Spoken-Once-Heard-Twice
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Please do NOT visit this site on שַׁבָּת - Shabbat or on
the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim -
Feasts!
Tanakh versions:
Throughout this
site I use any of the following three versions of the Tanakh: 1. “Jewish Publication Society” (JPS-1917), 2. “Mechon-Mamre.org”
(MEC), and 3. “Sefaria.org” (SEF), three brilliant versions!
Colour coded details of our
beloved TaNaKh:
1. Torah = History &
Law, 2. Nevi’im = The Prophets. 3. *Ketuvim = all other Writings.
*The Ketuvim - Includes, Poetical
books - Psalms, Proverbs, Job, the Megillot, or Scrolls - Song
of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ecclesiastes, and
Esther, prophecy of Daniel, and history of Ezra, Nehemiah, and
Chronicles I & II.
Please Note: Some alterations or (additions)
have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, having been corrected
like it once was pre the “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the
following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye
shall NOT ADD TO THE WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may
keep the commandments ofיְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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Tehillim -
Psalm 62:12.
With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
We will be looking in this study regarding the Echo of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s blessed Word: We will look between ‘Literal Truth’ and ‘Infinite Meaning’. As well as the foundation of: ‘Hearing the Double Voice’:
In the Book of Tehillim - Psalms, we find a profound mystery regarding how Revelation is, and was received:
Please Note: Below, I will show the relevant verse, in ‘English’, followed with
the ‘Hebrew’ and a ‘Transliteration’: Using of course (JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh).
“אֱלֹהִים - Elohim hath spoken once, twice have I heard this: that strength belongeth unto אֱלֹהִים - Elohim”. (Tehillim - Psalm 62:12)
אַחַת, דִּבֶּר אֱלֹהִים-שְׁתַּיִם-זוּ שָׁמָעְתִּי: כִּי עֹז, לֵאלֹהִים
“Ecḥad di’bber Elohim, shi’ta’yim zu sha’ma’ti: ki ʿoz le’Elohim”.
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This verse above reminds us that while אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s speech is ‘singular’ and ‘absolute’, but our human reception is ‘multi-layered’. One verse may carry several meanings, yet we must never allow the “two” (interpretation) to obscure the “one” of the literal Word of אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, Blessed be He!
Let us look at Rashi’s “Pitch”:
Surprisingly, Rashi makes his most compelling case for the “Peshat”, being ‘the literal or contextual’ meaning in the opening lines of his introduction to ‘Shir Ha-Shirim’ (Song of Songs).
In a book often treated as pure allegory, Rashi insists that the text’s contextual meaning must not
be abandoned.
For Rashi, the ‘Peshat’ (the ‘plain’, ‘literal’, or ‘contextual meaning of a Hebrew text’), within our Hebraic scriptural exegesis. It is not merely a simplified reading; it is a matter of ‘linguistic integrity’. By anchoring our understanding in the rules of Hebrew grammar and the immediate flow of the verse, we respect the “One” word as it was actually given!
The Bridge: From Tradition to Critical Scholarship:
The “Peshat” serves
as a vital bridge to present-day critical scholarship. Both share a common
goal: understanding the historical situation of
the text.
The World of the Text:
Critical scholarship allows us to explore the “Sitz im Leben” (the setting in life), revealing the histories and resonances embedded in the words.
The Dialogue of the Ages:
By identifying the “plural” times and contexts in which the writers of the TaNaKh lived, we are not just reading a static record; we are joining a genuine conversation that began millennia ago.
The Tool: Why the JPS Tanakh?
To engage in this scholarship, the quality of our translation matters. It is a genuine blessing to utilize the JPS-1917 version of the Tanakh. While no human transmission is perfect, noting that even certain ancient scribal or rabbinic traditions occasionally obscured the original intent, the JPS remains a first-rate teaching tool! Thus it is the one I personally use most!
|
Feature: |
The Value of JPS Scholarship. |
|
Accuracy: |
Retains the majestic beauty of the
Torah/Tanakh while correcting linguistic drift. |
|
Context: |
Aligns with the ‘Peshat’ by respecting
the philological roots of the Hebrew. |
|
Relevance: |
Bridges the gap between the ancient “once
spoken” and the “twice heard”. |
My Concluding Message: Joining the Eternal Conversation.
The modern and post-modern eras offer a rich variety of paths to meaning. However, we must be wary of interpretive strategies that co-opt the message for extraneous purposes. Our task is to remain as close as possible to the Word as it was given. Through disciplined scholarship and a commitment to the ‘Peshat’, we ensure that the “precious word” continues to be shared, not as a relic of the past, but as a living dialogue we are privileged to continue forever.
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Please Note: “hebraicstudies” links
are located down the page!
This site was originally
created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith.
Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day
(if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His
love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However
this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim,
blessed be He, said the following via several of our prophets...
“Return
unto Me,
and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of
hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. (JPS).
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“Hebraic Studies” motto is as
follows;
He is the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts. be with you, and please
always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat,
as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim -
Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s - Prayers and
regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s - blessings before
food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben
Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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