"The Book of the Righteous"

Hi,

"Shemuel II 1:18 says, 'And [King David] said to teach the Judeans the bow; this is recorded in Sefer haYashar [The Book of the Righteous].' What is Sefer haYashar?

"Rabbi Chiyya bar Abba cited Rabbi Yochanan: This is the book of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, who are called righteous [yesharim], as in Bamidbar 23:10, [when Bilam said:] "'May my death be that of the righteous [yesharim].'...

"Rabbi Eliezer said: This is Mishneh Torah [Devarim]. Why is it called Sefer haYashar? Devarim 6:18 says, 'You shall perform that which is righteous [yashar] and good.'...

"Rabbi Shemuel bar Nachmeni said: This is the Book of Shoftim [Judges]. Why is it called Sefer haYashar? Shoftim 17:6 says, 'In those days there was no king in Israel; one would do that which was righteous [yashar] in his eyes.'..."

(Talmud, Avodah Zarah 25a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Daughter of exile

Hi,

[Isaiah 10:30 says to the Jews, "Give forth your voice, daugther of Galim; listen, Layish!"]

"'Daughter of Galim [גלים]' means 'Daughter of exiles [גולים]' - The daughter of Avraham, regarding whom it is written, 'And there was a famine in the land, and Avram descended to Egypt. The daughter of Yitzchak, regarding whom it is written, 'And Yitzchak went to Avimelech, King of the Philistines, to Gerar.' And the daughter of Yaakov, regarding whom it is written, 'And he went to Padan Aram.'

"'Listen' - Listen to My mitzvot, listen to the words of Torah, listen to the words of prophecy, listen to acts of righteousness and good deeds."

(Midrash, Eichah Rabbah, Petichta 1)

May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit haMikdash,
Mordechai

Family merit

Hi,

A thought-provoking assertion:

"A father cannot acquire merit for his son, as it is written, ‘None may save from My hand’ – Avraham cannot save Yishmael, Yitzchak cannot save Esav."

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 104a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai