B"H
Shirat
HaYam
(Song of the Sea) and Haftarah, Shirat Devorah (Song
of Deborah)
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Generations from
Adam to the Last Ruler of the Kingdom
of Judah
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Talmud, Sotah
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Journeys
and Conquest
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Rosh Hashanah
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Then Moses and the
children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and they spoke, saying, I will
sing to the Lord, for very exalted is He;
1. Now Deborah and
Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying.
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Adam
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Portion
of Sotah Torah reading
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They
journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first
month; on the day following the Passover sacrifice, the children of Israel
left triumphantly before the eyes of all the Egyptians. And the Egyptians were busy burying
because the Lord had struck down their firstborn and had wrought vengeance
against their deities. And the
Egyptians were busy burying: occupied with their mourning. (Bamidbar,
33:1-48)
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Yom Kippur
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a horse and its rider
He cast into the sea. The Eternal's strength and His vengeance were my
salvation;
2. "When breaches
are made in Israel,
when the people offer
themselves willingly, bless the Lord.
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Shet
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2
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The children of Israel journeyed from
Rameses and camped in Succoth.
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Sukkot
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this is my G-d, and I
will make Him a habitation, the G-d of my father, and I will ascribe to Him
exaltation.
Hear, O kings, give
ear, O princes;
I, to the Lord I shall
sing,
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Enosh
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3
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They journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, at
the edge of the desert.
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Shemini Atzeret
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The Lord is a Master
of war; the Lord is His Name. Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into
the sea,
I shall sing to the
Lord, the G-d of Israel.
Lord, when You went
forth out of Seir,
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Keinan
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4
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They
journeyed from Etham and camped in Pi hahiroth, which faces Baal zephon; and
they camped in front of Migdol.
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Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan
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and the elite of his
officers sank in the Red Sea. The
depths covered them; they descended into the depths like a stone.
when You marched out
of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dripped;
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Mahalel
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5
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They journeyed from Penei hahiroth
(“face of rocks”) and crossed in the midst of the sea to the desert. They
walked for three days in the desert of Etham and camped in Marah.
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First Week of Cheshvan
(Potential 3rd Temple Holiday)[1]
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Your right hand, O
Lord, is most powerful; Your right hand, O Lord, crushes the foe.
also the clouds
dripped water. The mountains melted at the presence of
the Lord,
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Yered
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6
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They
journeyed from Marah and arrived in Elim, and in Elim there were twelve
springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there.
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Second Week of Cheshvan
(3rd Temple)
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And with Your great
pride You tear down those who rise up against You; You send forth Your
burning wrath; it devours them like straw.
this (was at) Sinai,
because of the presence of the Lord, the G-d of Israel.
6. In the days of
Shamgar the son of Anath,
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Enoch
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7
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They journeyed from Elim and camped by
the Red Sea.
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Third Week of Cheshvan
(3rd Temple)
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And with the breath of Your nostrils
the waters were heaped up; the running water stood erect like a wall;
in the days of Jael, caravans ceased, and
travellers walked on crooked paths.
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Methuselah
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8
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They
journeyed from the Red Sea and camped in the desert of Zin.
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Fourth
Week of Chesvan or Rosh Chodesh Kislev
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the depths congealed
in the heart of the sea. [Because] the enemy said, I will pursue,
7. The open cities ceased,
in Israel they ceased, until I Deborah arose;
I arose as a mother in
Israel.
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Lamech
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9
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They
journeyed from the desert of Zin and camped in Dophkah.
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Rosh Chodesh Kislev or 1st week
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I will overtake, I will share the
booty; my desire will be filled from them; I will draw my sword, my hand will
impoverish them.
8. When they chose new
G-ds,
then there was war in
the cities; was there seen a shield or a spear
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Noach
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10
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They
journeyed from Dophkah and camped in Alush.
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Yud Kislev
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You blew with Your wind, the sea
covered them; they sank like lead in the powerful waters.
(when the) forty thousand (went against)
Israel? My heart is toward the lawgivers of Israel,
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Shem
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11
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They
journeyed from Alush and camped in Rephidim, but there there was no water for
the people to drink.
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Yud Tet Kislev
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Who is like You among
the powerful, O Lord? Who is like You, powerful in the holy place?
that offered
themselves willingly among the people, (saying,) 'Bless the Lord.' 10. The
riders of white donkeys,
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Arpachshad
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12
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They journeyed from Rephidim and
camped in the Sinai desert.
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Chanukah
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Too awesome for praises, performing
wonders! You inclined Your right hand; the earth swallowed them up.
those that sit in
judgment, and those that walk on the path, tell of it. 11. Instead of the
noise of adversaries, between the places of drawing water,
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Shelah
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13
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They journeyed from the Sinai desert
and camped in Kivroth hataavah.
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Chanukah/Rosh Chodesh Tevet
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With Your loving kindness You led the
people You redeemed; You led [them]
with Your might to Your holy abode.
there they will tell the
righteous acts of the Lord, the
righteous acts of restoring open cities in Israel.
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Eber
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14
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They journeyed from Kivroth haTaavah
and camped in Hazeroth
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10th
of Tevet
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People heard, they trembled;
a shudder seized the inhabitants of Philistia.
Then the people of the Lord went down to the cities. Praise (Awake)!
Praise (Awake)! Deborah.
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Peleg
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15
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They
journeyed from Hazeroth and camped in Rithmah.
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Third
Week of Tevet
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Then the chieftains of Edom were
startled; [as for] the powerful men of Moab, trembling seized them;
Praise! Praise! Utter a song.
Arise Barak, and capture your captives, son of Abinoam.
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Reu
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16
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They
journeyed from Rithmah and camped in Rimmon perez.
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Fourth
Week of Tevet
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all the inhabitants of
Canaan melted. May dread and fright fall upon them;
Then ruled a remnant among the mighty of the nations; the Lord
dominated the strong for me.
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Serug
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17
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They journeyed from Rimmon perez and
camped in Libnah.
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Rosh Chodesh Shvat
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with the arm of Your greatness may
they become as still as a stone, until Your people cross over, O Lord,
Out of Ephraim, whose root was against Amalek;
after you (will be) Benjamin with your abaters;
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Nahor
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18
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They
journeyed from Libnah and camped in Rissah.
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Yud Shvat
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until this nation that You have
acquired crosses over. You shall bring them and plant them on the
mount of Your heritage,
out of Machir
came down officers,
and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the scribe.
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Terah
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19
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They
journeyed from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah.
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Tu B'Shvat
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directed
toward Your habitation, which You made, O Lord; the sanctuary, O Lord,
[which] Your hands founded.
And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah, as was Issachar with
Barak; into the valley they rushed forth with their feet.
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Abraham
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20
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They journeyed from Kehelathah and
camped in Mount Shepher
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Fourth
Week of Shvat
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The Lord will reign to
all eternity; When Pharaoh's horses came with his chariots and his horsemen
into the sea,
(But) among the divisions of Reuben, (there were) great resolves of
heart.
Why do you sit between the borders,
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Isaac
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21
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They journeyed from Mount Shepher
and camped in Haradah.
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Rosh Chodesh Adar
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and the Lord brought
the waters of the sea back upon them; and the children of Israel walked on
dry land in the midst of the sea,
to hear the bleatings of the flocks?
At the divisions of Reuben, (there are) great
searchings of heart.
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Jacob
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22
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They
journeyed from Haradah and camped in Makheloth.
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First
Week of Adar
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Miriam, the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a timbrel in her hand,
and all the women came out after her with timbrels and with dances. And
Miriam called out to them, Sing to the Lord, for very exalted is He; a horse
and its rider He cast into the sea.
Gilead abides beyond the Jordan;
and Dan, why does he gather into the ships?
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Yehudah
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23
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They
journeyed from Makheloth and camped in Tahath.
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Purim
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Moses led Israel away
from the Red Sea, and they went out into the desert of Shur; they walked for
three days in the desert but did not find water. They came to Marah, but they
could not drink water from Marah because it was bitter; therefore, it was
named Marah.
Asher dwelt at the shore of the seas,
and by his breaches he abides.
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Perez
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24
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They
journeyed from Tahath and camped in Tarah.
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Third
Week of Adar
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The people complained
against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? So he cried out to the Lord, and
the Lord instructed him concerning a piece of wood, which he cast into the
water, and the water became sweet. There He gave them a statute and an
ordinance, and there He tested them.
Zebulun is a people that jeopardized their lives to die, as did
Naphtali, upon the high places of the field.
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Hezron
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25
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They journeyed from Tarah and camped in Mithkah.
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Rosh Chodesh Nissan
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And He said, If you hearken to the
voice of the Lord, your G-d, and you do what is proper in His eyes, and you
listen closely to His commandments and observe all His statutes, all the
sicknesses that I have visited upon Egypt I will not visit upon you, for I,
the Lord, heal you. They came to Elim, and there
were twelve water fountains and seventy palms, and they encamped there by the
water.
The kings came and fought;
then fought the kings of Canaan
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Ram
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26
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They
journeyed from Mithkah and camped in Hashmonah.
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First
Week of Nissan
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1. They
journeyed from Elim, and the entire community of the children of Israel came
to the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day
of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt. 2. The entire community of the children of Israel complained against
Moses and against Aaron in the desert.
in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo;
they took no gain of money.
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Amminadab
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27
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They
journeyed from Hashmonah and camped in Moseroth.
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First
Day of Pessach
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3. The children of
Israel said to them, If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land
of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat, when we ate bread to our fill! For you
have brought us out into this desert, to starve this entire congregation to
death. 4. So the Lord said to Moses, Behold! I am going to rain down for you
bread from heaven, and the people shall go out and gather what is needed for
the day, so that I can test them, whether or not they will follow My
teaching.
From heaven they fought; the stars from their courses fought against
Sisera.
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Nachshon
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28
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They
journeyed from Moseroth and camped in Benei jaakan.
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Pessach
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5. And it shall be on
the sixth day that when they prepare what they will bring, it will be double
of what they gather every day. 6.
[Thereupon,] Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, [In the]
evening, you shall know that the Lord brought you out of the land of Egypt.
The brook Kishon swept them away,
that ancient
brook, the brook Kishon;
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Salmah
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29
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They
journeyed from Benei jaakan and camped in Hor hagidgad
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Fourth
Week of Nissan
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7. And [in the] morning, you shall
see the glory of the Lord when He hears your complaints against the Lord but
[of] what [significance] are we, that you make [the people] complain against
us? 8. And Moses said, When the Lord gives you in the
evening meat to eat and bread in the morning [with which] to become sated,
when the Lord hears your complaints, which you are making [the people]
complain against Him, but [of] what [significance] are we? Not against us are
your complaints, but against the Lord.
tread down, O my soul, (their) strength. Then were pounded the heels of
the horses
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Boaz
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30
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They
journeyed from Hor hagidgad and camped in Jotbathah.
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Rosh Chodesh Iyar/ 5 de Iyar
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9. And Moses said to
Aaron, Say to the entire community of the children of Israel, Draw near
before the Lord, for He has heard your complaints. 10. And it came to pass when Aaron spoke to
the entire community of the children of Israel, that they turned toward the
desert, and behold! the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
by reason of the prancings, the prancings of their
mighty ones. 'Curse you Meroz,' said the messenger of the Lord, 'curse you
bitterly (you) inhabitants thereof,'
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Obed
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31
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They
journeyed from Jotbathah and camped in Abronah.
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Second
Week of Iyar
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11. The Lord spoke to Moses,
saying, 12. I have heard the
complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, In the afternoon
you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be sated with bread, and you
shall know that I am the Lord, your G-d.
because they came not to the aid of the Lord, to the aid of the Lord
against the mighty.
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Yishai
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32
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They
journeyed from Abronah and camped in Etzion geber.
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Pessach Sheini/ Lag Ba’Omer
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13. It came to pass in the evening that
the quails went up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer
of dew around the camp. 14. The layer
of dew went up, and behold, on the surface of the desert, a fine, bare
[substance] as fine as frost on the ground.
Blessed above
women shall Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, be; above women in the tent shall she be
blessed.
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David
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33
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They
journeyed from Ezion geber and camped in the desert of Zin, which is Kadesh.
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Fourth
Week of Iyar
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15. When the children of Israel saw
[it], they said to one another, It is manna, because they did not know what
it was, and Moses said to them, It is the bread that the Lord has given you
to eat. 16. This is the thing that the Lord has commanded, Gather of it each
one according to his eating capacity, an omer
for each person, according to the number of persons, each one for those in
his tent you shall take.
Water he requested, (but) milk she gave him: in a lordly bowl she
brought him cream.
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Solomon
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34
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They
journeyed from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of
Edom.
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Rosh Chodesh Sivan/ Yom Yerushalayim
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17. And the children of Israel did so: they gathered,
both the one who gathered much and the one who gathered little. 18. And they
measured [it] with an omer, and
whoever gathered much did not have more, and whoever gathered little did not
have less; each one according to his eating capacity, they gathered.
She put forth her hand to the pin,
and her right
hand to strike the weary;
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Rehoboam
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35
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They
journeyed from Mount Hor and camped in Zalmonah.
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Shavuot
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19. And Moses said to them, Let no
one leave over [any] of it until morning. 20. But [some] men did not obey
Moses and left over [some] of it until morning, and it bred worms and became
putrid, and Moses became angry with them.
(Sleeping on the day of Shavuot)
she struck Sisera, pierced his head,
and wounded and penetrated his temple.
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Abijam
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36
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They
journeyed from Zalmonah and camped in Punon.
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Third
Week of Sivan
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21. They gathered it morning by
morning, each one according to his eating capacity, and [when] the sun grew
hot, it melted. 22. It came
to pass on the sixth day that they gathered a double portion of bread, two omers for [each] one, and all the
princes of the community came and reported [it] to Moses.
At her feet he sank, fell, lay; at her feet he sank (and) fell;
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Asa
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37
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They
journeyed from Punon and camped in Oboth.
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Fourth
Week of Sivan
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23. So he said to them, That is what
the Lord spoke, Tomorrow is a rest day, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake
whatever you wish to bake, and cook whatever you wish to cook, and all the
rest leave over to keep until morning.
24. So they left it over until
morning, as Moses had commanded, and it did not become putrid, and not a worm
was in it.
where he sank, there he fell down dead.
Through the window looked forth, the mother of Sisera [peered] through
the window;
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Jehoshaphat
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38
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They journeyed from Oboth and camped
at the ruins of Abarim, on the Moabite boundary
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Rosh Chodesh Tammuz
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25. And Moses said, Eat it today,
for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. 26. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day [which is the]
Sabbath on it there will be none
why is his chariot late in coming? Why tarry the strides of his
chariots?
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Jehoram
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39
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They
journeyed from the ruins and camped in Dibon gad.
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Second
Week of Tammuz
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27. It came about that
on the seventh day, [some] of the people went out to gather [manna], but they
did not find [any]. 28. The Lord said to Moses, How long will you refuse to
observe My commandments and My teachings?
The wisest of her princesses answer her, she too returns answers to
herself.
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Ahaziah
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40
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They journeyed from Dibon gad and
camped in Almon diblathaimah.
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12,13
of Tammuz/ 17 of Tammuz
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29. See that the Lord
has given you the Sabbath. Therefore, on the sixth day, He gives you bread
for two days. Let each man remain in his place; let no man leave his place on
the seventh day. 30. So the people rested on the seventh day.
'Are they not
finding (and) dividing the spoils? A damsel, two damsels to every man;
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Athaliah, mother of Ahaziah
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41
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They
journeyed from Almon diblathaimah and camped in the mountains of Abarim, in
front of Nebo.
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Fourth
Week of Tammuz
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31. The house of
Israel named it manna, and it was like coriander seed, [it was] white, and it
tasted like a wafer with honey. 32. Moses said, This is the thing that the
Lord commanded: Let one omerful of
it be preserved for your generations, in order that they see the bread that I
fed you in the desert when I took you out of the land of Egypt.
a spoil of
dyed garments to Sisera, a spoil of dyed garments of embroidery;
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Jehoash
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42
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They
journeyed from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by
the Jordan at Jericho. They camped
along the Jordan from Beth jeshimoth to Abel shittim, in the plains of
Moab.
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Rosh Chodesh Av
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33. And Moses said to Aaron,
Take one jug and put there an omerful
of manna, and deposit it before the Lord to be preserved for your
generations. 34. As the Lord had
commanded Moses, Aaron deposited it before the testimony to be
preserved.
dyed garments of embroidery for the neck of the spoiler.' So may perish
all Your enemies, O Lord; but they that love Him (should be) as the sun when
he goes forth in his might."
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Amaziah
|
43
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Chittites
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Tisha B'Av
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35. And the children of Israel ate the manna for forty
years until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they
came to the border of the land of Canaan.
36. The omer is one tenth of
an ephah. (40 years hints to episode of the spies/Tisha B’Av)
And the land
rested forty years. 1. And the children of Israel did that which
displeased the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian (for)
seven years.
|
Uzziah (also known as Azariah)
|
44
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Girgashites
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Tu B'Av
|
1. The entire community of the
children of Israel journeyed from the desert of Sin to their travels by the
mandate of the Lord. They encamped in Rephidim, and there was no water for
the people to drink. 2. So the people quarreled with Moses, and they said,
Give us water that we may drink Moses said to them, Why do you quarrel with
me? Why do you test the Lord?
2. And the hand of Midian prevailed
against Israel. Because of Midian the children of Israel made for themselves
the dens which are in the mountains and the caves, and the strongholds. 3. And so it was, when Israel had sown,
that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the
east; they came up against them;
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Jotham
|
45
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Amorites
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Third
Week of Av
|
3. The people thirsted there for
water, and the people complained against Moses, and they said, Why have you
brought us up from Egypt to make me and my children and my livestock die of
thirst? 4. Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, What shall I do for this
people? Just a little longer and they will stone me!
4. and they encamped against them, and destroyed the produce of the
earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance in Israel, neither
sheep, nor ox, nor ass. 5. For they came up with their
cattle and their tents, and they came in as locusts for multitude; both they
and their camels were without number; and they came into the land to destroy
it.
|
Ahaz
|
46
|
Cana’anites
|
Rosh Chodesh Elul
|
5. And the Lord said to Moses, Pass before the people
and take with you [some] of the elders of Israel, and take into your hand
your staff, with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6. Behold, I shall stand there before you
on the rock in Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out
of it, and the people will drink Moses did so before the eyes of the elders
of Israel.
6. And Israel was
brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried unto the
LORD. 7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD
because of Midian,
|
Hezekiah
|
47
|
Perizites
|
First
Week of Elul
|
7.
He named the place Massah [testing] and Meribah [quarreling] because of the
quarrel of the children of Israel and because of their testing the Lord,
saying, Is the Lord in our midst or not? 8. Amalek came and
fought with Israel in Rephidim.
8 that the LORD sent a prophet unto
the children of Israel; and he said unto them: 'Thus saith the LORD, the G-d
of Israel: I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the
house of bondage; 9 and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and
out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drove them out from before
you, and gave you their land.
|
Manasseh
|
58
|
Chivites
|
Second
Week of Elul
|
9. So Moses said to Joshua, Pick men
for us, and go out and fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on top of
the hill with the staff of G-d in my hand. 10. Joshua did as Moses had told
him, to fight against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur ascended to the top
of the hill.
10 And I said unto you: I am the
LORD your G-d; ye shall not fear the G-ds of the Amorites, in whose land ye
dwell; but ye have not hearkened unto My voice.' 11 And the angel of the LORD
came, and sat under the terebinth which was in Ophrah, that belonged unto
Joash the Abiezrite; and his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the
winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
|
Amon
|
49
|
Jebusites
|
Chai Elul
|
11. It came to pass that when Moses
would raise his hand, Israel would prevail, and when he would lay down his
hand, Amalek would prevail. 12. Now Moses hands were heavy; so they took a
stone and placed it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur supported his
hands, one from this [side], and one from that [side]; so he was with his hands
in faith until sunset.
12 And the angel of the LORD
appeared unto him, and said unto him: 'The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man
of valour.'
13 And Gideon said unto him: 'Oh, my
lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are
all His wondrous works which our fathers told us of, saying: Did not the LORD
bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath cast us off, and delivered us
into the hand of Midian.'
|
Josiah
|
Nazir
2 - 22
|
Kenites
|
Fourth
Week of Elul/Slichot
|
13.
Joshua weakened Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14. The Lord said to Moses, Inscribe this
[as] a memorial in the book, and recite it into Joshua's ears, that I will
surely obliterate the remembrance of Amalek from beneath the heavens
14 And the LORD turned
towards him, and said: 'Go in this thy might, and save Israel from the hand
of Midian; have not I sent thee?' 15
And he said unto him: 'Oh, my lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my
family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.'
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(Jehoahaz, 3 months) Jehoiakim, also
known as Eliakim
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Nazir
23 –
44
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Kenizites
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Slichot/Rosh Hashanah
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15. Then Moses built
an altar, and he named it The Lord is my miracle. 16. And he said, For there is a hand on the
throne of the Eternal, [that there shall be] a war for the Lord against
Amalek from generation to generation.
16 And the LORD said
unto him: 'Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as
one man.' 17 And he said unto him: 'If
now I have found favour in thy sight, then show me a sign that it is thou
that talkest with me.
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(Jehoaiachin also known as Jeconiah,
3 months) Mattaniah also known as Zedekiah
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Nazir
45 - 66
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Kadmonites
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[1] There is a parallel
between Kislev and Cheshvan. The Mishkan was first completed in Kislev, but
then inaugurated in Nissan. Kislev was, so to speak, deprived of a holiday.
Hashem repaid Kislev, with the rededication of the Temple in the times of the
Hasmoneans, as well as the holiday forever established at that time: Chanukah.
Similarly, the first Temple was completed by King Solomon in Cheshvan. However,
King Solomon only inaugurated it in Tishrei. Cheshvan was then also deprived of
a holiday, but it will be repaid with the inauguration of the Third
Temple. The First Temple was completed
in Cheshvan, inaugurated on the 8th of Tishrei, and the festivities lasted
until the 22nd day of that month. It therefore appears likely that
the future Third Temple holiday will extend from the 8th to the 22nd
day of Cheshvan.
וידבר יוסף
Introduction to Book 3: Paths in Avodah
If the first book, like Bereshit, was about Derech Eretz, Creation (Perek Shirah) and the foundations of our people (Pirkei Avot), and the second book, like Shemot, was about receiving the Torah, this third book is like Vayikra. Sefer Vayikra is also called “Torat Kohanim.” Much of it is about the day-to-day functions of the Kohanim in the Temple, which were given this position due to their lineage going back to Aharon. It is a Book about Avodah (“Divine service”), elevating the material world through personal sacrifice, inkeeping with the spiritual above-nature quality of the priestly service and the Temple itself. The sets of 52 studied under Book 3 are as follows:
The Torah portion of Beshalach (from the fifth aliyah to the end), contains the Song of the Sea (Shirat HaYam) followed by the description of the Mannah (Parashat HaMan) and the war against Amalek (Zechirat Ma'aseh Amalek). The Torah reading is then followed by the Haftorah, the Song of Deborah (Shirat Devorah). These texts relate to the above-nature service/prayer, in response to the Divine miracles the Jewish people experienced.
The generations from Adam through David (the 33rd, Lag Ba’Omer generation) until the last king of Judah (52nd) describe the function of the king, who was given this position due to his Davidic lineage. Adam himself was like a king, and his Avodah was to conquer and take care of the Garden of Eden, while avoiding the pitfalls of the evil inclination.
The Talmudic tractate of Sotah is also about a service of G-d that is above nature, above intellect, a concept known as shtut d’kedusha, “folly of holiness.”
The 42 journeys through the desert and the conquest of seven (later ten) Cana’anite nations living the Land of Israel are connected to the supernal also about elevating the material world. It is said that wherever the Jewish people traveled in the desert, that part of the desert would blossom. It was about working on oneself, and elevating the fallen sparks of the world in the process (Tikkun Olam). That is what Diaspora is all about, as well as the ultimate purpose of each soul that is “exiled” from Heaven and comes down to this world.
