Zephania: Chapter 1 - The Alshich Identifies the 5 Tragic Days in Jewish History

This Torah class is brought to you by torahanytime.com. Okay, good morning Rabbi Seagal. We're learning safer Zephaniah perek aleph pasuk ches. Perek aleph pasuk ches. Tzoh haya and it will be b'yom zevach Hashem on the day of God's sacrifice u'fakad'ti and I will visit al hasarim on the officers v'al b'nei hamelch and on the children of the king v'al kol halovshim malbush nachri and all who have donned the clothing of the gentile. Says Rashi malbush nachri tachshitei akum the ornaments of the Or the Malbim says hamemunim me'eitz hamelch those who appointed from the king hayu lahem malbushim metzuyanim they have clothing which are distinguished k'minhag hasarim shel ha'amim hasmuchim lahem like the minhag of the princes of the nations that are in proximity of them. Okay. Says Rebbi Yonasan u'fakad'ti and I will visit al kol hadoleg al hamiftan all those who jump over the threshold bayom hahu on that day ham'mal'im beit adoneihem those who fill up the house of their masters chamas with treachery u'mirmah and deceit. Now what does this mean that God will visit punishment on those who jump over the threshold? I don't know about you, but I'm not familiar with the custom of jumping over thresholds. But actually let's become Uh Right. So sometimes Okay, good. So in sefer Shmuel the Targum Yonathan ben Uziel says like this. Pasuk tes, "Ve'asarah al kol hamahalchim b'nimusei Plishtim." "I will visit punishment on all those who follow the nimusim, the dictates of the Philistines." "B'yadon ahi." Now, what was the custom of the Philistines? Rashi? Rashi says, "Hadol al hamiften, Targum Yonathan ben Uziel b'nimusei Plishtim." "They follow the laws of the Philistines." "Shelo hayu darcham al hamiften." "Dagon." "They would not trample on the threshold of Dagon." "Shenemar, "Al kein lo yidrechu kohanei Dagon." What is this referring to? Well, in Sefar Shmuel, it teaches us that when the Philistines captured the Aron and took it into their temple, they took it into the temple of their idol, Dagon. And um what happened was the idol fell on the ground in front of the Aron. So, instead of realizing maybe God has power, they returned it to its place and it fell again and it broke, its head broke, and its two hands were severed from the body. So, they left it lying on the threshold. So, in deference to their avodah zarah, they had a custom they would not step on the threshold. But, as sometimes we do, the Jews were even more machmir in this custom than the Philistines. So, the Philistines wouldn't step on it, the Jews maintained the practice by jumping over it. So, they actually showed more respect to the avodah zarah than the Philistines. Okay. Pasuk yud, "V'haya bayom hahu." "And it will be on that day." "Ne'um Hashem." "Kol se'akah." "There will be a a sound of shouting misha'ar hadagim." "From the gate of the fish. The gate of the fish is mentioned in Nehemiah. We had in Sefer Nehemiah the gate of the fish. Vilalu and there'll be wailing min hamishna from the second gate, which we'll see is the bird gate. V'shaver gadol and there'll be great catastrophe me hagvo'ot from the hills. Says Rashi, misha'ar ha'dogim Targum Yonasan mitara nunia. From tara nunia, from the fish gate. V'sha'ar ha'yerushalayim, this was a gate in Jerusalem. B'kach sh'mo, this was its name, the fish gate. We have to try to say, why was it called the fish gate? It's a market to sell fish there. Okay. Min hamishna, Rashi says misha'ar ha'of is the bird gate, sh'hu sheini la'ch. So let's see the Radak. Why is it called the fish gate? Says Radak, v'ha'yu misha'ar ha'dogim, sha'ar sh'hu yerushalayim. So yanikra sha'ar ha'dogim. Come on, Sh'muel ben Ezra, v'yad sha'ar ha'dogim umigdal Hananel. Ulai hayu molchim sham dogim, maybe they sold fish there. Maybe. Okay. Vilalu min hamishna, and there was wailing from the mishna he Beit Hamedrash. That's the Beit Hamedrash. K'ma she'ne'emar b'sefer Melachim, v'hayu yoshvim b'yerushalayim. So interestingly, the Radak interprets this as a reference to the Beit Hamedrash. Uh Now, what does it mean the Beit Hamedrash? What kind of Beit Hamedrash? This is where Hulda Hanaviya was situated and she was asked to interpret various psukim in in this location. Okay. Helilu, wail, yoshvei Hamachtesh. Those who inhabit Machtesh. Ki Nidma Kol Am Kenaan. The entire nation of Kenaan has been silenced. Nichresu, they have been cut off Kol Natile Kasef. All those who were laden with silver. Now, what is Machtesh? Normally Machtesh is like a Machtesh is is a mortar. So, what does it mean Hey Lilu Yoshvei Hamachtesh? Let's start with Rashi. Rashi says Yoshvei Hamachtesh Nachla Kidron. The Valley of Kidron. The Kidron Valley. Why was it called Machtesh? Sha Amuka Ke Machtesh Zeh. Ke Machteshus. It was deep and chiseled out like a mortar. So, according to the entire this is from Targum Yonathan Ben Uziel, it says Kol Kol Aililu Kol De Yosvin Nachla De Kidron. But Rashi quotes a Medrash. A Medrash Agada Mishar Hadogim. The Gate of Dogim. Zu Akko Hanisuna Becheiko Shel Hayam. This is Akko which is situated in the lap of the sea. Shesham Nitzoidim Dogim Havei. There are many fish are trapped. Min Hamishna So, the Machtesh come from Akko. Machtesh is mortar, right? Mortar, right. But where is the What's the relationship to Akko? Akko is a seaport. Oh. So, the according to this Medrash, Machtesh is not Akko. We're going back to Shar Hadogim. Shar Hadogim, according to the Medrash, is a is um is a reference to Acco. Acco is in the lap of the sea where many fish are caught. Acco is a fishing town, right? Okay. Then what's the Mishnah? Lod. She Mishnah Lishaim. Lod is secondary to Yerushalayim. It's the second most important city after Yerushalayim. Which is interesting. Because, you know, there's there's a concept of the four holy cities. You have Yerushalayim, of course. You have Tzfat. Tiberias. Hebron. Apparently, Lod, according to this midrash, the Sifta, is secondary to Yerushalayim. What? Is that You have a Gemara that says that the the those who are much their nefesh in Lod, there's nobody like them. But I'm not familiar that Lod had any particular kedusha more than other cities. But here you see, I don't know if we're saying it's secondary in terms of holiness or maybe in terms of uh business or importance. And then Min Hamishas Lod May Hagvois, the hills, Zot Tzipori. This refers to Tzipori Sheyosheves Roshe Har K'Tzipor. Tzipori was on the top of a mountain like a bird. Yoishei Hamakdish is Tiveria She'amuka Mikol Eretz Yisrael. It's the deepest part of Eretz Yisrael. Uh-huh. to be like inside a uh a a mortar, you know, like deep in a bowl, and the Kinneret is on the bottom. But, in terms of real depth, I don't know if this is the lowest point on Earth. Then, if I There were There were hills, right? That even on the the uh I shouldn't say the Israeli side, but on the other side of there, the Syrian side of the the line, it's also hilly. When you go back, you have to climb up the mountains to get on the road. So, it's like a bowl. Mhm. Kinneret is surrounded like by a bowl. The Kin- Or it's considered the tabur ha'aretz, like the navel. Okay, I can see that. But, what Rashi means that it's a mukam kol Eretz Yisrael is hard to understand in light of the fact that it doesn't seem to be the case. We have the the home crater, too, but Then, it says "Nikhresu kol netilei kasef." "All those laden with silver will be cut off." Now, why Why we mention those who are laden with silver? What about gold? What about other materials? So, Rabbi Hershy, please take a look at your trusty sheets. Let's take a look at the Abravanel in pasuk yud alef. This is should be on page kuf ayin. Uh kuf ayin hey. But, Seems we cut up. We're not We're not there yet. So, I have to get you I have to get you the next sheet. But, the um Abravanel says that in those days they only minted coins out of silver, and that's why only silver is mentioned. Rashi says all the the wealthy to laden with treasures of silver vizav. Okay. The whole of my home ahi. And it'll be on that day I copy says you shall lie in by narrow eyes. I will search out Jerusalem with candles. Why with candles? As if when somebody is looking for something very small, then they search in the nooks and crannies with candles like we do. So, Rashi says I will search out you shall lie in by narrow eyes. Rashi says I will say them. I will be exacting with their sins. Who can tell all our nations? And I will visit punishment on the people who are settled on who are settled on their preserves, on their lees. In other words, if you have wine sitting in a barrel for a long time, the bad the sediment on the bottom of the barrel is called the lees, right? L E E S. So, when something is very settled and established, it's called sitting on its sediment. Those people, God says, who sit in Jerusalem thinking that peace will be with them forever, who says that say in their heart God doesn't reward for good deeds, and he doesn't punish. Rashi says those whose preserves are floating. Next Rashi those who say in their heart God does no good he's returned to those who do will. The era and and he doesn't punish with evil and with doesn't do bad return to those who violate his will. Says God she saw Their wealth will be trampled. Their houses will be desolate. Now listen We're reading the words of what in the world are we talking about? What is this referring to? Referring to the by again we've been moving earlier. How good is the word beginning of second bias. Now we're we're going back in time to find the end of the mission times of these are prophecy of the impending doom of we mentioned even though brought about a nationwide movement it was not complete and this is the the prophecy of the impending doom. So their wealth will be trampled. Their homes will be desolate. They will build houses they will not be settled but not to them they will plant vineyards they won't drink the wine. Call your name my God. Close is the great day of God. Happening soon. Says she Let's see a little bit further. Well the about said that he prophesied and this is what the the navy began with he prophesied in the time of He's a son in the days of she saw So we're talking that a hundred years I believe 100 years before 100 years before I was wishing. Is there a higher here? higher is Cuz I wish you all who reigned 100 years before for my situation Assume that putting the prophecy in that historical context that 100 years before the destruction of Okay. So call me when I got a close is the day of God the great day call right close and very swift call you my sham the voice of the day of God my so rare sham give up the sound of the day of when the mighty warrior cries out bitterly my a bitter cry sham give up of the mighty warrior I just have a give up sham a call my the warrior will cry out in a bitter voice What is this a referring to? What warrior? says the Malcom very interesting and genius way of reading the passage call after she he give a sham after the novel relates the word of God to kill my God call his man the novel is adding by the way you should know it's very close to my house and love you by yourself and he describes the imagery that a mighty warrior standing and he's crying in a call my and he cries out these words you are my sham Listen to how the Malbim reads the pasuk. Karov Yom Hashem, the day of God is clo- is coming close. Hagadol, that great day, karov, it's close to Maher Shalal Hash Baz. Kol, the vo- the sound is Yom Hashem! That's the sound that the warrior will cry out. What He'll cry out two words. He'll cry out Yom Hashem mar tzarah u'matzokah. These two words of Yom Hashem, the day of God, with a bitter cry, the mighty warrior cries out. He cries out those two words. Next pasuk. Yom evrah, a day of wrath, hayom hahu that day. Yom tzarah u'matzokah. A day of distress and pain. Yom sho'ah u'masho'ah. Here we have the word sho'ah. Destruction and desolation. Sho'ah. Destruction. Yom choshech va'afelah, darkness and black. Yom anan va'arafel, cloud and thick cloud. How many times does it say the word Yom? Four. Five. Six. In this pasuk. Well, in this pasuk it says Yom five times. Well, I have a sheet for you of the commentary of the Alshich on Zephaniah. The name of the commentary is called Mar'ot Hatsofot. The Alshich, of course, one of the acclaimed commentaries on the Chumash and the Nevi'im. He says on this pasuk, Yom evrah, amar, hinei Yom Hashem This Yom Hashem that we're talking about, this day of doom, the day of disaster that we refer to as Tisha B'Av. Should I make that all the voice of shall I cancel our ads? That's the day it was decreed on our forefathers we should not enter the holy land. Vinisha boy. We know the mission says at the end of time is the five tragedies happened on Tisha B'Av. And I think says the I believe that the five tragedies that occurred on Tisha B'Av are alluded to in this possuk. So regarding the tragedy that it was decreed because of the that we not go into Israel. I'm a Yom Evra Yomahu. That's the reference to the beginning of the possuk Yom Evra. On the fact that the was destroyed the first time Yom Sora Umetzuka. There was great confusion like we know when Titus entered the Mikdash. And on that day was destroyed ah. So the third time of Yom Shayo Umetzuka is referring to by Yom Availa. Is referring to Hurban Yerushalayim. They used to light neiros in Yerushalayim. And now no more neiros in Yerushalayim. Now it's choshech v'afeila. It's more of a lack of the neiros. And that which Apostomus burnt the Torah, the Torah was given on an act of Torah. So we say it's a Yom Anan v'Arafel. In a column m'utan al am Yisrael. But then the pasuk continues. Yom shofar u'truah. A day of the shofar blast and the truah al har hab'tzuros by the fortified cities v'al hapinos hag'vohos. Says Rashi. No Rashi. So what is the sixth Yom? What is the sixth Yom? Rashi says it's that when the invading armies come, they blow their horns and are while they're attacking. Well, how would the Abravanel How would the Alshich interpret the sixth Yom? Probably another tragic day in uh history. Yeah, we have many tragedies to say it's referring to. We know World War I and the Spanish Inquisition. The day of the shofar and the truah when the enemies sound their their blast to uh to mark the beginning of the war al har hab'tzuros on the fortified cities v'al hapinos hag'vohos and the tall watchtowers. V'ahotzei'a roshi l'Adam. And I will cause pain to Adam. But more exact v'ahotzei'a roshi tzar, I will besiege I will lay siege. Now, who's this Adam? All mankind? Rashi says Israel means I will set siege to Adam, meaning Israel, like the positive says. I'm not sure my guy. Israel Adam Korea Adam Korea Adam. Only Israel is called Adam. So here this is a reference to that. I will let see I will set siege lay siege to Adam. The whole room they will walk as if they're a blind. Cuz they sinned against God. The offer their blood will be spilled like dust. What is the word Ulahuma? Their flesh Rashi says. The blessing of Arabi Basa Rashi brings a riot. You know how we know that that Ulahuma means their flesh because in Arabic how do you say flesh? Allah Allah come. Right. But why is it referring to um Why is it referring to um He says a quick thing testament. But that's related to the wall. Okay, so Metzudat will have to see that Ibn Ezra next week who will disagree with Rashi because what is the fact that in Arabic flesh is called lechem have to do with the pasuk in Tanakh. I mean that they could call whatever they want lechem. That has no no bearing. But in defense of Rashi Rashi Rashi himself in Parshat Vayakhel says on the words Vayikra he says "Tot in Caspian is two and pat in African is two. So Tot there are four parshiyot. You have the only thing Rashi the Torah is not written in African it's written in Lashon Hakodesh. So somehow we see that other languages have bearing on Hebrew probably based on the fact that all languages are merely a distortion of Lashon Hakodesh. Cuz originally there was only Lashon Hakodesh and then Hashem was mevalbel all the languages. So if you have an indication in another language that means that really in Hebrew also there's a connection to that meaning, okay? That's what he's saying. You've just experienced another Torah class brought to you by torahanytime.com.