Nazarean Talmud
Sidra of B’resheet (Genssis) 3:22.22-4.26
“Hen HaAdam — Behold the Man
By Rabbi Dr Eliyahu Ben Abraham

School of Hakham Tsefet’s Peshat

(Mark 1:7-8) And he (Yochanan) proclaimed saying, “The one coming after me is greater than I; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.[1] I have immersed you with (living) water; but he will immerse you with the Ruach HaKodesh (holy breath of the Mesorah).

School of Hakham Shaul’s Tesofta
Tosefta
(Luke 3:15-18)

But the people were filled with expectation, reasoning in their hearts concerning Yochanan, whether or not he could be the Messiah. Yochanan answered everyone by saying, “I immerse you in (living) water but the one greater than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will immerse you with the Ruach HaKodesh (holy breath of the Mesorah) and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into the granary; but the chaff will burn with unquenchable fire.” With many other uplifting words, he proclaimed the Mesorah to the people.

 School of Hakham Shaul’s Remes
(2 Luqas [Acts]. 1:12-14)

א They returned to Yerushalayim from Har Zeytim (Mount of Olives) which is near Yerushalayim, a Sabbath day’s journey away. When they entered the city they went to the upstairs room where they were staying, Hakham Tsefet, Yochanan, Yaakov Adam, Palatiel and T’oma, Bar-Talmai, Mattiyahu Yaakov Ben-Chalfai, Shimon the Zealot and Y’hudah  Ben-Yaakov. All these men were united devoting themselves to the Prayer (Amidah),[2] with certain women, including Miriam the mother of Yeshua and his (Yeshua’s) brothers.


Commentary to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat

As usual, the brilliance of Hakham Tsefet overwhelms us. How is it that he is so profoundly able to make connections with the Torah Seder and accompanied readings so ingeniously?

And he (Yochanan) proclaimed saying, “The one coming after me is greater than I.

The Greater One (coming after me) – Messiah. As we have seen, Hakham Tsefet equates Yochanan with Eliyahu, the messianic harbinger.[3] Yochanan’s continual[4] sermons and “heralding’s” are the announcement and proclamation that Yeshua is the expected Messiah.

The “Greater One” bears significance worth mentioning. Yochanan is a legitimate Kohanic Priest. That Yeshua – Messiah is “greater” depicts the “greater” role of Messiah when related to the Kohanim. Secondly, it relates the supremacy of the priesthood of the firstborn. And, as the priesthood of the firstborn is reinstated the firstborn becomes the Priest/Prophet – head of the family.

Lane suggests that the term “coming after” is a reference to the talmid (student).[5] In other words, Yochanan is saying that he is not worthy to be a talmid or a slave.

Removal of the Shoe:

b Ket 96a – R. Joshua b. Levi ruled: All manner of service that a slave must render to his master a student must render to his teacher, except that of taking off his shoe.[6]

 Consequently, we learn from this that it was the duty of the slave to take the sandals off his master’s feet in order to wash them. This was not the duty of the Talmid. Yochanan advocates that he is not capable of achieving the status of Yeshua or Messiah’s talmid. His proposal juxtaposes that the great prophet/priest[7] is not even worthy to be called a slave of the Master.

The question at hand is how Hakham Tsefet connects his expression of the Master’s Mesorah with the text of B’resheet. The cursory approach to the text keeps his connection obscured. Herein, we find Hakham Tsefet’s ability to build a Peshat commentary containing multifaceted hermeneutic content. Briefly, we see that there are a number of conjoining contrasts. B’resheet contrasts Kayin (Cain) with Hevel (Abel). Hakham Tsefet contrasts Water with Ruach (breath–spirit). However, Hakham Tsefet is not so pithy as to resort to things that are so simple. It is true that Hakham Tsefet writes in Peshat. It is also true that these contrasts are important. Yet, in reading Hakham Tsefet, we cannot take flippant observations as Peshat. Hakham Tsefet is aware that the ensuing hermeneutic levels depend on a wisely crafted Peshat. Therefore, we look for the cleverly hidden Peshat gems that Hakham Tsefet has left for us with great care and meticulous caution.

B’resheet (Gn.) 4:2 And she bore again his brother Abel[8]. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Hakham Tsefet’s gem is found in the mention of the secondborn child, Hebel (Abel).

Yesha’yahu (Is.) 57:13 When you cry, let them that you have gathered deliver you; but the wind (ruach) will carry them all away, a breath (הֶבֶל hebel) will bear them away; but he that takes refuge in Me will possess the land, and will inherit My holy mountain.

Yesha’yahu illustrates the connection between the words Ruach and hebel. Ruach is wind, spirit, and breath. Hebel is breath. There are places in the Tanakh where Hebel carries the connotation of “vanity.” Hakham Tsefet’s association with the Tanakh is through the idea of Hebel – breath, the basic meaning of hebel is “wind” or “breath.” Furthermore, this association brings the connection to the Ruach. The ruach – breath of Hakham Tsefet’s Peshat is the Mesorah as the Master breathed it. Hebel’s name brings an association with the Mesorah as noted. However, we have an overlooked fact that stares us straight in the eyes. How did Kayin and Hevel know to make offerings to the L-rd? Logic dictates that Kayin and Hevel were taught the Mesorah from their father, Adam. Furthermore, we can deduce that fact that Hebel was more meticulous in keeping the mitzvoth of the Mesorah his father taught him.

Peroration

While the contrasts mentioned above may seem superficial, we must make note that it is these contrasts that teach us a powerful lesson. We find no obsession with simply pointing out the fact that there is a relation to the “Mesorah.” The lesson at hand, drawn from the allusion to the Torah, demonstrates Hebel was meticulously keeping the mitzvoth. Herein Hakham Tsefet is conveying the lesson from the Torah rather than his personal materials, namel,y it is the religious duty of every Nazarean Jew to keep the Master’s Mesorah.

 

Remes Commentary to Hakham Shaul

Shemot (Ex.) 19:16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there was thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud shofar sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.

First, we will mention the noted differences between the Markan text and the Tosefta of Luqas.

  1. The questioning hearts
  2. Immersion with Ruach and fire
  3. The winnowing fork.
  4. The threshing floor
  5. The granary

Yochanan’s proclamation of the Mesorah

Each of these differences is worth investigation. For the sake of time and space, we will look at the central theme behind these differences briefly. The “questioning hearts” is the result of Messianic expectation. Undoubtedly, the first-century Jewish people expected the Messiah to be dissimilar from the status quo. Yet, the camel-haired tallit spoke loudly to those with some So’od understanding of the Torah. The central “additional” thought is the Remes idea of fire.

Immersion in the Ruach HaKodesh[9] and Fire

Hakham Shaul and Matityahu have noted the contrast between water and fire.[10] We note that the analogy of immersion is the central thought being conveyed. The simple idea of immersion demands oral explanation. Simply stated, understanding immersion requires a positive understanding of the Oral Torah. It is impossible to grasp the meaning of immersion without understanding ritual purity. While understanding immersion in living water has its place in Jewish culture and practice, immersion in fire is another issue. Most scholars equate fire with judgment. Yet, the connection from the present materials makes it clear that fire is not judgment; it is analogous to purification. The present Torah Seder contains materials of judgment. The Ashlamatah of Yechezkel (Ezekiel) speaks of “stones of fire” and a fire that “issues from you.”[11]

Ez. 28:18 Because of the multitude of your iniquities, with the wrongdoing of your commerce, you profaned your sanctity, and I will bring forth fire out of your midst-it will consume you, and I will make you ashes on the ground before the eyes of all who see you.

While fire can be judgmental, the present materials demand a deeper understanding. We might say that “judgment” is a Peshat allusion. Nevertheless, we are presently in Tosefta/Remes, understanding that Tosefta is merely an “addition” to the Peshat/Mishnaic interpretation. Therefore, we are looking for a Peshat/Remes answer to the nature of an immersion in fire.

Heaven, Hakhamim, and Hell Fire

D’barim (De.) 33:2 And he said: The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Seir unto them; He shined forth from mount Paran, and He came from the myriads holy, at His right hand was a fiery law unto them.

D’barim (De.) 5:21 and ye said: ‘Behold, the Lord our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that God speaks with man, and he lives.

D’barim equates the Torah with fire. While it is not the scope of this commentary to comment on So’od or Midrash, we learn from the Midrash that the Torah is equated with fire.

Midrash Rabbah – Deuteronomy III:12 Resh Lakish said: When Moses wrote the law (Torah) he acquired a lustrous appearance. How [did this come about]? Resh Lakish said: The scroll that was given to Moses was made of a parchment of white fire,[12] and was written upon with black fire and sealed with fire and was swathed with bands of fire, and whilst he was writing it he dried his pen on his hair, and as a result, he acquired a lustrous appearance.

The Midrash Rabbah further equates “black” with the Torah scholar (Hakham).

  1. Judah applied the verse[13] to the students of the Torah (Hakhamim). LOCKS BLACK LIKE A RAVEN: these are the Hakhamim; they look repulsive and black in this world, but in the time to come, The appearance of them will be like torches, they [will] run to and fro like the lightnings (Nah. II, 5).[14]

The correlation between the Hakham and fire is further elucidated in the Gemara.

b. Chag. 27a Abbahu said that R. Eleazar said: The fire of Gehinnom has no power over the Hakhamim. It is an ad majus conclusion [to be drawn] from the salamander.[15] If now [in the case of] the salamander, which is [only] an offspring of fire, he who anoints himself with its blood is not affected by fire, how much more so the Hakhamim, whose whole body is fire, for it is written: Is not My word like as fire? saith the  Lord.[16] Resh Lakish said. The fire of Gehinnom has no power over the transgressors of Israel. It is an ad majus conclusion [to be drawn] from the altar of gold. If the altar of gold, on which there is only a denar thickness of gold,[17] is not affected through so many years by the fire, how much less so the transgressors of Israel, who are full of good deeds[18] as a pomegranate [is of seeds]; for it is written, Thy temples are like a pomegranate split open.[19] Read not thy temples [rakkathek] but thy worthless ones [rekanim shebak].[20]

Now we begin to see that fire does not mean “judgment” in the present text from a Ḳal va-ḥomer.[21] Furthermore, we begin to see that fire has a direct relation to Hakhamim. As the above Gemara has stated, the Hakham “is fire.” Why is the Hakham “fire”? Because the “Davar Elohim,” breath of G-d in them is fire.

Hakham Shaul alludes to this truth when he tells Timothy that all “Scripture” (Torah-Oral Torah) is divinely “inspired.”

2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God (God breathed) and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness/generosity.

The Greek word θεόπνευστος – theopneustos means, “G-d breathed.” However, the idea of “inspiration” means, “to breathe into” and “set the mind aflame.”[22] Another term for this is “brain sweat!”

We must also reiterate that the phrase “the Word of God” in the Nazarean Codicil refers to the Torah.

Peroration

A Peshat reference will clarify all the information from above.

  1. Abot 2:10 They [each] said three things. R. Eliezer says, “Let the respect owing to your fellow be as precious to you as the respect owing to you yourself.” “And don’t be easy to anger.” “And repent one day before you die.” “And warm yourself by the fire of the Hakhamim, but be careful of their coals, so you don’t get burned.” “For their bite is the bite of a fox, and their sting is the sting of a scorpion, and their hiss is like the hiss of a snake.” “And everything they say is like fiery coals.” [23]

Immersion in “fire”? Now we can see that the concept of “immersion in fire” is a reference to the Torah as the Hakhamim elucidate it. Yeshua, our Master, like the Hakhamim of the first century, immersed his talmidim with fire when he “breathed” on them. While this Mishnah is Peshat, we can see that the implications are clearly Remes.

Many scholars have made “fire” a symbol for judgment. We can concur if we realize that the judgment they refer to is the Torah and the Oral Torah of the Hakhamim (Bate Din). However, should they like to make the concept of fire strictly negative, they will have missed the point. Yeshua’s immersion in the Oral Torah, “fire” is a purifying agent.

  1. Judah applied the verse[24] to the students of the Torah (Hakhamim). LOCKS BLACK LIKE A RAVEN: these are the Hakhamim; they look repulsive and black in this world, but in the time to come, their appearance is like torches, they will run to and fro like the lightning (Nah. II, 5).[25]

When applied to the Diaspora, Shemot (Ex.) 19:16 should be understood as follows…

Shemot (Ex.) 19:16 So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder (the voices of the Hakhamim) and lightning flashes (the Hakhamim running back and forth to elucidate the Torah) and a thick cloud upon the mountain (governance [kingdom] of God [through the Hakhamim and Bate Din as opposed to human kings]) and a very loud voice of the shofar (Tiferet – Darshan or Magid [Prophet]),[26] so that all the people who were in the camp (world) trembled.

The Nazarean parallel should be read as follows…

2 Luqas (Acts) 2:1-5 When the day of Shavuot had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from the heavens a noise like a violent rushing wind (the voices of the Hakhamim – elucidating Torah), and it filled the whole house (temple of living stones) where they were sitting (studying Torah and judging in their Bate Din’s). And there appeared to them tongues as of fire (voices of the Hakhamim elucidating Torah), distributing themselves (the Hakhamim running back and forth to elucidate the Torah), and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh (holy breathings [oral teachings] of the Mesorah as elucidated by the Hakhamim) and began to rule (judge – in their Bate Dins) in foreign languages (in Diaspora), according to the Ruach (Mesorah) that was given (transmitted) to them. Now there were Jews living in Yerushalayim, devout (God-fearing) men from every nation under the heavens.

Amen v’amen

 

Footnotes

[1] The loosing of sandals and washing of feet were duties of slaves, indeed of only Gentile slaves, in first-century Judaism. The metaphor bespeaks John’s humility and subordination in relation to the Messiah (see John 3:30). Edwards, J. (2002). The Gospel according to Mark. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Apollos. p. 33 
[2] Cf. Prayer for Redemption and Return of the Exiles in the Amidah.
[3] Mal. 4:5-6 (3:23-24)
[4] Gould, E. P. (1922). A critical and exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to St. Mark. New York: C. Scribner’s sons. p. 8
[5] Lane, W. L. (1974). The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel According to Mark, . Grand Rapids, Michigan: : W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. p. 52 Cf. Mk. 1:17
[6] Only a Canaanite slave performs this menial service, and a student performing it might be mistaken for such a slave.
[7] Mat 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
[8] TWOT 463a הֶבֶל (hebel) vapor, breath. The basic meaning of hebel is “wind” or “breath.”
[9] See last week’s materials, these words are the basis for the Remes commentary of last week.
[10] Cf. Mt. 3:11, Lk. 3:16
[11] Cf. 28:14, 16
[12] J. Sot. VIII, 22; J. Shek. VI, 49d
[13] Song of Solomon 5:11
[14] Midrash Rabbah – The Song of Songs V:14
[15] A fabulous animal generated in fire which, according to the Midrash, must burn incessantly for seven days and nights; but Rashi here postulates seven years, and the Aruch (s.v.) seventy years. For a fun account of the legend, v. J. E. vol. X, pp. 646-7.
[16] Jer. XXIII, 29.
[17] Denarius, v. Glos. For Moses wonder at the miracle, v. Tosaf. s.v. ihtau.
[18] Lit., ‘precepts.
[19] Cant. IV, 3.
[20] Lit., ‘thy empty ones’. The thought is the reverse of Eccl. VII, 20; there is none in Israel that sinneth, and yet doeth not good, for even the transgressors, devoid of merit as they may seem, still have innumerable good deeds to their credit.
[21] Peshat hermeneutic rule #1. Ḳal va-ḥomer: “Argumentum a minori ad majus” or “a majori ad minus”; corresponding to the scholastic proof a fortiori. Remes hermeneutic Rule #1. Ḳal wa-ḥomer: Identical with the first rule of Hillel.
[22] mid-14c., enspiren, “to fill (the mind, heart, etc., with grace, etc.);” also “to prompt or induce (someone to do something),” from O.Fr. enspirer (13c.), from L. inspirare “inflame; blow into” (see inspiration), a loan-translation of Gk. pnein in the Bible. General sense of “influence or animate with an idea or purpose” is from late 14c. Also sometimes used in literal sense in M.E. Related: Inspired; inspires; inspiring. http://www.etymonline.com “inspire”
[23] Neusner, J. (1988). The Mishnah: A new translation. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. p. 677
[24] Song of Solomon 5:11
[25] Midrash Rabbah – The Song of Songs V:14
[26] We suggest here that the Shofar is associated with Tiferet because the Shofar is associated with Beauty. Cf. Twot 2449a, b) Furthermore, Tiferet is the synthesis of G’dolah (Chesed) and Gevurah (Yir’ah – Fear of G-d).