Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent (December 23, 2017)

Gospel (Luk 1:57-66)

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

Gen 21:2

So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.

Rashi’s Commentary

At the appointed time of which God had spoken—Render it as Onkelos translates: “At the appointed time which he had spoken and appointed. When he had said to him (18:14) “At the appointed time I will return to you.” He scratched a mark in the wall and said to him, “When the sunrays touch this mark next year she will bear a son” (Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 59:1).

In his old age—That his Isaac’s facial features were similar to his Abraham’s.

Num 23:19

God is not a man, that he should lie [he has sworn to give them the land, and do you think to kill them in the desert],

nor a son of man, that he should retract.

Would he speak and not act?

[Would he] promise and not fulfill?

Rashi’s Commentary

God is not a man, that he should lie—He has already sworn to them that He will bring them to and give them as a possession the land of the seven peoples, and you think to kill them in the wilderness?! (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 13)

הַהוּא—Read this in the form of a question: Would he speak?—And the Targum renders, “who later retract”—to withdraw from them.

58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they were rejoicing with her.

Gen 21:6

6 Sarah said, “God has made joy for me, and everyone who hears will rejoice over me.”

Rashi’s Commentary

Will rejoice over me means will rejoice on my account. The Midrashic statement is (Genesis Rabbah 53:8): Many barren women were remembered together with her, many sick were healed in that day, many prayers were answered with hers and there was great rejoicing in the world.

59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father,

Gen 17:12

And every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the household [of your maidservant] or bought with money [after he was born] from any foreigner who is not of your seed.

Rashi’s Commentary

A servant who is born in the household—One to whom a handmaid gave birth in the household.

Bought with money—One whom a person bought after he was born.

60 but his mother answered and said, “Not so; but he shall be called John.”

61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”

62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.

64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.

Exo 4:15-16

15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you both what to do.

16 And he will speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you [in that you are “heavy of speech”] and you will be as God to him.

Rashi’s Commentary

Will be as a mouth for you—He will be your spokesman because you have a speech impediment (Exodus Rabbah 3:17).

God—Heb. לֵאלֹהִים, as a superior and chief (cf. Onkelos).

65 Awe came on all those living around them; and all these things were being talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.

66 Everyone who heard them kept them in mind, asking, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Gen 37:11

His brothers were jealous of him, but his father awaited the [materialization of] the matter in mind.

Rashi’s Commentary

Awaited the matter—He awaited and looked forward to the time when this would come to pass. In the same sense we have (Isa 26:2) “awaiting (שׁוֹמֵר) the realization of God’s promise” (i.e., for the performance of a promise) and (Job 14:16)—“You do not delay (תִשְׁמוֹר) for my sin”—which means “You do not delay.”

Responsorial Psalm (Psa 25:4)

Show me your ways, O Lord,

teach me your paths.

Exo 33:13

And now, if I have, indeed, found favor in your eyes, teach me now your ways [i.e., the reward for finding favor in your eyes] so that I may know you [i.e., your measure of reward] and that I may find [what the

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nature of the reward is for finding] favor in your eyes. And remember that this nation is your people [and I cannot see myself being rewarded if they are not].

Rashi’s Commentary

And now etc.—If it is true that I have found favour in your eyes, teach me now your ways—let me know what is the reward which you give to those who find favor in your eyes.

So that I may know you and that I may find favor in your eyes means, that I may know the nature of the reward you bestow—what is this “finding favor” which you have granted to me (Hebrew: which I found in your eyes). The explanation of “that I may find favor” accordingly is: that I may find out how great is the reward attendant on this “finding favor.”

Job 14:16

For then you count [all of] my steps

And you do not delay [the payment] for my sin.

Isa 26:2

Open the gates

that the righteous nation, awaiting the realization of God's promise, may enter,

the one that keeps faith.

This work, "Saturday of the Third Week of Advent," is a derivative of "The Rashi Chumash" and "The Rashi Ketuvim" by Rabbi Shraga Silverstein used under CC BY 3.0