ב"ה

Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Festivals & Special Readings Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah Torah Reading Texts and Summaries

Torah Reading for Rosh Hashanah 1

View Readings For:

First Day of Rosh Hashanah

Tuesday, 1 Tishrei, 5786

23 September, 2025

Complete: (Genesis 21:1-34; Numbers 29:1-6; Samuel I 1:1 - 2:10)

Show content in:

EnglishBothHebrew

First Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 21

1God had remembered Sarah as He had said. God did for Sarah as He had spoken to Abraham: she bore a son.		אוַֽיהֹוָ֛ה פָּקַ֥ד אֶת־שָׂרָ֖ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמָ֑ר וַיַּ֧עַשׂ יְהֹוָ֛ה לְשָׂרָ֖ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר:
וה' פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה וגו' - God had remembered Sarah… This passage is placed next to the previous one to teach you that when a person pleads for mercy for another and he himself is in need of this same thing, he is answered first, for it says: “Abraham prayed…,” 1 and it is followed by: “God had remembered Sarah” – i.e., He had already taken account of her before he cured Avimelech.		וה' פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה וגו'. סָמַך פָּרָשָׁה זוֹ לְלַמֶּדְךָ, שֶׁכָּל הַמְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עַל חֲבֵרוֹ וְהוּא צָרִיךְ לְאוֹתוֹ דָבָר, הוּא נַעֲנֶה תְחִלָּה (בבא קמא צ"ב), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל וְגוֹ', וּסְמִיךְ לֵיהּ וה' פָּקַד אֶת שָׂרָה, שֶׁפְּקָדָהּ כְּבָר קֹדֶם שֶׁרִפֵּא אֶת אֲבִימֶלֶךְ:
פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר אָמָר - [God] had remembered Sarah as He had said - regarding her pregnancy.		פָּקַד אֶת־שָׂרָה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר אָמָר. בְּהֵרָיוֹן:
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּֽר - As He had spoken - regarding the birth of a son. And where was God’s “saying” (אֲמִירָה) and where was His “speaking” (דִּבּוּר) regarding these matters? His “saying” refers to: “God said (וַיֹּאמֶר), ‘Sarah your wife will indeed bear you a son.’” 2 His “speaking” refers to: “God’s word (דְבַר ה׳) came to Abram” 3 – at the passage of the covenant between the pieces, and there it says: “This person will not be your heir; rather, one born from your own flesh will inherit you,” 4 and God produced this heir from Sarah.		כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּֽר. בְּלֵדָה. וְהֵיכָן הִיא אֲמִירָה, וְהֵיכָן הוּא דִּבּוּר? אֲמִירָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֲבָל שָׂרָה אִשְׁתְּךָ וְגוֹ '(בראשית י"ז), דִּבּוּר הָיָה דְבַר ה' אֶל אַבְרָם בִּבְרִית בֵּין הַבְּתָרִים, וְשָׁם נֶאֱמַר לֹא יִירָשְׁךָ זֶה וְגוֹ' (שם ט"ו), וְהֵבִיא הַיּוֹרֵשׁ מִשָּׂרָה:
וַיַּעַשׂ ה' לְשָׂרָה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּֽר - God did for Sarah as He had spoken - to Abraham.		וַיַּעַשׂ ה' לְשָׂרָה כַּֽאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּֽר. לְאַבְרָהָם:
2Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken.		בוַתַּ֩הַר֩ וַתֵּ֨לֶד שָׂרָ֧ה לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם בֵּ֖ן לִזְקֻנָ֑יו לַמּוֹעֵ֕ד אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים:
לַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֹתוֹ - (lit.) In his old age - means that Isaac’s facial features (זִיו אִקּוּנִין) were similar to Abraham’s.		לַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֹתוֹ. רַבִּי יוּדָן וְרַבִּי חָמָא. רַבִּי יוּדָן אוֹמֵר: מְלַמֵד שֶׁנוֹלַד לְט' חָדָשִׁים, שֶׁלֹא יֹאמְרוּ: מִבֵּיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבִימֶלֶךְ הוּא, רַבִּי חָמָא אוֹמֵר: לְז' חָדָשִׁים:
לַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֹתוֹ - At the appointed time of which [God] had spoken. Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Chama differ as to when this time was: Rabbi Yudan says that we learn from here that he was born after nine months of pregnancy, so that people should not say that he was conceived in the house of Avimelech; and Rabbi Chama says he was born after seven months.		לַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר אֹתוֹ. דִּי מַלִּיל יָתֵהּ, אֶת הַמּוֹעֵד דִּבֵּר וְקָבַע כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ (שם י"ח), שָׂרַט לוֹ שְׂרִיטָה בַּכֹּתֶל, אָמַר לוֹ כְּשֶׁתַּגִּיעַ חַמָּה לִשְׂרִיטָה זוֹ בַּשָּׁנָה הָאַחֶרֶת, תֵּלֵד:
לִזְקֻנָיו - Onkelos translates אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֹתוֹ as: דְּמַלֵּיל יָתֵהּ “of which God had spoken” – referring to the designated time that He spoke of and fixed when He told him: “I will return to you at the designated time.” 5 He scratched a mark on the wall and said to him, “When the sun’s rays reach this mark next year, she will give birth.”		לִזְקֻנָיו. שהיה זיו אקונין שלו דומה לו:
3Abraham named the son who had been born to him—whom Sarah had borne him—Isaac,		גוַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־שֶׁם־בְּנ֧וֹ הַנּֽוֹלַד־ל֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־יָֽלְדָה־לּ֥וֹ שָׂרָ֖ה יִצְחָֽק:
4and Abraham circumcised his son Isaac on the eighth day after his birth, as God had commanded him.		דוַיָּ֤מָל אַבְרָהָם֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֣ק בְּנ֔וֹ בֶּן־שְׁמֹנַ֖ת יָמִ֑ים כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים:

Footnotes

Second Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 21

5Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.		הוְאַבְרָהָ֖ם בֶּן־מְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִוָּ֣לֶד ל֔וֹ אֵ֖ת יִצְחָ֥ק בְּנֽוֹ:
6Sarah said, “God has brought me happiness; whoever hears will be happy for me and happy with me.”		ווַתֹּ֣אמֶר שָׂרָ֔ה צְחֹ֕ק עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י אֱלֹהִ֑ים כָּל־הַשֹּׁמֵ֖עַ יִֽצֲחַק־לִֽי:
יִֽצֲחַק־לִי - means here “will rejoice regarding me.” And the aggadic explanation is: Many barren women were remembered together with her, many sick were cured on that day, and many prayers were answered together with hers, and thus there was much rejoicing in the world.		יִֽצֲחַק־לִי. יִשְׂמַח עָלַי. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה הַרְבֵּה עֲקָרוֹת נִפְקְדוּ עִמָּהּ, הַרְבֵּה חוֹלִים נִתְרַפְּאוּ בוֹ בַיּוֹם, הַרְבֵּה תְפִלּוֹת נַעֲנוּ עִמָּהּ, וְרֹב שְׂחוֹק הָיָה בָעוֹלָם:
7She said, “Who is He who said to Abraham, ‘Sarah will nurse children’? For I have given birth to a son in his old age!”		זוַתֹּ֗אמֶר מִ֤י מִלֵּל֙ לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם הֵינִ֥יקָה בָנִ֖ים שָׂרָ֑ה כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי בֵ֖ן לִזְקֻנָֽיו:
מִי מִלֵּל לְאַבְרָהָם - Who is He who said to Abraham. מִי is an expression of praise and distinction, as in “Who performed and did all this!” 1 “Who created these!” 2 Look who this is, and to what extent He keeps His promise! The Holy One, blessed be He, both makes promises and fulfills them!		מִי מִלֵּל לְאַבְרָהָם. לְשׁוֹן שֶׁבַח וַחֲשִׁיבוּת, רְאוּ, מִי הוּא וְכַמָּה הוּא שׁוֹמֵר הַבְטָחָתוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַבְטִיחַ וְעוֹשֶׂה.
מִלֵּל - Said. The verse changes its expression and does not say the more usual word דִּבֶּר, because the numerical value of מִלֵּל is 100, thus signifying: at the end of Abraham’s 100th year….		מִלֵּל. שִׁנָּה הַכָּתוּב וְלֹא אָמַר דִּבֵּר – גִּימַטְרִיָּא שֶׁלּוֹ ק', כְּלוֹמַר לְסוֹף מֵאָה לְאַבְרָהָם:
הֵינִיקָה בָנִים שָׂרָה - Sarah will nurse children. What does “children” in the plural form refer to? On the day of the feast the noblewomen brought their children with them and she nursed them, for they had been saying: “Sarah did not give birth, but brought in a foundling from the street.”		הֵינִיקָה בָנִים שָׂרָה. וּמַהוּ בָנִים לְשׁוֹן רַבִּים? בְּיוֹם הַמִּשְׁתֶּה הֵבִיאוּ הַשָּׂרוֹת בְּנֵיהֶן עִמָּהֶן וְהֵנִיקָה אוֹתָם, שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרוֹת לֹא יָלְדָה שָׂרָה, אֶלָֹּא אֲסוּפִי הֵבִיאָה מִן הַשּׁוּק:
8The child grew up and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.		חוַיִּגְדַּ֥ל הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַיִּגָּמַ֑ל וַיַּ֤עַשׂ אַבְרָהָם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה גָד֔וֹל בְּי֖וֹם הִגָּמֵ֥ל אֶת־יִצְחָֽק:
וַיִּגָּמַל - And was weaned - at the end of 24 months.		וַיִּגָּמַל. לְסוֹף כ"ד חֹדֶשׁ (גיטין ע"ה):
מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל - A great feast. It was so called because the great men of the generation were present: Shem, Ever, and Avimelech.		מִשְׁתֶּה גָדוֹל. שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם גְּדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר שֵׁם וָעֵבֶר וַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ (בראשית רבה):
9Sarah saw that Ishmael, the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, had fallen into degenerate behavior, including idol worship, illicit carnal relations, and even murder.		טוַתֵּ֨רֶא שָׂרָ֜ה אֶת־בֶּן־הָגָ֧ר הַמִּצְרִ֛ית אֲשֶׁר־יָֽלְדָ֥ה לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם מְצַחֵֽק:
מְצַחֵֽק - (lit.) Making sport. This word connotes idol-worship, as it says in reference to the Golden Calf: “they got up to revel (לְצַחֵק).” 3 Another explanation: It connotes immorality, as it is said in Potiphar’s wife’s accusation of Joseph: “to mock (לְצַחֵק) me.” 4 Yet another explanation: It connotes murder, as in: “Let the young men get up and play (וִישַׂחֲקוּ) before us…,” 5 where they fought and killed each other.		מְצַחֵֽק. לְשׁוֹן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיָּקֻמוּ לְצַחֵק (שמות ל"ב), דָּבָר אַחֵר לְשׁוֹן גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, כְּמָה דְּתֵימָא לְצַחֶק בִּי (בראשית ל"ט), דָּבָר אַחֵר לְשׁוֹן רְצִיחָה, כְּמוֹ יָקוּמוּ נָא הַנְּעָרִים וִישַׂחֲקוּ לְפָנֵינוּ וְגוֹ' (שמואל ב ב'):
10She said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for the son of this bondwoman will not inherit together with my son, Isaac!”		יוַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם גָּרֵ֛שׁ הָֽאָמָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את וְאֶת־בְּנָ֑הּ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יִירַשׁ֙ בֶּן־הָֽאָמָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את עִם־בְּנִ֖י עִם־יִצְחָֽק:
עִם־בְּנִי וגו' - With my son. From Sarah’s reply to Abraham: “for the son of this bondwoman will not inherit together with my son,” you can infer that Ishmael was arguing with Isaac over the inheritance, saying, “I am the firstborn and should receive a double portion.” They would go out into the field and Ishmael would take his bow and shoot arrows at Isaac, just as the verse says: “Like one wearing himself out throwing firebrands…who says, ‘Am I not only playing (מְשַׂחֵק)?’” 6		עִם־בְּנִי וגו'. שֶׁהָיָה מֵרִיב עִם יִצְחָק עַל הַיְרֻשָּׁה וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי בְּכוֹר וְנוֹטֵל פִּי שְׁנַיִם, וְיוֹצְאִים בַּשָּׂדֶה וְנוֹטֵל קַשְׁתּוֹ וְיוֹרֶה בוֹ חִצִּים, כְּמָה דְּתֵימָא כְּמִתְלַהְלֵהַּ הַיֹּרֶה זִקִּים וְגוֹ' וְאָמַר הֲלֹא מְשַׂחֵק אָנִי (משלי כ"ו):
עִם־בְּנִי עִם־יִצְחָֽק - (lit.) With my son, with Isaac. The repetition of עִם signifies: Since he is my son, even if he were not worthy like Isaac, or one as worthy as Isaac even if he were not my son – this one (Ishmael) is not fit to inherit along with him. All the more so is he not fit to inherit “with my son, with Isaac” who has both qualities.		עִם־בְּנִי עִם־יִצְחָֽק. מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא בְנִי אֲפִלּוּ אִם אֵינוֹ הָגוּן כְּיִצְחָק, אוֹ הָגוּן כְּיִצְחָק אֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ בְנִי, אֵין זֶה כְדַאי לִירַשׁ עִמּוֹ, קַל וָחֹמֶר עִם בְּנִי עִם יִצְחָק, שֶׁשְּׁתֵיהֶן בּוֹ (בראשית רבה):
11The matter of Ishmael’s wicked behavior greatly distressed Abraham. He was grieved over the idea of sending his son away.		יאוַיֵּ֧רַע הַדָּבָ֛ר מְאֹ֖ד בְּעֵינֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם עַ֖ל אוֹדֹ֥ת בְּנֽוֹ:
עַל אודות בְּנֽוֹ - On account of his son - because he had heard that he had adopted evil ways. But the straightforward meaning is: because Sarah was telling him to send him away.		עַל אודות בְּנֽוֹ. שֶׁשָּׁמַע שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה (בראשית רבה), וּפְשׁוּטוֹ עַל שֶׁאָמְרָה לוֹ לְשַׁלְּחוֹ:
12God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah tells you, heed her voice. She has foreseen correctly, for it is through Isaac that you will have descendants who will be considered yours with respect to receiving the blessings I have promised you.		יבוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֗ם אַל־יֵרַ֤ע בְּעֵינֶ֨יךָ֙ עַל־הַנַּ֣עַר וְעַל־אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֹּאמַ֥ר אֵלֶ֛יךָ שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלָ֑הּ כִּ֣י בְיִצְחָ֔ק יִקָּרֵ֥א לְךָ֖ זָֽרַע:
שְׁמַע בקולה - Heed her voice. I.e., to the Holy Spirit of prophecy within her. From here we learn that Abraham’s prophetic insight was lower than Sarah’s.		שְׁמַע בקולה. לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהָיָה אַבְרָהָם טָפֵל לְשָׂרָה בִּנְבִיאוּת:

Footnotes

2 Samuel 2:14.

Proverbs 26:18-19.

Third Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 21

13But I will also make the son of the bondwoman into a nation, for he is also your offspring.”		יגוְגַ֥ם אֶת־בֶּן־הָֽאָמָ֖ה לְג֣וֹי אֲשִׂימֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֥י זַרְעֲךָ֖ הֽוּא:
14Abraham rose early in the morning, took bread and a leather flask of water, and gave them to Hagar. Abraham placed the food on Hagar’s shoulder together with the child, and sent her away. She left and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.		ידוַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם אַבְרָהָ֣ם \| בַּבֹּ֡קֶר וַיִּקַּח־לֶ֩חֶם֩ וְחֵ֨מַת מַ֜יִם וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל־הָ֠גָ֠ר שָׂ֧ם עַל־שִׁכְמָ֛הּ וְאֶת־הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַיְשַׁלְּחֶ֑הָ וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ וַתֵּ֔תַע בְּמִדְבַּ֖ר בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע:
לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם - Bread and a leather flask of water - but not silver and gold, because he hated him since he had adopted evil ways.		לֶחֶם וְחֵמַת מַיִם. וְלֹא כֶסֶף וְזָהָב, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה שׂוֹנְאוֹ עַל שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה:
וְאֶת־הַיֶּלֶד - With the child. Even the child he put on her shoulder, because Sarah had cast an evil eye upon him, so that a fever gripped him and he could not walk on his own.		וְאֶת־הַיֶּלֶד. אַף הַיֶּלֶד שָׂם עַל שִׁכְמָהּ, שֶׁהִכְנִיסָה בוֹ שָׂרָה עַיִן רָעָה וַאֲחָזַתּוּ חַמָּה וְלֹא יָכוֹל לֵילֵךְ בְּרַגְלָיו (בראשית רבה):
וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּתַע - She left and wandered. She reverted to the idols of her father’s house.		וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּתַע. חָזְרָה לְגִלּוּלֵי בֵית אָבִיהָ (פרקי דרבי אליעזר פ' ל'):
15When the water from the leather flask was used up, she cast the child under one of the bushes.		טווַיִּכְל֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מִן־הַחֵ֑מֶת וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד תַּ֖חַת אַחַ֥ד הַשִּׂיחִֽם:
וַיִּכְלוּ הַמַּיִם - The water was used up - because it is usual for sick people to drink much.		וַיִּכְלוּ הַמַּיִם. לְפִי שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ חוֹלִים לִשְׁתּוֹת הַרְבֵּה:
16She then walked away and sat down at a distance, some bowshots away, for she said, “Let me not look on as the child dies.” She sat at a further distance and burst out crying.		טזוַתֵּ֩לֶךְ֩ וַתֵּ֨שֶׁב לָ֜הּ מִנֶּ֗גֶד הַרְחֵק֙ כִּמְטַֽחֲוֵ֣י קֶ֔שֶׁת כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֔ה אַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּמ֣וֹת הַיָּ֑לֶד וַתֵּ֣שֶׁב מִנֶּ֔גֶד וַתִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹלָ֖הּ וַתֵּֽבְךְּ:
מִנֶּגֶד - in addition to this word’s usual meaning of “opposite” or “before,” here it carries the added connotation of “at a distance.”		מִנֶּגֶד. מֵרָחוֹק:
כִּמְטַֽחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת - Some bowshots away - i.e., the distance of two bowshots. The word כִּמְטַחֲוֵי connotes shooting of an arrow, as we find in Mishnaic Hebrew: “a man had relations (הִטִּיחַ) with his wife,” 1 this word being used because semen shoots like an arrow. If you ask: It should have written כִּמְטַחֵי קֶשֶׁת without a ו, since the root is טחה, the answer is: a ו may typically be inserted here, as in “in the clefts (בְּחַגְוֵי) of the rock,” 2 being of the same root as in “The land of Judah will become the ruin (לְחָגָּא) of Egypt,” 3 and as in “They fall apart (יָחוֹגּוּ) and stagger like a drunkard.” 4 Similarly we find “the ends of (קַצְוֵי) the earth,” 5 which is of the same root as קָצֶה “end.”		כִּמְטַֽחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת. כִּשְׁתֵּי טִיחוֹת (בראשית רבה), וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן יְרִיַּת חֵץ, בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה שֶׁהֵטִיחַ בְאִשְׁתּוֹ, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהַזֶּרַע יוֹרֶה כַּחֵץ; וְאִם תֹּאמַר הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב כִּמְטַחֵי קֶשֶׁת, מִשְׁפַּט הַוָּי"ו לִכָּנֵס לְכָאן, כְּמוֹ בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע (שיר השירים ב'), מִגִּזְרַת וְהָיְתָה אַדְמַת יְהוּדָה לְמִצְרַיִם לְחָגָּא (ישעיהו י"ט), וּמִגִּזְרַת יָחוֹגּוּ וְיָנוּעוּ כַּשִּׁכּוֹר (תהילים ק"ז), וְכֵן קַצְוֵי אֶרֶץ (תהילים ס"ה), מִגִּזְרַת קָצֶה:
וַתֵּשֶׁב מִנֶּגֶד - She sat at a further distance. When he was near death, she moved further away.		וַתֵּשֶׁב מִנֶּגֶד. כֵּיוָן שֶׁקָּרַב לָמוּת הוֹסִיפָה לְהִתְרַחֵק:
17God heard the boy’s voice. So an angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the boy’s voice, considering only where he is with regard to his own moral merit, not judging him for the deeds of his wicked descendants.		יזוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהִים֘ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַנַּ֒עַר֒ וַיִּקְרָא֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ אֱלֹהִ֤ים \| אֶל־הָגָר֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ מַה־לָּ֣ךְ הָגָ֑ר אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֧ע אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־ק֥וֹל הַנַּ֖עַר בַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם:
אֶת־קוֹל הַנַּעַר - The boy’s voice. From here we learn that a sick person’s own prayer is more effective than other people’s prayer for him, and it is accepted before theirs.		אֶת־קוֹל הַנַּעַר. מִכָּאן שֶׁיָּפָה תְּפִלַּת הַחוֹלֶה מִתְּפִלַּת אֲחֵרִים עָלָיו וְהִיא קוֹדֶמֶת לְהִתְקַבֵּל (בראשית רבה):
בַּֽאֲשֶׁר הוּא־שָֽׁם - Where he is - i.e., according to his present deeds he is being judged and not according to his future deeds. For the ministering angels were incriminating him, saying, “Master of the world! For him, whose descendants in the future will kill Your children by thirst, You are going to provide a well!” He replied to them, “What is he now, righteous or evil?” They answered Him, “He is righteous.” He said to them, “I judge him according to his present deeds.” This, then, is what is meant by “where he is.” And where did Ishmael kill the Israelites by thirst? When Nebuchadnezzar exiled them, as it says: “A prophetic message concerning Arabia…. For the thirsty bring water!” 6 When their captors were taking them near the Arabians, descendants of Ishmael, the Israelites said to their captors, “We beg of you, take us to the descendants of our uncle Ishmael, who will have pity on us” – as it says: “caravans of Dedanites (דְּדָנִים)”; 7 do not read דְּדָנִים, but דּוֹדִים (relatives). These Ishmaelites then came out to them, bringing salted meat and fish and flasks inflated with air. The Israelites thought they were full of water, and when each one put it to his mouth and opened it, the air entered his body and he died.		בַּֽאֲשֶׁר הוּא־שָֽׁם. לְפִי מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה עַכְשָׁו הוּא נִדּוֹן, וְלֹא לְפִי מַה שֶּׁהוּא עָתִיד לַעֲשׂוֹת (ראש השנה ט"ז), לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מְקַטְרְגִים וְאוֹמְרִים רִבּוֹנו שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מִי שֶׁעָתִיד זַרְעוֹ לְהָמִית בָּנֶיךָ בַּצָּמָא אַתָּה מַעֲלֶה לוֹ בְּאֵר, וְהוּא מְשִׁיבָם עַכְשָׁו מַה הוּא, צַדִּיק אוֹ רָשָׁע? אָמְרוּ לוֹ צַדִּיק, אָמַר לָהֶם לְפִי מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל עַכְשָׁו אֲנִי דָנוֹ, וְזֶהוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר הוּא שָׁם. וְהֵיכָן הֵמִית אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּצָּמָא? כְּשֶׁהֶגְלָם נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מַשָּׂא בַּעְרָב וְגוֹ' לִקְרַאת צָמֵא הֵתָיוּ מָיִם וְגוֹ' (ישעיהו כ"א), כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתָם אֵצֶל עַרְבִיִּים, הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים לְשׁוֹבֵיהֶם בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִכֶּם הוֹלִיכוּנוּ אֵצֶל בְּנֵי דוֹדֵנוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל וִירַחֲמוּ עָלֵינוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֹרְחוֹת דְּדָנִים (שם) – אַל תִּקְרֵי דְּדָנִים אֶלָּא דּוֹדִים – וְאֵלּוּ יוֹצְאִים לִקְרָאתָם וּמְבִיאִין לָהֶם בָּשָׂר וְדָג מָלוּחַ וְנוֹדוֹת נְפוּחִים, כִּסְבוּרִים יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם מְלֵאִים מַיִם, וּכְשֶׁמַּכְנִיסוֹ לְתוֹךְ פִּיו וּפוֹתְחוֹ, הָרוּחַ נִכְנֶסֶת בְּגוּפוֹ וּמֵת:
18Rise, lift up the boy, and grasp him with your hand, for I will make of him a great nation.”		יחק֚וּמִי שְׂאִ֣י אֶת־הַנַּ֔עַר וְהַֽחֲזִ֥יקִי אֶת־יָדֵ֖ךְ בּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִׂימֶֽנּוּ:
19God then opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the leather flask with water and gave the boy to drink.		יטוַיִּפְקַ֤ח אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֖רֶא בְּאֵ֣ר מָ֑יִם וַתֵּ֜לֶךְ וַתְּמַלֵּ֤א אֶת־הַחֵ֨מֶת֙ מַ֔יִם וַתַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַנָּֽעַר:
20God was with the boy and he grew up; he lived in the desert and became an archer, robbing travelers.		כוַיְהִ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר וַיִּגְדָּ֑ל וַיֵּ֨שֶׁב֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיְהִ֖י רֹבֶ֥ה קַשָּֽׁת:
רֹבֶה קַשָּֽׁת - means one who shoots arrows with a bow.		רֹבֶה קַשָּֽׁת. יוֹרֶה חִצִּים בְּקֶשֶׁת:
קַשָּֽׁת - refers to the trade (a bowman), like חַמָּר (a donkey driver), גַּמָּל (a camel driver), צַיָּד (a hunter), and therefore the ש has a dagesh. He would live in the desert and rob travelers. Thus it says concerning him: “His hand will be set against everyone….” 8		קַשָּֽׁת. עַל שֵׁם הָאֻמָּנוּת, כְּמוֹ חַמָּר, גַּמָּל, צַיָּד, לְפִיכָך הַשִּׁי"ן מֻדְגֶּשֶׁת. הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בַּמִּדְבָּר וּמְלַסְטֵם אֶת הָעוֹבְרִים, הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יָדוֹ בַכֹּל וְגוֹמֵר:
21He settled in the Paran Desert, and his mother took him a wife from among the girls of Egypt.		כאוַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר פָּארָ֑ן וַתִּקַּח־ל֥וֹ אִמּ֛וֹ אִשָּׁ֖ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם - From Egypt. From the place where she grew up, as it says: “Sarai had an Egyptian bondwoman whose name was Hagar.” 9 That is the proverb people say: “Throw a stick into the air and it will fall to its root.”		מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם. מִמְּקוֹם גִּדּוּלֶיהָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְלָהּ שִׁפְחָה מִצְרִית וְגוֹ' (בראשית ט״ז:א׳), הַיְנוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי זְרֹק חוּטְרָא לַאֲוִירָא, אֲעִיקְּרֵיהּ קָאֵי:

Footnotes

Sanhedrin 46a.

Isaiah 21:13-14.

Fourth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 21

22At that time, Avimelech, accompanied by Pichol, chief of his troops, said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.		כבוַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ וּפִיכֹל֙ שַׂר־צְבָא֔וֹ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר אֱלֹהִ֣ים עִמְּךָ֔ בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה:
אֱלֹהִים עִמְּךָ - God is with you. They said this because they saw that he had left the locality of Sodom in peace, he had fought the kings and they had fallen into his hands, and his wife had been remembered with a child in his old age.		אֱלֹהִים עִמְּךָ. לְפִי שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁיָּצָא מִשְּׁכוּנַת סְדוֹם לְשָׁלוֹם, וְעִם הַמְּלָכִים נִלְחַם וְנָפְלוּ בְיָדוֹ, וְנִפְקְדָה אִשְׁתּוֹ לִזְקוּנָיו:
23So now, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my grandson. The same kindness that I have shown you, welcoming you in my land, you will show to me and to the people of the land in which you have sojourned.”		כגוְעַתָּ֗ה הִשָּׁ֨בְעָה לִּ֤י בֵֽאלֹהִים֙ הֵ֔נָּה אִם־תִּשְׁקֹ֣ר לִ֔י וּלְנִינִ֖י וּלְנֶכְדִּ֑י כַּחֶ֜סֶד אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֤יתִי עִמְּךָ֙ תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה עִמָּדִ֔י וְעִם־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־גַּ֥רְתָּה בָּֽהּ:
וּלְנִינִי וּלְנֶכְדִּי - Nor with my son, nor with my grandson. This is the extent of a father’s concern for his descendants.		וּלְנִינִי וּלְנֶכְדִּי. עַד כָּאן רַחֲמֵי הָאָב עַל הַבֵּן:
כַּחֶסֶד אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי עִמְּךָ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה עִמָּדִי - The same kindness that I have shown you, you will show to me. This refers to what I told you, “My land is here before you.” 1		כַּחֶסֶד אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי עִמְּךָ תַּֽעֲשֶׂה עִמָּדִי. שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לְךָ הִנֵּה אַרְצִי לְפָנֶיךָ (בראשית רבה):
24Abraham replied, “I will swear.”		כדוַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם אָֽנֹכִ֖י אִשָּׁבֵֽעַ:
25Abraham then disputed with Avimelech over the well of water that Avimelech’s servants had seized.		כהוְהוֹכִ֥חַ אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ עַל־אֹדוֹת֙ בְּאֵ֣ר הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר גָּֽזְל֖וּ עַבְדֵ֥י אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ:
וְהוֹכִחַ - means: he argued with him about it.		וְהוֹכִחַ. נִתְוַכֵּחַ עִמּוֹ עַל כָּךְ:
26Avimelech said, “I do not know who did this thing, nor did you tell me, nor did I hear about it until today.”		כווַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי מִ֥י עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וְגַם־אַתָּ֞ה לֹֽא־הִגַּ֣דְתָּ לִּ֗י וְגַ֧ם אָֽנֹכִ֛י לֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בִּלְתִּ֥י הַיּֽוֹם:
27Abraham took flocks and cattle and gave them to Avimelech, and the two of them made a treaty.		כזוַיִּקַּ֤ח אַבְרָהָם֙ צֹ֣אן וּבָקָ֔ר וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לַֽאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַיִּכְרְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם בְּרִֽית:

Footnotes

Genesis 20:15.

Fifth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 21

28Abraham then set aside seven ewes of the flock.		כחוַיַּצֵּ֣ב אַבְרָהָ֗ם אֶת־שֶׁ֛בַע כִּבְשׂ֥ת הַצֹּ֖אן לְבַדְּהֶֽן:
29Avimelech asked Abraham, “What are these seven ewes that you have set aside by themselves?”		כטוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם מָ֣ה הֵ֗נָּה שֶׁ֤בַע כְּבָשׂת֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִצַּ֖בְתָּ לְבַדָּֽנָה:
30He replied, “You are to accept these seven ewes from my hand as testimony that I dug this well.”		לוַיֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֚י אֶת־שֶׁ֣בַע כְּבָשׂ֔ת תִּקַּ֖ח מִיָּדִ֑י בַּֽעֲבוּר֙ תִּֽהְיֶה־לִּ֣י לְעֵדָ֔ה כִּ֥י חָפַ֖רְתִּי אֶת־הַבְּאֵ֥ר הַזֹּֽאת:
בַּֽעֲבוּר תִּֽהְיֶה־לִּי - (lit.) So that it be [as testimony] for me - referring to this action.		בַּֽעֲבוּר תִּֽהְיֶה־לִּי. זאת:
לְעֵדָה - עֵדָה is the feminine form of one bearing testimony, as in: “and the monument will be a witness (עֵדָה).” 1		לְעֵדָה. לְשׁוֹן עֵדוּת שֶׁל נְקֵבָה, כְּמוֹ וְעֵדָה הַמַּצֵּבָה (בראשית ל"א):
כִּי חָפַרְתִּי אֶת־הַבְּאֵר - That I dug [this] well. Avimelech’s shepherds were quarreling with Abraham’s shepherds about the well, saying, “We dug it.” They both decided that whoever would appear by the well and its water would rise toward him, the well belonged to him, and the water rose toward Abraham.		כִּי חָפַרְתִּי אֶת־הַבְּאֵר. מְרִיבִים הָיוּ עָלֶיהָ רוֹעֵי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ וְאוֹמְרִים אֲנַחְנוּ חֲפַרְנוּהָ, אָמְרוּ בֵּינֵיהֶם כָּל מִי שֶׁיִּתְרָאֶה עַל הַבְּאֵר וְיַעֲלוּ הַמַּיִם לִקְרָאתוֹ, שֶׁלּוֹ הִיא, וְעָלוּ לִקְרָאת אַבְרָהָם:
31That place was therefore called Beersheba [“Well of the Oath”], for there the two of them made an oath.		לאעַל־כֵּ֗ן קָרָ֛א לַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כִּ֛י שָׁ֥ם נִשְׁבְּע֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם:
32When they had made this treaty in Beersheba, Avimelech and Pichol, chief of his troops, departed and returned to Philistia.		לבוַיִּכְרְת֥וּ בְרִ֖ית בִּבְאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיָּ֣קָם אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ וּפִיכֹל֙ שַׂר־צְבָא֔וֹ וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים:
33Abraham opened an inn in Beersheba. There he proclaimed the name of God, God of the Universe.		לגוַיִּטַּ֥ע אֵ֖שֶׁל בִּבְאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיִּ֨קְרָא־שָׁ֔ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵ֥ל עוֹלָֽם:
אֵשֶׁל - (lit.) A tree. Rav and Shemuel differ as to what this was: one said it was an orchard to provide fruit for the travelers’ meals, and the other said it was an inn for lodging, containing all types of food. Although it is usually used to mean planting trees, etc., we find the verb נטע used concerning pitching tents, as it says: “He will pitch (וְיִטַּע) the tents of his palace.” 2		אֵשֶׁל. רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אֲמַר פַּרְדֵּס לְהָבִיא מִמֶּנוּ פֵּרוֹת לָאוֹרְחִים בַּסְּעוּדָה, וְחַד אֲמַר פֻּנְדָּק לְאַכְסַנְיָא וּבוֹ כָּל מִינֵי פֵּרוֹת. וּמָצִינוּ לְשׁוֹן נְטִיעָה בְּאֹהָלִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְיִטַּע אָהֳלֵי אַפַּדְנוֹ (דניאל י"א):
וַיִּקְרָא־שָׁם וגו' - (lit.) There he proclaimed…. means: through that אֵשֶׁל, the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, was proclaimed as God of the entire universe. After the travelers had eaten and drunk, he would tell them, “Bless the One of whose food you have eaten. Do you think that you ate of my food? You have eaten of that which belongs to the One who spoke and the world came into existence.”		וַיִּקְרָא־שָׁם וגו'. עַל יְדֵי אוֹתוֹ אֵשֶׁל נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֱלוֹהַּ לְכָל הָעוֹלָם, לְאַחַר שֶׁאוֹכְלִים וְשׁוֹתִים אוֹמֵר לָהֶם בָּרְכוּ לְמִי שֶׁאֲכַלְתֶּם מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, סְבוּרִים אַתֶּם שֶׁמִּשֶּׁלִּי אֲכַלְתֶּם? מִשֶּׁל מִי שֶׁאָמָר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם אֲכַלְתֶּם (סוטה י'):
34Abraham sojourned in Philistia for one year more than he had lived in Hebron, i.e., for 26 years.		לדוַיָּ֧גָר אַבְרָהָ֛ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים:
יָמִים רַבִּֽים - (lit.) For many years. This indicates that these years were more than those at Hebron: he spent 25 years in Hebron, and 26 years here. For he was in his 75th year when he left Charan, and in the same year “he came and settled in Elonim, the plains of Mamre the Amorite, in Hebron”; 3 for we do not find that he settled anywhere else beforehand, since in all other places he was only like a visitor, stopping briefly and then continuing on traveling, as it says: “Abram traveled through the land…. From there he moved on…. There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt” 4 – and he spent only three months in Egypt, for Pharaoh sent him away. Immediately, “He continued on his travels,” 5 until “he came and settled in Elonim, the plains of Mamre the Amorite, in Hebron,” where he lived until Sodom was overturned. Immediately afterwards, “Abraham journeyed from there” 6 because he was ashamed of Lot, and he came to the land of the Philistines. He was then 99 years old, since the angels who announced the destruction of Sodom came to him on the third day after his circumcision, thus making altogether 25 years since the time he had settled in Hebron. Here it is written “many years,” indicating that they were more than the first years, and since the verse does not mean to be ambiguous but explicit, if they would have exceeded the previous period by two years or more it would have said so. It must then be that the “many years” were not more than one year more than the previous years – making 26 years in the land of the Philistines. Immediately afterwards, he left there and returned to Hebron, and that year was 12 years before the binding of Isaac. This is all recounted in Seder Olam. 7		יָמִים רַבִּֽים. מְרֻבִּים עַל שֶׁל חֶבְרוֹן. בְּחֶבְרוֹן עָשָׂה כ"ה שָׁנָה וְכָאן כ"ו, שֶׁהֲרֵי בֶּן ע"ה שָׁנָה הָיָה בְּצֵאתוֹ מֵחָרָן, אוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה וַיָבֹא וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא, שֶׁלֹּא מָצִינוּ קֹדֶם לָכֵן שֶׁנִּתְיַשֵּׁב אֶלָּא שָׁם, שֶׁבְּכָל מְקוֹמוֹתָיו הָיָה כְּאוֹרֵחַ חוֹנֶה וְנוֹסֵעַ וְהוֹלֵך, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיַּעֲבֹר אַבְרָם, וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם, וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ וַיֵּרֶד אַבְרָם מִצְרַיְמָה (בראשית י"ב), וּבְמִצְרַיִם לֹא עָשָׂה אֶלָּא שְׁלֹשָׁה חֳדָשִׁים שֶׁהֲרֵי שְׁלָחוֹ פַרְעֹה מִיָּד, וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו עַד וַיָּבֹא וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא אֲשֶׁר בְּחֶבְרוֹן (שם י"ג), שָׁם יָשַׁב עַד שֶׁנֶּהֱפְכָה סְדוֹם, מִיָּד וַיִּסַּע מִשָּׁם אַבְרָהָם מִפְּנֵי בוּשָׁה שֶׁל לוֹט וּבָא לְאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים, וּבֶן צ"ט שָׁנָה הָיָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי בַשְּׁלִישִׁי לְמִילָתוֹ בָּאוּ אֶצְלוֹ הַמַּלְאָכִים, הֲרֵי כ"ה שָׁנָה, וְכָאן כְּתִיב יָמִים רַבִּים, מְרֻבִּים עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, וְלֹא בָא הַכָּתוּב לִסְתֹּם אֶלָּא לְפָרֵשׁ, וְאִם הָיוּ מְרֻבִּים עֲלֵיהֶם שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים אוֹ יוֹתֵר הָיָה מְפָרְשָׁם, וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ אֵינָם יְתֵרִים יוֹתֵר מִשָּׁנָה, הֲרֵי כ"ו שָׁנָה; מִיָּד יָצָא מִשָּׁם וְחָזַר לְחֶבְרוֹן, וְאוֹתָהּ שָׁנָה קָדְמָה לִפְנֵי עֲקֵדָתוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק י"ב שָׁנִים, בְּסֵדֶר עוֹלָם:

Footnotes

Genesis 12:6-10.

Seder Olam ch. 1.

Maftir Portion

Bamidbar (Numbers) Chapter 29

1You must celebrate the first day of the seventh month as a holy occasion: you must not perform any mundane work. It must be a day of shofar-sounding for you.		אוּבַחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֜י בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֗דֶשׁ מִקְרָא־קֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם כָּל־מְלֶ֥אכֶת עֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א תַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ י֥וֹם תְּרוּעָ֖ה יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לָכֶֽם:
2You must offer up an ascent-offering pleasing to God: one young bull, one ram, and seven one-year-old lambs, all unblemished.		בוַֽעֲשִׂיתֶ֨ם עֹלָ֜ה לְרֵ֤יחַ נִיחֹ֨חַ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה פַּ֧ר בֶּן־בָּקָ֛ר אֶחָ֖ד אַ֣יִל אֶחָ֑ד כְּבָשִׂ֧ים בְּנֵֽי־שָׁנָ֛ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה תְּמִימִֽם:
3Their grain-offering: fine flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths of an ephah for the ram,		גוּמִ֨נְחָתָ֔ם סֹ֖לֶת בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשָּׁ֑מֶן שְׁלשָׁ֤ה עֶשְׂרֹנִים֙ לַפָּ֔ר שְׁנֵ֥י עֶשְׂרֹנִ֖ים לָאָֽיִל:
4and one-tenth of an ephah for each lamb, for the seven lambs.		דוְעִשָּׂר֣וֹן אֶחָ֔ד לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָֽאֶחָ֑ד לְשִׁבְעַ֖ת הַכְּבָשִֽׂים:
5One young he-goat as a sin-offering, to atone for you,		הוּשְׂעִֽיר־עִזִּ֥ים אֶחָ֖ד חַטָּ֑את לְכַפֵּ֖ר עֲלֵיכֶֽם:
6besides the ascent-offering of the new month and its grain-offering and the continual ascent-offering and its grain-offering, and their libations as prescribed for them, a fire-offering pleasing to God.		ומִלְּבַד֩ עֹלַ֨ת הַחֹ֜דֶשׁ וּמִנְחָתָ֗הּ וְעֹלַ֤ת הַתָּמִיד֙ וּמִנְחָתָ֔הּ וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֖ם כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֑ם לְרֵ֣יחַ נִיחֹ֔חַ אִשֶּׁ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
מִלְּבַד עֹלַת הַחֹדֶשׁ - Besides the ascent-offering of the month - i.e., the additional offerings of Rosh Chodesh, which is on the day of Rosh HaShanah.		מִלְּבַד עֹלַת הַחֹדֶשׁ. מוּסְפֵי רֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ שֶׁהוּא בְיוֹם רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה:

Haftarah

Shmuel I (I Samuel) Chapter 1

1And there was one man from Ramathaim Zophim, from Mt. Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.		א וַיְהִי֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶחָ֜ד מִן־הָרָמָתַ֛יִם צוֹפִ֖ים מֵהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וּשְׁמ֡וֹ אֶ֠לְקָנָה בֶּן־יְרֹחָ֧ם בֶּן־אֱלִיה֛וּא בֶּן־תֹּ֥חוּ בֶן־צ֖וּף אֶפְרָתִֽי:
And there was one man. It all follows the order, i.e., Moses gave over the Torah to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders, and each judge to his successor, until it reached Eli, by whom it was given over to Samuel, as we learned in the Mishnah (Avoth 1:1): and the Elders gave it over to the Prophets.		ויהי איש אחד. הכל לפי הסדר, משה מסר את התורה ליהושע, ויהושע לזקנים, ושופט מסר לשופט, עד שהגיע לעלי, וממנו לשמואל, כמו ששנינו (אבות א א): וזקנים לנביאים:
from Ramathaim Zophim. There were two hills, each visible to the other. (Meg. 14a) Jonathan, however, renders ‘Zophim’ of the disciples of the Prophets.		מן הרמתים צופים. שתי רמות היו, שצופות ורואות זו את זו ויונתן תרגם: צופים, מתלמידי נביאיא:
Elkanah. Elkanah was a Levite of the sons of Ebiasaf the son of Korah. Thus his ancestry is recorded in Chron. (I, 6:7 12).		אלקנה. לוי היה, מבני אביאסף בן קרח, כן נתייחס בדברי הימים (א ה ח):
an Ephraimite. Jonathan renders: on the mountain of the House of Ephraim. Midrash Aggadah (M.S. 1:16): Ephrathi, a palace dweller, a nobleman, an important person, like (the Talmudic word ‘aperion’, used in B.M. 119a): Let us extend ‘aperion’ to Rabbi Simon. An expression of favor.		אפרתי. יונתן תרגם: בטורא דבית אפרים (בהר אפרים). ומדרש אגדה (ילקוט שמעוני שמואל א רמז עז): אפרתי. בן פלטין אבגינוס, אדם חשוב, כמו (בבא מציעא קיט א): אפריון נמטייה לרבי שמעון, לשון חן:
2And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.		בוְלוֹ֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֔ים שֵׁ֚ם אַחַת֙ חַנָּ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית פְּנִנָּ֑ה וַיְהִ֚י לִפְנִנָּה֙ יְלָדִ֔ים וּלְחַנָּ֖ה אֵ֥ין יְלָדִֽים:
3And that man was wont to go up from his city from appointed time to appointed time, to prostrate himself and to slaughter (peace offerings) to the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh, and there the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinhas, were serving the Lord.		גוְעָלָה֩ הָאִ֨ישׁ הַה֚וּא מֵֽעִירוֹ֙ מִיָּמִ֣ים \| יָמִ֔ימָה לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֧ת וְלִזְבֹּ֛חַ לַיהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת בְּשִׁלֹ֑ה וְשָׁ֞ם שְׁנֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עֵלִ֗י חָפְנִי֙ וּפִ֣נְחָ֔ס כֹּהֲנִ֖ים לַיהֹוָֽה:
And that man was wont to go up. This is the present tense. He would go up from one appointed season to another appointed season, to Shiloh. Midrash Aggadah (M.S. 1: 1,5, 7): The route he followed this year he did not follow the next year, in order to publicize (his pilgrimage) to the Israelites that they should do likewise.		ועלה האיש. לשון הוה הוא, היה עולה מזמן מועד למועד לשילה ומדרש אגדה (ילקוט שמעוני שם): בדרך שהיה עולה בשנה זו, לא היה עולה בשנה אחרת, כדי להשמיע ישראל ויעשו כמותו:
4And when it was the day, and Elkanah slaughtered (peace offerings), and he would give to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters portions.		דוַיְהִ֣י הַיּ֔וֹם וַיִּזְבַּ֖ח אֶלְקָנָ֑ה וְנָתַ֞ן לִפְנִנָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּֽלְכָל־בָּנֶ֛יהָ וּבְנוֹתֶ֖יהָ מָנֽוֹת:
And when it was the day. And it was the festive day.[after Jonathan].		ויהי היום. תרגום: והוה יום מועדא:
5And to Hannah he would give one choice portion, for he loved Hannah, and the Lord had shut up her womb.		הוּלְחַנָּ֕ה יִתֵּ֛ן מָנָ֥ה אַחַ֖ת אַפָּ֑יִם כִּ֚י אֶת־חַנָּה֙ אָהֵ֔ב וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה סָגַ֥ר רַחְמָֽהּ:
מנה אחת אפים. one choice portion: a portion which is fit to be accepted with a friendly countenance.		מנה אחת אפים. (תרגום:) חולק חד בחיר, הראוי להתקבל בסבר פנים יפות:
6And her rival would frequently anger her, in order to make her complain, for the Lord had shut up her womb.		ווְכִֽעֲסַ֚תָּה צָֽרָתָהּ֙ גַּם־כַּ֔עַס בַּעֲב֖וּר הַרְעִמָ֑הּ כִּֽי־סָגַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד רַחְמָֽהּ:
And her rival. Her husband’s other wife, Peninnah.		צרתה. אשת בעלה, פנינה:
frequently anger her. Anger after anger, always. Therefore, it is written: ‘also anger.’ She would say to her, “Did you buy your older son a cloak today, or your younger son a shirt?”		גם כעס. כעס אחר כעס, תמיד, לכך נאמר 'גם כעס', היתה אומרת לה: כלום קנית היום מעפורת לבנך גדול, או חלוק לבנך קטן:
in order to make her complain. (Literally, to make her storm.) Our rabbis explain, “in order to make her storm” that she pray. And Peninnah had good intentions.		בעבור הרעימה. שתתאונן, ורבותינו אמרו (בבא בתרא טז א): בעבור הרעימה, שתתפלל, ולשם שמים נתכוונה:
her womb. Lit., opposite her womb, and so is every expression of the word בעד.		בעד רחמה. כנגד רחמה, וכן כל לשון 'בעד':
7And so he would do year by year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, so she would anger her, and she wept and would not eat.		זוְכֵ֨ן יַעֲשֶֹ֜ה שָׁנָ֣ה בְשָׁנָ֗ה מִדֵּ֚י עֲלֹתָהּ֙ בְּבֵ֣ית יְהֹוָ֔ה כֵּ֖ן תַּכְעִסֶ֑נָּה וַתִּבְכֶּ֖ה וְלֹ֥א תֹאכַֽל:
And so he would do. I.e., Elkanah.		וכן יעשה. אלקנה:
year by year. He would give her a choice portion to demonstrate to her that he loved her and her rival would anger her more and more according to the affection which her husband demonstrated to her.		שנה בשנה. נותן לה חלק מובחר, להראותה שמחבבה וצרתה, לפי חבה שבעלה מראה לה, כן תרבה גם היא להכעיסה:
8And Elkanah her husband said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"		חוַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָ֜הּ אֶלְקָנָ֣ה אִישָׁ֗הּ חַנָּה֙ לָ֣מֶה תִבְכִּ֗י וְלָ֙מֶה֙ לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְלִ֔י וְלָ֖מֶה יֵרַ֣ע לְבָבֵ֑ךְ הֲל֚וֹא אָֽנֹכִי֙ ט֣וֹב לָ֔ךְ מֵעֲשָׂרָ֖ה בָּנִֽים:
better to you. Don’t I love you more dearly…		אנכי טוב לך. מחבבך:
..than (I love) ten sons. that Peninnah has borne to me?		מעשרה בנים. שילדה לי פנינה:
9And Hannah arose after eating and after drinking, and Eli the priest was sitting on the chair beside the doorpost of the Temple of the Lord.		טוַתָּ֣קָם חַנָּ֔ה אַחֲרֵ֛י אָכְלָ֥ה בְשִׁלֹ֖ה וְאַחֲרֵ֣י שָׁתֹ֑ה וְעֵלִ֣י הַכֹּהֵ֗ן ישֵׁב֙ עַל־הַכִּסֵּ֔א עַל־מְזוּזַ֖ת הֵיכַ֥ל יְהֹוָֽה:
eating. (אכלה). The הא is not dotted and the אלף is voweled with a short קמץ, and it is like אחרי אכול, meaning after eating in Shiloh and after drinking, and this expression is properly used both for masculine and feminine.		אכלה בשילה. לא מפיק ה"א, והאל"ף חטף קמ"ץ, והוא כמו:
after eating. ‘After eating’ is a gerund. It is constructed like לאכלה (Lev. 25:6) to eat, an expression equivalent to לאכול an infinitive.		אחרי אכול בשילה ואחרי שתה. והלשון נופל בין לזכר בין לנקבה, אחרי אכלה, לשון פעול, כמו לאכלה, לשון לפעול.
and Eli the priest was sitting on the chair. The defective spelling denotes that on that day, he was seated on a huge chair, for he was appointed judge over Israel.		ועלי הכהן ישב על הכסא. אותו היום ישב על כסא גדול, שנתמנה שופט (ובילקוט שמעוני: כהן גדול) על ישראל:
beside the doorpost. lit. on the doorpost.		על מזוזת. כמו: אצל מזוזת:
10And she was bitter in spirit, and she prayed to the Lord, and wept.		יוְהִ֖יא מָ֣רַת נָ֑פֶשׁ וַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל עַל־יְהֹוָ֖ה וּבָכֹ֥ה תִבְכֶּֽה:
11And she vowed a vow, and said: to Lord of Hosts, if You will look upon the affliction of Your bondswoman, and You will remember me, and You will not forget Your bondswoman and You will give Your bondswoman a man-child, and I shall give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.		יאוַתִּדֹּ֨ר נֶ֜דֶר וַתֹּאמַ֗ר יְהֹוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אִם־רָאֹ֥ה תִרְאֶ֣ה\| בָּעֳנִ֣י אֲמָתֶ֗ךָ וּזְכַרְתַּ֙נִי֙ וְלֹֽא־תִשְׁכַּ֣ח אֶת־אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ וְנָתַתָּ֥ה לַאֲמָתְךָ֖ זֶ֣רַע אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וּנְתַתִּ֚יו לַֽיהֹוָה֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו וּמוֹרָ֖ה לֹא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ:
O Lord of Hosts. Why was this Name designated here? (The answer is as follows:) She said before Him: O Lord of the universe, You created two hosts in Your world. The heavenly beings do not multiply, neither do they die, while the earthly beings both multiply and die. If I am of the earthly beings let me multiply, and if I am of the heavenly beings let me not die. I found this explanation in the Aggadah of Rabbi Jose the Galilean. Our sages in tractate Ber. (31b), however, expounded what they expounded: Until then there was no person who called the Holy One, blessed be He, “Hosts.” (Why then, did Hannah call Him by this Name?) But, so said she before Him: “O Lord of the universe, from all the hosts which You created in Your world, do You find it difficult to grant me one son?”		ה' צבאות. למה נתייחד שם זה כאן, אמרה לפניו: רבונו של עולם, שני צבאות בראת בעולמך, העליונים, לא פרים ולא רבים ולא מתים, והתחתונים, פרים ורבים ומתים, אם אני מן התחתונים, אהיה פרה ורבה ומתה, ואם אני מן העליונים, לא אמות זו מצאתי באגדה של רבי יוסי הגלילי (פסיקתא רבתי). ורבותינו דרשו במסכת ברכות (לא ב) מה שדרשו: עד הנה לא היה אדם שקראו להקב"ה 'צבאות', אלא כך אמרה לפניו: רבונו של עולם, מכל צבאות שבראת בעולמך קשה בעיניך ליתן לי בן אחד:
if You will look. (Lit., if seeing You will see.) In tractate Ber., our sages expounded what they expounded.		אם ראה תראה. רבותינו דרשו בו במסכת ברכות (שם) מה שדרשו:
Your bondswoman. which is stated three times in this verse, corresponds to the three precepts which a woman is commanded to observe.		אמתך. האמור ג' פעמים במקרא, כנגד שלשה דברים שהאשה מצווה עליהם:
A man child. (Lit., seed of men, meaning) righteous men, as it is written (Kings I:2:32): “Upon two righteous men.”		זרע אנשים. צדיקים, כמה דאת אמר (מלכים-א ב לב): בשני אנשים צדיקים:
A man. also means important men, as it is written (Deut. 1:13): wise and known men.		אנשים. חשובים, כמה דאת אמר (דברים א יג): אנשים חכמים וידעים:
and I shall give him to the Lord. that he be fit to be given to the Lord.		ונתתיו לה'. שיהא ראוי לתתו לה':
and no razor shall come upon his head. (translation follows K, however,) Jonathan renders: and the fear of man will not be upon him.		ומורה. תרגם יונתן: ומרות אנש לא תהא עלוהי:
12And it was, as she prayed long before the Lord, that Eli watched her mouth.		יבוְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י הִרְבְּתָ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וְעֵלִ֖י שֹׁמֵ֥ר אֶת־פִּֽיהָ:
watched her mouth. He waited for her to stop. Jonathan renders thus: and Eli waited for her until she stopped.		שומר את פיה. מצפה מתי תפסיק, כך תרגמו יונתן: ועלי אוריך לה עד דתפסוק:
watched. an expression of waiting, as in (Gen. 37:11) “and his father awaited the thing,” and (Job 14:16) “You do not wait for my sin.”		שומר. לשון המתנה, כמו (בראשית לז יא): שמר את הדבר, (איוב יד טז): לא תשמור על חטאתי:
13But Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, and her voice was not heard, and Eli thought her to be a drunken woman.		יגוְחַנָּ֗ה ֤הִיא מְדַבֶּ֣רֶת עַל־לִבָּ֔הּ ֤רַק שְׂפָתֶ֣יהָ נָּע֔וֹת וְקוֹלָ֖הּ לֹ֣א יִשָּׁמֵ֑עַ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ עֵלִ֖י לְשִׁכֹּרָֽה:
and Eli thought her to be a drunken woman. for they were not accustomed to praying silently.		ויחשבה עלי לשכורה. שלא היו רגילין להתפלל בלחש:
14And Eli said to her: Until when will you be drunk? Throw off your wine from upon yourself.		ידוַיֹּ֚אמֶר אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ עֵלִ֔י עַד־מָתַ֖י תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִ֑ין הָסִ֥ירִי אֶת־יֵינֵ֖ךְ מֵעָלָֽיִךְ:
15And Hannah answered and said: No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit, and neither new wine nor old wine have I drunk, and I poured out my soul before the Lord.		טווַתַּ֨עַן חַנָּ֚ה וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֲדֹנִ֔י אִשָּׁ֚ה קְשַׁת־ר֙וּחַ֙ אָנֹ֔כִי וְיַ֥יִן וְשֵׁכָ֖ר לֹ֣א שָׁתִ֑יתִי וָאֶשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֖י לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
Not my lord. You are not a lord in this instance. You yourself have revealed that the holy spirit is not resting upon you, otherwise you would know that I am not intoxicated from wine.		לא אדוני. לא אדון אתה בדבר הזה, גלית בעצמך שאין רוח הקודש שורה עליך שתדע שאיני שכורת יין:
I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. like Sarah (who was childless) [old editions of Rashi].
16Deliver not your bondswoman before the unscrupulous woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and my vexation have I spoken until now.		טזאַל־תִּתֵּן֙ אֶת־אֲמָ֣תְךָ֔ לִפְנֵ֖י בַּת־בְּלִיָּ֑עַל כִּֽי־מֵרֹ֥ב שִׂיחִ֛י וְכַעְסִ֖י דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי עַד־הֵֽנָּה:
Deliver not your bondswoman. Considering the fact that she spoke harshly to him, she returned to appease him so that he deliver her not, unprotected and disgraced, at the mercy of her rival, the unscrupulous woman.		אל תתן את אמתך. כלפי שאמרה לו דבר קשה, חזרה ופייסתו, שלא יתננה הפקר ובזיון לפני צרתה בת בליעל:
for out of the abundance of my complaint. have I spoken harshly before you.		כי מרוב שיחי. דברתי לפניך קושי:
my complaint. (lit., my speech.) In some instances, it is an expression of grief of heart. Another explanation is, according to the Targum, as follows: for out of the abundance of my provocation and my vexation, have I prolonged my prayer until now.		שיחי. יש מקומות שהוא לשון אנינות לב דבר אחר: מרוב שיחי ; כתרגומו: ארי מסגי אקניותי וארגיזותי אורכית בצלו עד כען:
and my vexation. which my rival vexes me.		וכעסי. שצרתי מכעסת אותי:
Deliver not. (Lit. do not give.) An expression of delivery, like, “deliver me not unto the will of my adversaries” (Ps. 27:12).		אל תתן. לשון מסירה, כמו (תהלים כז יב): אל תתנני בנפש צרי:
17And Eli answered and said: Go in peace, and the God of Israel will grant your request which you have asked of Him.		יזוַיַּ֧עַן עֵלִ֛י וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְכִ֣י לְשָׁל֑וֹם וֵאלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל יִתֵּן֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣לָתֵ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖לְתְּ מֵעִמּֽוֹ:
your request. (שלתך, instead of שאלתך). The ‘alef’ is missing to expound in this word an expression of ‘children,’ as in Deut. 28:57: ובשליתה “and against her young, which came out, etc.”		את שלתך. חסר א', לדרוש בו לשון בנים, כמו (דברים כח כז): ובשליתה היוצאת וגו':
will grant your request. He announced to her that her prayer had been accepted.		יתן את שלתך. בשרה שנתקבלה תפלתה:
18And she said: May your bondswoman find favor in your eyes; and the woman went on her way and ate, and her face was not (sad) anymore.		יחוַתֹּ֕אמֶר תִּמְצָ֧א שִׁפְחָתְךָ֛ חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֨לֶךְ הָאִשָּׁ֚ה לְדַרְכָּהּ֙ וַתֹּאכַ֔ל וּפָנֶ֥יהָ לֹא־הָיוּ־לָ֖הּ עֽוֹד:
May your bondswoman find favor. to beg mercy for her.		תמצא שפחתך חן. לבקש עליה רחמים:
and her face was not (sad) anymore. (Lit., and she no longer had her face, meaning) the face of anger.		ופניה לא היו לה. פנים של זעם:
19And they arose early in the morning, and prostrated themselves before the Lord: and they returned and came to their house, to Ramah, and Elkanah knew Hannah, his wife, and the Lord remembered her.		יטוַיַּשְׁכִּ֣מוּ בַבֹּ֗קֶר וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיָּשֻׁ֛בוּ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־בֵּיתָ֖ם הָרָמָ֑תָה וַיֵּ֚דַע אֶלְקָנָה֙ אֶת־חַנָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַיִּֽזְכְּרֶ֖הָ יְהֹוָֽה:
and came to their house, and Elkanah knew. From here is deduced that a traveler is forbidden to have marital relations.		ויבואו אל ביתם וידע אלקנה. מכאן לאכסנאי, שאסור בתשמיש המטה:
20And it was, when the time came about, after Hannah had conceived, that she bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, because (she said); "I asked him of the Lord."		כוַיְהִי֙ לִתְקֻפ֣וֹת הַיָּמִ֔ים וַתַּ֥הַר חַנָּ֖ה וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתִּקְרָ֚א אֶת־שְׁמוֹ֙ שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כִּ֥י מֵיְהֹוָ֖ה שְׁאִלְתִּֽיו:
when the time came about. (After the seasons and the days.) The minimum of seasons is two and the minimum of days is also two. Hence, she gave birth after six months and two days. From here it is deduced that a woman who gives birth after seven months, can give birth after a fraction of the seventh month of pregnancy.		לתקפות הימים. מיעוט תקופות שתים, מיעוט ימים שנים, לששה חדשים ושני ימים, מכאן היולדת לשבעה, יולדת למקוטעים:
Samuel. El after the name of God, and in reference to the incident, he was so called, for I asked him of the Lord.		שמואל. על שם אל ועל שם המעשה הוא נקרא, כי ממנו שאלתיו:
21And the man, Elkanah and his entire household, went up to slaughter to the Lord, the sacrifice of the days and his vow.		כאוַיַּ֛עַל הָאִ֥ישׁ אֶלְקָנָ֖ה וְכָל־בֵּית֑וֹ לִזְבֹּ֧חַ לַֽיהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־זֶ֥בַח הַיָּמִ֖ים וְאֶת־נִדְרֽוֹ:
the sacrifice of the days. of the appointed seasons.		את זבח הימים. (תרגום:) ית דבח מועדיא:
his vow. The vows which he made between pilgrimage festivals, he would sacrifice on the following festival.		ואת נדרו. נדרים שנדר בין רגל לרגל, היה מקריב ברגל:
22But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband: "Until the child is weaned, then I shall bring him, and he shall appear before the Lord, and abide there forever.		כבוְחַנָּ֖ה לֹ֣א עָלָ֑תָה כִּֽי־אָמְרָ֣ה לְאִישָׁ֗הּ עַ֣ד יִגָּמֵ֚ל הַנַּ֙עַר֙ וַהֲבִאֹתִ֗יו וְנִרְאָה֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וְיָ֥שַׁב שָׁ֖ם עַד־עוֹלָֽם:
Until the child is weaned. after twenty two months (other versions, twenty four), for that is the time of nursing a child.		עד יגמל. לסוף כ"ב (ספרים אחרים: כ"ד) חדשים, שכך זמן תינוק לינק:
and abide there forever. “Forever” in the Levitic sense means fifty years, as it says, (Num. 8:25), “and from the age of fifty years he shall return from the host of the work.” Figuring as follows, we determine that Samuel’s lifetime was fifty-two years. Eli judged Israel for forty years (see 4:18), and on the day of Hannah’s prayer, he was appointed judge (See above v. 9). By subtracting the year in which Hannah conceived Samuel, there remain thirty nine years. Samuel governed Israel from the time of Eli’s death for thirteen years, figuring thus: On the day of Eli’s death, the Ark was abducted, and it remained in the field of the Philistines for seven months (below 6:1). From there, it was brought to Kiriath-jearim, where it remained until David took it out of there after he had reigned seven years in Hebron over Judah, and all Israel had accepted him as their king. And it is written: And is was, from the day that the Ark abode in Kiriath-jearim that the time was long, for it was twenty years, etc. (below 7:2). Subtract from them seven years which David reigned in Hebron. We find that from the time that the Ark was abducted until Saul’s death, were thirteen years and seven months, and Samuel died four months before Saul.		וישב שם עד עולם. עולמם של לוים חמשים שנה, שנאמר (במדבר ח כה): ומבן חמשים שנה ישוב מצבא העבודה, וכך היו ימיו של שמואל, חמשים ושתים, שהרי עלי שפט את ישראל ארבעים שנה, וביום תפלת חנה נתמנה שופט, צא אותה שנה לעיבורו של שמואל, נשתיירו ל"ט, ושמואל פירנס את ישראל משמת עלי י"ג שנה, שהרי יום שמת עלי, גלה הארון וישב בשדה פלשתים ז' חדשים (לקמן שמואל א ו א), משם בא לקרית יערים, עד שהעלהו דוד, משמלך שבע שנים בחברון על יהודה, והמליכוהו כל ישראל עליהם, וכתיב (שם ז ב): ויהי מיום שבת הארון בקרית יערים וירבו הימים ויהיו עשרים שנה, צא מהן שבע שנים שמלך דוד בחברון, נמצא משגלה הארון עד שמת שאול שלש עשרה שנה ושבעה חדשים, ושמואל מת לפני שאול ארבעה חדשים:
23And Elkanah her husband said to her: "Do what seems good to you. Stay until you have weaned him, only, may the Lord fulfill His word." And the woman stayed and nursed her son, until she weaned him.		כגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהּ֩ אֶלְקָנָ֨ה אִישָׁ֜הּ עֲשִֹ֧י הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינַ֗יִךְ שְׁבִי֙ עַד־גָּמְלֵ֣ךְ אֹת֔וֹ אַ֛ךְ יָקֵ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־דְּבָר֑וֹ וַתֵּ֚שֶׁב הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וַתֵּ֣ינֶק אֶת־בְּנָ֔הּ עַד־גָּמְלָ֖הּ אֹתֽוֹ:
only, may the Lord fulfill His word. Since you asked of Him seed of righteous men (above v. 11), and Eli announced to you through divine inspiration: (above v. 17) “The God of Israel will grant your request,” may the Lord fulfill His word. This is according to the simple interpretation. The Midrash Agadah, however, explains thus: Rabbi Nehemiah said in the name of Rabbi Samuel, the son of Rabbi Isaac: Every day, a divine voice would resound throughout the world, and say: A righteous man is destined to arise, and his name will be Samuel. Thereupon, every woman who bore a son, would name him Samuel. As soon as they saw his deeds, they would say, “This is not Samuel.” When our Samuel was born, however, and people saw his deeds, they said, “It seems that this one is the expected righteous man.” This is what Elkanah meant when he said, ‘May the Lord fulfill His word,’ that this be the righteous Samuel.		אך יקם ה' את דברו. את ששאלת ממנו זרע אנשים, ועלי בישרך ברוח הקודש אלהי ישראל יתן את שלתך, יקם ה' את דברו, וזהו לפי פשוטו ומדרש אגדה: רבי נחמיה בשם רבי שמואל בר רב יצחק אמר: בכל יום ויום בת קול יוצאת ומפוצצת בעולם ואומרת: עתיד צדיק אחד לעמוד ושמו שמואל, וכל אשה שהיתה יולדת בן, היתה קוראה שמו שמואל, כיון שהיו רואים את מעשיו, היו אומרים אין זה שמואל, וכיון שנולד זה וראו מעשיו, אמרו דומה שזה הוא, וזהו שאמר: יקם ה' את דברו, שיהא זה שמואל הצדיק:
24And she brought him with her when she had weaned him, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and an earthenware jug of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord, to Shiloh, and the child was young.		כדוַתַּעֲלֵ֨הוּ עִמָּ֜הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר גְּמָלַ֗תּוּ בְּפָרִ֚ים שְׁלשָׁה֙ וְאֵיפָ֨ה אַחַ֥ת קֶ֙מַח֙ וְנֵ֣בֶל יַ֔יִן וַתְּבִאֵ֥הוּ בֵית־יְהֹוָ֖ה שִׁל֑וֹ וְהַנַּ֖עַר נָֽעַר:
and one ephah of meal. I heard from Rabbi Isaac Halevi, that she brought one ephah of meal, which is equivalent to three seahs, from which to extract three tenths of an ephah of fine flour, which are required for one bull (Num. 15:8), as we learned in the Mishnah (Men. 76b): The showbread was made of twenty-four tenths of an ephah from twenty-four seahs; i.e., 1 tenth part of an ephah of fine flour from a seah of wheat.		ואיפה אחת קמח. שמעתי בשם רבינו יצחק הלוי, איפה אחת קמח, שלש סאין, להוציא ממנה שלשה עשרונים סלת הראוי לפר האחד, כדתנן (מנחות עו ב) לחם הפנים כ"ד עשרונים מכ"ד סאין, עשרון סולת לסאה חטין:
and an earthenware jug of wine. for a drink offering.		ונבל יין. לנסך:
the child was young. and the child was young (after Jonathan).		והנער נער. (תרגום:) ורביא הוה יניק:
25And they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.		כהוַֽיִּשְׁחֲט֖וּ אֶת־הַפָּ֑ר וַיָּבִ֥אוּ אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר אֶל־עֵלִֽי:
and they brought the child to Eli. to see that his prophecy was fulfilled. And our sages, however, expounded what they expounded, that he decided a point of law, that a priest is unnecessary for sacrificial slaughter, as it is stated in Tractate Ber. (31b).		ויביאו את הנער אל עלי. לראות שנתקיימה נבואתו ורבותינו דרשו מה שדרשו: שהורה הלכה, שאינו צריך כהן לשחיטת קדשים, כדאיתא בברכות (לא ב):
26And she said, "Please, my lord! As surely as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here with you, to pray to the Lord.		כווַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֔י חֵ֥י נַפְשְׁךָ֖ אֲדֹנִ֑י אֲנִ֣י הָאִשָּׁ֗ה הַנִּצֶּ֚בֶת עִמְּכָה֙ בָּזֶ֔ה לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל־יְהֹוָֽה:
Please, my lord. Take care of him that he become your disciple. And according to the Midrash of our sages, not to punish him with death.		בי אדני. לתת עיניך עליו שיהא תלמידך ולפי מדרש רבותינו: שלא יענישהו מיתה:
27For this child did I pray, and the Lord granted me my request, which I asked of Him.		כזאֶל־הַנַּ֥עַר הַזֶּ֖ה הִתְפַּלָּ֑לְתִּי וַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהֹוָ֥ה לִי֙ אֶת־שְׁאֵ֣לָתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁאַ֖לְתִּי מֵעִמּֽוֹ:
For this child did I pray. Do not say, “This one shall die and another one shall be given to you.”		אל הנער הזה התפללתי. אל תאמר: זה ימות וינתן לך אחר:
28And I also have lent him to the Lord; all the days which he will be alive, he is borrowed by the Lord." And he prostrated himself there to the Lord.		כחוְגַ֣ם אָנֹכִ֗י הִשְׁאִלְתִּ֙יהוּ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה כָּל־הַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֔ה ה֥וּא שָׁא֖וּל לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ שָׁ֖ם לַיהֹוָֽה:
And I also have lent him to the Lord. like a person who lends a utensil to his master, or lends him his son to serve him.		וגם אנכי השאלתיהו לה'. כאדם המשאיל כלי לרבו, או משאילו בנו לשמשו:
he is borrowed. empunte in French, i.e., you have no right to punish him, for the Lord has become a borrower over him, since I have lent him to Him, and He must return him to me.		הוא שאול. אנפרוצטי"ץ בלע"ז, כלומר אין אתה רשאי לענשו, הקב"ה נעשה עליו שואל, כי השאלתיו לו, ועליו להחזירו לי:
And he prostrated himself. Samuel, and some say Elkanah.		וישתחו שם. שמואל, ויש אומרים אלקנה:

Shmuel I (I Samuel) Chapter 2

1And Hannah prayed and said: "My heart has rejoiced through the Lord; My horn has been raised by the Lord. My mouth is opened wide against my enemies, For I have rejoiced in Your salvation.		אוַתִּתְפַּלֵּ֚ל חַנָּה֙ וַתֹּאמַ֔ר עָלַ֚ץ לִבִּי֙ בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה רָ֥מָה קַרְנִ֖י בַּֽיהֹוָ֑ה רָ֚חַב פִּי֙ עַל־א֣וֹיְבַ֔י כִּ֥י שָׂמַ֖חְתִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ:
My mouth is opened wide against my enemies. against Peninnah.		רחב פי על אויבי. על פנינה:
2There is none as holy as the Lord, For there is none besides You; And there is no rock like our God.		באֵין־קָד֥וֹשׁ כַּיהֹוָ֖ה כִּ֣י אֵ֣ין בִּלְתֶּ֑ךָ וְאֵ֥ין צ֖וּר כֵּאלֹהֵֽינוּ:
And there is no rock like our God.. There is no artist like our God, Who makes a form within a form (Ber. 10a).		ואין צור כאלהינו. אין צייר כאלהינו, הצר צורה בתוך צורה:
3Do not increasingly speak haughtily; Let not arrogance come out of your mouth, For the Lord is a God of thoughts, And to Him are deeds counted.		גאַל־תַּרְבּ֚וּ תְדַבְּרוּ֙ גְּבֹהָ֣ה גְבֹהָ֔ה יֵצֵ֥א עָתָ֖ק מִפִּיכֶ֑ם כִּ֣י אֵ֚ל דֵּעוֹת֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וְל֥וֹ (כתיב וְלֹ֥א) נִתְכְּנ֖וּ עֲלִלֽוֹת:
Do not increasingly speak haughtily. All those who are haughty when good fortune shines upon them. And according to the peshat, she is speaking for the benefit of Peninnah, who behaved haughtily toward her. According to the derash, however, we follow J’s translation.		אל תרבו תדברו. כל גסי הרוח אשר שעתם מצלחת, ובשביל פנינה שהיתה מתגאה עליה היא מדברת, לפי פשוטו ולפי דרשו, כתרגומו שתרגם יונתן:
arrogance. (Lit.) strong speech. Others explain it as an expression of falsehood, something which is removed from the truth, like ויעתק “and he moved from there to the mountain” (Gen. 12: 8). We, therefore, render: Let not falsehood come out of your mouth.		עתק. דבר חזק דבר אחר: לשון סרה, כמו: (בראשית יב ח) ויעתק משם ההרה, יצא דבר סרה מפיכם:
For the Lord is a God of thoughts. He knows what is in your heart.		כי אל דעות ה'. יודע מה שבלבבכם:
And to Him are deeds counted. All men’s deeds are counted before Him.		ולו נתכנו עלילות. כל מעשי האדם נמנין לפניו:
counted. an expression of number, like: and the number (tochen) of bricks shall you give (Ex. 5:18).		נתכנו. לשון מנין, כמו: (שמות ה יח) ותוכן לבנים תתנו:
4The bows of the mighty are broken; And those who stumbled, are girded with strength.		דקֶ֥שֶׁת גִּבֹּרִ֖ים חַתִּ֑ים וְנִכְשָׁלִ֖ים אָ֥זְרוּ חָֽיִל:
The bows of the mighty are broken, etc.. So is the custom of the Most Holy, blessed be He. He weakens the mighty, and strengthens the weak. He sates the hungry and starves those who are satiated.		קשת גבורים חתים וגו'. כך אומנותו של הקב"ה, מתיש את הגבורים ומחזק את החלשים, משביע את הרעבים ומרעיב את השבעים:
5Those who were satiated have hired themselves out for bread, While the hungry have ceased. While the barren woman has born seven, She that had many children, has been bereaved.		השְׂבֵעִ֚ים בַּלֶּ֙חֶם֙ נִשְׂכָּ֔רוּ וּרְעֵבִ֖ים חָדֵ֑לּוּ עַד־עֲקָרָה֙ יָלְדָ֣ה שִׁבְעָ֔ה וְרַבַּ֥ת בָּנִ֖ים אֻמְלָֽלָה:
Those who were satiated. and do not need to hire themselves out for any work, He starves them, and they must hire themselves out for their daily bread, while the hungry who would toil and weary themselves for food have ceased from their toil.		שבעים בלחם. ולא צריכים להיות נשכרים לשום מלאכה, מרעיבם, ונשכרו בלחם פרנסתם ורעבים שהיו טורחים ויגעים על מזונות חדלו מטרחם:
While the barren woman has born seven, She that had many children. she that had many children has been bereaved and buries her children. Hannah bore seven, as it is stated: For the Lord remembered Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters (2:21). When Hannah bore four, Peninnah buried eight, and when she conceived and bore a fifth child, Peninnah prostrated herself at her feet, and begged for mercy. Consequently, they lived, and were therefore called on her name. This is Rabbi Nehemiah’s opinion. Rabbi Judah says: Grandchildren are considered like children, (and she saw Samuel’s two sons). Some say: the numerical value of שבעה (seven) is equivalent to that of שמואל, (thus: ש =300, ב =2, ע =70, ה =5, totaling 377. Likewise, ש =300, מ =40, ו =6, א =1, ל =30, totaling 377).		עד עקרה ילדה שבעה ורבת בנים וגו'. ובעוד שהעקרה יולדת שבעה בנים, רבת בנים אמללה וקוברת בניה חנה ילדה שבעה, שנאמר (להלן פסוק כא) כי פקד ה' את חנה ותהר ותלד שלשה בנים ושתי בנות, וכשחנה יולדת אחד, פנינה קוברת שנים, ועשרה בנים היו לה, שנאמר (לעיל א ח): הלא אנכי טוב לך מעשרה בנים, של פנינה, כשילדה חנה ארבעה, קברה פנינה שמונה, וכשנתעברה וילדה ולד חמישי, נשתטחה פנינה לרגליה ובקשה רחמים וחיו ונקראו על שמה, אלו דברי רבי נחמיה. רבי יהודה אומר: בני בנים הרי הן כבנים. ויש אומרים: שבעה, בגימטריא כמנין שמואל:
6The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up.		ויְהֹוָ֖ה מֵמִ֣ית וּמְחַיֶּ֑ה מוֹרִ֥יד שְׁא֖וֹל וַיָּֽעַל:
7The Lord impoverishes and makes rich. He humbles; He also exalts.		זיְהֹוָ֖ה מוֹרִ֣ישׁ וּמַעֲשִׁ֑יר מַשְׁפִּ֖יל אַף־מְרוֹמֵֽם:
8He lifts the poor from the dust; From the dunghill, He raises the pauper, To seat them with princes, And a seat of honor He causes them to inherit, For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, And He placed the world upon them.		חמֵקִ֨ים מֵעָפָ֜ר דָּ֗ל מֵֽאַשְׁפֹּת֙ יָרִ֣ים אֶבְי֔וֹן לְהוֹשִׁיב֙ עִם־נְדִיבִ֔ים וְכִסֵּ֥א כָב֖וֹד יַנְחִלֵ֑ם כִּ֚י לַֽיהֹוָה֙ מְצֻ֣קֵי אֶ֔רֶץ וַיָּ֥שֶׁת עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם תֵּבֵֽל:
9The feet of His pious ones He will guard, And the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, For not by strength will man prevail.		טרַגְלֵ֚י חֲסִידָיו֙ (כתיב חֲסִידָו֙) יִשְׁמֹ֔ר וּרְשָׁעִ֖ים בַּח֣שֶׁךְ יִדָּ֑מּוּ כִּֽי־לֹ֥א בְכֹ֖חַ יִגְבַּר־אִֽישׁ:
His pious ones. It is spelled חסידו, His pious one. It is read חסידיו, His pious ones, i.e., either a single one or many. Likewise, “Those who strive with the Lord will be broken.” This reading is מריביו, those who strive with Him. The spelling is מריבו, he who strives with Him, i.e., either one or many.		חסידו. חסידו כתיב, חסידיו קרי, בין יחיד בין רבים, וכן יחתו מריביו (פסוק י), מריבו, בין יחיד בין רבים:
10Those who strive with the Lord will be broken; Upon him will He thunder in Heaven; The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. And He will grant strength to His king, And raise the horn of His anointed one.		ייְהֹוָ֞ה יֵחַ֣תּוּ מְרִיבָ֗יו (כתיב מְרִיבָ֗ו) עָלָיו֙ (כתיב עָלָו֙) בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם יַרְעֵ֔ם יְהֹוָ֖ה יָדִ֣ין אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְיִתֶּן־עֹ֣ז לְמַלְכּ֔וֹ וְיָרֵ֖ם קֶ֥רֶן מְשִׁיחֽוֹ:
Upon him will he thunder in Heaven. The spelling is עלו, they have ascended, even if they have ascended to the heavens, He thunders upon and casts them down.		עלו בשמים ירעם. עלו כתיב, אפילו עלו בשמים, מרעים עליהם ומורידם:
will judge the ends of the earth. will judge them; in old French, jostizier.		ידין אפסי ארץ. שופטן ומייסרן, יושטיציי"א בלע"ז:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

Copyright © 2024 by Chabad House Publications. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof, in any form, without permission, in writing, from Chabad House Publications.

Chabad House Publications is pleased to feature this text in the newly released “Daily Studies in Chitas — The Schottenstein Edition,” published by Chayenu and Kehot Publications Society.

The text on this page contains sacred literature. Please do not deface or discard.

Rosh Hashanah Torah Reading Texts and Summaries

Rosh Hashanah Torah Readings

Aliyah Summary

Rosh Hashanah Torah Readings in a Nutshell

Rosh Hashanah Haftorahs in a Nutshell

First Day Rosh Hashanah Haftarah Companion

Second Day Rosh Hashanah Haftarah Companion

Audio Recording: Holiday Torah Readings

Audio Recording: High Holidays Haftorah Readings

Complete Parshah List