Parashat Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11-34:35) Exodus 30 (continued) 30:20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: Comment: Jews still wash hands ritually before praying.… Continue reading My notes on Ki Tisa
Author: mijiale
My notes on Tetzaveh
Parashat Tetzaveh (Exodus 27:20-30:10) Exodus 27 (continued) 27:20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. Comment: Gd’s chosen people is likened by oil in the following ways: (See, e.g., https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/259742/jewish/Jews-and-Oil.htm) (1) It gathers together. (See… Continue reading My notes on Tetzaveh
My notes on Terumah
Parashat Terumah (Exodus 25:1-27:19) Exodus 25 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. Comment: “that I may dwell” (vshachanti in Hebrew): this is the goal of building a sanctuary. The Hebrew word “dwell” is related to shechinah https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekhinah, which can denote the presence of Gd. Gd’s present… Continue reading My notes on Terumah
My notes on Mishpatim
Parashat Mishpatim (Exodus 21-24) Exodus 21 21:1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them. Comments: After the giving of the 10 commandments, Gd taught many detailed laws. “judgments”: mishpatim in Hebrew, means Torah laws that make common sense. https://torah.org/torah-portion/ravfrand-5757-behar/ This is in contrast to chukim (“ordinances”, such as the red… Continue reading My notes on Mishpatim
My notes on Yitro
Parashat Yitro (Exodus 18-20) Exodus18 18:1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; Comment: This portion of weekly Torah reading is named “Yitro (Jethro)”, which contains the… Continue reading My notes on Yitro
My notes on Beshalach
Parashat Beshalach (Exodus 13:17-17:16) Exodus 13 (continued) 13:18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt. Comment : “ … led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of …… Continue reading My notes on Beshalach
My notes on Bo
Parashat Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16) Exodus 10 10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me. Comment: “let my people go”: This phrase also… Continue reading My notes on Bo
My notes on Vaeira
Parashat Vaeira (Exodus 6:2-9:35) Exodus 6 (continued) 6:23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Comment: The Bible talks about many families and relatives serving in Gd’s big plan. Relatives may have more natural communications with each… Continue reading My notes on Vaeira
My notes on Shemot
Parashat Shemot (Exodus 1:1-6:1) Exodus 1 1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. Comment: When one has to choose between obeying Gd or obeying a human being, it is better to choose the former. 1:19 And… Continue reading My notes on Shemot
(出03)旧约里三位一体的影子
很多人认为旧约的耶和华是表示天父,新约的耶稣是圣子。甚至有一些被认为异端的看法,认为耶稣是比耶和华小的神或天使。这方面几千年来都有很微妙的神学争论,甚至又聪明又敬虔的大科学家都可能犯错误,所以我不能说我说的就正确或全面或是创新,我只是借助我们正在学习的一段经文,与大家分享一些读经时对这些神学观念所引出的一些看法。 出 埃 及 记 3:1 摩 西 牧 养 他 岳 父 米 甸 祭 司 叶 忒 罗 的 羊 群 , 一 日 领 羊 群 往 野 外 去 , 到 了 神 的 山 , 就 是 何 烈 山 。 3:2 耶 和 华 的 使 者… Continue reading (出03)旧约里三位一体的影子
My notes on Vayechi
Parashat Vayechi (Genesis 47:28-50:26) Genesis 47 (continued) 47:30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said. Comment: “thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me …”: Joseph should… Continue reading My notes on Vayechi
(创45)作喜爱圣经的人
(创45)作喜爱圣经的人 (根据Rashi解经记载的雅各) 犹太的解经演义midrash是一种特殊文化,它一般利用圣经经文演绎成一个故事,主要目的不是推断历史真相,而是教导人。这有点像三国演义里的诸葛亮三气周瑜,本身不一定是历史,但是和历史人物和时间衔接起来,教导人不要气量狭小等功课。犹太解经演义因为与圣经有关,常常教导的是与灵命长进有关的功课。 我这里主要介绍Rashi解经【1】里的记载,里面把雅各描写成一个喜爱圣经的人. (Rashi解释创25:22“孩 子 们 在 她 腹 中 彼 此 相 争 ,…”, 原文的相争与‘跑’有关。)从还在娘胎时,经过还活着的闪(洪水前出生)和希伯(造巴别塔前出生)所开办的查经班时,雅各就激动地想跑出去学圣经(应该是口传的圣经前型),而在同一个娘肚子里的以扫则在经过拜偶像的地方激动地想跑过去。 (Rashi解经创25:27“雅 各 为 人 安 静 , 常 住 在 帐 棚 里 ”)雅各少年时常去闪和希伯查经班的帐棚学习。 (Rashi解经创28:9推导了年龄)雅各离家后去亚兰地娶妻之前,先去当时还活着的希伯那里的查经班学了14年圣经。 创46:29说 “约 瑟 套 车 往 歌 珊 去 , 迎 接 他 父 亲 以 色 列 , 及 至 见 了… Continue reading (创45)作喜爱圣经的人
My notes on Vayigash
Parashat Vayigash (Genesis 44:18-47:27) Genesis 44 (continued) 44:33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. Comment: Previously Judah proposed selling Joseph due to jealousy. How come the jealousy is now overcome, so that Judah is… Continue reading My notes on Vayigash
My notes on Mikeitz
Parashat Mikeitz (Genesis 41:1-44:17) Genesis 41 41:7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. Comment: How many dreams appeared in the story about Joseph? Six. This is the 6th and the last dream in the story of Joseph. Six… Continue reading My notes on Mikeitz
(创37-41)六个梦背后的作者
梦,一种看不见摸不着的东西,居然改变了人的命运。仔细想想,实际上背后有一个命运的主宰。 故事发生在西亚,远古的奴隶社会。 被爸爸偏爱的17岁的富家子弟约瑟,向哥哥们描述了他作的梦1,2,象征哥哥们要向他下拜,这加剧了哥哥们的嫉妒而促使他们卖约瑟去埃及为奴,以预防约瑟的梦1,2的实现。 在埃及无辜被诬陷入狱的约瑟,在28岁时为狱友们解他们作的梦3,4。 两年后,法老作梦5,6无人能解。出狱的狱友推荐约瑟为法老解梦,使约瑟出狱成为埃及宰相,以贯彻梦5,6的启示,预先为荒年存粮。 荒年时约瑟的哥哥们来埃及买粮,向埃及宰相下拜,不知道那其实是39岁的约瑟,从而实现了22年前约瑟的梦1,2的预言。 约瑟梦1,2的预言,因为他哥哥们想防止它发生就把约瑟卖到外国作奴隶,不想反而因之成就了梦1,2的预言。 过程中约瑟虽经受了多种逆境,痛苦,恶行,嫉妒,诬陷,但他从不发怨言,从不自暴自弃,对造物主的信心和顺服始终如一,无论做公子,做奴隶,做囚犯,做宰相,都尽本分做好,并归荣耀于造物主。 约瑟的梦1,2带来约瑟命运的下降。在他命运的低谷狱友们的梦3,4 给他带来了转机和解梦的信誉。法老的梦5,6则给约瑟机会通过解梦得拯救,并使他命运突然上升到前所未有的高度。 梦3,4,5,6本身与其解释也有极高的水平与价值。我们可以参考约瑟解梦来学习解经。 这六个梦,由四个不同的人,在三个不同的地方作。六个梦关联麦捆,日月星辰,葡萄枝,面饼篮,母牛,麦穗,表面上看好像是各种纷杂混乱的思绪,但实际上在背后的作者的写作大纲中各有所用,把一个从富家公子到奴隶到囚犯到外国宰相的奇遇串连在一起,具有极高的文学价值。比较同时代的中国古代文学,我想到的孙膑庞涓等故事,甚至希腊神话里的杀父娶母故事,这些虽然也精彩,但其意境与对人生的指导意义与约瑟的故事相比颇有不如。 即使是无神论的读者,从文学创作角度来看,也能辨认出,这看似杂乱的六个梦,背后有一个作者的精心设计。其实这整个过程都很现实,没有任何像孙猴子一个跟斗翻了十万八千里那样的违反自然规律。造物主是整个奇遇背后的真正作者。祂掌管人的日有所思,祂掌管人的夜有所梦,祂允许和掌控约瑟哥哥们的坏心思,约瑟的英俊和主人太太的贪图,狱友先前的遗忘和后来的回忆,七年丰收和七年饥荒,祂赐给约瑟解梦的智慧和治国的才能…,造物主超过所有小说作者的地方在于: 祂不但有最好的设计,又有足够的能力使之成为现实。 让我们学习约瑟,尽本分作好在造物主美妙作品里面我们自己被赋予的角色。 (本文原型笔者曾刊登于以马内利社区)