Friday of the Third Week of Advent (December 22, 2017)
Gospel (Luk 1:46-56)
Mary’s Song
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has had regard
for the humble state of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
and holy is his name.
Exo 15:11
Who is like you, O Lord,
among the gods?
Who is like you—
majestic in holiness,
dreaded in praise [i.e., men dreading to praise you lest they fall short in your praises],
working wonders?
Rashi’s Commentary
Maintaining love means God keeps (stores up) the mercy which a person does in his presence.
For two thousand—For two thousand generations (the plural, “generations,” and “two” is the least that this can imply; cf. Rashi on Exo 20:6).
Wickedness, rebellion—Wickedness (עִוֹנוֹת) are sins committed presumptuously (with premeditation). פְּשָׁעִים are sins committed rebelliously.
Yet he does not completely clear of sin—According to its plain sense this means that he is not altogether indulgent to sin (He does not entirely remit the punishment), but little by little exacts punishment from, him (the sinner). Our Rabbis, however, have explained this expression to mean: He clears those who repent, but does not clear those who will not repent (Yoma 86a).
He remembers the sin of the parents upon the children—When they retain in their hands (follow the example of) the evil doings of their ancestors. This must be the meaning because in another verse of a similar character it has already been stated: of those who hate me (cf. Exo 20:5; Berakhot 7a; Sanhedrin 27b).
Rashi’s Commentary
Among the gods means among the strong, just as “he also carried away the powerful (אֵילֵי) of the land” (Eze 17:13); “my strength (איָלוּתִי), come quickly to help me (Psa 22:20).
Dreaded in praise means you are an object of dread so that people do not recount your praises fearing lest these may be enumerated less then they really are, just as it is written (Psa 65:2) “There will be silence before you, and praise.”
50 And his mercy is on those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
Gen 17:7
I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant, [my covenant being] to be a God to you and to your descendants after you.
Rashi’s Commentary
I will establish my covenant—And what is this covenant? To be a God to you.
Exo 20:6
and I perform love [i.e., “perform” love that a man does, to reward him] to thousands [of generations], to those who love me and keep my commandments [(5 and 6) it is seen that God’s “measure” of reward is greater than his measure for punishment].
Rashi’s Commentary
Perform love—That a person does, in order to reward him, for two thousand generations. Consequently God’s measure for reward is greater than his measure for punishment by five hundred times, because one is for four generations and the other for two thousand generations.
Exo 34:6-7
6 And the Lord passed in front of him and he called, “The Lord, the Lord [the attribute of mercy: one (Lord) before the sin; one, after sinning and repentance], the God [אֵל, likewise the attribute of mercy], who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger [withholding his anger in anticipation of repentance], and abounding in love [to those who are in need of it, being deficient in merit] and faithfulness [paying good reward to the doers of His will],
Rashi’s Commentary
The Lord, the Lord—This is the attribute of divine mercy. It is repeated, once for before the person sins, and once for after he has sinned and repented (Rosh Hashanah 17b).
God—This is also an attribute of divine mercy. Thus also does Scripture say, (Psa 22:2) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—for surely one would not say to the attribute of stern justice “Why have you forsaken me?” Thus have I found in the Mechilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 15:2:2.
Slow to anger—He puts off his anger and does not hasten to punish—it may be that the sinner will repent.
And abounding in love—To those who need love because they have not sufficient merits to be saved by them.
And faithfulness—Faithfully rewarding those who perform His will.
7 maintaining [a man’s] love [before him] for two thousand [generations], forgiving [deliberate] wickedness, [acts of] rebellion and sin. Yet he does not completely clear of sin; he remembers the sin of the parents upon children [who persist in their parents’ ways] and upon children of children, upon the third [generation] and upon the fourth.”
Mary Visits Elizabeth by the LumoProject
Mary Visits Elizabeth by the LumoProject
Jesus Dies by the LumoProject
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
and has exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy
55 as he spoke to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.
Exo 20:5
You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God [“jealous” to exact punishment, and not “overlooking” idolatry], visiting
Mary Visits Elizabeth by the LumoProject
the sin of the parents upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me [those who perpetuate their parents’ ways],
Psa 22:2
[On Israel’s destined exile:] My God, my God, why have you forsaken me [Israel]?
You are far from my salvation
[and from] the cries of my anguish.
Psa 22:20
But you, O Lord, do not be far from me.
O you my strength, come quickly to help me.
Psa 65:2
There will be silence before you, and praise [for your praises are endless], O God, [who dwells] in Zion,
and to you [who saves the vowers in time of affliction] will vows be fulfilled.
Eze 17:13
He took one of the royal family and made a treaty with him, putting him under oath. He also carried away the chief men of the land,
This work, "Friday 3rd Week Advent," is a derivative of "The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein used under CC BY 3.0