Nazarean Talmud
Literal Equivalent translation and commentary by H. Em. Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu ben Abraham
Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat Mordechai — mark
And on the morrow, they were going out from Bet Chanan, and he Yeshua was hungry. And seeing a fig tree from a distance having leaves, he went toward it, if perhaps he would find anything on it. And coming on (to) it, he found nothing except leaves, for it was not yet the season of figs. And Yeshua responding, said to it, let no one eat of your fruit anymore to the (in this) age (or, for this generation). And his talmidim heard.
Hakham Shaul’s School of Tosefta, Luqas — Luke
Now at the same time some had come to tell him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. And he answered and said to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were sinners worse than all the Galileans, because they suffered these things? No, I tell you, but unless you repent you will all perish as well! Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them—do you think that they were sinners worse than all the people who live in Yerushalayim? No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all perish as well!”
And he gave this analogy: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. So he said to the gardener, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and did not find any. Cut it down! Why should it even exhaust the soil?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, please leave it for this year also, until I dig around it and put manure on it. And if indeed it produces fruit in the coming year, so much the better, but if not, you can cut it down then.’ ”
Nazarean Codicil to be read in conjunction with the following Torah Seder
B’midbar – Numbers 25:1-26:3, Modechai – Mark 11:12-14, Luqas – Luke 13:1-9
Commentary to Hakham Tsefet’s School of Peshat
Peshat Hermeneutic Rule #6
The 6th Peshat hermeneutic rule states, Ka-yoẓe bo mi-maḳom aḥer: Similarity in content to another Scriptural passage.
This hermeneutic rule will allow us to delve further into our pericope’s meaning. Because the content is similar through verbal connection, we can make a connection between the Torah Seder and the Pericope of Mordechai.
Mar 11:13 let no one eat of your fruit anymore
B’Midbar 25:2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods; and the people did eat and bowed down to their gods. B’Midbar 25:8So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
Our Torah Seder looks at a group of rebellious individuals who would defy their leader Moshe and G-d in committing idolatry. It is interesting that Hakham Tsefet should use a fig leaf analogy to represent those who defy G-d. Here we draw an analogous comparison between Adam HaRishon and the men of our Torah Seder.
Gen 3:6-7 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig-leaves together and made themselves girdles. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden toward the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. (JPS)
The fig leaves sewed together were supposed to hide the sin of rebellion, which Adam and Chavah committed against G-d. The fear experienced by Adam and Chavah is seen by implication. They “hid” and cover their naked bodies with fig leaves in order to cover their sin. We would also opine that it is impossible for a physical object to cover a spiritual condition. The sin of rebellion contaminates the soul. The men of our Torah Seder have bathed in rebellion so long that their souls are tainted. It is no longer possible to cover or hide their sin. Therefore, the sin of Adam and Chavah is that of attempting to please G-d through human means.
There is no “redemption and atonement” apart from the gift of G-d, i.e. the Torah. Redemption and atonement cannot be produced without obedience to the “Oracles of G-d” i.e. The Oral Torah. When we read of the “works of the Torah/Nomos,” we need some clarity as to what “works” are being discussed. The proper way to understand the phrase “works” in the present conversation on Adam and Chavah’s covering themselves with “fig leaves” is, as we have stated “human attempts to please God.” If we accept that, no human works devoid of the Torah can please G-d we have a perfect understanding of Hakham Shaul’s intention in the Igeret to the Romans below. In other words, when we hermeneutically understand these words aright, we understand that we must join G-d’s gift of the Torah with the idea of “being made whole” (redemption). Works that men contrive or imagine apart from the Torah can NEVER produce “redemption,” bring a man to “spiritual wholeness” or bring us into connection with G-d.
Adam and Chavah covered themselves with “fig leaves,” why?
What is of particular interest in this Torah Seder, which must have piqued Hakham Tsefet’s interest is the fact that the plagues of Egypt are mentioned along with the plague, which would destroy the scouts that brought back a slanderous report? Rabbi Yitzkhaq Magriso notes that the spies and rebellion by some of the B’ne Yisrael who complained that they should have died in Egypt. Consequently, G-d allows their destruction by the same means that He destroyed Egypt.
This must-have sparked Hakham Tsefet’s memory of Yeshua and the fig tree. Looking at the analogy of Adam and Chavah we see that sin is related to the fig tree.
Berakhot 40a R. Meir holds that the tree of which Adam ate was the vine, since the thing that most causes wailing to a man is wine, as it says, And he drank of the wine and was drunken. R. Nehemiah says it was the fig tree, so that they repaired their misdeed with the instrument of it, as it says, And they sewed fig leaves together.
The fig leaves that covered their body were an attempt to rectify the sin of rebellion. Here we will draw a Prophetic analogy. The covering of fig leaves was because of fear. Adam and Chavah knew they were “naked.” Their sin was exposed.
Mic 4:4 Each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.
The cure for the bite of a viper is often found in the poison. This simple logic tells us that the fig is analogous of peace and the Messianic era.
Peshat Hermeneutic rule #7 states, Dabar ha-lamed me-‘inyano: Interpretation deduced from the context.
Maintaining our contextual hermeneutic means that we must look to the Torah Seder for an explanation as to why Hakham Tsefet penned his words.
The men who scouted Eretz Yisreal and brought back a slanderous report sinned by slander against G-d. We are taught that these men would have no part of the Olam HaBa. We must also conclude that they would have no part in the Messianic age.
Sanhedrin 10:1 All Israelites have a share in the world to come as it is said, your people also will be all righteous/generous, they will inherit the land forever; the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified (Is. 60:21). And these are the ones who have no portion in the world to come: He who says, the resurrection of the dead is a teaching which does not derive from the Torah, and the Torah does not come from Heaven; and an Epicurean. R. Aqiba says, “Also: He who reads in heretical books, “and he who whispers over a wound and says, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I have put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you (Ex. 15:26).” Abba Saul says, “Also: he who pronounces the divine Name as it is spelled out.”
Note that the plagues of Egypt are mentioned.
Sanhedrin 10:3 …The spies have no portion in the world to come, as it is said, Even those men who brought up an evil report of the land died by the plague before the Lord (Num. 14:37)— Died—in this world. By the plague—in the world to come.
The Mishnah draws a parallel from within itself and the Torah demonstrating that the plague is an alternative expression for not being able to take part in the Olam HaBa and the Messianic era.
Therefore, we must deduce that the “plague” is related to the idea of not having a part in the Olam HaBa. If we look at Hakham Tsefet’s fig tree, we will see that it too is “plagued” and not able to produce. Yeshua tells the tree that it would not produce for anyone in this present age.
The Prophet Yermi’yahu sees the fig tree as a picture of destruction. The foreign nations would come to plunder Yisrael eating all the fruit of the vine and its figs.
The Prophet Habakuk in his prayer sees the fig tree as a sign of judgment and possibly the harbinger of Messiah.
Hab 3:17 For though the fig tree will not blossom, neither will fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive will fail, and the fields will yield no food; the flock will be cut off from the fold, and there will be no herd in the stalls; (JPS)
When we unite the Tosefta of Luqas and the Peshat of Hakham Tsefet, we note that Yeshua makes a plea for Teshuba. This great plea in the Tosefta is made three times. The first two are found in the word “repent.” the third is in the analogy of the fig tree. The message is clear. If you do not repent from evil practices, you will have no part in the Olam HaBa. Who is the gardener in the present Tosefta? Is he not the First Parnas/Pastor who leans towards the side of Chesed?