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“Behold, days are coming, says the L-rd, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Yisra᾽el, and with the house of Yehuda… but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Yisra᾽el after those days, says the L-rd; I will put my Torah in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their G-d, and they shall be my people…”
-Jeremiah 31:31, 33
“Rabbi Elazar says: Be diligent in learning Torah, and know what to respond to one who denigrates the Torah. Know before Whom you labor–the Master of your work is trustworthy to pay you the wage for your activity.”
-Pirkei Avos 2:14
“While writing this commentary of the New Testament, I had no other goal, as I have said in the first volume, but to reconcile these two enemy sisters: The Church and the Synagogue… to show everyone that the New Testament only comes to show that the root of existence is in the unity of G–d (ahdut ha-Bore) … and also to strengthen the law of Moses (Torat Moshe)… I publish this commentary (to Matthew) in Hebrew for Jews, to introduce them to the New Testament who, until now, have not recognized its beauty (eynam makirim ’et yofya)… Notwithstanding the contrary misconception, the New Testament is in no manner contrary to the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) or to the Talmud.“
-Rabbi Eliyahu Tzvi Soloveitchik, Kol Kore
Waykeeper Principles #6 & #8
6. The Jewish writings called, “the New Testament,” are not equal, but are subordinate to the Torah given by G-d at Sinai (and therefore not a Halachic authority).
8. We do not yet have a kosher translation of the “New Testament,” but its general teachings align especially with Hasidic Judaism (e.g. serving G-d with and beyond ‘the letter’).
Based on the Weekly NT Schedule…
Sunday (1):
John 5:41 → John 6:14 (22)
41 I do not receive glory from people.
42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of G-d in yourselves.
43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.
“Again the Holy One, blessed be He, gives Israel even more an opening of the mouth against him [the Messiah], and they say to one another: ‘Know that That Man was mistaken and was leading Israel astray… they proclaim about him in all the towns of Israel, and the mighty ones of Torah and the mighty ones of livelihood gather against him, and they conspire against him and mar his appearance, as it is said: ‘So marred was his appearance more than any man’ (Isaiah 52:14).“
-Heikhalot Rabbati 33
44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only G-d?
45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.
46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.
“The twelfth principle of faith… One must believe that the Messiah will have superiority, greatness, and honor beyond all kings who have ever existed, as all the prophets—from Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, to Malachi, peace be upon him—prophesied about him. Anyone who doubts his coming or diminishes his stature denies the Torah itself…”
-Rambam, Mishnah Sanhedrin 10
47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
Chapter 6
Feeding the Multitude
1 After these things Yeshua went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias).
2 And a large crowd was following him, because they were seeing the signs that he was doing on those who were sick.
3 Then Yeshua went up the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 Now the Passover, the Feast of the Judeans, was near.
5 Therefore Yeshua, lifting up his eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to him, said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread so that these may eat?”
6 But he said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was about to do.
7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not enough for each of them to receive even a little.”
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Shimon Peter, said to him,
9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these among so many?”
10 Yeshua said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place, so the men sat down, about five thousand in number.
11 Then Yeshua took the loaves, and having given thanks he distributed them to those who were seated; likewise also from the fish, as much as they wished.
12 When they were filled, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments that remain, so that nothing may be lost.”
13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which remained over for those who had eaten.
14 Therefore when the people saw the sign that he had done, they were saying, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
15 Then Yeshua, knowing that they were about to come and seize him in order to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
Monday (2):
John 6:16 → John 6:34 (19)
Walking on the Sea
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,
17 and after entering a boat they were going across the sea toward Kefar Nahum. Darkness had already come, and Yeshua had not yet come to them.
18 And the sea was becoming rough because a strong wind was blowing.
19 Then when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Yeshua walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were afraid.
“The [Lubavitcher] Rebbe once told his secretary that if they [the Israelites] wouldn’t make all those calculations, but simply proceed to walk they could of walked on top of the water. Kriat Yam suf (the Splitting of the Red Sea) was plan B…”
-Rabbi Osher Kravitsky, Chabad Shaliach in New York
20 But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
21 Then they were willing to receive him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.
The Crowd Seeks Yeshua
22 The next day the crowd that had stood on the other side of the sea saw that there had been no other boat there except one, and that Yeshua had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.
23 Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they ate the bread after the lord had given thanks.
24 So when the crowd saw that Yeshua was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves entered the boats and came to Kefar Nahum seeking Yeshua.
25 And finding him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
The Bread from Heaven
26 Yeshua answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me not because you saw signs, but because you ate from the loaves and were filled.
27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that remains to eternal life, which the son of man will give to you, for on him G-d the Father has set his seal.”
“…R’ Berachia said in the name of R’ Yitzchak the last redeemer will be just as the first. Just as it says of the first redeemer “So Moses took his wife and his sons, mounted them upon the donkey…” (Shemot 4:20) so too the last redeemer, as it says “…humble, and riding a donkey…” (Zechariah 9:9) Just as the first redeemer brought down the manna, as it says “Behold! I am going to rain down for you bread from heaven…” (Shemot 16:4) so too the last redeemer will bring down manna, as it says “May there be an abundance of grain in the land…” (Tehillim 72:16) Just as the first redeemer brought up the well, so too the last redeemer will bring up the water, as it says “…and a spring will issue from the house of the Lord and will water the valley of Shittim…” (Yoel 4:18)”
-Kohelet Rabba 1:9:1
28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, so that we may perform the works of G-d?”
29 Yeshua answered and said to them, “This is the work of G-d: that you trust in the one whom he has sent.”
30 So they said to him, “What sign then do you do, so that we may see and trust you? What work do you perform?
31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 Therefore Yeshua said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of G-d is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 Then they said to him, “Sir, always give us this bread.”
Tuesday (3):
John 6:35 → John 6:58 (24)
The Bread of Life
35 Yeshua said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to me will never hunger, and the one who trusts in me will never thirst.
36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not trust.
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
39 And this is the will of the one who sent me: that of all that he has given me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
40 For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the son and trusts in him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
“At that moment, Israel changes their mind and despises the Messiah, saying, ‘Woe to us, for we have followed this madman.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, ‘You are calling him mad now? You will see his light, for it shall encircle him greatly.’ As it is said, ‘Surrounded by splendor and majesty is his abode.’ And whoever believes in him will not be erased from the Book of Life. As it is said, ‘At that time your people shall escape.’ (Daniel 12:1)””
-Heikhalot Rabbati 35
Murmuring of the Crowd
41 Then the Judeans were murmuring about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
42 And they were saying, “Is this not Yeshua, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43 Yeshua answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves.
44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day.
“Whence do we know concerning King Messiah? Because it is said, “His name shall endure for ever. Before the sun his name shall be continued (Yinnon)” (Ps. 72:17). Why was his name called Yinnon? For he will awaken those who sleep out of the dust of the earth, therefore is his name called Yinnon, as it is said, “Before the sun his name is Yinnon” (ibid.).”
-Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 32:7
“The general rule is that no one has been renewed to the level of signs and wonders performed by G-d through Moses our teacher. However, the truth that emerges from this verse is that no prophet arose again like Moses, who was a prophet specifically for Israel alone. Nevertheless, it is possible that there will be a prophet among the nations of the world as well, and this will be the Messiah, the King… Therefore, you should know that what we said in the portion of Balaam—that a prophet will arise in Israel and among the nations like Moses— refers to the Messiah, the King… “He who gives life and causes death” – this root concept has been fully explained through the words of the prophets. We also find in the cases of Elijah and Elisha, who revived the dead. It seems that this miracle will take place when G- d Almighty desires to transform the nations, giving them a clear language. Then, this miraculous act will be demonstrated through the Messiah, the King.”
-Ralbag (Gersonides) on Torah, Numbers 24:1:8, Deuteronomy 3:23:10, 32:1:18
45 It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by G-d.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.
46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from G-d; he has seen the Father.
47 Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who trusts has eternal life.
48 I am the bread of life.
49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat from it and not die.
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread he will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
“Rabbi Hillel says: There is no Messiah coming for the Jewish people, as they already ate him, during the days of Hezekiah. Rav Yosef says: May the Master forgive Rabbi Hillel for stating matters with no basis.”
-Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 99a:3
Dispute About His Teaching
52 Then the Judeans began arguing among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53 So Yeshua said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.
54 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
55 For my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.
56 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who eats me will also live because of me.
58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread will live forever.”
Wednesday (4):
John 6:59 → John 7:9 (22)
59 These things he said in the synagogue while teaching in Kefar Nahum.
Many Disciples Turn Away
60 Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, “This teaching is hard; who can listen to it?”
61 But Yeshua, knowing in himself that his disciples were murmuring about this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble?
62 Then what if you see the son of man ascending to where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
64 But there are some among you who do not trust.” For Yeshua knew from the beginning who they were who did not trust and who it was who would betray him.
65 And he was saying, “For this reason I have said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him from the Father.”
66 Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
Peter’s Confession
67 So Yeshua said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?”
68 Shimon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 And we have trusted and have come to know that you are the holy one of G-d.”
70 Yeshua answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is an adversary.”
71 Now he spoke about Yehuda son of Shimon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
Chapter 7
Yeshua and the Feast
1 After these things Yeshua was walking in Galilee, for he was not willing to walk in Judea because the Judean authorities were seeking to kill him.
2 Now the Feast of the Judeans, the Feast of Tabernacles, was near.
3 Therefore his brothers said to him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, so that your disciples also may see the works that you are doing.
4 For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.”
5 For even his brothers were not trusting in him.
6 So Yeshua said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.
7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.
8 Go up to the Feast yourselves; I am not going up to this Feast yet, because my time has not yet been fulfilled.”
9 After saying these things to them, he remained in Galilee.
Thursday (5):
John 7:10 → John 7:31 (22)
Yeshua Goes to the Feast
10 But when his brothers had gone up to the Feast, then he himself also went up, not openly but as if in secret.
11 The Judean authorities therefore were seeking him at the Feast and were saying, “Where is he?”
12 And there was much murmuring about him among the crowds. Some were saying, “He is a good man.” Others were saying, “No, but he deceives the crowd.”
13 Yet no one was speaking openly about him because of fear of the Judean authorities.
Teaching in the Temple
14 But when the Feast was already half over, Yeshua went up into the Temple and began teaching.
15 Then the Judeans were astonished, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?”
“Another explanation follows the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 14), which states that four individuals recognized their Creator on their own: Abraham, Job, Hezekiah, and the Messiah. This is hinted at in the verse: “There was a man”—he recognized G-d on his own. “Blameless and upright, one who feared G-d”—this was achieved independently, without learning from others.”
-Midrash HaIttamari 10:44
16 Therefore Yeshua answered them and said, “My teaching is not mine, but from the one who sent me.
17 If anyone desires to do His will, he will know concerning the teaching, whether it is from G-d or whether I speak from myself.
18 The one who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of the one who sent him, this one is true, and unrighteousness is not in him.
19 Did not Moses give you the Torah? Yet none of you keeps the Torah. Why do you seek to kill me?”
20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon. Who seeks to kill you?”
21 Yeshua answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel.
22 Because of this Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is from Moses but from the Fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man.
23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Torah of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I made a whole man well on the Sabbath?
“According to Jewish law, if an Israelite is worried about his ear, what is the ruling on whether he is permitted to heal it on the Sabbath? The sages have taught that any doubt regarding life-threatening situations overrides the Sabbath. Thus, if there’s a danger related to an ear injury, one may treat it on the Sabbath. The rabbis have said, “You want to avoid suffering in your ears or any other limb? Turn your ear to the Torah, and you will inherit life. From where [do we derive this]? As it is said (Isaiah 55:3): ‘Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live.'”
-Devarim Rabba 10:1
“R. Yossi Haglili says: “My Sabbaths shall you keep”: “but” (“ach,” before “My”) “divides,” i.e., there are Sabbaths that you override, and there are Sabbaths that you rest.
R. Shimon b. Menassia says (Ibid. 14) “And you shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy to you” — Sabbath is given to you and you are not given (i.e., “surrendered”) to the Sabbath.
R. Nathan says (Ibid. 16) “And the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath to observe the Sabbath for their generations”: Desecrate one Sabbath in order to keep many Sabbaths.”
-Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Shabbata 1:7
24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Debate About the Messiah
25 Then some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the one whom they are seeking to kill?
26 And look, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers truly know that this is the Messiah?
27 Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”
28 Then Yeshua cried out in the Temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me and know where I am from. Yet I have not come from myself, but the one who sent me is true, whom you do not know.
29 I know him, because I am from Him, and He sent me.”
30 So they were seeking to seize him, yet no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come.
31 But many from the crowd trusted in him and were saying, “When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?”
Friday (6):
John 7:32 → John 7:52 (21)
Officers Sent to Arrest Him
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize him.
33 Therefore Yeshua said, “Yet a little time I am with you, and then I go to the one who sent me.
34 You will seek me and will not find me; and where I am you cannot come.”
35 The Judeans therefore said among themselves, “Where is this man about to go that we will not find him? Will he go to the dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?
36 What is this word that he said: ‘You will seek me and will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am you cannot come’?”
Living Water
37 Now on the last day, the great day of the Feast, Yeshua stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
38 The one who trusts in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.”
39 Now he said this concerning the spirit, whom those who trusted in him were about to receive; for the spirit had not yet been given, because Yeshua had not yet been glorified.
“Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair says, “Heedfulness leads to cleanliness, cleanliness leads to purity, purity leads to separation, separation leads to holiness, holiness leads to modesty, modesty leads to fear of sin, fear of sin leads to piety, piety leads to the Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead, and the resurrection of the dead comes from Elijah, blessed be his memory, Amen.””
-Mishnah Sotah 9:15
Division Among the People
40 Therefore some from the crowd, when they heard these words, were saying, “This truly is the Prophet.”
41 Others were saying, “This is the Messiah.” But others were saying, “Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he?
“100. And HE EXPLAINS: “For fear of Hashem,” is the trembling of the whole world, “and for the glory of His majesty” is Messiah. ” When He arises to shake the earth terribly..” refers to when Messiah will arise and be revealed in the land of Galilee, because this was the first place in the Holy Land that was destroyed BY Ashur. Therefore, he will be revealed there before any other place, and from there he will stir wars all over the world.”
-Holy Zohar, Shemot 100
42 Has not the Scripture said that the Messiah comes from the seed of David and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
“from you [Bethlehem] shall emerge for Me—the Messiah, son of David, and so Scripture says (Ps. 118:22): “The stone the builders had rejected became a cornerstone.”
-Rashi, Micah 5:1
and his origin is from of old—“Before the sun his name is Yinnon” (Ps. 72:17).”
43 So a division occurred in the crowd because of him.
44 Some of them wanted to seize him, but no one laid hands on him.
The Officers Return
45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?”
46 The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken in this way.”
47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?
48 Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees trusted in him?
49 But this crowd, which does not know the Torah, is accursed.”
Nicodemus Speaks
50 Nicodemus, the one who had come to him earlier and who was one of them, said to them,
51 “Our Torah does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?”
52 They answered and said to him, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.”
“The Gemara returns to the people of the Galilee, who are not precise in their speech. What is the meaning of this? The Gemara cites examples: As it was taught in a baraita that there was a certain person from the Galilee who would walk and say to people: Who has amar? Who has amar? They said to him: Foolish Galilean, what do you mean? Galileans did not pronounce the guttural letters properly, so it was unclear whether he sought a donkey [ḥamor] to ride, or wine [ḥamar] to drink, wool [amar] to wear, or a lamb [imar] to slaughter. This is an example of the lack of precision in the Galileans’ speech.”
-Talmud Bavli, Eruvin 53b:6
Shabbat (7):
John 7:53 → John 8:20 (21)
53 And each one went to his own house.
Chapter 8
The Woman Brought for Judgment
1 But Yeshua went to the Mount of Olives.
2 Early in the morning he came again into the Temple, and all the people were coming to him, and sitting down he was teaching them.
3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery. After placing her in the midst,
4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.
5 Now in the Torah Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say?”
6 They were saying this to test him, so that they might have grounds to accuse him. But Yeshua bent down and began writing with his finger on the ground.
7 When they continued questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone at her.”
8 And again he bent down and wrote on the ground.
9 When they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders, until only Yeshua was left, and the woman standing there in the midst.
10 Yeshua straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, sir.”
And Yeshua said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin.”
The Light of the World
12 Then Yeshua spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
“Said our rabbis, at the time when the King Messiah comes, he stands on the roof of the Temple, and he proclaims to Israel and says, ‘Rejoice, the time of your redemption has come.’ And if you do not believe, see in my light that has shone upon you, as it is said, ‘Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has shone upon you. Your light will come, and your glory will be seen only on you, and not on the worshipers of idols, as it is said, ‘For behold, darkness shall cover the earth.’ At that moment, the Lord’s light and the Messiah’s light shine, and all go towards the light of the Messiah and Israel, as it is said, ‘And nations shall walk to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.’“
-Midrash Yalkut Shimoni, 499
13 Therefore the Pharisees said to him, “You testify about yourself; your testimony is not valid.”
14 Yeshua answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I come from or where I go.
15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but I and the one who sent me.
17 Even in your Torah it is written that the testimony of two people is true.
18 I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
19 So they said to him, “Where is your father?”
Yeshua answered, “You know neither me nor my father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
20 These words he spoke in the Treasury, while teaching in the Temple. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
Eye To Zion 