The Twenty-ninth Sedra
23-26 Nisan 5784
FROM THE TORAH
Leviticus 16:1-18:30
Returning to the regular order of Sedras that was preempted by the reading for Shabbat Chol Hamoed Pesach, Sedra Acharey Mot takes up the theme of purity established in the preceding Sedras of Tazria and Metsora. The maintenance of practical purity in the life of Israel comes to a climax in the opening verses of this Sedra with the purification from accumulated impurity on the Day of Atonement. The issue is continued with respect to the slaughtering of animals for food and to domestic human intimacy, and it is also demarcated as an anticipated distinction of Israel, presently to possess the Land of Israel, from which previous violators of purity will be expelled.
Purification
THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
16:1-34
Preparation
16:1-5
After the death (Acharey Mot) of two of Aaron’s sons (cf. Leviticus 10:1 ff.), when they drew near before the Eternal, the Eternal charges Moses to warn Aaron his brother that he may not enter the inner side of the Dividing Curtain (Parochet) of the Sanctuary, before the Propitiatory (Kaporet), which is over the Ark and over which the Eternal may be seen in a thick cloud, unless he brings a bull of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, lest he die. Moreover, he must first bathe his body in water and then be dressed with a sacred linen tunic, linen breeches directly against his skin, a linen sash, and a linen turban. He shall also take from the congregation of the Children of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering.
Casting of Lots
16:6-10
Aaron shall offer his bull of sin offering to seek atonement for himself and for his household, and he should position the two male goats before the Eternal at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, casting lots concerning them: one for the Eternal and one for Azazel. He shall offer up as a sin offering the goat for which the lot comes up for the Eternal. The other goat, for which the lot comes up for Azazel, shall be left standing alive before the Eternal for seeking atonement, and shall ultimately be sent for Azazel into the wilderness.
Sin Offerings
16:11-19
In the meantime, Aaron should slaughter his bull of sin offering and bring a panful of glowing coals from upon the Altar, from before the Eternal, and two handfuls of finely-ground aromatic Incense, to the inner side of the Dividing Curtain. He shall put the Incense upon the fire before the Eternal, creating an Incense cloud to obscure the Propitiatory which is over the Testimony, so that he does not die. He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the bull with his finger over the Propitiatory on the east side, and on the front of the Propitiatory he shall sprinkle some of the blood seven times with his finger. Then he shall slaughter the people’s male goat of sin offering and bring its blood inside of the Dividing Curtain. As he did with the blood of the bull, he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the people’s male goat of sin offering both over the Propitiatory and in front of it.
Thus shall he seek atonement for the Sanctuary from the impurities and iniquities of the Children of Israel, with respect to all of their sins, and thus shall he do for the Tent of Meeting, which dwells with them in the midst of their impurities. Let no man be in the Tent of Meeting when he enters to seek atonement in the Sanctuary, until he leaves. He shall seek atonement for himself, for his household, and for all the community of Israel. Then he shall go out to the Altar, which is before the Eternal, and seek atonement for it, applying some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat to each of the horns of the Altar. He shall also sprinkle upon it some of the blood with his finger seven times. Thus shall he purify it and sanctify it from the impurities of the Children of Israel.
Azazel
16:20-26
Then Aaron shall bring forward the living goat and place both of his hands upon its head, confessing over it all of the iniquities and transgressions of the Children of Israel. Bearing upon it all of Israel’s sins, the goat is conducted into the wilderness by a specially-designated man, to a place from which there is no return.
Aaron shall then come to the Tent of Meeting, remove the linen garments and leave them there. He shall bathe his body in water in a holy place, put on his garments, and go out and offer his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering, seeking atonement for himself and for the people. He shall cause the fat of the sin offering to smoke upon the Altar. The conductor of the goat for Azazel shall wash his garments and bathe his body in water. He may thereafter enter the camp.
Disposal
16:27-28,34b
The bull of sin offering and the goat of sin offering, the blood of which was brought to seek atonement in the Sanctuary, shall be removed to outside of the camp. Their hides, their flesh and their dung shall be burned in fire. The burner shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water. He may thereafter enter the camp.
Moses does as the Eternal commanded him.
Everlasting Statute
16:29-34a
This shall be an everlasting statute for you. On the tenth day of the seventh month you shall afflict yourselves and not do any work, both the native and the alien who sojourns with you, for on that day atonement shall be made for you to purify you from all of your sins before the Eternal. It is a Sabbath of Complete Rest. The anointed Kohen who succeeds his father and puts on the sacred vestments of linen shall seek atonement for the Most Holy Sanctuary, for the Tent of Meeting, for the Altar, and for the Kohanim and for all of the people of the community, as an everlasting statute, to seek atonement of the Children of Israel from all of their sins, one time in the year.
Sanctity of Animal Life
ALL OFFERINGS TO THE TENT OF MEETING
17:1-9
The Eternal charges Moses to warn Aaron, his sons, and all of the Children of Israel, against slaughtering an ox, a sheep, or a goat, either inside or outside of the camp, without bringing it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting as an offering to the Eternal before His Tabernacle. Failing to so bring it shall be imputed as bloodguilt for the violator: he has shed blood and will be cut off from among his people. The purpose of this warning is to end sacrificing in the open by the Children of Israel. Instead, they should bring their sacrifices to the Kohen and slaughter them as well-being offerings to the Eternal. The Kohen shall dash the blood of the sacrifice upon the Altar of the Eternal and cause the fat to smoke for a pleasant aroma to the Eternal. No more shall they offer their sacrifices to the goat demons after which they stray. This shall be an everlasting statute for them throughout their generations.
Anyone of the House of Israel or of the aliens who sojourn in their midst who offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice that is not brought to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting shall be cut off from his people.
PROHIBITION OF BLOOD
17:10-14
If anyone of the House of Israel or of the aliens who sojourn in their midst partakes of any blood, I shall oppose that person and cut that person off from among its people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have provided you the blood upon the Altar to seek atonement for your lives as it is the blood underlying the life that achieves expiation. Further, if any of them hunts an animal or a bird in order to eat it, he must pour out its blood and cover it with earth, because the blood of all flesh underlies its life.
PROHIBITION OF DEAD OR TORN ANIMAL
17:15-16
If anyone, native or alien, eats an animal which has already died or is torn, he shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be impure until the evening, at which time he shall be pure. Otherwise he shall bear his sin.
Sanctity of Human Intimacies
PROHIBITION OF ALIEN IMPURITIES
18:1-30
The Eternal charges Moses to warn the Children of Israel: Do not follow the practice of the land of Egypt in which you dwelled, and do not follow the practice of the land of Canaan to which I am bringing you. Follow My laws, not theirs, “I, the Eternal your God.” Observe My statutes and ordinances, “by which a person may live” (Leviticus 18:5).
Do not have an intimate encounter with any of your blood relatives. These include:
Your father, that is to say, your mother or your father’s wife;
Your sister, whether your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born in the household or outside;
Your granddaughter, whether the daughter of your son or the daughter of your daughter;
The daughter of your father’s wife, born in the household of your father, as she is your sister;
Your father’s sister, as she is your father’s flesh;
Your mother’s sister, as she is your mother’s flesh;
Your father’s brother, that is to say, his wife, as she is your aunt;
Your daughter-in-law, as she is your son’s wife; and
Your brother’s wife, as she is your brother’s intimate.
Do not have an intimate encounter with a woman and with her daughter, nor may you take in an intimate encounter the daughter of her son or the daughter of her daughter, as they are blood relatives and it would be incest.
Do not take your wife’s sister as a second wife to be intimate with her in your wife’s lifetime.
Do not approach a woman for intimacy during the period of her impurity.
Do not have intercourse with the wife of another and become impure through her.
Do not offer up your offspring to Molech, so that you do not profane the Name of your God, I the Eternal.
Do not lie with a male in the manner of lying with a woman; it is an abomination.
Do not lie with any animal to become impure through it, and let no woman lie down before it; it is unnatural.
Do not subject yourselves to impurity by engaging in any of these practices as did the nations that I am expelling from before you. When the Land is defiled, I visit its sin upon it, and the Land disgorges its inhabitants. This is the consequence of the abominations performed by your predecessors in the Land. So observe My statutes and My ordinances, both native and alien who sojourn among you. Let the Land not disgorge you as it did your predecessors. Whoever violate these laws will be cut off from the midst of their people. Keep My charge, I, the Eternal, your God.
FROM THE PROPHETS
Haftarah for Shabbat Acharey Mot
Amos 9:7-15
Destiny of Israel and the Fallen Sukkah of David
No better than the Ethiopians
are you to Me, O Children of Israel:
I brought up Israel from the land of Egypt,
but I also brought up the Philistines from Caphtor
and the Arameans from Kir.
Now I observe your evil kingdom,
and I shall destroy it from off the face of the earth!
Yet I shall not utterly destroy the House of Jacob,
declares the Eternal.
At My command,
the House of Israel
shall be scattered among all the nations
as in a sieve,
yet not all shall be lost.
But the sinners of My people,
who consider themselves protected—
they shall die by the sword.
When that day comes,
I shall reestablish
the fallen Sukkah of David
and its ruins
as in days of old,
in order that they may possess
the remnant of Edom
and all the nations
upon which My Name is called.
Indeed the days are coming,
declares the Eternal,
when the yield will be so abundant
that the reaper will have more to reap than he can finish
before the ploughman of the next planting
catches up with him!
Similarly with the vintage,
the sower of seed for the next planting
will catch up
with the treader of grapes from the previous,
so that the mountains will drip sweet wine
and all the hills shall melt!
So will I return the captivity of My people Israel,
who will rebuild cities from their waste
and inhabit them,
plant vines and drink their wine,
make gardens and eat their fruit.
I shall plant them upon their Land,
never more to be uprooted,
declares the Eternal your God.
FROM TALMUD AND MIDRASH
Leviticus Rabbah 21:8
Preparation before Entering
“The Eternal is speaking to Moses
after the death of two of the sons of Aaron
when they drew near before the Eternal…”:
“Let Aaron not enter the Sanctuary
at any time…lest he die…
except under these conditions…”
(Leviticus 16:1-3)
A similar note of caution:
“You shall make the robe…around its hem you shall make ornamentation resembling pomegranates of blue, purple and crimson, alternating with actual bells of gold. Aaron shall wear this robe when he officiates, so that the sound may be heard when he enters the Sanctuary before the Eternal and when he leaves it. Then he shall not die.” (Exodus 28:31,33-35)
Rabbi Chananiah ben Chachinai and Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai went to learn Torah with Rabbi Akiba at B’nei B’rak, and they stayed there for thirteen years. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai corresponded, so that he knew what was happening in his home. Rabbi Chananiah, on the other hand, did not correspond, so he did not know what was happening in his home. But his wife sent him a message: Your daughter has come of age, so come home to arrange her marriage! But he did not go.
Rabbi Akiba, informed by the Holy Spirit, said to all of them: Whoever has a daughter come of age should go home and arrange for her marriage. Rabbi Chananiah understood what he meant, so he obtained permission to depart. When he arrived home, he did not find his wife at home. So he went to the place where women fill their pitchers with water, and eventually he heard someone call her name to fill her pitcher and leave.
He followed after her until she entered their house. Then he entered after her without any warning. Before she could recognize him, her spirit departed. Master of the Universe, he exclaimed, is this a just reward for this poor woman after waiting for me for thirteen years? Whereupon her spirit returned to her body.
Said Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: Among practices of which the Holy One, blessed be He, disapproves is to enter one’s own house without warning, not to mention the house of another.
Regarding the daughter who has come of age, Rav taught that if you are holding a male servant, free him and give her to him.
When Rabbi Yochanan went up to greet Rabbi Chaninah, he used to knock on the door, in accordance with, “that the sound may be heard when he enters the Sanctuary before the Eternal” (ibid.).
Leviticus Rabbah 21:10
Defender of Israel
“Thus shall Aaron enter the Sanctuary…
dressed with a sacred linen tunic,
linen breeches directly against his skin,
a linen sash,
and a linen turban….”
(Leviticus 16:3-4)
Why did the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) not enter wearing gold vestments?
Rabbi Simon taught in the name of Rabbi Joshua: Because the accused cannot be believed as a defender! If the Kohen Gadol, who defends Israel, wore gold vestments, they would give Satan an opening to accuse: Yesterday they made a golden god, and today they want to serve in gold vestments!
Rabbi Joshua of Sichnin taught in the name of Rabbi Levi: In order to spare the treasury of Israel!
Rabbi Levi taught: To eschew prideful behavior, in accordance with, ”Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the King [interpteted here to mean ‘King of the Universe’]…” (Proverbs 25:6)!
Leviticus Rabbah 21:11
Genesis Rabbah 65:14
In the Offerings are the Merits of Our Ancestors
“Aaron may not enter the inner side of…the Sanctuary…
unless he brings a bull of the herd for a sin offering
and a ram for a burnt offering…
and he must take from the Children of Israel
two male goats for a sin offering…”
(Leviticus 16:3,5a)
Each of these species—bull of the herd, ram, and goat—is prescribed for Aaron’s priestly officiation because each of them is imbued with the merits of one of our Fathers.
When the Eternal appeared to our Father Abraham at the Terebinths of Mamre, Abraham at the age of ninety-nine years was recovering from the circumcision (cf. Genesis 17:23-27). Nonetheless, and even though the day was hot (ibid. 18:1), he demonstrated his hospitality as “he ran to the herd in order to select a calf to prepare for the three visitors” (Genesis 18:7). This was more than an isolated incident, as Abraham was God’s prophet and teacher to a world that was mired in idolatry. Through hospitality he brought many into his covenant with God, of which circumcision was a sign (ibid. 17:11). For Abraham the calf of the herd was a means of hospitality, learning and covenant. For Aaron, then, the bull of the herd provided a sin offering as the aforementioned merits of Abraham provided expiation for his descendants from their moral errors.
When our Father Isaac was bound to the Altar of Sacrifice, he was not to be a victim but rather the epitome of the devoted son and student of his own father. As he would live and carry on the covenant of his father, he needed to be replaced on the Altar by “a ram that was caught in the thicket by its horns” (Genesis 22:13). The ram would become the burnt offering that Abraham would offer instead of his son Isaac, but the devotion and forbearance that brought father and son to that point would transcend the subsequent ram offering. Similarly did Aaron’s subsequent ram offerings harness his forebears’ unrivaled response to their Creator’s overwhelming claim for a burnt offering (ibid. 22:2).
When our Father Jacob and his mother sought to secure Isaac’s blessing for Jacob (cf. Genesis 27:1ff.), she directed Jacob to “go to the flock and take for me from there two good young male goats” (Genesis 27:9a) that she would prepare as his father’s favorite food that Jacob could bring him in disguise as his brother Esau and thereby deflect the blessing from Esau to himself. But why did she need to mention “good?” Surely it was understood that they should be “good!” Rabbi Berechia explained in the name of Rabbi Chelbo: She used the word “good” [toveem] in the plural in order to imply two good consequences: good for you in that you will receive because of them your father’s blessings—and good for your descendants, whose sins will be expiated by means of them on the Day of Atonement, which is implied from what is written, “For on this day it shall make expiation for you” (Leviticus 16:30)! Thus we learn that those goats that Aaron would take from the Children of Israel to be brought into the Sanctuary as a sin offering are designated to expiate their sins because they were the means of the Torah’s continuity from Isaac to our Father Jacob, from Father to qualified Son. Were it otherwise, the Torah would be lost—and thereby our means of expiation—as Esau was not qualified by his nature (cf. Genesis 25:27) to fulfill his father’s blessings of Torah. Thus did Jacob and his mother employ the goats to deliver through their descendant Aaron the gift of Torah and forgiveness of moral error to the Children of Israel.
Moreover, just as the succession of Jacob depended upon his mother Rebecca, so did the success of each of the three Fathers depend upon each of the Four Mothers. This is implied in the intervening verse:
“Moreover, he must first bathe his body in water
and then be dressed with a sacred linen tunic,
linen breeches…,
a linen sash,
and a linen turban…”
(Leviticus 16:4a)
Why was it necessary to mention “linen” four times since they all were of linen? The redundant effect of mentioning “linen” four times is to suggest that just as the sacrificial animals are imbued with the merits of the three Fathers—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—so are they imbued with the concomitant merits of the four Mothers—Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. Thus was Aaron “dressed” with the merits of our Mothers as well as those of our Fathers!
Sifra Acharey Mot Parshata 9:10, Perek 13:13
Talmud Sanhedrin 74a
Talmud Yoma 85a-85b
Live by them!
“Observe My statutes and My ordinances,
which a person shall perform
and by which he may live,
I am the Eternal.”
(Leviticus 18:5)
Heavenly Reward
“By which he may live” means life in the world to come, that is, life beyond this world! Now, if you argue that those words refer only to life in this world and that one who performs them will live only until he finally dies, I maintain that those words (“by which he may live”) refer to the world to come because of the divine signature, “I am the Eternal,” which implies His faithfulness in providing our reward for performing His statutes and His ordinances!
Torah of Man
“Which a person shall perform…”—Rabbi Jeremiah derived from “a person” within The Torah of Kohanim (The Book of Leviticus) that any “person,” even a gentile, who performs what the Torah requires of him, is as entitled to the divine reward as the Kohen Gadol: “…and by which he may live!”
Indeed you do not actually find here such a verse as, “This is the Torah of Kohanim, Levites and Israelites,” but you do find, “This is the Torah of Man…” (II Samuel 7:19)!
Nor do you find, “Open the gates that Kohanim, Levites and Israelites may enter,” but you do find, “Open the gates that a righteous gentile, a true observer, may enter” (Isaiah 26:2)!
Nor, “This is the gate of the Eternal: only Kohanim, Levites and Israelites may enter it,” but you do find, “This is the gate of the Eternal: let the righteous enter it” (Psalms 118:20)!
Nor, “Rejoice in the Eternal, O you Kohanim, Levites and Israelites” but you do find, “Rejoice in the Eternal, O you righteous” (Psalms 33:1)!
Nor do you find, “Do good, O Eternal, only to those who are Kohanim, Levites and Israelites,” but you do find, “Do good, O Eternal, to those who are good” (Psalms 125:4)!
All of which goes to show that even a gentile who observes the Torah is as good as the Kohen Gadol!
Torah of Life
Said Rabbi Yochanan in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: It was decided by a majority vote in the upper chamber of the house of Nitza that one may violate a commandment of the Torah under duress except for idolatry, adultery or incest, and bloodshed. But didn’t Rabbi Ishmael allow idolatry when one is threatened with death—on the basis of “Observe My statutes and My ordinances which a person shall perform and by which he may live” and therefore not die by them! Yes, but only privately, not in public, because of the command: “You shall not profane My Holy Name, but I shall be sanctified in the midst of the Children of Israel” (Leviticus 22:32)!
Rabbi Ishmael, Rabbi Akiba and Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah were on a journey together, accompanied by Levi Hasaddar and Rabbi Ishmael son of Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah. The following question was put forward: What is the basis for suspending Sabbath laws when they endanger life?
Rabbi Ishmael’s answer: It is inferred from, “If a thief is discovered breaking in…” (Exodus 22:1), wherein it is permitted to defend oneself even at the cost of the thief’s life. For in that case it is uncertain whether the thief has come just to steal or also to kill. Yet we are permitted to suspend the Torah’s law about bloodshed. How much the moreso [kal vachomer] when life is certainly endangered by a law of Sabbath may the Torah’s law of Sabbath be suspended!
Rabbi Akiba’s answer: It is inferred from, “If one has intentionally killed another, you may take him from My Altar to die” (Exodus 21:14), where the Kohen is the one at the Altar and has evidence regarding the culpability of an accused, but not “from upon My Altar,” that is, when the Kohen had already begun the service! Nonetheless Rabbah son of Bar Chana said that Rabbi Yochanan applied this only where the Kohen had evidence as to the accused’s guilt, but if he had evidence as to the accused’s innocence, then even “from upon My Altar,” that is, even if the Kohen with evidence had already begun the service! Now in that case it is uncertain whether his evidence will be accepted or not, yet he interrupts the Divine Service, which itself suspends Sabbath laws (when sacrifices are burned on the Sabbath, etc.). How much the moreso [kal vachomer] when life is certainly endangered by a law of Sabbath may the Torah’s law of Sabbath be suspended!
Rabbi Eleazar’s answer: It is inferred from brit milah (the covenant of circumcision), which overrides the Sabbath laws against its various procedures and which relates to only one of the 248 parts of the human body. How much the moreso [kal vachomer] shall Sabbath laws be suspended when they relate to the saving of the whole body!
In addition, Rabbi Yosi son of Rabbi Judah inferred from, “However [ach] you shall keep My Sabbaths…” (Exodus 31:13), “however [ach]” in the sense of “only,” implying a limitation such as when keeping the Sabbath would endanger life! Rabbi Jonathan son of Joseph cited the next verse, “…for it is holy to you…” (ibid. 14), “to you” is it given, not to it are you surrendered! Rabbi Shimon ben Menassia interpreted the apparently redundant words which follow, “The Children of Israel shall guard the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations…” (ibid. 16), to mean: Profane for the sake of one’s life one Sabbath so that he can observe many Sabbaths thereafter!
Rav Judah reported that Samuel said: Had I been there, I would have given an answer better than theirs. “Observe My statutes and My ordinances which a person shall perform and by which he may live” and therefore not die by them! Rava said: All of the answers could be refuted except the answer of Samuel.
How could the others be refuted? Regarding Rabbi Ishmael’s answer, inferring from, “If a thief is discovered breaking in…” (Exodus 22:1), his reasoning [kal vachomer] is based on the uncertainty of whether the thief is breaking in to steal or to murder. But Rava argued that we can be certain that the thief would be prepared to murder since he knows that the homeowner would resist him and would be warranted by the Torah to kill him in self-defense. Regarding Rabbi Akiba’s answer, inferring from, “If one has intentionally killed another, you may take him from [upon] My Altar to die” (Exodus 21:14), his reasoning [kal vachomer] is based on the uncertainty of whether the Kohen’s evidence will be accepted or not. But Abaye argued that we should let a couple of scholars interview him while he is still upon the Altar whereupon we could be certain whether his evidence would be acceptable or not!
Similarly, the other answers, except for Samuel’s, can be refuted because all of them are based upon a situation where there is no doubt, when keeping the Sabbath would certainly endanger life. Rabbi Yosi son of Rabbi Judah inferring from, “However [ach] you shall keep My Sabbaths…” (Exodus 31:13), “however [ach]” in the sense of “only,” implying a limitation, which we could safely assume would be a certain danger to life, not a matter of doubt! Rabbi Jonathan son of Joseph inferring from, “…for it is holy to you…” (ibid. 14), “to you” is the Sabbath given, not to it are you surrendered. When would you be surrendered to the Sabbath? When it is certain that you would die as a result! Rabbi Shimon ben Menassia inferring from, “The Children of Israel shall guard the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations…” (ibid. 16): Profane for the sake of one’s life one Sabbath so that he can observe many Sabbaths thereafter, in other words a certainty that he would otherwise die because of that one Sabbath!
But Samuel, inferring from, “Observe My statutes and My ordinances which a person shall perform and by which he shall live”: that a man shall observe the commandments when it is a certainty that he will live thereby; therefore, when it is uncertain that he will live thereby, when there is doubt, you may profane out of doubt! How much the moreso [kal vachomer] when life is certainly endangered by a law of Sabbath may the Torah’s law of Sabbath be suspended! Said Rabina, or possibly Rav Nachman son of Isaac: Better is one grain of sharp pepper than a basket full of gourds!
Talmud Sanhedrin 96b-97a, 98a
When will Mashiach come?
“On that day
I shall reestablish
the fallen Sukkah of David…”
(Amos 9:11)
Rav Nachman asked Rabbi Isaac: Have you heard when the son of the fallen is coming? But Rabbi Isaac asked in return: Who is “the son of the fallen?” Rav Nachman answered: The anointed one (mashiach). Rabbi Isaac: The mashiach? You call the mashiach “the son of the fallen?” Rav Nachman: Yes, for it is written, “On that day I shall reestablish the fallen Sukkah of David” (Amos 9:11)! Rabbi Isaac then cited the teaching of Rabbi Yochanan: The son of David shall come in a generation when scholars are few and others’ eyes fail in suffering and distress, with an unceasing supply of new troubles and evil decrees.
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Rabbi Chaninah taught: The son of David will not come until there will be no fish even for those whose illness requires it, as the Prophet foresaw, “Then shall I lower their waters and cause their rivers to run with oil” (Ezekiel 32:14), only then, “On that day I shall cause prosperity to sprout for the House of Israel” (ibid. 29:21)!
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Zeiri reported that Rabbi Chaninah taught: The son of David will not come until the arrogant in Israel cease, as the Prophet foresaw, “Then I shall remove from your midst those who rejoice in your pride, and I shall leave in your midst a poor and afflicted people who will take refuge in the Name of the Eternal” (Zephaniah 3:11-12)!
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Rabbi Simlai said in the name of Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon: The son of David will not come until all corrupt magistrates cease from Israel, as the Prophet foresaw, “I shall turn My hand upon you…and remove all of your alloy and restore your judges as at first…” (Isaiah 1:25-26)!
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Ulla taught: Jerusalem will be redeemed only through righteousness, as the Prophet said, “Zion shall be redeemed in justice, and those who return to her, in righteousness” (Isaiah 1:27)!
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Withal, Rabbi Yochanan taught: The son of David will come only in a generation which is altogether righteous or in a generation which is altogether wicked. In a generation which is altogether righteous, for the Prophet promised, “When your people, all of them, shall be righteous, they shall inherit the Land for ever” (Isaiah 60:21)! Yet in a generation which is altogether wicked, the Prophet wondered, “Even with the lack of a champion for good, God’s own arm would save, and His righteousness would sustain Him” (ibid. 59:16), yes, “For My own sake, for My own sake, I shall do it” (ibid. 48:11)!
SHABBAT SHALOM!
Sedra Summary 