Thursday, October 20, 2016

I am Hashem: כִּי-אֲנִי יְהוָה

The following is somewhat similar to the combination of Devarim 15 and "Vayikra 25", where the combined text is stronger, exactly because it is a symphony of voices. It suggests that the parts are indeed parts of a bigger Torah.

The two eerily similar prophetic texts, one from the left and one from the right, can be combined by interleaving. A reason for combining these sources in this way is to show how similar they are. The parts are of Yechezkel, H, Dtn2, D; each prophet recorded what he heard. The combination is stronger than the parts. Because it is a symphony:

וְהָיָה כִי-יָבֹאוּ עָלֶיךָ כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ, אֶל-לְבָבֶךָ, בְּכָל-הַגּוֹיִם, אֲשֶׁר הִדִּיחֲךָ יְהוָה שָׁמָּה. וַהֲקִמֹתִי עֲלֵיהֶם רֹעֶה אֶחָד, וְרָעָה אֶתְהֶן--אֵת, עַבְדִּי דָוִיד; הוּא יִרְעֶה אֹתָם, וְהוּא-יִהְיֶה לָהֶן לְרֹעֶה. וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד-יְהוָה אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ, בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשֶׁךָ. וְנָתַתִּי אוֹתָם וּסְבִיבוֹת גִּבְעָתִי, בְּרָכָה. וְהוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶתְכֶם כְּקַדְמוֹתֵיכֶם, וְהֵיטִבֹתִי מֵרִאשֹׁתֵיכֶם, וִידַעְתֶּם, כִּי-אֲנִי יְהוָה. וְשָׁב יְהוָה אֶת-שְׁבוּתְךָ, וְרִחֲמֶךָ; וְשָׁב, וְקִבֶּצְךָ מִכָּל-הָעַמִּים, אֲשֶׁר הֱפִיצְךָ יְהוָה שָׁמָּה. אִם-יִהְיֶה נִדַּחֲךָ, בִּקְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם--מִשָּׁם, יְקַבֶּצְךָ יְהוָה וּמִשָּׁם, יִקָּחֶךָ. וֶהֱבִיאֲךָ יְהוָה אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-יָרְשׁוּ אֲבֹתֶיךָ--וִירִשְׁתָּהּ; וְהֵיטִבְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ, מֵאֲבֹתֶיךָ. וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם לֵב חָדָשׁ, וְרוּחַ חֲדָשָׁה אֶתֵּן בְּקִרְבְּכֶם; וַהֲסִרֹתִי אֶת-לֵב הָאֶבֶן, מִבְּשַׂרְכֶם, וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם, לֵב בָּשָׂר. וּמָל יְהוָה אֶת-לְבָבְךָ, וְאֶת-לְבַב זַרְעֶךָ: לְאַהֲבָה אֶת-יְהוָה בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁךָ--לְמַעַן חַיֶּיךָ. וְאֶת-רוּחִי, אֶתֵּן בְּקִרְבְּכֶם; וְעָשִׂיתִי, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-בְּחֻקַּי תֵּלֵכוּ, וּמִשְׁפָּטַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשִׂיתֶם. וְנָתַן יְהוָה אֵת כָּל-הָאָלוֹת הָאֵלֶּה, עַל-אֹיְבֶיךָ וְעַל-שֹׂנְאֶיךָ, אֲשֶׁר רְדָפוּךָ. וְהוֹתִירְךָ יְהוָה בְּכֹל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶךָ, בִּפְרִי בִטְנְךָ וּבִפְרִי בְהֶמְתְּךָ וּבִפְרִי אַדְמָתְךָ--לְטֹבָה: כִּי יָשׁוּב יְהוָה, לָשׂוּשׂ עָלֶיךָ לְטוֹב, כַּאֲשֶׁר-שָׂשׂ, עַל-אֲבֹתֶיךָ. כִּי תָשׁוּב אֶל-יְהוָה בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשֶׁךָ. וְנָתַתִּי גִשְׁמֵיכֶם, בְּעִתָּם; וְנָתְנָה הָאָרֶץ יְבוּלָהּ, וְעֵץ הַשָּׂדֶה יִתֵּן פִּרְיוֹ. וּנְתָנְךָ יְהוָה, עֶלְיוֹן, עַל, כָּל-גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ. וּבָאוּ עָלֶיךָ כָּל-הַבְּרָכוֹת הָאֵלֶּה, וְהִשִּׂיגֻךָ: כִּי תִשְׁמַע, בְּקוֹל יְהוָה. וְהִשִּׂיג לָכֶם דַּיִשׁ אֶת-בָּצִיר, וּבָצִיר יַשִּׂיג אֶת-זָרַע; וַאֲכַלְתֶּם לַחְמְכֶם לָשֹׂבַע, וִישַׁבְתֶּם לָבֶטַח בְּאַרְצְכֶם. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, בָּעִיר; וּבָרוּךְ אַתָּה, בַּשָּׂדֶה. בָּרוּךְ פְּרִי-בִטְנְךָ וּפְרִי אַדְמָתְךָ, וּפְרִי בְהֶמְתֶּךָ--שְׁגַר אֲלָפֶיךָ, וְעַשְׁתְּרוֹת צֹאנֶךָ. בָּרוּךְ טַנְאֲךָ, וּמִשְׁאַרְתֶּךָ. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, בְּבֹאֶךָ; וּבָרוּךְ אַתָּה, בְּצֵאתֶךָ. וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ, וּשְׁכַבְתֶּם וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד; וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי חַיָּה רָעָה, מִן-הָאָרֶץ, וְחֶרֶב, לֹא-תַעֲבֹר בְּאַרְצְכֶם. יִתֵּן יְהוָה אֶת-אֹיְבֶיךָ הַקָּמִים עָלֶיךָ, נִגָּפִים לְפָנֶיךָ: בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶחָד יֵצְאוּ אֵלֶיךָ, וּבְשִׁבְעָה דְרָכִים יָנוּסוּ לְפָנֶיךָ. וּרְדַפְתֶּם, אֶת-אֹיְבֵיכֶם; וְנָפְלוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם, לֶחָרֶב. וְרָדְפוּ מִכֶּם חֲמִשָּׁה מֵאָה, וּמֵאָה מִכֶּם רְבָבָה יִרְדֹּפוּ; וְנָפְלוּ אֹיְבֵיכֶם לִפְנֵיכֶם, לֶחָרֶב. יְצַו יְהוָה אִתְּךָ, אֶת-הַבְּרָכָה, בַּאֲסָמֶיךָ, וּבְכֹל מִשְׁלַח יָדֶךָ; וּבֵרַכְךָ--בָּאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה נֹתֵן לָךְ. יְקִימְךָ יְהוָה לוֹ לְעַם קָדוֹשׁ, כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע-לָךְ: וְהָלַכְתָּ, בִּדְרָכָיו. וּפָנִיתִי אֲלֵיכֶם--וְהִפְרֵיתִי אֶתְכֶם, וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֶתְכֶם; וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת-בְּרִיתִי, אִתְּכֶם. וְרָאוּ כָּל-עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, כִּי שֵׁם יְהוָה נִקְרָא עָלֶיךָ; וְיָרְאוּ, מִמֶּךָּ. וְהוֹתִרְךָ יְהוָה לְטוֹבָה, בִּפְרִי בִטְנְךָ וּבִפְרִי בְהֶמְתְּךָ וּבִפְרִי אַדְמָתֶךָ--עַל, הָאֲדָמָה, אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ, לָתֶת לָךְ. וַאֲכַלְתֶּם יָשָׁן, נוֹשָׁן; וְיָשָׁן, מִפְּנֵי חָדָשׁ תּוֹצִיאוּ. וְנָתַתִּי מִשְׁכָּנִי, בְּתוֹכְכֶם; וְלֹא-תִגְעַל נַפְשִׁי, אֶתְכֶם. וְהִתְהַלַּכְתִּי, בְּתוֹכְכֶם, וְהָיִיתִי לָכֶם, לֵאלֹהִים; וְאַתֶּם, תִּהְיוּ-לִי לְעָם. יִפְתַּח יְהוָה לְךָ אֶת-אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם, לָתֵת מְטַר-אַרְצְךָ בְּעִתּוֹ, וּלְבָרֵךְ, אֵת כָּל-מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶךָ; וְהִלְוִיתָ גּוֹיִם רַבִּים, וְאַתָּה לֹא תִלְוֶה. וָאֶשְׁבֹּר מֹטֹת עֻלְּכֶם, וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם קוֹמְמִיּוּת. וּנְתָנְךָ יְהוָה לְרֹאשׁ, וְלֹא לְזָנָב, וְהָיִיתָ רַק לְמַעְלָה, וְלֹא תִהְיֶה לְמָטָּה, וְלֹא תָסוּר, מִכָּל-הַדְּבָרִים, יָמִין, וּשְׂמֹאול, אֶת-כָּל-דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת. הַנִּסְתָּרֹת--לַיהוָה, אֱלֹהֵינוּ; וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ, עַד-עוֹלָם. וְעַבְדִּי דָוִד, נָשִׂיא בְתוֹכָם. וְיָדְעוּ, הַגּוֹיִם, כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה, מְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת-יִשְׂרָאֵל--בִּהְיוֹת מִקְדָּשִׁי בְּתוֹכָם, לְעוֹלָם

Translation:

And it will be, when all these things will come upon you, and you will take it to your heart among the nations to which Hashem has driven you. I will establish over them a single shepherd and he will tend to them - My servant David, he will tend to them and will be a shepherd unto them. And you will come back to Hashem you and your children, with all your heart and with all you soul. Then I will make them and the surroundings of My hill into a blessing. I will resettle you as you were formerly, and I will make it better than it was in your beginning; then you will know that I am Hashem. Then Hashem will bring back your captivity and be merciful to you. And He will come back and gather you from all the peoples to which Hashem has scattered you. If you will be driven to the end of the skies, Hashem will gather you from there, and He will take you from there. And Hashem will bring you in the land that your fathers possessed, and you will take possession of it, and He will be good to you and multiply you more than your fathers. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And Hashem will circumcise your heart and your seed's heart so as to love Hashem with all your heart and with all your soul so that you will live. I will put My spirit within you, and I will make it so that you will follow My decrees and guard My ordinances and fulfill them. And Hashem will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who have pursued you. And Hashem will give you extra of all your hand's work, of the fruit of your womb and of the fruit of your animals and the fruit of the land for good. Because Hashem will come back to have satisfaction over you as He had satisfaction over your fathers, when you will come back to Hashem with all your heart and with all your soul. Then I shall give you rains in their time, and the earth will give its crop. And Hashem will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings will come on you and catch up with you when you will listen to the voice of Hashem. And threshing will extend to vintage for you, and vintage will extend to seeding, and you will eat your bread to the full, and you will live in security in your land. You will be blessed in the city, and you will be blessed in the field. The fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land and the fruit of your animals, your animal's offspring and your flock's young, will be blessed. Your basket and your bowl will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in, and you will be blessed when you go out. And I will give peace in the land, and you will lay down with no one making you afraid, and I shall make wild animals cease from the land, and a sword will not pass through your land. Hashem will make your enemies who come up against you stricken in front of you. By one road they will come out at you, and by seven roads they will flee in front of you. And you will chase your enemies, and they will fall in front of you by the sword. Hashem will command the blessing for you in your storehouses and in everything your hand takes on and will bless you in the land that Hashem is giving you. Hashem will establish you for Him as a holy people that he swore to you and you will go in His ways. And five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall in front of you by the sword. And I shall turn to you, and make you fruitful and make you multiply, and I shall establish My covenant with you. And all the peoples of the earth will see that Hashem's name is called on you, and they will be afraid of you. And Hashem will give a surplus of good in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your animals and in the fruit of your land, on the land that Hashem swore to your fathers to give you. And you will eat the oldest of the old, and you will take out the old because of the new. And I shall have My dwelling place with you, and my soul will not scorn you. And I shall walk among you, and I shall be God to you, and you will be a people to me. Hashem will open his good treasure, the Heavens, to you, to give your land showers at their time and to bless all your hand's work. And you will lend to many nations, and you will not borrow. And I will break the beams of your yoke and have you go standing tall. And Hashem will put you at the head and not at the tail, and you will only be above and you will not be below and you will not turn from all the things, right, and left, all the words of this Torah. The hidden things belong to Hashem our G-d, and the revealed things belong to us and our children, for-ever. And My servant David, exalted among them. Then the nations will know that I am Hashem, who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary will be among them, forever.

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Chag Succot Sameach!
Chag HaAtzeret Sameach!