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Pirkei Avot
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Chapter 5
Mishnah 8 and 9
These ten things were created at the final instant that joined Shabbat to the preceding days. It would be problematic to say that these things were created in an instant if they were physical, because physical things cannot appear instantly, but are subject to time. However, the thing that was created was the supernatural root from which the physical object would derive later in history. Since the aspect that was created at twilight was non-physical, it did not require any duration of time.
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Weekly series with new shows available every Tuesday.
Chapter5
Mishnah 8
Rabbi Levi Yitschak of Berditchev wrote a commentary on Parsha Emor that begins with speaking to the Kohanim, the sons of Aharon, and say to them the Kohen must not become defiled on pain of death.
The subject here deals with the four different universes (Assiyah, Yetsirah, Briyah and Atzilut). In each of these worlds there is life and death. We here in this world experience both life and death. We also are able to visualize life and death in Olam HaYetsirah, the world just above us. For want of a better term we will call this world “Deber” the world of speech. According to the Torah, HaShem created it by speech. When a human being abuses the power of speech, speaking “Loshon hora” uttering vain things or even lies that person is perceived as killing life in the domain of Yetsirah.
When a human being employs the power of speech constructively that individual is considered as giving life to the world of Yetsirah. This condition is called “life” has already been referred to by King Salmon (Proverbs 18:21) “Life and death are in the power of speech”. Abuse of the power of speech is the most important element to guard against if you want to serve HaShem.
Dedicated to Rene and Alicia Ybarra
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Weekly series with new shows available every Tuesday.
Chapter 5
Mishnah 7
No serpent or scorpion ever bit an individual fatally in Yerushalaiyim. The sanctity of the city protected its inhabitants so that the many snakes and scorpions found in Yerushalaiyim miraculously did no harm.
Homiletically, Rauch Chaim explains our Mishnah based on Talmudic axiom, it is not the snake, but rather the sin that kills. Sin is deadly; the venomous snake is nothing more than HaShem’s agent of punishment.
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Weekly series with new shows available every Tuesday.
Mishnah 5
Chapter 7d
Throngs of pilgrims gathered in the Temple Courtyard on the festivals and Yom Kippur, filling the Courtyard to capacity. Yet miraculously, though there was not even enough room to stand comfortably, each individual had ample room to prostrate themselves and con fess their sins on Yom Kippur, or to recite personal prayers on the festivals, without being overheard by their neighbors.
The Temple Courtyard was so crowded that many people were literally suspended in midair, with their feet off the ground. Nonetheless, they were able to bow down comfortably.
Dedicated to Brody and Jan Gibson
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Weekly series with new shows available every Tuesday.
Mishnah 5
Chapter 7
The meat of offerings was slaughtered, butchered, and washed on marble tables erected in the Temple Courtyard, just to the north of the Altar. Even though the blood and internal tissue and organs normally attracted flies, they were miraculously never seen on the meat, nor in the Temple slaughterhouse, a phenomenon that was indicative of the Divine Presence resting in the Temple.
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Weekly series with new shows available every Tuesday.
Chapter 5
Mishnah 7b
Ten Miracles were preformed for our ancestors in the Holy Temple; No woman miscarried because of the aroma of the sacrificial meat; the sacrificial meat never became putrid; no fly was seen in the place where the meat was butchered; no seminal emission occurred to the High Priest on Yom Kippur; the rains did not extinguished the fire on the Altar; no disqualification was found in the Omer, or in the Two Loaves, or in the Showbread; the people stood crowded together, yet prostrated themselves in ample space; neither serpent nor scorpion ever caused injury in Yerushalaiyim, nor did any man say to his fellow, the space is insufficient for me to stay overnight in Yerushalaiyim.
Dedicated to Sam Lara
Biblical Faith – with Shmuel “Sam” Peak
Weekly series with new shows available every Tuesday.
Chapter 5
Mishnah 6 and 7
With ten trials did our ancestors test the Holy One, Blessed is He, in the Wilderness.
Two at the Red Sea; Two for lack of water; Two about manna; Two complaints that were answered with quail; and Two that displayed their lack of faith in HaShem.