Pensamento Judaico sobre Deuteronômio 14:14

The author, after having taken issue with other commentators, points out that the line "the waters remained strong for one hundred and fifty days" (Genesis 7,24) is not to be understood as an additional rising of the water levels for one hundred and fifty days after forty days of rainfall. Rather, for a total of one hundred and fifty days the water level remained high enough for the surface of the earth to remain flooded. The highest levels of flood waters were recorded at the end of the first forty days, when the water level was fifteen cubits higher than the tallest mountain top. After that, the waters receded gradually. Since the ark could not come to rest anywhere till after one hundred and fifty days, the waters are still described as govrim, strong, prevalent. Though mountain peaks may have appeared prior to that, the turbulence prevented the ark from settling anywhere. At the end of one hundred and fifty days, on the seventeenth of Nissan, the turbulence subsided. The Arrarat mountain chain is rated as relatively low. After the initial forty days of G-d having completed His act of retribution, He activated a wind to accelerate the drying up process (G-d remembered Noach etc.). By the first day of Tammuz, the tenth month, surrounding mountain tops became visible. Forty days after that, about the tenth of Av, Noach sent out the first bird, a procedure repeated three times at seven day intervals. This brings us to the first day of Ellul. Between then and the first day of Tishrey, the gradual drying of the earth's surface continued. Another fifty-seven days later, the process had reached a stage enabling Noach and his passengers to leave the ark. (4) Because it had breached the sexual etiquette of the creatures in the ark (Sanhedrin 108), the raven was sent out as soon as Noach could be certain that he could survive outside the ark, not in order to determine the extent of the progress of the atmosphere's drying out. Since dogs and Cham could not survive outside the ark at that stage, they were not expelled from the ark, though they too had breached the sexual etiquette imposed on all passengers of the ark. With the dispatch of the dove, Noach's active search for resumption of a normal life on earth begins. The end of the paragraph illustrates G-d’s great Providence, in that not a single creature had failed to survive the long and arduous trip in the ark.

The Psalmist said (Psalm 119:18), "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." This new month (Exodus 12:2) is for you the beginning of months, the day of birth, which is truly the head, and on it the Tabernacle was established. And on the tenth of this month, the twisted thread is honored, and this happens in the house of disgrace. Likewise (Exodus 12:3), "On the tenth day of this month," and the day of remembrance, I have explained it. And on the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Tabernacles, in their completeness and halves, due to the delay during the journey, therefore the eighth day is called Shemini Atzeret. And the word "mila" (circumcision) is closer to "zayin" (seven) full days, for a moment that remains in it is considered a full day according to the calculation of the Torah, and similarly, a day in the year is considered a full year. The matter of the seventh year is also known as the Sabbatical year, and the seven weeks of years lead to the Jubilee, which is called "liberty" (Leviticus 25:10) when a person who is fifty years old is released from the service of work. The second Passover corresponds to the year that passed (Exodus 21:19-23:19). "You shall not boil a kid in its mother's milk" (Exodus 23:19) is similar to "You shall not slaughter it on the same day" (Leviticus 22:28), "You shall not take the mother with the young" (Deuteronomy 22:6), and "You shall not plow" (Deuteronomy 22:10). The matter of planting mixed species (Leviticus 19:19) is "You shall not make any vessel of stone" (Leviticus 22:24). And likewise (Leviticus 18:4), "You shall observe My statutes; you shall not make any of your cattle gender with a diverse kind." The closing of seven days is a known reason, and likewise the impure woman, the woman who gives birth, and the Nazirite from the age of one month until returning to the place and until the Lord (Numbers 6:2-21). From the age of 20 to 50, there are 30 years. From 50 to 60, there are 10 years. And from 60 to 70, there are 10 years. Therefore, it is like the power of his soul and his body, which is 50, corresponding to the number of the Lord's years. And from there, lacking the Lord, and for the female, it is closer to half. Therefore, it is 23 and 30. The matter of Azazel is like the matter of leprosy, and its secret is explicitly explained in the words of our holy sages. And likewise, the matter of the heifer in the valley, and one who understands the secret of the precision of the language will understand the reason "which has not served you." The genius Rabbi Saadia said that we should not wonder about the matter of the red heifer, which renders the pure impure and the impure pure, because honey is beneficial and harmful depending on the change in the body's constitution caused by the food. The reason for the impure animals, impure birds, and water creatures is known. And the offering of a prostitute and the price of a dog are for the purpose of humiliation, as well as to offer a sacrifice with a blemish or to offer it if the priest has a blemish or a bald head because it is the opposite of the work of God. And like the commandments of tithing (Deuteronomy 14:14-15), "You shall surely tithe," and remember that you were a slave and the Lord redeemed you with a great possession. The prolonged period for sending away the mother bird is not for the purpose of taking the offspring, as it is a permission. Similarly, with honoring one's father and mother, who brought one into this world, and by honoring them, one prolongs their days, as stated in Deuteronomy 22:7, "And you shall prolong your days." And it is said (Leviticus 19:14), "You shall fear your God; I am the Lord," before a deaf person and before a person who does not speak, lest they cause you harm. And similarly, to honor the presence of an elder, and if you do not fear him, fear the Lord, who will bring judgment upon you in your old age. It is written on the face of an idol, figuratively (Jeremiah 10:11), "The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth." And likewise (Exodus 20:22), "You have seen that from heaven I have spoken with you; you shall not make for yourself any likeness." As Moses explained (Exodus 20:21), "For you saw no form," there is no need for you to make a likeness of Me for worship. And I have already explained the incident of the golden calf, that it was not idol worship. And the testimony is (Exodus 32:5), "Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord," as Aaron commanded, and they did so, and it was the next day that they brought burnt offerings. And this is the Lord alone, and it is not like the idols of other gods. The Ark was known by the knowledgeable person who understood the voice that emanated between the two cherubim. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its width was equal to its length in order to fill the Ark. The half-cubit of the thickness of the plank was positioned on top with the legs, similar to the structure of the table, as it is written on its four legs. This term is found in many places in the Holy Language and does not refer to a corner. The faithful testimony and the two rings, as explained by the commentators, should have been two rings. The incense altar was placed between the menorah and the table, outside the curtain, and it was higher than both of them, with ten curtains. Twelve is also a known secret, as well as twenty-eight, and the bronze altar is beneath its cover and extends from its bottom to its half, as it truly is. The secret of the ephod is highly esteemed because it had two stones, which are on the ephod, both on the left and right sides, with six names on each stone. And behold, both of them are stones, and they have no shape, corresponding to the concept of thought, and these are the divisions among the Israelites. The breastplate was made in the likeness of the ephod, and it was square, corresponding to the four points, therefore, you shall not place stone upon stone. The matter of the settings and rings that were always on the ephod, on the account of the great central line that did not incline. The lights correspond to their name, and the "thummim" corresponds to the round shape. Moses placed them on the breastplate initially, when they first set up the tabernacle, and the knowledgeable ones will understand.