Ash Wednesday (February 14, 2018)
Responsorial Psalm (Psa 51:3-6)
3 Be gracious to me, O God,
according to your lovingkindness;
according to the greatness of your compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Num 14:18-19
18 The Lord is slow to anger and he is abundant in love, forgiving sin and rebellion, and he absolves [those who repent] and he does not absolve [those who do not repent]; he remembers the sins of the parents on the children to the third [generation] and the fourth.
Rashi’s Commentary
Absolves those who repent.
Does not absolve those who do not repent (Yoma 86a; cf. Onkelos and Rashi on Exo 34:7).
19 Forgive, I pray, the sin of this people according to the greatness of your love, just as you also have pardoned this people, from Egypt even until now.
4 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
5 For I am [always] cognizant of [and grieved by] my transgressions,
and [therefore, it is as if] my sin is always before me.
6 Against you, you only, have I sinned [therefore, it is in your hand to forgive]
and [even] the evil [against Uriah], in your sight did I do it [i.e., it was evil only in terms of your exhortation]
[and I sinned only] so that you be found right in your verdict [that I would fail the trial I took upon me, viz. 26:2]
and justified when you judge.
Gen 9:6
Whoever sheds man’s blood [in the presence of witnesses],
by man shall his blood be shed. [Why so?]
For in the image of God
he made mankind.
Rashi’s Commentary
By man shall his blood be shed—If there are witnesses you kill him. Why? “For in the image of God he made mankind” and he has destroyed the Divine image (Genesis Rabbah 34:14).
He made mankind—This verse is abbreviated and should be “the Maker made mankind,” and there are many similar expressions in the Scriptures.
Gen 20:6
Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with innocence of heart [not thinking to sin; but there is no “cleanness of hands” here], and I too have kept you from sinning against me; therefore, I did not let you touch her.”
Rashi’s Commentary
I know that, etc., with innocence of heart—It is true that at first you had no intention of sinning, but you cannot claim innocency of hands (Genesis Rabbah 52:6).
Gen 39:9
There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this wicked thing and sin against God? [illicit relations being forbidden to the “Sons of Noah”].
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Rashi’s Commentary
And sin against God—The “Sons of Noah” were subject to the command which forbade immorality (Sanhedrin 56b).
Lev 5:21-23
21 If a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the Lord [when he “denies,” he “denies” the Lord, who witnessed what was done] by dealing deceitfully with his neighbor in the matter of a pledge or money given in hand [for business capital or as a loan] or a theft, or if he withheld funds from his neighbor [i.e., if he held back the wages of a hired laborer],
Bava Kamma 12b:7
As it is taught in a baraita that concerning one who steals another’s property and takes a false oath denying he has done so, incurring the obligation to bring a guilt-offering, the verse states: “And acts unfaithfully against the Lord, and deals falsely with his neighbor” (Lev 5:21). The verse serves to include a case in which one denies having in his possession offerings of lesser sanctity, which are property of their owners. This is the statement of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili.
Bava Kamma 12b:12
And Rava raised an objection to Rav Naḥman from the baraita cited above: The verse states: “A person who sins and acts unfaithfully against the Lord” (Lev 5:21). The verse serves to include a case in which one denies having in his possession offerings of lesser sanctity, as they are the property of their owners; this is the statement of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili. Rabbi Yosei HaGelili’s statement is clearly referring to a time when the Temple is standing, as it is based on a verse that continues to obligate one to bring a guilt-offering. Nevertheless, he states that offerings of lesser sanctity, of which a firstborn is an example, are considered to be the property of their owners even when they are unblemished.
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Bava Kamma 13a:3
The Gemara considers the matter itself: The baraita teaches: Concerning one who steals another’s property and takes a false oath denying he has done so, incurring the obligation to bring a guilt-offering, the verse states: “And acts unfaithfully against the Lord, and deals falsely with his neighbor” (Lev 5:21). The verse serves to include a case in which one denies having in his possession offerings of lesser sanctity, which are the property of their owners, and are included in the phrase “and deals falsely with his neighbor.” This is the statement of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili. Ben Azzai says: This phrase serves to include peace-offerings. Abba Yosei ben Dostai says: Ben Azzai said this only with regard to a firstborn offering.
these things (those mentioned above), wherein a man may commit and to swear falsely with the object of repudiating a money claim.
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Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Chovah, Chapter 16 1
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Or if he found a lost property and lied about it, and swore falsely in one of all [these things] wherein a man may commit—And whence is it derived that he (sometimes) brings one (offering) for many things? From “in one.”
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23 and it shall be, when [he acknowledges, penitentially, that] he sinned and [that] he is guilty, then he must return what he has stolen or what he got by extortion, or the pledge which was entrusted to him, or the lost property which he found,
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Rashi’s Commentary
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Money given in hand—He denies that he has put money into his (the neighbour’s) hand for the purpose of doing business in partnership or as a loan (cf. Onkelos and Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Chovah, Chapter 22 6).
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Or a theft—He denies that he has violently taken something from his possession.
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He withheld funds—This refers to withholding the wages of a hired man (cf. Lev 19:13; see also Bava Kamma 103b and Sifra, Vayikra Dibbura d'Chovah, Chapter 22 6).
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22 or if he found a lost property and lied about it, and swore falsely in one of all [these things] wherein a man may commit [and swears falsely, denying a money claim]—
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Rashi’s Commentary
And lied about it—i.e. that he denies in one of all
Bava Kamma 67a:9
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Rav Ḥisda says that Rabbi Yonatan says: From where is it derived that a change in a stolen item causes the thief to acquire it? As it is stated: “And he must return the stolen item that he has stolen” (Lev 5:23). What is the meaning when the verse states the seemingly superfluous phrase “that he has stolen”? It teaches that only if the item is in the same state as when he has stolen it he must return it. But if not, he is required to pay only money; the stolen item remains his to keep.
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Bava Kamma 94b:2
The Gemara continues the discussion of acquisition of a stolen item due to a change it underwent. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: By Law, a stolen item that has changed is returned as is, as it is stated: “And he must return what he has stolen” (Lev 5:23). This indicates that he shall return it in any case, even if it has been changed. And if you say: In our mishna it is stated that if the stolen item is changed the robber gives monetary compensation
rather than returning the item, that policy was instituted by the Sages due to the ordinance instituted for the penitent.
Rashi’s Commentary
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When he sinned and he is guilty means when he comes to a recognition of himself (recognises his duty) to repent of his sin and makes up his mind to confess that he has sinned and has incurred guilt.
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Gospel (Mat 6:1-6, 16-18)
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Giving to the Needy
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1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before others to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.
Deu 24:13
You shall return the cloak to him by sunset [if it is a night garment (and see Exo 22:25)] so that he may lie down to sleep in his garment, and he will thank you, and [even if he does not thank you] it will be counted for you as merit before the Lord your God.
Bava Metzia 31b:4
With regard to an item that a poor person needs, e.g., a blanket, that a lender took as collateral when lending him money, it is written: “You shall return the cloak to him by sunset so that he may lie down to sleep in his garment, and he will thank you, and it will be counted for you as merit before the Lord your God” (Deu 24:13). I have derived only the obligation to return his garment each night in a case where the lender took collateral with the sanction of the court. From where do I derive the obligation to return his garment each night even in a case where the lender took collateral without the sanction of the court? The verse states: “You shall return,” to teach that he must return it in any case.
Bava Metzia 82a:7
As Rabbi Yitzḥak says: From where is it derived that a creditor acquires collateral given to him and is considered its owner as long as the item is in his possession? It is derived from a verse, as it is stated: “You shall return the cloak to him by sunset so that he may lie down to sleep in his garment, and he will thank you, and it will be counted for you as merit before the Lord your God” (Deu 24:13). Rabbi Yitzḥak infers: If the creditor does not acquire the collateral, then from where is the righteousness involved in returning it? In this case, the creditor would not be giving up anything of his own. From here it is derived that a creditor acquires the collateral.
Bava Metzia 114a:1
Indeed, the debtor’s needs are cast upon him, because it is stated in connection with this same issue of returning the collateral: “And it will be counted for you as merit” (Deu 24:13), which indicates that there is an obligation for the creditor to act toward the debtor with righteousness.
Rashi’s Commentary
And he will thank you—And even if he will not thank you, it will nevertheless be counted for you as merit. (Sifrei Devarim 277:4).
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2 “So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by others. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
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3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
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4 so that your giving may be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
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Prayer
5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Fasting
16 “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by others when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by others, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
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This work is a derivative of "The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein used under CC BY 3.0
How Deep Is Your Love by Maurice Ernest Gibb, Robin Hugh Gibb, Jon Drange, Barry Alan Gibb
To the whole community of Israel, saying: “On the tenth . . . of . . . month” i.e. speak today—on the first of the month—that on the tenth day of the month they should take it (the lamb) (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 12:3:3).
This—As regards the Passover sacrifice sacrificed in Egypt it had to be taken from the flock on the tenth, but this did not apply to the Passover sacrifice offered by future generations (Pesachim 96a).
A lamb, according to the house of his father—i.e., a lamb for one family (“family” here means the larger unit comprising the father or grandfather with his married sons and their families). Consequently, if they (the members of such a family) were numerous, one might think that they may take one lamb for all of them (irrespective of whether this would suffice to provide a piece as large as an olive, the minimum quantity, for each person)! Therefore Scripture states: a lamb for a household (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 12:3:7).
Joh 1:29, 36
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
And looking at Jesus as he walked, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
Joh 12:1, 12
Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
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1Co 5:7
Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch—as you really are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
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