ:

**and I said to her: You shall remain as mine for many days: **The plural “days” refers to (a minimum) of two, “many” to (a minimum of) three, making a total of five. This (the forty-five of the previous verse added to the five of this verse) alludes to the fifty days between Passover and Pentecost. On that day I offered her the Torah, admonishing her:

**ואומר אליה ימים רבים תשבי לי: **ימים שנים רבים שלשה הרי חמשה אלו נ' יום שבין פסח לעצרת בו ביום נתתי להם התורה ובה הזהרתיה:

**you shall not play the harlot and you shall not belong to another man: **[that is], “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3); so…

**לא תזני ולא תהיי לאיש: **לא יהיה לך אלהים אחרים (שמות כ׳:ג׳):

**will I be towards you: **“I am the Lord your God” (Ex. 20:2). Now the reason he split the fifty days into separate calculations, one at the conclusion of “chomer” (i.e., 50 days), the other at the conclusion of “lethech” (i.e., the ensuing 15 days), is to represent the “manna” that descended upon them at the culmination of thirty days [from their exodus] on the fifteenth day (sic) of Iyar. From that point, for an [additional] fifteen daysthe numerical equivalent of the number of seah in a lethechon that day they arrived in the Sinai desert on the first day of the month of Sivan. Now in the name of Rav Hai I found a most fitting thing: “So I bought her to me etc.,” (verse 2) I have established her atonement indemnity money as a light sum, for whosoever states: “My valuation is incumbent upon me to contribute to the sanctuary, should he be from the age of sixty and above” his valuation shall be fifteen shekels (Lev. 27:7). This sum of fifteen shekels is, according to this interpretation, symbolized by the fifteen pieces of silver of v. 2): Now the “chomer” of barley [represents] the valuation of a male aged twenty and above until sixty, viz. fifty shekels (see Lev. 27:3), the amount of redemption money of a chomer of barley which is similarly fifty silver shekels (See Lev. 27:16: “And if a man shall dedicate to the Lord some part of his field… the seed of a ” chomer “ of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.”) Now regarding the lethech of barley, the amount for redeeming a field containing a lethech of barley for the sanctuary is twenty-five shekels, which is [equal to the sum of] the valuation of someone from one month up to five years, which equals five shekels (Lev. 27:6), and that of one from five years up to twenty years, in which cases, “the valuation shall be twenty shekels (Lev. 27:5),” totalling twenty-five shekels. After all this display of affection [by allowing for such relatively easy absolution,] I said to her:

**וגם אני אליך: **אנכי ה' אלהיך (שם) ואשר עשה שני חשבונות מחמשים יום אחד לסוף חומר ואחד לסוף לתך כנגד המן שירד להם לסוף ל' יום בט"ו באייר ומשם לחמשה עשר יום מנין סאין של לתך ביום הזה באו מדבר סיני בר"ח סיון, ובשם רב האי מצאתי דבר הגון, ואכרה לי וגו', קצבתי דמי כופר פדיונה לנגדי בדמים קלי' האומר ערך נפשי עלי אם מבן ששים ומעלה והיה ערכך חמשה עשר שקל וחומר שעורין. ערך זכר מבן עשרים שנה ומעלה ועד בן ס' חמשים שקל והם דמי פדיון חומר שעורין שגם הוא חמשים שקל כסף, ולתך שעורין דמי פדיון קרקע לתך שעורין למקדש, עשרים וחמשה שקלים הוא ערך הקצוב מבן חדש עד ה' שנים חמש שקלים ומבן חמש שנים עד בן עשרים שנה והיה ערכך עשרי' שקלים הרי עשרים וחמשה אחר כל החיבה הזאת אמרתי לה:

**[3] You shall remain as mine for many days; you shall not play the harlot: **by turning to other gods, for, if you do play the harlot, your children shall remain for many days…

**ימים רבים תשבי לי לא תזני: **לאלהים אחרים כי אם תזני ימי' רבים ישבו בניך:

4For the children of Israel shall remain for many days, having neither king, nor prince, nor sacrifice, nor pillar, nor ephod nor teraphim.

דכִּ֣י | יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים יֵֽשְׁבוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֥ין מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ וְאֵ֣ין שָׂ֔ר וְאֵ֥ין זֶ֖בַח וְאֵ֣ין מַצֵּבָ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין אֵפ֖וֹד וּתְרָפִֽים:

**having neither king nor prince nor sacrifice: **in the Temple in Judah.

**אין מלך ואין שר ואין זבח: **במקדש ביהודה:

**nor pillar: **The pillar of Baal in Samaria of the kings of Israel.

**ואין: **מצבת הבעל בשומרון למלכי ישראל :

**nor ephod: **of the Urim and Tummim, which discloses to them hidden things.

**ואין אפוד: **של אורים ותומים המגיד להם נעלמות:

**teraphim: **They are images constructed, having in mind a particular hour established, at which time they speak of their own accord and tell of hidden things. So does Jonathan translate: and there shall be no ephod or oracle.

**ואין תרפים: **הם דמות הנעשים בכוון שעה אחת העשויה לכך ומדברים מאיליהן ומגידים נעלמות וכן ת"י ולית אפודא ומחוי :

5Afterwards shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God and David their king, and they shall come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness at the end of days.

האַחַ֗ר יָשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּבִקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת דָּוִ֣יד מַלְכָּ֑ם וּפָֽחֲד֧וּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֛ה וְאֶל־טוּב֖וֹ בְּאַֽחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִֽים:

**Afterwards: **Following the days of exile.

**אחר: **ימי הגולה:

**shall the children of Israel return: **It was taught in the name of R. Shimon the son of Yochai: The children of Israel rejected three things during the reign of Rehoboam; the Kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom of the House of David, and the Holy Temple, as it is written: “What portion have we in David” (I Kings 12:16) which may be understood literally; “to your tents O’ Israel” (ibid.), do not read, “to your tents” (Heb. לְאֹהָלֶ) but “to your gods” (Heb. לֵאלֹהֶ) “now see your own house, David” (ibid.), refers to the Holy Temple (see Rashi I Kings 12:16). R. Shimon the son of Menassiah said: Israel shall not be shown any omen of good until they repent by seeking out all three; “Afterwards shall the children of Israel return, and seek their Lord their God,” which refers to the Kingdom of Heaven; “and David their king” is self explanatory; “and shall come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness,” which refers to the Holy Temple, as it is written “that good mount” (Deut. 3:25) (a reference to the Temple Mount. [from Midrash Samuel 13:4]

**ישובו בני ישראל ובקשו את ה' וגו': **תנא משום ר"ש בן יוחאי בג' דברים מאסו בני ישראל בימי רחבעם במלכות שמים ובמלכות בית דוד ובבית המקד' הה"ד (מלכים א י״ב:ט״ז) אין לנו חלק בדוד כמשמעו לאהליך ישראל (שם) אל תקרי לאהליך אלא לאלהיך ראה ביתך דוד (שם) זה ב"ה אמר רבי שמעון בן מנסיא אין מראין סימן טוב לישראל עד שיחזרו ויבקשו שלשתן אחר ישובו בני ישראל ובקשו את ה' זו מלכות שמים ואת דוד מלכם כמשמעו ופחדו אל ה' ואל טובו זה בית המקדש כד"א ההר הטוב הזה:

What is ONLY possible by accepting the Jewish Rabbinical teachings (exactly following the Shulchan Aruch) confirmed in the teachings of Chasidut (Most important (minimal to study) the TanYah from ChaBaD).

Because: One of the pillars of the entire Torah is to run away from any form of ‘service to any other God.’ ‘Avoda Zara’ It is a capital sin and extremely crucial to the observance of Torah. An Israelite who violates this sin willingly is like he violated all of the Torah, and he loses many of his halachic privileges as an Israelite.

Without the Shulchan Aruch and Chasidut the world reached:

**

From Where Is the Signal Coming — Yetzer Hora or Yetzer Tov?

**

Building Block No. 7

By Robert Kremnizer

From the Sichos in English Collection

Clearly, there must be a guide for a Jew to be able to determine whether a signal is coming from his yetzer tov or whether the signal is coming from his yetzer hora. At one end of the spectrum recognition is easy. Obviously, if a man desires to steal, it is not difficult to identify that signal as coming from his yetzer hora. More subtly, if a man makes the decision to learn Torah every morning at a fixed time, the suggestion to stay in a warm bed on a cold gray morning and miss learning can also be identified as coming from the yetzer hora.

But sometimes, on the other end of the spectrum, the message can be very unclear and the signal can come in a most seductive form;1 for example, is the desire to cheat an insurance company really stealing?

Given that theft is forbidden, it requires a person of acumen to identify his yetzer hora here. After all, purrs that yetzer hora, adding to the list of stolen items is natural: Every insurance company expects it: They never pay the whole claim anyway: Obviously, the answer is to over claim. On the other hand, the signal not to cheat clearly comes from the yetzer tov. The yetzer tov will tell a man, if he will only listen, that it cannot be possible to profit when doing something contrary to Hashem’s will. If He says not to steal, any extra money received from the insurance claim will be dissipated on negative matters such as doctors’ bills.

There are even more subtle positions. We learn the yetzer hora attacks at the level it is best able to achieve success. A simple man will be attacked at a primitive level. A sophisticated scholar will be attacked on an ingeniously learned level.

There are a few tests; the first relates to time. Chassidim tell the story2 of a pauper who explains to a Rebbe in private of his desperate need for three hundred rubles to marry off his daughter. Later the same day, amazingly another Chosid donated three hundred rubles to the Rebbe. The Rebbe’s assistant was excited to see the donation as he realized that he could now pay the Rebbe’s debts. When, however, he asked for the money, the Rebbe refused. A few moments later, the Rebbe suspended visitors and after some time elapsed called back the assistant. He instructed him to find the man in need of the three hundred rubles and to pay the money to him. The assistant was disappointed but the Rebbe’s behavior was not altogether unexpected. But why the suspension of visitors and the delay?

Ultimately the Rebbe explained;

“ There was never a question of keeping any of the money for myself or my debts. The question, was should the man who needed to marry off his daughter be given the whole three hundred rubles when, after all, this is a poor community and many people are desperately in need. There were at least three hundred families who could do very well with a ruble each at the moment. Should I give the whole three hundred rubles to one man to marry off his daughter or should I distribute the amount to bring relief to a considerable number of poor families?

To make this decision, I needed to decide from where the idea of distributing one ruble to three hundred deserving families was coming from. Was it coming from the yetzer hora or the yetzer tov ? ”.

The Rebbe explained that, upon deep reflection, it was coming from his yetzer hora. Why? Because it was his second thought even though good in itself.

So here we have a test. The Rebbe’s first inclination was to give the whole three hundred rubles to the man who needed to marry off his daughter. Only later did he give himself the alternative.

We know that when, in the attempt to do some good, a decision is made, the yetzer hora will attack that decision at that man’s level. At what level can the yetzer hora attack a great man? Somewhere at least sophisticated enough for there to be a choice for him. One test of where the signal comes from therefore is that it comes second in time after and to undermine the first, good decision.

A second test relates to motive. There is a famous story about a snuff box. People used to use snuff, and snuff boxes to Chassidim in olden times, were like expensive pens to lawyers. The richer you were, the better your snuff box. The story goes that Shimon, a very rich man, was in shul one night when Reuven, a very poor man, asked Shimon for some snuff.

Producing a wonderful jewel-encrusted snuff box, Shimon took some snuff for himself and dismissed Reuven empty-handed in a rude and uncaring manner. It later happened that Shimon became poor and Reuven rich. Shimon went to a Rebbe to ask why he had become impoverished. The Rebbe reminded him of the incident of the snuff box. Once reminded, Shimon asked what he could do to once again be rich. The Tzaddik told him there were two ways. The first was to engineer Reuven to do to him what he had done to Reuven before. There was another way but he would not explain. Shimon sought out Reuven who was in the process of marrying off his daughter and who no longer recognized the disheveled Shimon. In the middle of the greatest moments of rejoicing when father was dancing with his son-in-law on a table, Shimon pulled at Reuven’s trousers.

“ What do you want? ”

“ Excuse me, can I have some snuff?”

“Now?”

“Now!”

Reuven descended from the table and, incredibly, he produced the very same bejeweled snuff box!

“Take as much as you want,” said Reuven. Shimon burst out crying when his much disturbed host inquired after his strange behavior. Shimon told him all. His host listened carefully and then asked, “Why do you want me to be poor again? Before, when I was poor, you were content. When I am rich, you want me to be poor.” Shimon now understood that the second way for him, not explained by the Rebbe, included not wishing poverty on Reuven. He no longer wanted his money back. He wanted other money. The end of the story was that Reuven made a deal with Shimon that he would support Shimon on a salary for the rest of his life and marry off all his children on one condition; that Shimon no longer would want his money back from Reuven. The deal was done and everybody lived happily. Because he repented sufficiently teshuvah, Shimon was once again entitled to have a certain amount of money. Again however there are the two signals. The signal to Shimon that he wanted his money back was a signal from his yetzer hora because it was at the expense of Reuven.

When he reached the level where the signal was coming from his yetzer tov, where any money would do him while meanwhile welcoming his friend’s good fortune, Shimon then received enough.

There is a third and ultimate test of action;

Does the signal bring a man to doing positive good in actual fact or is the result no activity? If, for example, there is the potential to do mitzvah “A” or mitzvah “B”, if neither is performed, long learned argument about which mitzvah is preferred must be coming from the _yetzer hora_3. If in fact one or, even better, both mitzvos are performed, the signal has come from the yetzer tov. We know this because the net result is the doing of the mitzvos in actuality. As a result more good has been brought into the world. This, after all, is the purpose of the yetzer tov, and the only ultimate clue to its signal.

1.

See for example Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 16, p. 553.

2.

Quoted in A Treasury of Chassidic Tales On the Torah Vol. II by R.S.Y. Zevinp. 532.

3.

See for example Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 23, p. 473.

By Robert Kremnizer

When we study good the letters from Rabbi Shaul (From NT) we learn to understand that he was enormous touched by his Rebbe Yeshuah HaNotsry. And we may learn understand that his letters, from Chassidic perspective, are very deep and beautiful teachings about the Yetser Hara and Yetser Tov.

Rebbe Yeshuah HaNotsry – Messiah Ben Yosef – The viceroy of Messiah Ben David……. The Tzaddik HaDor of his generation.

By Har HaBait Jewish Sovereign for all Israel

The Tzaddik HaDor

The Messiah of Israel

We learn from the Jewish Scriptures (Talmud, oral law) and the Hebrew Tanach that we have two Messiah's.

Messiah Ben Joseph and Messiah Ben David...... They are in fact one Messiah. In Israel we have two groups-kingdoms, Yehuda and Ephraim. Throughout the Tanach we have two Israelite 'Kingdoms'. Kingdom of Ephraim (Northern Kingdom) who departed from the Kingdom of Shlomo (Southern Kingdom, Yehuda) after his dead. And later in the diaspora Ephraim went completely lost, became 'the lost sheep of the house of Yisra’ěl.' The Kingdom of Yehuda didn't went lost and became the Jews of today. Messiah Ben Joseph represents the national soul of Ephraim. Messiah Ben David represents the national soul of Yehuda. The Messiah is a human being, like you and me, and not HaShem but: is the most righteous soul of Israel.

There is confusion regarding the idea of the Tzaddik Hador, the righteous leader of the generation. There are many tzaddikim, many righteous men, rabbis, teachers, and hidden ones. But there is only one tzaddik hador, and if we merit, he becomes the Tzaddik Emet.

Tzaddik Emet is the soul of "Moshe - Moshiach", the redeemer. Throughout history there has been and only will be seven times, 7 gigulim of the neshomah (7 re-entries into this world of the essence of the soul) of Moshe Rebbaynu (Moses our Teacher), the soul of the Moshe Moshiach (Zohar Parshat Mishpatim and Ari Zal - Sha'arei Gigulim). These times have been Moshe Rebbaynu (Moses our Teacher), some count Dovid HaMelech (King David), Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi), the Ari HaKodesh, the Baal Shem Tov, some count Rebbe Nachman of Breslev, some count the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson of Chabbad.* We are presently waiting for the last manifestation - in Moshiach.

(According to Breslev, Rebbe Nachman was 5th in this line. His Torah is the Torah of this, the last generation. He said his fire would burn until the Moshiach, and that Moshiach would be a descendant of his. See Chai Morahran, in English the books Tzaddik and Until Moshiach by Breslev Research Institute.)

But we were discussing the Tzaddik Hador. The last know widely accepted (by the majority of Jews) Tzaddik Hador was the Rebbe of Chabad.

Mordechai was the Tzaddik Hador in the time of the Purim story. Reb Nosson of Breslev teaches us some awesome details about this in Likutey Chalchot, hilchos Purim... The Tzaddik Hador is the most spiritually awake person alive. He not only has the ability to find and wake up the souls of Am Israel, but he can also if we help him. Can wake up the Divine presence. The Purim story is not just a story of Mordechai and Ester, but the story of the tzaddik HaDor and the Shechina, the Divine Presence. (More on this in a future post, Hashem willing.)

As the Zohar teaches us – everyone is against or afraid of the idea of there having to be a tzaddik. HaTzaddik, "THE" Tzaddik, HaDor - namely the Tzaddik of "THIS" generation. The Holy Zohar teaches (Zohar I, 28a): "Woe to the world for they do not provide help for the Shechina (Divine Presence) during the exile, or for Moshe (i.e., the Tzaddik), who is always with Her and never moves from Her… Moshe did not die. He is called Adam. Of Adam it is written (Bereishit 2:20), 'And Adam had no helpmate'. This applies to the last exile: Adam – the Tzaddik – has no helpmate. Everyone is against the Tzaddik".

May we all sincerely and wholeheartedly turn to Hashem in prayer and seek out, support and reveal the Shechina hidden within the exile along with Her helpmate 'HaTZaDDiK HaDoR' Amen.’ (Source: Journal Mitzvah: The Tzaddik HaDor)

When we follow the development in Israel today good we can be very shocked and afraid. We are driven to unity….. and in the same time many Jews are changing. They do Teshuva…… Because of our pain we cry out to Elohim, HaShem is answering us by bringing, discovering, a deep love in our hearts for each other. Also we are intense looking out how HaShem He Himself start to fight for His people….. Because Chog-Magog war is starting or very close by……

Rebbe Yeshua HaNotsry the viceroy of Messiah Ben David is learning us: Driving us to unity….. and at the same time many Jews are changing. They do Teshuva…… Because of our pain we cry out to Elohim, HaShem is answering us by bringing, discovering, a deep love in our hearts for each other. Infect ‘killing’ the Yetser Hara in ourselves. Try to understand the war in this time is to come to total victory over Amalek. Also we are intense looking out how HaShem He Himself start to fight for His people….. The coming of the Ultimate Redeemer King Messiah ben David – The most Righteous One of our generation: the Tzaddik Emet.

Jewish tradition speaks of two redeemers, each one called Mashiach. Both are involved in ushering in the Messianic era. They are Mashiach ben David and Mashiach ben Yossef.1

See Sukah 52b; Zohar I:25b; ibid. II:120a, III:153b, 246b and 252a. (See Sha'arei Zohar on Sukah 52a for further relevant sources in the Zohar-writings.)

The term Mashiach unqualified always refers to Mashiach ben David (Mashiach the descendant of David) of the tribe of Judah. He is the actual (final) redeemer who shall rule in the Messianic age. All that was said in our text relates to him.

Mashiach ben Yossef (Mashiach the descendant of Joseph), of the tribe of Ephraim (son of Joseph), is also referred to as Mashiach ben Ephrayim, Mashiach the descendant of Ephraim.2 

Sukah 52a-b; Zohar I:25b; ibid. III:246b and 252b etc.; and Midrash Agadat Mashiach; use the term Mashiach ben Yossef. Targum Yehonathan on Exodus 40:11; Zohar II:120a; ibid. 153b, 194b, and 243b etc.; Midrash Tehilim 60:3; and other Midrashim refer to Mashiach ben Ephrayim. Pesikta Rabaty, ch. 36-37 (ed. Friedmann, ch. 35-36) refers to Ephrayim Meshiach Tzidki (Ephraim, My righteous Mashiach); the term Ephraim, though, may relate here to collective Israel, thus referring to Mashiach ben David.

Pirkei Heichalot Rabaty, ch. 39 (Batei Midrashot, ed. Wertheimer, vol. I) and Sefer Zerubavel (ibid., vol. II), offer his personal name as Nechemiah ben Chushiel (likewise in Midrash Tehilim 60:3), adding "who is of Ephraim the son of Joseph." (Interestingly enough, Pirkei deR. Eliezer, ch. 19, calls him Menachem ben Ammi'el, the very name the other sources - and Zohar III:173b - attribute to Mashiach ben David.

Targum Yehonathan on Exodus 40:11 traces his descent to Joshua (cf. below, note 7). Other sources state that he is a descendant of Yeravam ben Nevat, with practical implications in the Providential scheme for this genealogy; see Zohar Chadash, Balak:56b; commentary of R. Abraham Galante on Zohar II:120a (cited in Or Hachamah there); and Emek Hamelech, Sha'ar Olam Hatohu:ch. 46. Cf Devash Lefi, s.v. mem:par. 18. (Note also the sources cited in Sha'arei Zohar on Sukah 52a with regards to other views about his lineage.)

He will come first, before the final redeemer, and later will serve as his viceroy.3

The harmony and cooperation between Mashiach ben David and Mashiach ben Yossef signifies the total unity of Israel, removing the historical rivalries between the tribes of Judah and Joseph; see Isaiah 11:13 and Rashi there. (Cf. Bereishit Rabba 70:15; and Torah Shelemah on Genesis 29:16, note 49.)

The essential task of Mashiach ben Yossef is to act as precursor to Mashiach ben David: he will prepare the world for the coming of the final redeemer. Different sources attribute to him different functions, some even charging him with tasks traditionally associated with Mashiach ben David (such as the ingathering of the exiles, the rebuilding of the Bet Hamikdash, and so forth).4

See Pirkei Heichalot Rabaty, ch. 39; Sefer Zerubavel; Midrash Agadat Mashiach (most of which is quoted in Lekach Tov, Balak, on Numbers 24:17ff.); and cf. Rashi on Sukah 52b, s.v. charashim. See also Ramban, Commentary on Song 8:13.

The principal and final function ascribed to Mashiach ben Yossef is of political and military nature. He shall wage war against the forces of evil that oppress Israel. More specifically, he will do battle against Edom, the descendants of Esau.5

Note that the final battle of Mashiach ben Yossef is said to be against Armilus, ruler of Edom. See the Messianic Midrashim Zerubavel; Agadat Mashiach; Vayosha etc. (Specific references are offered in R. Margolius, Malachei Elyon, part II, s.v. Armilas; and see also the sources cited below, notes 18-19.)

For a further study, what is necessary for an better understanding for many of us, please read the following:

Edom is the comprehensive designation of the enemies of Israel,6 

Edom is the perpetual enemy of Israel (see Sifre, Beha'alotecha, par. 69, cited by Rashi on Genesis 33:4; and see also Megilah 6a) and its final foe: the present galut is referred to as the galut of Edom (see Bereishit Rabba 44:17; Vayikra Rabba 13:5; and parallel passages) and Edom will be defeated ultimately by Mashiach (Obadiah; Yoma 10a; Midrash Tehilim 6:2; and cf. Tanchuma, Bo:4).

Interestingly enough, according to Pirkei deR. Eliezer ch. 28 (in non-censored versions), the Ishmaelites (Arabs) will be the final kingdom to be defeated by Mashiach. Other sources state "Edom and Ishmael" (see Torah Shelemah on Genesis 15:12, note 130). Note, however, Pirkei deR. Eliezer, ch. 44 (and cf. Midrash Tehilim 2:6 and 83:3) that Edom and Ishmael have become intermingled. See also Mayanei Hayeshu'ah, Mayan 11:8

and it will be crushed through the progeny of Joseph. Thus it was prophesied of old, "The House of Jacob will be a fire and the House of Joseph a flame, and the House of Esau for stubble.." (Obadiah 1:18): "the progeny of Esau shall be delivered only into the hands of the progeny of Joseph."7

Baba Batra 123b. Targum Yehonathan on Genesis 30:23. Tanchuma, ed. Buber, Vayetze:15; and Bereishit Rabba 73:7; and the parallel passages cited there. See Bereishit Rabba 99:2, that Edom shall fall by the meshu'ach milchamah (the one anointed for battle; see below, note 10 for this term) who will be descended from Joseph.

Mashiach ben Yossef's battle against Edom is analogous to, and the culmination of, Israel's first battle against Edom (Amalek) after the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 17:5ff.). In that first battle, the Jewish army was led by Joshua - who is also of the tribe of Ephraim, and (according to some) this Mashiach's ancestor (see above note 2); see Ramban on Exodus 17:9, and R. Bachaya on Exodus 18:1. Cf. also R. Bachaya on Exodus 1:5, drawing an analogy between the role of Joseph in Egypt and the role of the Mashiach descended from him in the ultimate redemption.

This ultimate confrontation between Joseph and Esau is alluded already in the very birth of Joseph when his mother Rachel exclaimed, "G‑d has taken away my disgrace" (Genesis 30:23): with prophetic vision she foresaw that an "anointed savior" will descend from Joseph and that he will remove the disgrace of Israel.8 

The Messianic aspect is derived by analogy with Isaiah 4:1.

In this context she called his name "Yossef, saying 'yossef Hashem - may G‑d add to me ben acher (lit., another son), i.e., ben acharono shel olam - one who will be at the end of the world's time,'9

The Messianic aspect is derived by analogy with Genesis 4:25 which in Agadat Mashiach (cited in Lekach Tov on Numbers 24:17) is put into Messianic context.

from which it follows that 'meshu'ach milchamah - one anointed for battle' will descend from Joseph."10

Midrash Yelamdenu, cited in Kuntres Acharon of Yalkut Shimoni. (This Kuntres Acharon appears only in very few editions of Yalkut Shimoni, but was republished in Jellinek's Bet Hamidrash, vol. VI. Our passage appears there on p. 81, par. 20; and is also cited in Torah Shelemah on Genesis 30:23-24, par. 84 and 89.)

In context of his military function, Mashiach ben Yossef is referred to as meshu'ach milchamah (cf. Sotah 42a, and Rashi on Deuteronomy 20:2, for this term); see Bereishit Rabba 75:6 and 99:2; Shir Rabba 2:13 (a parallel passage of Sukah 52b); and Agadat Bereishit, ch. (63) 64.

The immediate results of this war11 

Targum Yehonathan on Exodus 40:11, and on Zechariah 12:10 (manuscript-version in ed. A. Sperber); Agadat Mashiach; Pirkei Heichalot Rabaty (in version cited by Ramban, Sefer Hage'ulah, sha'ar IV; ed. Chavel, p. 291); and Rashi on Sukah 52a; identify the battle of Mashiach ben Yossef with the war of Gog and Magog.

will be disastrous: Mashiach ben Yossef will be killed. This is described in the prophecy of Zechariah, who says of this tragedy that "they shall mourn him as one mourns for an only child." (Zechariah 12:10).12 

Sukah 52a, and parallel passages

His death will be followed by a period of great calamities. These new tribulations shall be the final test for Israel, and shortly thereafter Mashiach ben David shall come, avenge his death, resurrect him, and inaugurate the Messianic era of everlasting peace and bliss.13

Pirkei Heichalot Rabaty, ch. 39 (cited in Sefer Hage'ulah, sha'ar IV); Sefer Zerubavel; Agadat Mashiach (cited in Lekach Tov, ibid.). See R. Saadiah Gaon, Emunot Vede'ot VIII:ch. 5, adding Scriptural "prooftexts" or allusions for all details; and the lengthy responsum of R. Hai Gaon on the redemption, published in Otzar Hageonim on Sukah 52a, and in Midreshei Ge'ulah, ed. Y. Ibn Shemuel, p. 135ff. Cf. Rashi and Ibn Ezra on Zechariah 12:10; Ibn Ezra and Redak on Zechariah 13:7.

This, in brief, is the general perception of the "second Mashiach," the descendant of Joseph through the tribe of Ephraim.

Quite significantly, R. Saadiah Gaon (one of the few to elaborate on the role of Mashiach ben Yossef) notes that this sequence is not definite but contingent! Mashiach ben Yossef will not have to appear before Mashiach ben David, nor will the activities attributed to him or his death have to occur. All depends on the spiritual condition of the Jewish people at the time the redemption is to take place:

The essential function of Mashiach ben Yossef is to prepare Israel for the final redemption, to put them into the proper condition in order to clear the way for Mashiach ben David to come. Of that ultimate redemption it is said, that if Israel repent (return to G‑d) they shall be redeemed immediately (even before the predetermined date for Mashiach's coming). If they will not repent and thus become dependent on the final date, "the Holy One, blessed be He, will set up a ruler over them, whose decrees shall be as cruel as Haman's, thus causing Israel to repent, and thereby bringing them back to the right path."14 

In other words, if Israel shall return to G‑d on their own and make themselves worthy of the redemption, there is no need for the trials and tribulations associated with the above account of events related to Mashiach ben Yossef. Mashiach ben David will come directly and redeem us.15

Emunot Vede'ot VIII:6; see there at length. Cf. Or Hachayim on Numbers 24:17.

Moreover, even if there be a need for the earlier appearance of Mashiach ben Yossef, the consequences need not be as severe as described. Our present prayers and meritorious actions can mitigate these. R. Isaac Luria (Ari-zal) notes that the descendant of Joseph, by being the precursor of the ultimate Mashiach, is in effect kissey David, the "seat" or "throne" of David, i.e., of Mashiach. Thus when praying in the daily Amidah_,_ "speedily establish the throne of Your servant David," one should consider that this refers to Mashiach ben Yossef and beseech G‑d that he should not die in the Messianic struggle.16 

Peri Eitz Chayim, Sha'ar Ha'amidah:ch. 19; and Siddur Ha-Ari; on this blessing. The Ari's teaching is cited in Or Hachayim on Leviticus 14:9, see there (and also on Numbers 24:17, where he relates this prayer to the next blessing of the Amidah); and see also Even Shelemah, ch. 11, note 6. Cf. Zohar II:120a (and Or Hachamah there), and ibid. III:153b. See next note.

As all prayers, this one, too, will have its effect.

It follows, then, that all the above is not an essential or unavoidable part of the Messianic redemption that we await. Indeed, it - (and the same may be said of the climactic war of Gog and Magog) - may occur (or may have occured already!) in modified fashion.17

The battle of Gog and Magog (see above, Appendix I, note 2) is another of the complex issues of the Messianic redemption. In fact, an authoritative tradition from the disciples of the Baal Shem Tov states that the extraordinary length of the present severe galut has already made up for the troubles of that battle and the trauma of the death of Mashiach ben Yossef, so that these will no longer occur; see R. Shemuel of Sochachev, Shem MiShemuel, Vayigash, s.v. Vayigash 5677 (s.v. venireh od, p. 298bf.).

This may explain why Rambam does not mention anything about Mashiach ben Yossef. R. Saadiah Gaon18 

Emunot Vede'ot VIII:ch. 5-6. See also the commentary on Shir Hashirim attributed to R. Saadiah Gaon, published in Chamesh Megilot im Perushim Atikim (Miginzei Teyman), ed. Y. Kapach, on Song 7:12-14 (p. 115; and also in Midreshei Ge'ulah, p. 131f.; as noted already by the editors, this passage is most probably based on Sefer Zerubavel).

See his extensive responsum, cited above note 13.

as well as a good number of commentators, do refer to him briefly or at length. In view of the divergent Midrashim and interpretations on this subject it is practically impossible to present a more definitive synopsis that would go far beyond the above. Thus it is wisest to cite and follow R. Chasdai Crescas who states that "no certain knowledge can be derived from the interpretations of the prophecies about Mashiach ben Yossef, nor from the statements about him by some of the Geonim;" there is no point, therefore, in elaborating on the subject.20

Or Hashem, Ma'amar III, klal 8: end of ch. 1.

By J. Immanuel Schochet

Rabbi Immanuel Schochet (1935–2013) wrote and lectured extensively on the history and philosophy of Chassidism and topical themes of Jewish thought and ethics. He was a renowned authority on Jewish philosophy and mysticism. He was rabbi of Cong. Beth Joseph, and professor of Philosophy at Humber College, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

© Copyright, all rights reserved. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with Chabad.org's copyright policy.

It is Rebbe Yeshuah HaNotsry – Messiah Ben Yosef – The viceroy of Messiah Ben David stating:

Mat_10:6  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Mat_15:24

  But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. KIV

Ariel your Representee, Representee of Ephraim and adviser (not a rabbi but friendly adviser) of Bet Yisrael international on the Har HaBayit.