9 Elul, 5784

Deuteronomy 23:25-26

When you enter another man’s vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you want, until you are full, but you must not put any in your vessel. When you enter another man’s field of standing grain, you may pluck ears with your hand; but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.

Deuteronomy 24:1-4

A man takes a wife and possesses her. She fails to please him because he finds something obnoxious about her, and he writes her a bill of divorcement, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house; she leaves his household and becomes the wife of another man; then this latter man rejects her, writes her a bill of divorcement, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house; or the man who married her last dies. Then the first husband who divorced her shall not take her to wife again, since she has been defiled—for that would be abhorrent to the LORD. You must not bring sin upon the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a heritage.

Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, published by JPS
Copyright: JPS, 1985

Psalms 49

For the leader. Of the Korahites. A psalm. Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world, men of all estates, rich and poor alike. My mouth utters wisdom, my speech is full of insight. I will turn my attention to a theme, set forth my lesson to the music of a lyre. In time of trouble, why should I fear the encompassing evil of those who would supplant me— men who trust in their riches, who glory in their great wealth? Ah, it cannot redeem a man, or pay his ransom to God; the price of life is too high; and so one ceases to be, forever. Shall he live eternally, and never see the grave? For one sees that the wise die, that the foolish and ignorant both perish, leaving their wealth to others. Their grave is their eternal home, the dwelling-place for all generations of those once famous on earth. Man does not abide in honor; he is like the beasts that perish. Such is the fate of those who are self-confident, the end of those pleased with their own talk. Selah. Sheeplike they head for Sheol, with Death as their shepherd. The upright shall rule over them at daybreak, and their form shall waste away in Sheol till its nobility be gone. But God will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol, for He will take me.Selah. Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, when his household goods increase; for when he dies he can take none of it along; his goods cannot follow him down. Though he congratulates himself in his lifetime —“They must admit that you did well by yourself”— yet he must join the company of his ancestors, who will never see daylight again. Man does not understand honor; he is like the beasts that perish.

Psalms 50

A psalm of Asaph. God, the LORD God spoke and summoned the world from east to west. From Zion, perfect in beauty, God appeared —let our God come and not fail to act! Devouring fire preceded Him; it stormed around Him fiercely. He summoned the heavens above, and the earth, for the trial of His people. “Bring in My devotees, who made a covenant with Me over sacrifice!” Then the heavens proclaimed His righteousness, for He is a God who judges.Selah. “Pay heed, My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will arraign you. I am God, your God. I censure you not for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings, made to Me daily; I claim no bull from your estate, no he-goats from your pens. For Mine is every animal of the forest, the beasts on a thousand mountains. I know every bird of the mountains, the creatures of the field are subject to Me. Were I hungry, I would not tell you, for Mine is the world and all it holds. Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of he-goats? Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon Me in time of trouble; I will rescue you, and you shall honor Me.” And to the wicked, God said: “Who are you to recite My laws, and mouth the terms of My covenant, seeing that you spurn My discipline, and brush My words aside? When you see a thief, you fall in with him, and throw in your lot with adulterers; you devote your mouth to evil, and yoke your tongue to deceit; you are busy maligning your brother, defaming the son of your mother. If I failed to act when you did these things, you would fancy that I was like you; so I censure you and confront you with charges. Mark this, you who are unmindful of God, lest I tear you apart and no one save you. He who sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, and to him who improves his way I will show the salvation of God.”

Psalms 51

For the leader. A psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had come to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, as befits Your faithfulness; in keeping with Your abundant compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity, and purify me of my sin; for I recognize my transgressions, and am ever conscious of my sin. Against You alone have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight; so You are just in Your sentence, and right in Your judgment. Indeed I was born with iniquity; with sin my mother conceived me. Indeed You desire truth about that which is hidden; teach me wisdom about secret things. Purge me with hyssop till I am pure; wash me till I am whiter than snow. Let me hear tidings of joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed exult. Hide Your face from my sins; blot out all my iniquities. Fashion a pure heart for me, O God; create in me a steadfast spirit. Do not cast me out of Your presence, or take Your holy spirit away from me. Let me again rejoice in Your help; let a vigorous spirit sustain me. I will teach transgressors Your ways, that sinners may return to You. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, God, my deliverer, that I may sing forth Your beneficence. O Lord, open my lips, and let my mouth declare Your praise. You do not want me to bring sacrifices; You do not desire burnt offerings; True sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit; God, You will not despise a contrite and crushed heart. May it please You to make Zion prosper; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will want sacrifices offered in righteousness, burnt and whole offerings; then bulls will be offered on Your altar.

Psalms 52

For the leader. A maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came and informed Saul, telling him, “David came to Ahimelech’s house.” Why do you boast of your evil, brave fellow? God’s faithfulness never ceases. Your tongue devises mischief, like a sharpened razor that works treacherously. You prefer evil to good, the lie, to speaking truthfully.Selah. You love all pernicious words, treacherous speech. So God will tear you down for good, will break you and pluck you from your tent, and root you out of the land of the living. Selah. The righteous, seeing it, will be awestruck; they will jibe at him, saying, “Here was a fellow who did not make God his refuge, but trusted in his great wealth, relied upon his mischief.” But I am like a thriving olive tree in God’s house; I trust in the faithfulness of God forever and ever. I praise You forever, for You have acted; I declare that Your name is good in the presence of Your faithful ones.

Psalms 53

For the leader; on mahalath.A maskil of David. The benighted man thinks, “God does not care.” Man’s wrongdoing is corrupt and loathsome; no one does good. God looks down from heaven on mankind to find a man of understanding, a man mindful of God. Everyone is dross, altogether foul; there is none who does good, not even one. Are they so witless, those evildoers, who devour my people as they devour food, and do not invoke God? There they will be seized with fright —never was there such a fright— for God has scattered the bones of your besiegers; you have put them to shame, for God has rejected them. O that the deliverance of Israel might come from Zion! When God restores the fortunes of His people, Jacob will exult, Israel will rejoice.

Psalms 54

For the leader; with instrumental music. A maskil of David, when the Ziphites came and told Saul, “Know, David is in hiding among us.” O God, deliver me by Your name; by Your power vindicate me. O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers have risen against me, and ruthless men seek my life; they are unmindful of God.Selah. See, God is my helper; the Lord is my support. He will repay the evil of my watchful foes; by Your faithfulness, destroy them! Then I will offer You a freewill sacrifice; I will praise Your name, LORD, for it is good, for it has saved me from my foes, and let me gaze triumphant upon my enemies.

Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, published by JPS
Copyright: JPS, 1985

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Yeshua. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Miriam Magdalene and Joanna and Miriam the mother of Yaakov and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Yeshua himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Yeshua of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Shimon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

As they were talking about these things, Yeshua himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.

(ESV)