This week's study is from Tehillim / Psalms 17:1-15, The Psalm begins saying תְּפִלָּה לְדָוִד "A prayer of David and he prays asking the Lord to hear his cry, to give ear to his prayer, and that his prayer is not done so with deceitful lips (שִׁמְעָה יְהֹוָה | צֶדֶק הַקְשִׁיבָה רִנָּתִי הַאֲזִינָה תְפִלָּתִי בְּלֹא שִֹפְתֵי מִרְמָה). David calls for the judgment of God to come forth from his presence and to examine him (17:2). He says that the Lord has tested his heart, come to him by night, and found nothing, and that he has purposed his mouth to not transgress (ג בָּחַנְתָּ לִבִּי | פָּקַדְתָּ לַּיְלָה צְרַפְתַּנִי בַל-תִּמְצָא זַמֹּתִי בַּל-יַעֲבָר-פִּי:). He says that based on the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept from the paths of the violent (17:4) suggests that he believes the Torah is the word of God and that keeping God's word has kept him from evil. ה תָּמֹךְ אֲשֻׁרַי בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתֶיךָ בַּל-נָמוֹטּוּ פְעָמָי: 17:5 My steps have held fast to Your paths. My feet have not slipped. (NASB) The Lord will answer those who seek Him (17:7) and show His favor in His Salvation ז הַפְלֵה חֲסָדֶיךָ מוֹשִׁיעַ חוֹסִים מִמִּתְקוֹמְמִים בִּימִינֶךָ: 17:7 Wondrously show Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right hand From those who rise up against them. (NASB) The wicked are described as those who have and unfeeling heart and speak in their pride (17:10), they surround the people of God and determine to cast God's people to the ground (17:11). The wicked are like a lion that is eager to tear and lurking int he hiding places (17:12). David asks the Lord saying יג קוּמָה יְהֹוָה קַדְּמָה פָנָיו הַכְרִיעֵהוּ פַּלְּטָה נַפְשִׁי מֵרָשָׁע חַרְבֶּךָ: 17:13 Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him low; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword (NASB) to deliver him with His sword. What is David referring to when he asks to deliver him with the "Sword of God?" He concludes his prayer psalm saying יד מִמְתִים יָדְךָ | יְהֹוָה מִמְתִים מֵחֶלֶד חֶלְקָם בַּחַיִּים וּצְפיּנְךָ [וּצְפוּנְךָ] תְּמַלֵּא בִטְנָם יִשְֹבְּעוּ בָנִים וְהִנִּיחוּ יִתְרָם לְעוֹלְלֵיהֶם: טו אֲנִי בְּצֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶה פָנֶיךָ אֶשְֹבְּעָה בְהָקִיץ תְּמוּנָתֶךָ: 17:14 From men with Your hand, O Lord, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes. 17:15 As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake. (NASB) In righteousness he will behold the face of God. What a great reason to live in righteousness before the Lord!
The Psalm begins saying תְּפִלָּה לְדָוִד "A prayer of David." Only two times does a Psalm begin with the words תְּפִלָּה לְדָוִד "A prayer of David." in Tehillim / Psalms 17 and 86. David prays asking the Lord to hear his cry, to be attentive in listening (הַקְשִׁיבָה) and give ear to his prayer, that his prayer is not done so with deceitful (מִרְמָה) lips (שִׁמְעָה יְהֹוָה | צֶדֶק הַקְשִׁיבָה רִנָּתִי הַאֲזִינָה תְפִלָּתִי בְּלֹא שִֹפְתֵי מִרְמָה). The Aramaic text states א צלותא לדוד קבל יהוה פגיעתי בעותי בצדקא אצית שבוחי תיצלי אודנך לצלותי בדלא סיפוותי ניכלא׃ 17:1 A prayer of David. Accept, O Lord, my entreaty; in righteousness hear my praise; you will incline your ear to my prayer, since my lips are without guile. (EMC) and is in agreement with the Hebrew text, and so is the Greek translation (LXX), David is honestly seeking the Lord in prayer for help, he is not trying to deceive the Lord into helping him over come his enemies.
According to Tehillim / Psalms 17:2, David calls for the judgment of God to come forth from his presence and to examine him (17:2). Based upon what David is saying here in Tehillim / Psalms 17:2, how should we be living our lives knowing and expecting judgment to come from God? Will judgment come from God now that we are in Yeshua the Messiah (Christ)? The Apostle Peter spoke extensively on the topic of judgment in 2 Peter 3:7-18. Let's read what the Apostle Peter has to say concerning judgment in 2 Peter.
In the Scriptures from 2 Peter 3, Peter said that the "day of the Lord" will come like a thief meaning that one does not know the time of arrival of the day. Peter asks the question "what sort of people ought we to be" in the knowledge that this world will be burned up? Since we are looking for a new heavens and earth, we are to be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless, and blameless (3:14). Peter goes on to say that the "untaught and unstable" distort the Scriptures to their own destruction (3:16). A parallel may be drawn to the Psalms in Tehillim / Psalms 17 י חֶלְבָּמוֹ סָּגְרוּ פִּימוֹ דִּבְּרוּ בְגֵאוּת: יא אַשֻּׁרֵינוּ עַתָּה סְבָבוּניּ [סְבָבוּנוּ] עֵינֵיהֶם יָשִׁיתוּ לִנְטוֹת בָּאָרֶץ: 17:10 They have closed their unfeeling heart, With their mouth they speak proudly. 17:11 They have now surrounded us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground. (NASB) This parallels Tehillim / Psalms 17 when David calls for the judgment of God to come forth from his presence (ב מִלְּפָנֶיךָ מִשְׁפָּטִי יֵצֵא עֵינֶיךָ תֶּחֱזֶינָה מֵישָׁרִים). "The LORD our God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God" (Devarim / Deuteronomy 4:24 and Hebrews 12:29). God uses His fire to purify and cleanse the believer and also to bring devastating judgment upon the world (to the unrighteous, the wicked, the ungodly). In 2 Peter 3 the great day of the Lord is accompanied by the consuming fire of God. Examples throughout all of Scripture may be found on the judgment that comes forth from His presence being manifest as a consuming fire, for example, in Bereshit / Genesis 3:24, Adam and Chavah (Eve) were barred from the tree of life by a flaming sword which turned about every way. In Bereshit / Genesis 19:24, the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah with brimstone and fire because of their sin. Their sin was so great that God's wrath was poured out upon that place "before" the great day of the Lord as indicated in 2 Peter 3. In Egypt from the book of Exodus (9:24) the Lord rained down hail and fire mingled with hail, that if anyone was caught out in the open they died. In Vayikra / Leviticus 10:1-2, Nadav and Avihu went before the Lord with strange fire and there went fire from the Lord and consumed them. In Bamidbar / Numbers 16:35, the men of Korach raised up against God's anointed and against Moshe and they brought censors to burn incense before the Lord and it says that Fire come forth from before the Lord and consumed them. In 1 Kings 18:10-12, Elijah prayed before the people and the prophets of Baal over the altar of God and fire come down from heaven and consumed everything, including the altar and everything on it. In the Apostolic Writings, Yeshua spoke very graphically of "Hell" (Gehenna) and a fire that will never be quenched (Mark 9:34). He told parables of the rich man who died and was "in torment in this flame" (Luke 16:24). Yeshua also said on the great day of the Lord, He will say "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). The Apostle Paul wrote that Yeshua would come "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God" (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Jude mentioned, "others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire…" (Jude 1:23). John wrote, "and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:15). All of Scripture speaks of the "fire" of God that results from His judgment which proceeds from His presence in the midst of sin. In Tehillim / Psalms 17, David calls for God's judgment א תְּפִלָּה לְדָוִד שִׁמְעָה יְהֹוָה | צֶדֶק הַקְשִׁיבָה רִנָּתִי הַאֲזִינָה תְפִלָּתִי בְּלֹא שִֹפְתֵי מִרְמָה: ב מִלְּפָנֶיךָ מִשְׁפָּטִי יֵצֵא עֵינֶיךָ תֶּחֱזֶינָה מֵישָׁרִים: A Prayer of David. 17:1 Hear a just cause, O Lord, give heed to my cry; Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. 17:2 Let my judgment come forth from Your presence; Let Your eyes look with equity. (NASB) David requests for the Lord to let "his judgment" (מִשְׁפָּטִי) come forth "from his presence" (מִלְּפָנֶיךָ) without fear. The reason being, he has rested in the Lord's salvation. His prayer is made without deceitfulness and in truth. In Yeshua the Messiah, we have the salvation of God and do not need to fear the judgment of the Lord or that great day when that time comes.
David goes on to say ג בָּחַנְתָּ לִבִּי | פָּקַדְתָּ לַּיְלָה צְרַפְתַּנִי בַל-תִּמְצָא זַמֹּתִי בַּל-יַעֲבָר-פִּי: 17:3 You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. (NASB) The Lord has tested him and found nothing. The Aramaic Targum states ג בחנתא לבבי אסערתא עלי בליליא סננתא בחנת לי לא אשכחתא שחיתא חשבית בישותא בישתא לא עברת ית פומי׃ 17:3 You have tested my heart; you have visited me at night; you have purified me [and] not found corruption. [If] I thought of evil, it has not passed my mouth. (EMC) Interestingly, the rabbis translate Tehillim / Psalms 17:3 to say that the Lord testing and finding nothing, is synonymous with the Lord testing and "purifying" (בחנת) like one does to remove base-metals from silver during the refining process. David purposed that his "mouth would not transgress" or that if he had "thought of evil, it has not passed his mouth" meaning that he has not spoken evil. David has chosen to live his life based upon God's Word, this is antithetical to the ways or deeds of men whose paths are violence and pride (Tehillim / Psalms 17:4). He believes the Torah is the word of God and remaining in God's word has kept him from evil. The Apostle Paul spoke of the way in which believers are to live their lives before God in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Note that in 2 Peter, the Apostle Peter has made a reference to 1 Thessalonians 5 regarding the great "day of the Lord" and of how we are supposed to live. In context, 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul speaks on how one is to live in Christ the Messiah. Let's read the text from the Apostolic Writings.
1Λοιπὸν οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ἐρωτῶμεν ὑμᾶς καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ, ἵνα καθὼς παρελάβετε παρ' ἡμῶν τὸ πῶς δεῖ ὑμᾶς περιπατεῖν καὶ ἀρέσκειν θεῷ, καθὼς καὶ περιπατεῖτε, ἵνα περισσεύητε μᾶλλον. 2οἴδατε γὰρ τίνας παραγγελίας ἐδώκαμεν ὑμῖν διὰ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ. 3τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ ἁγιασμὸς ὑμῶν, ἀπέχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς πορνείας, 4εἰδέναι ἕκαστον ὑμῶν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σκεῦος κτᾶσθαι ἐν ἁγιασμῷ καὶ τιμῇ, 5μὴ ἐν πάθει ἐπιθυμίας καθάπερ καὶ τὰ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ εἰδότα τὸν θεόν, 6τὸ μὴ ὑπερβαίνειν καὶ πλεονεκτεῖν ἐν τῷ πράγματι τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, διότι ἔκδικος κύριος περὶ πάντων τούτων, καθὼς καὶ προείπαμεν ὑμῖν καὶ διεμαρτυράμεθα. 7οὐ γὰρ ἐκάλεσεν ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ ἀλλ' ἐν ἁγιασμῷ. 8τοιγαροῦν ὁ ἀθετῶν οὐκ ἄνθρωπον ἀθετεῖ ἀλλὰ τὸν θεὸν τὸν [καὶ] διδόντα τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ τὸ ἅγιον εἰς ὑμᾶς. 9Περὶ δὲ τῆς φιλαδελφίας οὐ χρείαν ἔχετε γράφειν ὑμῖν, αὐτοὶ γὰρ ὑμεῖς θεοδίδακτοί ἐστε εἰς τὸ ἀγαπᾶν ἀλλήλους: 10καὶ γὰρ ποιεῖτε αὐτὸ εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς [τοὺς] ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Μακεδονίᾳ. παρακαλοῦμεν δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, περισσεύειν μᾶλλον, 11καὶ φιλοτιμεῖσθαι ἡσυχάζειν καὶ πράσσειν τὰ ἴδια καὶ ἐργάζεσθαι ταῖς [ἰδίαις] χερσὶν ὑμῶν, καθὼς ὑμῖν παρηγγείλαμεν, 12ἵνα περιπατῆτε εὐσχημόνως πρὸς τοὺς ἔξω καὶ μηδενὸς χρείαν ἔχητε. 13Οὐ θέλομεν δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, περὶ τῶν κοιμωμένων, ἵνα μὴ λυπῆσθε καθὼς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ οἱ μὴ ἔχοντες ἐλπίδα. 14εἰ γὰρ πιστεύομεν ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἀπέθανεν καὶ ἀνέστη, οὕτως καὶ ὁ θεὸς τοὺς κοιμηθέντας διὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἄξει σὺν αὐτῷ. 15Τοῦτο γὰρ ὑμῖν λέγομεν ἐν λόγῳ κυρίου, ὅτι ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι εἰς τὴν παρουσίαν τοῦ κυρίου οὐ μὴ φθάσωμεν τοὺς κοιμηθέντας: 16ὅτι αὐτὸς ὁ κύριος ἐν κελεύσματι, ἐν φωνῇ ἀρχαγγέλου καὶ ἐν σάλπιγγι θεοῦ, καταβήσεται ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ, καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἐν Χριστῷ ἀναστήσονται πρῶτον, 17ἔπειτα ἡμεῖς οἱ ζῶντες οἱ περιλειπόμενοι ἅμα σὺν αὐτοῖς ἁρπαγησόμεθα ἐν νεφέλαις εἰς ἀπάντησιν τοῦ κυρίου εἰς ἀέρα: καὶ οὕτως πάντοτε σὺν κυρίῳ ἐσόμεθα. 18Ὥστε παρακαλεῖτε ἀλλήλους ἐν τοῖς λόγοις τούτοις.
According to the Scriptures, the Lord God Almighty (Our Father in Heaven), sent His Son Yeshua (the Word of God) to make atonement and bring peace between man and God. In Yeshua, because of what He has done, we are made holy, we are sanctified, and we are made righteous before God. Yeshua, upon his return to Heaven, sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in each of us, and we are convicted of sin by the holy spirit and this is because of the holiness and righteousness of God. As a result of this, we live our lives in righteousness, justice, and holiness before God here on earth, both physically and spiritually. The Word of God confirms this in our lives. This is the process through which God the Father works, through His Son, through the Holy Spirit, in our lives. Shomer Mitzvah occurs (we establish the Torah, see Romans 3:31) because the Lord dwells within us. We do not obey God, observe the mitzvot (Shomer Mitzvah), in order to reach back to heaven, to add merit to our salvation, our salvation is established in Yeshua the Messiah. The question then is if we are not living in righteousness, holiness, and justice in this life, if our lives are dominated by sin, then does such a person have a relationship with God through His Son and by the Holy Spirit that dwells within? If righteousness, holiness, and obeying God is not going on here and now in your life, then your relationship with God needs to be re-examined! David said in Tehillim / Psalms 17:5, ה תָּמֹךְ אֲשֻׁרַי בְּמַעְגְּלוֹתֶיךָ בַּל-נָמוֹטּוּ פְעָמָי: 17:5 My steps have held fast to Your paths. My feet have not slipped. (NASB) Our feet will hold fast and not slip when we take the appropriate steps to walk away from sin and with the help of the Lord God Almighty by the power of the Holy Spirit because of Yeshua the Messiah! Looking at the illustration, we have a vertical relationship with our Father in Heaven because of the Son. If our lives do not measure up horizontally on this earth, then there must be a problem somewhere in the vertical direction, and the problem is not on God's end but on ours. This is related to the passages from the Apostolic Writings and from the Psalm and the Torah text. In the Apostolic Writings we learn the Greek word used of physical uncleanness is ἀκαθαρσία (akatharsia) and for impurity is ἁγιασμός (agiasmos). ἁγιασμός (agiasmos) is translated in Hebrew as טמאה (tameh) a reference to "ritual uncleanness or defilement." Our bodies being the dwelling place of God, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, how important is ritual purity today? Have we lost the meaning of purity for our lives because of our culture or because of tradition? With regard to God's word, it is interesting that the prophet Samuel said in 1 Samuel 15:22, כב וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל הַחֵפֶץ לַיהֹוָה בְּעֹלוֹת וּזְבָחִים כִּשְׁמֹעַ בְּקוֹל יְהֹוָה הִנֵּה שְׁמֹעַ מִזֶּבַח טוֹב לְהַקְשִׁיב מֵחֵלֶב אֵילִים: 15:22 Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. (NASB) To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed God's Word is better than the fat of rams. How far should we go to obey God's Word?
God's Word is truth, a light and a lamp for our feet and to see the path with which to walk. We can have confidence that God's words are accurate, true and unerring. When followed, they guide us without fail in the paths that we need to walk. Scripture also tells us that we can be destroyed by lack of the knowledge of God and His ways (Hosea 4:6), but we will be blessed if we hear and keep the Word of God (Luke 11:28) similar to Samuel's words that obedience is better than sacrifice. We read in Hebrews 4 12Ζῶν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργὴς καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον καὶ διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας: 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (NASB) Keeping Hebrews 4:12 in mind, while studying the five books of Moshe (Torah) it is interesting that there are dual aspects to the Torah. According to the Scriptures, it can give life and it can destroy life. The word "Torah" means "instructions" this is where we obtain the origin of sin being disobedience to God's Word. 1 John 3:4 states that sin is lawlessness. In Greek, the word for lawlessness is anomia (ἀνομίαν). Nomos is the Greek word for the Hebrew word "Torah" and means "law." Lawlessness is being without the law, so sin is defined as anything that does not follow the instructions of the law. Romans 3:23 states 23τὰ γὰρ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος, τὸ δὲ χάρισμα τοῦ θεοῦ ζωὴ αἰώνιος ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NASB), all fall short of God's perfect righteousness. Try as we might, we cannot keep the instructions of the Torah perfectly at all times. As a result, the law stands in opposition to us. When we fail to keep the Torah, we are in a state of sin and the wages of sin is death according to Romans 6:23. This is the Torah's aspect of condemnation. The Lord God Almighty however does not leave us in a state of condemnation. He brings us eternal life by directing us to the Messiah (Galatians 3:24). The Torah does not give eternal life, but it leads us, directs us to our Savior. Once we are saved, our obedience to the commands of the Torah shows our love for God (see 1 John 5:3) and stores up rewards in heaven (Matthew 5:19). This is the aspect of the law that gives life, it leads us to the Messiah and then gives us a quality of life, a way of life for a holy people who are saved in the Messiah. This is how a life that has been redeemed, that has been saved, lives in obedience to the Word of the Lord. This dual aspect of the Torah, of life and of death, is paralleled to the double-edged sword. The Word of God judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). If we are in Messiah, we are safe from the condemnation of the Torah and free to walk in the way of God for quality of life, love for God, and blessings in this world and the world to come. The all-powerful sword of the living God is able to cut through every defense our enemy can raise down to the very division of bone and marrow as it says in Hebrews 4:12. When wielded by a servant of God, nothing can withstand its ability to cut straight to the core of a matter and uncover the truth. That means we must submit our lives to God and to His Word. Allow God's word to work upon our heart and our spirit. As the people of God, it is our responsibility to use His Word to discern the truth and to follow the truth. Therefore, God's Word therefore shows us things that are wrong in our lives (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Thus, the sword that David is referring to in Tehillim / Psalms 17:13 יג קוּמָה יְהֹוָה קַדְּמָה פָנָיו הַכְרִיעֵהוּ פַּלְּטָה נַפְשִׁי מֵרָשָׁע חַרְבֶּךָ: 17:13 Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him low; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword (NASB) is the Word of God.
David concludes his prayer in Tehillim / Psalms 17 saying יד מִמְתִים יָדְךָ | יְהֹוָה מִמְתִים מֵחֶלֶד חֶלְקָם בַּחַיִּים וּצְפיּנְךָ [וּצְפוּנְךָ] תְּמַלֵּא בִטְנָם יִשְֹבְּעוּ בָנִים וְהִנִּיחוּ יִתְרָם לְעוֹלְלֵיהֶם: טו אֲנִי בְּצֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶה פָנֶיךָ אֶשְֹבְּעָה בְהָקִיץ תְּמוּנָתֶךָ: 17:14 From men with Your hand, O Lord, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babes. 17:15 As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake. (NASB) In Tehillim / Psalms 11 David said ז כִּי-צַדִּיק יְהֹוָה צְדָקוֹת אָהֵב יָשָׁר יֶחֱזוּ פָנֵימוֹ: 11:7 For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; The upright will behold His face. (NASB) The judgment of the wicked comes because of the righteousness and justice of God. If we live our lives according to God's ways, according to the Scriptures, if we do good to those who persecute us and pray for those who do evil to us, then we are truly the sons of our Father in Heaven. If we leave judgment and punishment to the Lord, then our hope is truly and wholly give to Him who is able to deliver us from all troubles, our hope is truly in Yeshua God's Messiah, and our lives are truly changed purely for the glory of God. Let's pray!
The rabbinic commentary (Midrash) on Tehillim / Psalms 17 has 14 parts. Reading through this week's Midrash we will be looking at Parts 1, 3, 5, and 14. Let's begin by outlining Midrash Tehillim Chapter 17 Parts 1, 3, 5, and 14.
The משל (mashal) "the parable," goes on to explain the פתיחתא (Petihta), the rabbis speak of Balak and Balaam to explain the sacrifices of the wicked.
The נמשל (Nimshal) "expansion on the parable" expands upon the משל (mashal), the rabbis discuss what it is about the sacrifice of the wicked that the Lord does not like.
The משל (mashal) "the parable," goes on to explain the פתיחתא (Petihta), the rabbis provide parables to help understand why the Lord God Almighty is the only one who can pardon sin.
The נמשל (Nimshal) "expansion on the parable" expands upon the משל (mashal), the rabbis discuss the forgiveness of sins and the Lord God who is able to do so.
The פתיחתא (Petihta) "the homiletic introduction" to the Midrash the rabbis draw a parallel of judgment coming from the presence of God to the Sanhedrin.
The משל (mashal) "the parable," goes on to explain the פתיחתא (Petihta), the parables given by the rabbis look at judgment of God and deeds of loving kindness that provide merit with regard to the judgment of God.
The נמשל (Nimshal) "expansion on the parable" expands upon the משל (mashal), the rabbis discuss the gifts one gives to God, honoring the Lord, and appearing before the Lord in the appointed times.
The משל (mashal) "the parable," goes on to explain the פתיחתא (Petihta), the rabbis provide examples of beholding the manifest presence of God.
The נמשל (Nimshal) "expansion on the parable" expands upon the משל (mashal), the rabbis discuss how it can be that David beheld the presence of the Lord God Almighty.
Midrash Tehillim Part 1 opens (דיבור המתחיל, Dibur Hamathil) on the verse "A prayer of David. Hear the righteous, O Lord, attend unto me cry (Tehillim / Psalms 17:1)." The Midrash then states א תפלה לדוד שמעה ה׳ צדק. זהו שאמר הכתוב זבח רשעים (תועבה) [תועבת ה׳] (משלי טו ח) where rabbis say that this verse of David calling out to God to hear the righteous is to be read in light of a verse from Proverbs that speak on the sacrifice of the wicked being an abomination to the Lord. Why is the sacrifice of the wicked an abomination to the Lord? David prays asking the Lord to hear his cry, to be attentive in listening (הַקְשִׁיבָה) and give ear to his prayer, that his prayer is not done so with deceitful (מִרְמָה) lips (שִׁמְעָה יְהֹוָה | צֶדֶק הַקְשִׁיבָה רִנָּתִי הַאֲזִינָה תְפִלָּתִי בְּלֹא שִֹפְתֵי מִרְמָה). The Aramaic text states א צלותא לדוד קבל יהוה פגיעתי בעותי בצדקא אצית שבוחי תיצלי אודנך לצלותי בדלא סיפוותי ניכלא׃ 17:1 A prayer of David. Accept, O Lord, my entreaty; in righteousness hear my praise; you will incline your ear to my prayer, since my lips are without guile. (EMC) and is in agreement with the Hebrew text. David said that in his righteous acts asking the Lord to hear his prayer. Prayer can be a form of worship and praise. Throughout Scripture, especially in the Psalms, prayer is used as a form of worship and praise. How does God regard our worship today? Looking closely at Mishley / Proverbs 15:8, the Scripture says ח זֶבַח רְשָׁעִים תּוֹעֲבַת יְהֹוָה וּתְפִלַּת יְשָׁרִים רְצוֹנוֹ: 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight. (NASB) Notice how we gain some insight from the verse in Mishley / Proverbs 15:8, sacrificing and prayer are given as two examples of acts of worship. Note that the Hebrew text translates literally as "the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord and prayer of the upright is His will!" The sacrifice of the wicked is an "abomination" (תּוֹעֲבַת) and the prayer of the righteous is His "Will" (רצון). The wicked person is "He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination." (Mishley / Proverbs 28:9, ט מֵסִיר אָזְנוֹ מִשְּׁמֹעַ תּוֹרָה גַּם-תְּפִלָּתוֹ תּוֹעֵבָה:) This kind of person does not have a heart for the Lord, note that this is not someone who is specifically a "criminal" by earthly standards, but that it is someone who does not have a heart for the Lord. Accordingly there is no surprise that the Scripture in Mishley / Proverbs 28:9 goes on to say that his prayer is an abomination (תּוֹעֵבָה). In Isaiah's time, the Lord described Israel's worship saying "This people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me" (Isaiah 29:13, יג וַיֹּאמֶר אֲדֹנָי יַעַן כִּי נִגַּשׁ הָעָם הַזֶּה בְּפִיו וּבִשְֹפָתָיו כִּבְּדוּנִי וְלִבּוֹ רִחַק מִמֶּנִּי וַתְּהִי יִרְאָתָם אֹתִי מִצְוַת אֲנָשִׁים מְלֻמָּדָה:). The outward appearance of worship was present, but their hearts were not; they were insincere in coming before God and therefore He would not accept it. In the unrighteous person, God is not glorified in anything he does. The KJV states that even the "plowing of the wicked, is sin." (Mishley / Proverbs 21:4). The Hebrew text states ד רוּם עֵינַיִם וּרְחַב-לֵב נִר רְשָׁעִים חַטָּאת: using the word נִר meaning lamp or light, so the light of the wicked, their deeds, are sin. That thing that shines forth from the wicked (their light) is nothing but sin. The point is that wicked in their work, teaching, building, all that they do is done without regard to God's glory and without a sense of dependence upon Him. Those who do not acknowledge their sin, will therefore not look to the Lord God Almighty and His Messiah for salvation. In the midrash the rabbis speak of Balak and Bilaam (Balaam, בִּלְעָם) to explain the sacrifices of the wicked and how the Lord did not respond to their request that was made in the blood of bulls. Their request is made deceitfully for the purpose of harming God's people. On the other hand, David could in all honesty pray and seek the Lord because his prayer is not done so with deceitful (מִרְמָה) lips (שִׁמְעָה יְהֹוָה | צֶדֶק הַקְשִׁיבָה רִנָּתִי הַאֲזִינָה תְפִלָּתִי בְּלֹא שִֹפְתֵי מִרְמָה) or a deceitful heart. The Lord delights in the prayer of the upright. The Midrash concludes stating "Wherein do I take delight? In prayer, as the verse goes on to say, The prayer of the upright is His delight (Mishley / Proverbs 15:8)." The Lord desires to take care of His people, but we must seek Him for our help. Scripture says in 2 Chronicles 7:14-15, יד וְיִכָּנְעוּ עַמִּי אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא-שְׁמִי עֲלֵיהֶם וְיִתְפַּלְלוּ וִיבַקְשׁוּ פָנַי וְיָשֻׁבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיהֶם הָרָעִים וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁמַע מִן-הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶסְלַח לְחַטָּאתָם וְאֶרְפָּא אֶת-אַרְצָם: טו עַתָּה עֵינַי יִהְיוּ פְתֻחוֹת וְאָזְנַי קַשֻּׁבוֹת לִתְפִלַּת הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה: 7:14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 7:15 'Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. (NASB) What an awesome call and pleading from the Lord for His people to humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn for their wicked ways.
The rabbis say that only God (The Holy One blessed be He) is able to pardon sin (אמר דוד לפני הקב״ה אין אחד יכול למחול עונות אלא אתה, לפיכך כתיב מלפניך משפטי יצא) and therefore it is written to let judgment come forth from the Lord. We then read that Rabbi Levi taught on the judgment that comes forth from the Lord and the angel (messenger) of the Lord, let's read this section of the midrash.
Rabbi Levi taught, When the Holy One blessed be He, sent an angel to the children of Israel to go before them, what did He say? Behold, I send an angel before you (Shemot / Exodus 23:20), and then added, Take heed of him, and harken unto his voice; be not rebellious against him; for he will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in him (Shemot / Exodus 23:21). According to Rabbi Levi, what can My name is in him mean but that every courier angel of the Holy One blessed be He, bears a kind of seal graven in his heart. Thus Scripture, in saying The chariots of God thousands of angels; the Lord is among them (Tehillim / Psalms 68:18), implies that the name of the Holy One blessed be He, is a part of the name of each angel, as in the names of Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael.
Matthew 9:6 "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins "– then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home." (NASB) 6ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας τότε λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ, Ἐγερθεὶς ἆρόν σου τὴν κλίνην καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
Luke 5:24 "But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,"– He said to the paralytic– "I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home." (NASB) 24ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας εἶπεν τῷ παραλελυμένῳ, Σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε καὶ ἄρας τὸ κλινίδιόν σου πορεύου εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
In addition to this, following the resurrection, Yeshua gives the disciples the Holy Spirit and then he also gives them the power to forgive sins according to John 20:19-23.
19Οὔσης οὖν ὀψίας τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῇ μιᾷ σαββάτων, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων ὅπου ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. 20καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἔδειξεν τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῖς. ἐχάρησαν οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες τὸν κύριον. 21εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς [ὁ Ἰησοῦς] πάλιν, Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν: καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέν με ὁ πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς. 22καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησεν καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς, Λάβετε πνεῦμα ἅγιον: 23ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀφέωνται αὐτοῖς, ἄν τινων κρατῆτε κεκράτηνται.
If only God can forgive sins and we read that Yeshua has the ability to forgive sins, how are we to understand the meaning of the Scriptures when Yeshua says to the disciples that "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained?" How are we to understand this verse? According to the Tanach, the Lord God carries out three specific functions that only He is able to do.
He forgives sins (many references).
He heals diseases (Bamidbar / Numbers 12:9-15, Devarim / Deuteronomy 24:8-9).
Acts 3:26 'For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.' (NASB) 26ὑμῖν πρῶτον ἀναστήσας ὁ θεὸς τὸν παῖδα αὐτοῦ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν εὐλογοῦντα ὑμᾶς ἐν τῷ ἀποστρέφειν ἕκαστον ἀπὸ τῶν πονηριῶν ὑμῶν.
Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, 'We must obey God rather than men.
5:30 'The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. 5:31 'He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 5:32 'And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.' (NASB) 29ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Πέτρος καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι εἶπαν, Πειθαρχεῖν δεῖ θεῷ μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώποις. 30ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἤγειρεν Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ὑμεῖς διεχειρίσασθε κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου: 31τοῦτον ὁ θεὸς ἀρχηγὸν καὶ σωτῆρα ὕψωσεν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, [τοῦ] δοῦναι μετάνοιαν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν. 32καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν μάρτυρες τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὃ ἔδωκεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς πειθαρχοῦσιν αὐτῷ.
Acts 26:15 'And I said, 'Who are You, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 26:16 'But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 26:17 rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 26:18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.' (NASB) 15ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπα, Τίς εἶ, κύριε; ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν, Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις. 16ἀλλὰ ἀνάστηθι καὶ στῆθι ἐπὶ τοὺς πόδας σου: εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ὤφθην σοι, προχειρίσασθαί σε ὑπηρέτην καὶ μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδές [με] ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι, 17ἐξαιρούμενός σε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἰς οὓς ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω σε 18ἀνοῖξαι ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι ἀπὸ σκότους εἰς φῶς καὶ τῆς ἐξουσίας τοῦ Σατανᾶ ἐπὶ τὸν θεόν, τοῦ λαβεῖν αὐτοὺς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ κλῆρον ἐν τοῖς ἡγιασμένοις πίστει τῇ εἰς ἐμέ.
Based on the teaching of the disciples from the book of Acts, Yeshua has the ability to forgive sins and he has come to personally save his own from their iniquities. In other words, Yeshua does not merely pardon a person from his or her sins but actually grants forgiveness by saving sinners through his death and subsequent resurrection. According to the rabbis in Midrash Tehillim 17, Part 3, only God can forgive sins on earth. According to the Scriptures, the Lord God Almighty provides for each and every one of us His Word, that took bodily form to make atonement for sins on our behalf. The Midrash concludes saying that "David said to the Holy One blessed be He, Master of the universe, since there is no one other than You, who can pardon, Let my judgment come forth from Your presence." Forgiveness, mercies, grace, love, all of these things are the very nature of God Himself, He is the perfect judge, a loving and merciful God, rightly so David asks that judgment come forth from His presence.
In Midrash Tehillim 17, Part 5, the rabbis continue on the topic of judgment coming forth from the Lord stating in the דיבור המתחיל (Dibur Hamathil) "Another comment on Let my judgment come forth from Your presence." In part 5 of the midrash, the rabbis draw a parallel of judgment coming from the presence of God to the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin (סַנְהֶדְרִין) is the highest court of ancient Israel during the Second Temple Period that ruled on administrative, judicial, and religious issues. The word Sanhedrin means "sitting together" and therefore is derived the meaning of "assembly" or "council." The assembly of the Sanhedrin consisted of twenty to twenty three men appointed in every city in the land if Israel. In Mishnah Sanhedrin 1:1, the number 23 is derived from the exegesis of Bamidbar / Numbers 35:24-25, the minimum size for a community is 10 men which is derived from Bamidbar / Numbers 14:27 for the 10 spies sent into the Promised Land. The great Sanhedrin consisted of a leader called the Nasi, sometimes this position was held by the Kohen HaGadol (High Priest), a chief justice (Av Beit Din), and sixty nine general members. During the second Temple period, the Great Sanhedrin met in the Hall of Hewn Stones in the Temple in Jerusalem. The court convened every day except on the moedim and during Shabbat. The Sanhedrin is mentioned in the Apostolic Writings (in the gospels) in relation to the trial of Yeshua and in the Acts of the Apostle on the death of Stephen.
The Talmud Bavli, tractate Sanhedrin, identifies two classes of rabbinic courts called the Sanhedrin, the Great Sanhedrin (בית דין הגדול) and the Lesser Sanhedrin (בית דין הקטן). Each city in Israel could have its own lesser Sanhedrin of 23 judges, but there could be only one Great Sanhedrin of 71, which among other roles acted as the Supreme Court, taking appeals from cases decided by lesser courts. The numbers of judges were predicated on eliminating the possibility of a tie and the last to cast their vote was the head of the court. By the end of the Second Temple period, the Sanhedrin reached its pinnacle of importance, legislating all aspects of Jewish religious and political life within the parameters laid down by Biblical and Rabbinic tradition. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, the Sanhedrin was re-established in Yavneh with reduced authority. The imperial Roman government and legislation recognized it as the Palestinian Patriarchate, the ultimate authority in Jewish religious matters. The seat of the Patriarchate moved to Usha under the presidency of Gamaliel II in 80 CE. In 116 it moved back to Yavneh, and then again back to Usha. It moved in 140 to Shefaram under the presidency of Shimon ben Gamliel II, and to Beit Shearim and Sephoris in 163, under the presidency of Judah I. Finally, it moved to Tiberias in 193, under the presidency of Gamaliel III (193–230) ben Judah haNasi, where it became more of a consistory, but still retained, under the presidency of Judah II (230–270), the power of excommunication.
In Midrash Tehillim 17, Part 5, the rabbis say "And David answered, Master of the universe, You did write in Your Torah, you will take no gift (Shemot / Exodus 23:8), and the members of the Sanhedrin are afraid to take a gift from me and then pass judgment on me. But as for You, it is Your will to take a gift, and then to Let my judgment come forth from Your presence. And the proof that the Holy One blessed be He takes a gift? The verse He takes a gift out of the bosom of a wicked man to pervert the ways of judgment (Mishley / Proverbs 17:23). And what are the gifts that God takes from the wicked in this world? Repentance, prayer, and charity. Hence, David said, Let my judgment come forth from Your presence." (אמר ליה דוד רבונו של עולם כתבת בתורתך ושוחד לא תקח (שמות כג ח), והן מתייראין ממני ליקח שוחד ולדונני, אבל אתה רצונך שתקח שוחד מלפניך משפטי יצא, ומנין שהקב״ה לוקח שוחד, [שנאמר] ושוחד מחיק רשע יקח (משלי יז כג), ומה השוחד שנוטל מן הרשעים בעולם הזה, תשובה ותפלה וצדקה) A discussion proceeds that the Sanhedrin does not receive gifts because of the possibility of bribery, whereas the Lord God in heaven receives the gifts of "Repentance, Prayer, and Charity (Righteous deeds)." Are these three things considered bribes for the Lord to rule in one way or another? Is Ma'aseh HaTorah (מעשה התורה) "works of the Torah/Law" a form of bribery for God? The conclusion of part 5 of the midrash states "Another comment, By path of life in You show me the path of life, David meant the Torah, A tree of life to them that lay hold upon her (Mishley / Proverbs 3:18); by fullness of joy David meant the text of Scripture, the Mishnah, the Talmud, the traditional laws, moral lessons, subtle interpretation of Biblical laws, and the subtleties of rabbinic enactments. Nay more! You also make Your presence to shine upon me, as is said In Your presence, Finally, by pleasures in In Your right hand there are pleasures, David was referring to this world; and by for evermore he was referring to the world to come." The rabbis say that David meant by "the paths of life" he was referring to the Scriptures, the Mishnah, the Talmud, the Traditions, Moral lessons, Interpretations of the Biblical laws, and rabbinic enactments, are the pathway to life. Looking at these statements, we don't always agree upon all of the rabbinic rulings, but the important point to take away is living in obedience to God's Word (the Scriptures) is the path of life and peace before God. This is why we read the rabbis saying the Torah is the path of life, the Scriptures truly are a way of life for us! The Mishnah, the Talmud, the traditions, interpretations, enactments, etc all are part of the rabbinic way of living out the word of God in Judaism. The most important thing to remember is while living out Scripture in our lives, we do so to honor God in His word, not as a form of bribery or working of merit for justification, but being obedient to His word as the children of God and a Holy People (note 1 Samuel 15:22).
Midrash Tehillim 17, Part 14 opens with the דיבור המתחיל (Dibur Hamathil) saying "In another comment the words are read, As for me, I will behold Your presence in loving-kindness, Come and see how great is the strength of loving-kindness!" And the homiletic introduction to the Midrash (פתיחתא, Petihta) states "Merely because of the one small coin a man gives to the poor, he gets the right to behold the face of the Shekinah." How does giving a small coin to the poor give one the right to behold the face of the manifest presence of God (Shekinah)? Two scriptures from Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4 may shed some light on this question.
41Καὶ καθίσας κατέναντι τοῦ γαζοφυλακίου ἐθεώρει πῶς ὁ ὄχλος βάλλει χαλκὸν εἰς τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον: καὶ πολλοὶ πλούσιοι ἔβαλλον πολλά: 42καὶ ἐλθοῦσα μία χήρα πτωχὴ ἔβαλεν λεπτὰ δύο, ὅ ἐστιν κοδράντης. 43καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἡ χήρα αὕτη ἡ πτωχὴ πλεῖον πάντων ἔβαλεν τῶν βαλλόντων εἰς τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον: 44πάντες γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύοντος αὐτοῖς ἔβαλον, αὕτη δὲ ἐκ τῆς ὑστερήσεως αὐτῆς πάντα ὅσα εἶχεν ἔβαλεν, ὅλον τὸν βίον αὐτῆς.
1Ἀναβλέψας δὲ εἶδεν τοὺς βάλλοντας εἰς τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον τὰ δῶρα αὐτῶν πλουσίους. 2εἶδεν δέ τινα χήραν πενιχρὰν βάλλουσαν ἐκεῖ λεπτὰ δύο, 3καὶ εἶπεν, Ἀληθῶς λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἡ χήρα αὕτη ἡ πτωχὴ πλεῖον πάντων ἔβαλεν: 4πάντες γὰρ οὗτοι ἐκ τοῦ περισσεύοντος αὐτοῖς ἔβαλον εἰς τὰ δῶρα, αὕτη δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ὑστερήματος αὐτῆς πάντα τὸν βίον ὃν εἶχεν ἔβαλεν.
Here in the Gospel of Mark and Luke, the Greek word γαζοφυλάκιον is used that is translated as "treasury" in the NASB translation. The definition for the word γαζοφυλάκιον is as follows "1) a repository of treasure, especially of public treasure, a treasury It is used to describe the apartments constructed in the courts of the temple, in which the not only the sacred offerings and things needful for the service were kept, but in which the priests, etc, dwelt: Neh. 13:7; of the sacred treasury in which not only treasure but also public records were stored, and the property of widows and orphans was deposited. Josephus speaks of treasuries in the women's court of Herod's temple. In the N.T. near the treasury seems to used of that receptacle mentioned by the rabbis to which were fitted thirteen chests or boxes, i.e. trumpets, so called from their shape, and into which were put the contributions made voluntarily or paid yearly by the Jews for the service of the temple and the support of the poor." Here the word "treasury" seems to be a receptacle that was used to collect money from the people (the tithe of 10% as defined in the Torah) the purpose was that it is the responsibility of the people, according to the Torah, to help others financially and to place the money into the hands of the priesthood for the support of the priests and for assisting the poor of the land. The woman according to the text is described as a "poor widow" meaning that she was a working woman who made her living by herself having lost her husband. According to the Gospels She was not wealthy having only two copper coins and yet Yeshua describes her small gift as greater than all the monies given by those who had more wealth and gave more in terms of quality and appearance of their gift rather than from their heart. The Midrash (פתיחתא, Petihta) states "Merely because of the one small coin a man gives to the poor, he gets the right to behold the face of the Shekinah." Because the poor woman gave out of her poverty, she gave with greater faith than those who give out of wealth. The Scriptures say that "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." ESV (Matthew 6:24) The giving of the gift by the poor woman was not only a gift of finances but a gift of herself, of her time and effort to the Lord. According to Matthew 5:8, Yeshua said 8μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται. 5:8 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (NASB) (ח אַשְׁרֵי בָּרֵי לֵבָב כִּי־הֵם יֶחֱזוּ אֶת־הָאֱלׂהִים׃) In these Scriptures, Yeshua is saying that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be satisfied, the Lord God is the One who brings satisfaction. Those who are pure in heart will see God. Inner purity is the place from which righteous deeds flow. Tehillim / Psalms 24:3-5 states ג מִי-יַעֲלֶה בְהַר יְהֹוָה וּמִי-יָקוּם בִּמְקוֹם קָדְשׁוֹ: ד נְקִי כַפַּיִם וּבַר לֵבָב אֲשֶׁר לֹא-נָשָֹא לַשָּׁוְא נַפְשִׁי וְלֹא נִשְׁבַּע לְמִרְמָה: ה יִשָּׂא בְרָכָה מֵאֵת יְהֹוָה וּצְדָקָה מֵאֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעוֹ: 24:3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. 24:5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation. (NASB) The purity of the heart and the reward of a pure heart is the thirst and hunger for more and more of the righteousness of God. Because of this woman's righteous act, giving all that she had, two copper coins into the treasury, her gift was greater than all the rest because what she did was from a pure heart. The Rabbis saying in the Midrash that one small coin a man gives to the poor gives him the right to behold the face of the Shekinah, they must have been thinking on the poor who give from their poverty because of the purity and righteousness of their heart and motivation to do so because of God's command. (Think on this when observing the mitzvot!) The pure heart involves the inward commitment to seek the Lord God Almighty, this is how giving to the poor one small coin enables one to see the Shekinah glory of God. According to Yeshua in Matthew 5:8, the blessedness of the person who has a pure heart is that they will see God. Studying the Scripture we know that God is a spirit and therefore invisible to the eyes of men (John 1:18, 4:24, Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17). In Parashat Ki Tisa, the Lord instructed Moshe that he cannot see His face for no man can see God and live (Shemot / Exodus 33:20). In Parashat Yitro (Shemot / Exodus 24:9-10) the Scriptures say that Moshe, Aharon, Nadav and Avihu, and the seventy elders of Israel saw the God of Israel. And in Tehillim / Psalms 17:15 it says טו אֲנִי בְּצֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶה פָנֶיךָ אֶשְֹבְּעָה בְהָקִיץ תְּמוּנָתֶךָ: 17:15 As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake. (NASB) Seeing God and beholding His face are all connected to the purity of heart and the righteousness things that we do in the innocence and purity of heart before God. The blessedness that is attached to righteousness and the purity of heart is that a person will come to know God (to see Him) perfectly and completely. The concluding phrase of part 14 of the midrash says "Because the wicked live in prosperity in this world, even though they deny the Holy One blessed be He, and vex Him, and because the righteous suffer in this world, even though they are willing to die for the hallowing of the name of their Creator, therefore David said, I will not be of those who vex You, but of those who labor in the Torah of which it is written Justice, justice, will you follow (Devarim / Deuteronomy 16:20). Hence David said, As for me, I will behold Your presence in justice." David concludes with beholding the Lord (His presence) in justice, that is derived from the same word צדק for righteousness. The Lord revealed His righteousness and justice in bringing His son to bear our sins. This is the revelation of the Father on Heaven, that His Son Yeshua died and rose again so that we too will have the power to live in righteousness and justice before Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Praise the Lord what a wonderful God we serve! Let's pray!
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T801 General. The technical requirements in Chapter T8 shall apply where required by Chapter T2 or where referenced by a requirement in this document.
T802.1 General. Surfaces shall comply with T802.
Advisory T802.1Surfaces. The technical requirements for surfaces in T802 apply to circulation paths (T203.4.1), lift platforms (T302.5.1), ramps and bridgeplates (T303.5), wheelchair spaces (T402.2), and step treads (T504.2).
T802.2 Slip Resistant. Surfaces shall be slip resistant.
T802.3 Openings. Openings in surfaces shall not allow the passage of a sphere more than 16 mm (5/8 inch) diameter. Elongated openings shall be placed so that the long dimension is perpendicular to dominant direction of travel. Lift platforms that are folded and stowed manually, and ramps and bridgeplates that are deployed manually shall be permitted to have a cut-out in the surface 38 mm (1½ inches) maximum by 115 mm (4½ inches) maximum for the operator to grasp the surface.
T802.4 Protrusions. Protrusions on surfaces shall be permitted to be 6.4 mm (¼ inch) high maximum.
T802.5 Surface Discontinuities. Surface discontinuities shall be 6.4 mm (¼ inch) high maximum without edge treatment and 13 mm (½ inch) high maximum with beveled edge treatment. The bevel shall have a slope not steeper than 1:2 (50 percent) applied across the entire surface discontinuity.
Advisory T802.5 Surface Discontinuities. Two adjacent surfaces can have discontinuities up to 13 mm (½ inch). If the surface discontinuity is over 6.4 mm (¼ inch), a bevel with a maximum slope of 1:2 (50 percent) is required, and the bevel must blend the entire surface discontinuity with no lip.
T803 Doorway Lighting. Lighting at doorways shall comply with Table T803. Lighting shall not shine directly in the eyes of passengers when entering and exiting doorways.
T804.1 General. Handrails, stanchions, and handholds shall comply with T804.
T804.2 Edges. Edges shall be rounded.
T804.3 Cross Section. Gripping surfaces shall have a cross section complying with T804.3.1 or T804.3.2.
T804.3.1 Circular Cross Section. Gripping surfaces with a circular cross section shall have an outside diameter of 32 mm (1¼ inches) minimum and 51 mm (2 inches) maximum.
T804.3.2 Non-Circular Cross Section. Gripping surfaces with a non-circular cross section shall have a perimeter dimension of 100 mm (4 inches) minimum and 160 mm (6¼ inches) maximum, and a cross section dimension of 57 mm (2¼ inches) maximum.
T804.4 Clearance. Clearance between gripping surfaces and adjacent surfaces shall be 38 mm (1½ inches) minimum.
T804.5 Structural Strength. Handrails on lift platform surfaces shall be capable of withstanding a force of 445 N (100 pounds) applied at any point on the handrail without permanent deformation of the handrail or supporting structure.
T805.1 General. Operable parts shall comply with T805.
T805.2 Height. Operable parts shall be located 610 mm (24 inches) minimum and 1220 mm (48 inches) maximum above the vehicle floor.
T805.3 Operation. Operable parts shall be operable with one hand and shall not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate operable parts shall be 22.2 N (5 lb) maximum.
T806 Fare Collection Devices. Operable parts of fare collection devices shall comply with T805. The operable parts shall be located so that a wheelchair can approach within 255 mm (10 inches) maximum.
Advisory T806 Fare Collection Devices. Fare collection devices that incorporate smart card technology are easier for passengers with disabilities to use.


It really is. From family to friends to business, it's all about relationships. We focus all of our energy into building great ones. After all, we are in the business of starting relationships, they just happen to be between candidates and clients.


St Colman's has a strong tradition in Music. Each year, the school has participated in the St. Patrick's Day Parade, marching and playing the tin whistle and drums. We also have a school choir for mass and for First Penance, First Holy Communion, Confirmation and school events during the year. In December 2013, third and fourth classes participated in the Hallelujah Choir in City West. We also work with Laois Music Generation where students learn rhythms on the djembe drums.


SSANGYONG. Although only a minimal amount of vehicles exist within this manufacturers collection they are all well respected well-built vehicles, taking advantage of a very well designed engines like the diesel Xdi models seen below with great Diesel Tuning Results being seen from SsangYong ECU Remapping Services. We have shown in the tables below what you could expect to gain from this engine remap service.


Slim and stylish, our semi-recessed vanity units are ideal for areas where space is tight.
The universal style makes these simple yet functional units perfect for any washroom environment. Semi-recessed vanities are also the perfect specification for nursery schools and primary school washrooms, their slim style and semi-recessed basins make taps easy to reach for young children. Specify your semi-recessed vanity as a Ready Plumbed Module™, Ezeevanity™ or Panel Only vanity.
Solid Surface Solid Surface is manufactured from an advanced composition of minerals and acrylic polymer that delivers a seamless finish to vanity tops and is exceptionally hardwearing.


This entry was posted on January 17, 2019 at 10:15 pm and is filed under Literature, Mary Oliver, Other poems, Poetry.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
wow! she amazes me over and over again.
I know what you mean! She never ceases to amaze, and quietly instructs!!


In August 2013, Pure Aqua, Inc. designed and manufactured brackish water reverse osmosis devices to a major company in Dubai, UAE to treat well water. There were four BW-1.5K-140 systems each designed to produce 1,500 GPD at a feed water TDS of a maximum 5,000 ppm, it was selected from our RO-200 series and came complete with a microprocessor control panel along with SS high pressure pumps. Since the initial startup, the system has been functioning accordingly with minimal mode troubleshooting.
Brackish water reverse osmosis would work to purify water that comes from a well, lake, or river. Brackish water is typically a combination of pure water and seawater leaving in at a medium level of salinity. A medium level of salinity however, is not acceptable for consumption.
The process in which the water goes through in order to be pure is referred to as reverse osmosis. The process 'osmosis' is best described as a natural attraction for water of a lower salinity concentration to move toward water of a higher salinity concentration. Brackish water reverse osmosis takes water from a well, lake, or river and forces it against the natural tendency. In other words the system applies pressure that exceeds naturally occurring osmosis and forces water toward a lower salinity. The water is pushed through a semi porous membrane. The membrane is made up of many layers and each layer is semi porous. A semi porous comparison would be a chain linked fence. A chain linked fence would allow small things through the holes, however, large things like a person or a car would not fit through the fence. Semi porous is like a chain linked fence but on a smaller scale. The semi porous membrane will allow smaller water molecules through but not larger TDS. Next, the pure water cycles through and is available for usage. The concentrated water is discarded with as little harm to the environment as possible.
Reverse osmosis provides those who do not have consumable water with the opportunity to purify a necessity for livelihood. Totally dissolved solids (TDS) and total suspended solids (TSS) are lowered due to reverse osmosis which reflect in how many parts per million (ppm) are in your drinking water. The normal ppm for consumable water would be around 500-600, however, the majority of places around the world well exceed that with thousands of ppms making it difficult to survive. Reverse osmosis offers those who need it, pure water.
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Make a beautiful earth-tone wrap bracelet using multicolored "antiqued" glass beads in various sizes!
This bracelet kit is only available as a double wrap around the wrist.
PLEASE NOTE: Basic bracelet making video instruction is available on our YouTube channel. Please read our Tips for Success page and feel free to view the FAQ for additional details.
Check it out! We put these beads to the test for 168 hours straight (and counting!). Read about our wash/wear test here!!
*A note on colors: we take all of our photos in natural lighting at different times of the day which can cast different hues on the beads. We do minimal photo editing and do our best to show you the true colors of the beads. Check out all of the photos so you can see how different natural lighting affects the same beads.
Beads are small!! Wondering how to judge the size of materials provided in our kits? Please visit our Sizing page.


International Museum Day serves as a platform to raise public awareness of the role museums play in the development of society today, on an international level. Participation in this event is growing among museums all over the world. In 2017, more than 36 000 museums participated in the event in some 157 countries.
On Saturday 19th May, Darling Museum participated in this annual event by waiving the normal entrance fee to the museum and staging a Crafters Market. A variety of crafters displayed their crafts and showcased their skills. The following crafts were on display; quilting (Cheryl Mezzetti, Rienna Wingfield, Mary Dobson), knitting & crocheting (Maria Boonzaaier, Naomi Makumbe), butter making, weaving and spinning (Bessie Visser and team: Ragel Arries, Johanna Bruintjies, Charlotte Arries), calligraphy (Jenny Meyer), leatherwork (Gavin Weston), felting (Sharon McClure), contemporary art (Fran Sexton, Rosemary Anne), hypertufa workshop (Cathy Hall), Our sincere thanks to all the crafters who willingly gave of their time to participate in this event, and also, to those visitors who visited the museum.


text:
Narendra Modi, Joko Widodo call for peaceful resolution of maritime issues
New Delhi, Dec. 13 -- India and Indonesia on Monday jointly called for unimpeded lawful commerce and for resolving maritime disputes by peaceful means, in a move that raise the hackles of China. A joint statement issued after talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Indonesian president Joko Widodo also spoke of increasing the "frequency of defence exchanges, training and joint exercises, including among special forces" besides exploring ways to increase collaboration in joint production of equipment with technology transfer and technology assistance. Widodo is on a two-day visit to India. Its his first since taking office in 2014 despite India and Indonesia-home to the world's largest Muslim population in the world-elevating their ties to a strategic partnership in 2005. "As the world's most populous Muslim nation Indonesia stands for democracy, diversity, pluralism, and social harmony. These are also our values," Modi said in his opening remarks at a press event with Widodo in New Delhi. "Your visit allows us to impart vigour and momentum to our Strategic Partnership and shape our convergences to act as a force of peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region," Modi said. "As two large democracies and major emerging economies, we have shared economic and strategic interests," Modi said adding the two maritime neighbours had agreed to "prioritize defence and security cooperation." The prime minister said Indian companies should be encouraged "to work closely with Indonesia in the fields of pharmaceuticals, IT & software, and skill development." "As two developing countries we also decided to move on infrastructure development two-way investment flows leveraging our respective capabilities," he said. In his remarks, Widodo said "Indonesia wishes to increase trade and diversify exports to India" besides seeking increased investment cooperation from Asia's third largest economy. Analysts say Widodo wants to build stronger ties with India after overtures to China missed the mark. Relations between China and Indonesia were strained earlier this year over China's claims to almost all of the South China Sea which Indonesia contests. In June, Widodo presided over a cabinet meeting on board a warship off the Natuna Islands, in a sign of asserting sovereignty over waters in the southern reaches of the South China Sea after Beijing stated its "over-lapping claim" on nearby waters. The India-Indonesia statement on maritime cooperation speaks of commitment from the leaders of the two countries to "maintaining a maritime legal order based on the principles of international law." This is seen backing for the Indonesian position and sending a subtle message to China which has refused to abide by a July 2016 verdict by an international court in the Hague that dismissed China's claims over the South China Sea. "Both leaders recognized that India and Indonesia share common interests in ensuring maritime security and the safety of sea lines of communication. Both leaders recognized the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight on the high seas, unimpeded lawful commerce, as well as resolving maritime disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law including the UNCLOS," the statement said. The joint statement asked the defence minsters of the two countries "to explore collaboration between defence industries for joint production of equipment with technology transfer, technical assistance, and capacity building cooperation." Published by HT Syndication with permission from MINT.
Next Article Writer Corp in talks to raise structured credit from KKR and CoFriday, April 28, 2017

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Compiling Mathlink Code in Visual Studio 2010 Express LNK2019 Error I'm attempting to compile a simple C file for use with Mathematica. (Note: I did follow the rest of the instructions, creating the empty addtwotm.c file and adding addtwo.tm)
#include "mathlink.h"
extern int addtwo( int i, int j);

int addtwo( int i, int j)
{
    return i+j;
}

#if WINDOWS_MATHLINK

#if __BORLANDC__
#pragma argsused
#endif

int PASCAL WinMain( HINSTANCE hinstCurrent, HINSTANCE hinstPrevious, LPSTR lpszCmdLine, int nCmdShow)
{
char  buff[512];
char FAR * buff_start = buff;
char FAR * argv[32];
char FAR * FAR * argv_end = argv + 32;

hinstPrevious = hinstPrevious; /* suppress warning */

if( !MLInitializeIcon( hinstCurrent, nCmdShow)) return 1;
MLScanString( argv, &argv_end, &lpszCmdLine, &buff_start);
return MLMain( (int)(argv_end - argv), argv);
}

#else

int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
return MLMain(argc, argv);
}

#endif

However, on build, I get this output:
1>------ Build started: Project: addtwo, Configuration: Debug Win32 ------
1>  Performing Custom Build Tools
1>  on "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\VC\VC\bin\mprep.exe" "" -o "D:\Applications\Mathematica\SystemFiles\Links\MathLink\DeveloperKit\Windows\MathLinkExamples\addtwo\addtwo\..\addtwotm.c"
1>addtwo.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol _MLMain referenced in function _WinMain@16
1>addtwo.obj : error LNK2019: unresolved external symbol _MLInitializeIcon referenced in function _WinMain@16
1>D:\Applications\Mathematica\SystemFiles\Links\MathLink\DeveloperKit\Windows\MathLinkExamples\addtwo\Debug\addtwo.exe : fatal error LNK1120: 2 unresolved externals
========== Build: 0 succeeded, 1 failed, 0 up-to-date, 0 skipped ==========

I've followed all provided instructions from Wolfram's MathLink Developer Guide, and made sure to add "ml32i3m.lib" to Linker>Input>Additional Dependencies. Supposedly the ml32/ml64 lib files contain the information for MlMain. Any help is appreciated :)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Timer and dependancy injection I've just started with Swift and using MVVM with dependency injection.
In my ViewModel I have Timer that handles refreshing the data. I've simplified the code a little for clarity.
class ViewController: UIViewController {

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        let viewModel = ViewModel()
    }
}

class ViewModel: NSObject {

    private var timer: Timer?

    override init() {
        super.init()
        setUpTimer()
    }

    func setUpTimer() {
        timer = Timer.scheduledTimer(withTimeInterval: 30, repeats: true){_ in
            self.refreshData()
        }
    }

    func refreshData() {
        //refresh data
        print("refresh data")
    }
}

I want to use dependency injection to pass the Timer into the ViewModel so that I can control the timer when doing unit tests and make it call immediately.
So passing the Timer is pretty simple. How can I pass a Timer in to ViewModel that has the ability to call the refreshData() belonging to ViewModel. Is there a trick in Swift that allows this?
class ViewController: UIViewController {

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        let timer = Timer.scheduledTimer(withTimeInterval: 30, repeats: true){_ in
            // call refreshData() from the class ViewModel
            }

        var viewModel = ViewModel(myTimer:timer)
    }
}

class ViewModel: NSObject {

    private var timer: Timer?

    init(myTimer:Timer) {
        super.init()
        //setUpTimer()
        timer = myTimer
    }

    func refreshData() {
        //refresh data
        print("refresh data")
    }
}

I thought it might be possible using the scheduelTimer that takes a selector instead of a block but that would require using a @objc before the func refreshData() which seems clunky since I am using an Objective C feature in Swift.
Is there a nice way to achieve this?
Many Thanks,
Code

A: Conceptually, you want to decouple the implementation.  So instead of having to pass Timer to the view model, you pass some other "control" object, which guarantees to perform the operation (of calling back after a delay)
If that doesn't shout protocol, I don't know what does...
typealias Ticker = () -> Void

protocol Refresher {
    var isRunning: Bool { get }
    func register(_ ticker: @escaping Ticker)
    func start();
    func stop();
}

So, pretty basic concept.  It can start, stop and an observer can register itself to it and be notified when a "tick" occurs.  The observer doesn't care "how" it works, so long as it guarantees to perform the specified operation.
A Timer based implementation then might look something like...
class TimerRefresher: Refresher {

    private var timer: Timer? = nil
    private var ticker: Ticker? = nil

    var isRunning: Bool = false

    func register(_ ticker: @escaping Ticker) {
        self.ticker = ticker
        guard timer == nil else {
            return
        }
    }

    func start() {
        guard ticker != nil else {
            return
        }
        stop()
        isRunning = true
        timer = Timer.scheduledTimer(withTimeInterval: 30, repeats: true, block: { (timer) in
            self.tick()
        })
    }

    func stop() {
        guard let timer = timer else {
            return
        }
        isRunning = false
        timer.invalidate()
        self.timer = nil
    }

    private func tick() {
        guard let ticker = ticker else {
            stop()
            return
        }
        ticker()
    }
}

This provides you the entry point for mocking the dependency injection, by replacing the implementation of the Refresher with one you can control manually (or use a different "delaying" action, depending on your needs)
This is just a conceptual example, your implementation/needs may differ and lead you to a slightly different design, but the idea remains the same, decouple the physical implementation in some way.
An alternative would require you to rethink your design, and instead of the view model performing it's own refresh, the view/controller would take over that responsibility instead. Since that's a significant design decision, you're really only the person who can make that decision, but it's another idea

A: If I understand you correctly, you want the model to refresh every 30 seconds when running in the app, but faster for test. If so, don't inject the Timer. Inject the refresh frequency.
class ViewModel: NSObject {
    // We need something to observe and confirm that the data is fresh
    @objc dynamic var lastRefreshed: Date?

    private var timer: Timer!

    // The default frequency is 30 seconds but users can adjust that
    // The unit test uses it to inject dependency
    init(refreshFrequency: TimeInterval = 30) {
        super.init()
        timer = Timer.scheduledTimer(timeInterval: refreshFrequency, target: self, selector: #selector(refreshData), userInfo: nil, repeats: true)
    }

    @objc func refreshData() {
        lastRefreshed = Date()
        print("refreshed on: \(lastRefreshed!)")
    }
}

And your unit test:
func testModel() {
    let startTime = Date()
    let model = ViewModel(refreshFrequency: 5)

    // Test first refresh: must be within 5 - 6 seconds from startTime
    keyValueObservingExpectation(for: model, keyPath: #keyPath(ViewModel.lastRefreshed)) { (_, _) -> Bool in
        if let duration = model.lastRefreshed?.timeIntervalSince(startTime), 5...6 ~= duration {
            return true
        } else {
            return false
        }
    }

    // Test second refresh: must be within 10 - 12 seconds from startTime
    keyValueObservingExpectation(for: model, keyPath: #keyPath(ViewModel.lastRefreshed)) { (_, _) -> Bool in
        if let duration = model.lastRefreshed?.timeIntervalSince(startTime), 10...12 ~= duration {
            return true
        } else {
            return false
        }
    }

    // Wait 12 seconds for both expectations to be fulfilled
    waitForExpectations(timeout: 12, handler: nil)
}

Timer is not exact: it does not fire exactly every 5 seconds like you asked. Apple say Timer is accurate to about 50 - 100ms. Hence we cannot expect that the first refresh will happen 5 seconds from now. We must allow for some tolerances. The further out you go, the bigger this tolerance have to become.


Is your business looking to start printing custom labels in house? The LabelTac printer series is a line of industrial printers that allow you to design and print a durable label in just a few minutes. There are several models to choose from, but in this post, we will be looking at the LabelTac 4 printer, the popular entry-level system, it's features, and the advantages of choosing a LabelTac.
The LabelTac 4 is ideal for a facility that is just beginning to create custom labels or for a facility needing a mobile labeling station. The small footprint of this printer means you can create your own labeling cart that can travel around the warehouse or office. LabelTac 4 is the smallest printer of the series and considered the most budget friendly, but it should not be underestimated.
This printer is capable of printing labels ranging in height from ½-inches to 4-inches tall, and up to 40-inches long. It is also able to print up to 500 labels in a single day. You can begin and finish a labeling project in one work day! LabelTac printers use thermal transfer technology to produce extremely durable labels.
The printer heats up the LabelTac ribbon to be melted onto the supply, creating a strong bond between the label and the lettering or symbols. These labels will withstand industrial environments, both indoors and outdoors. In outdoor application, a label from a LabelTac printer is guaranteed to last up to five years in excellent condition, and even long with indoor application.
LabelTac labels are resistant to fading from UV rays, will not get scratched easily, and will not smudge or smear over time. These labels are also resistant to most industrial-grade materials including most oils and greases, aliphatic solvents, weak acids, salts, and alkalis. Furthermore, labels will last in temperatures dipping down to -40ºF and all the way up to 176ºF.
Your LabelTac 4 printer will come with a USB cable, a power cable, two swabs for cleaning the print head, an install CD with the drivers and LabelSuite software, a reference guide, and one roll of black printer to get you started.
The level of support you get when purchasing a LabelTac printer is unmatched in the industrial printing industry. You will receive a full lifetime warranty that covers parts, labor, and related shipping costs. Often times, Creative Safety Supply will provide you with a free loaner printer to minimize any downtime your facility may face. This lifetime warranty is transferrable to any new owners and is provided free of charge.
You will also have access to the LabelTac software, LabelSuite, and all future software updates. This software is full of templates and symbols making the design process simple. You can upload your own pictures and logos as well to truly get a professional grade, custom label. If you have any questions or issues regarding your printer or design software, the knowledgeable experts at Creative Safety Supply are happy to help! Your purchase of a printer guarantees lifetime support for any problems or questions that may arise.


Today: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower in the south or a thunderstorm in the early morning. Possible small hail in the early morning. Damaging winds possible near the S coast in the early morning. Winds S/SW 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the middle of the day. Overnight temperatures falling to between 3 and 9 with daytime temperatures reaching around 16.
For people in South Coastal and parts of South West and Great Southern districts.
Issued at 10:46 pm Friday, 19 April 2019.
Squally conditions over the south coast will ease Saturday morning.
A cold and unstable air mass with squally thunderstorms, heavy showers, and small hail over the south coast will ease early Saturday morning.
Squally showers and thunderstorms may produce DAMAGING winds to 100 kilometres per hour and could cause DAMAGE TO HOMES AND PROPERTY in the warning area until early Saturday morning.
DAMAGING SURF CONDITIONS may occur and could cause some BEACH EROSION during Saturday morning.
Locations which may be affected include Albany, Mount Barker, Bremer Bay, Denmark, Walpole and Windy Harbour.
The next Severe Weather Warning will be issued by 5:00 am AWST Saturday.
for the South Coastal, South East Coastal and Great Southern forecast districts.
Issued at 10:26 pm WST on Friday 19 April 2019.
is a risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to these conditions.
Belt forecast districts has been cancelled.
The next warning will be issued by 5:00 am WST Saturday.
for the period until midnight WST Saturday 20 April 2019.
For people in Eucla and South Interior districts.
Issued at 6:43 pm Friday, 19 April 2019.
Damaging winds have now eased over the Southern Interior and the eastern Eucla.
Weather Situation: A deep surface trough has moved east through the Eucla and Southern Interior during Friday, bringing gusty winds and areas of raised dust. Conditions have now eased and will continue to do so over for the remainder of Friday evening and the warning is CANCELLED.
Severe weather is no longer occurring in WA.


No, it's not Wednesday, but I've received a few requests for this song and I thought I'd share it sooner rather than later.
"Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" is long gone, but there's one gift this show gave us that keeps on giving. Their Christmas show featured an awesome jazz rendition of "O Holy Night" by musicians from New Orleans. You've really got to hear this version which has become a holiday staple for me. Enjoy.
Found you on a random Google while looking for a place to link this song into a Tweet. This is, by far, my favorite Christmas performance. The emotion, the talent, the heart and soul in this piece rings out true. Thanks for sharing.
I had this file, but lost it when my computer crashed recently. Thanks so much for posting it - it's one of the finest versions of this song I've ever heard! And as a "Studio 60" fan, I remember the episode when it aired with the scenes of New Orleans in the background - truly memorable! It gave me goosebumps!!
thanks so much - I have been looking everywhere for this.
We shared this moving performance of O Holy Night as a Christmas Eve email to many of our friends. People quickly wrote back about the power and beauty of the piece, regardless of their attitude about Christmas, or about jazz. It is such a gift, meant to be shared. I wish I had more information about the specific musicians who made it. It, and they, are treasures.
Hi. I've been looking for this song But the link seems to be dead or the song is gone, i don't know. If you can upload it again, I'd appreciate it very much. Ever since I've heard this song, sometimes I just want to go up to New Orleans and spend some time doing nothing but listening to the local talent. But I'll have to wait till I can afford the plane ticket... but still it's good to see that feeling never dies..
Thank you so much! Somehow we lost it when we switched computers a couple of years ago. I, also, loved that episode & especially the song. I thought it might be lost forever!


text:
@class NSString;

@interface Mobile : WXPBGeneratedMessage
{
}

+ (void)initialize;

// Remaining properties
@property(retain, nonatomic) NSString *v; // @dynamic v;

@end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


We cannot wait to celebrate Krishna's birth anniversary with you this weekend (16 – 18 August). On Monday, 18 August, we worship our beloved Srila Prabhupada, the founder and acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. His devotion, conviction and determination has paved the way for vibrant festivals like our Janmashtami celebration. You can join us in veneration to Srila Prabhupada the real hero, who has changed the course of history by his pure love.
Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple's Janmashtami festival official kick off is on Saturday at 2pm on the main stage with the exciting new feature: The Janmastami Talent Contest. We have over 100 contestants eager to offer their talent for Krishna's pleasure and we warmly invite you to come and cheer them on. You can look forward to drama, dance, music, scripture recitation and poetry.
The Kids' Tent opens at 2pm.
This is a new addition to this year's line-up. Young ones will go on a magical adventure with a Gopi.
Please note that children MUST be accompanied by an adult for ALL kids activities.
In the mood of festivities, we have also arranged a spiritual market where you can find devotional literature; prasada snacks and treats; focus on Temple projects like Take Care of Krishna, Temple Restoration, Food For Life and how to join our Divine Network (social media); devotional apparel and paraphernalia and the exciting maha (jewellery that once belonged to the Deities) jewellery sale. We encourage you walk through our market at your leisure. Keep your eye out for the Srimad Bhagavatam special at the book store. You can get a full set (18 volumes) of this "spotless purana" for only R2108.
8:00am Darshan of Sri Sri Radha Radhanath in Their second new outfit.
12:00am Arati & Darshan of Sri Sri Radha Radhanath in Their third new outfit.
* Please note that the programme is subject to change.
8:00am Darshan of Sri Sri Radha Radhanath in Their new outfit.
We will miss His Grace Shyamlal Prabhu, who for many years took great joy and pride in artistically arranging the many offerings to Srila Prabhupada. He trained a few fortunate devotees how to arrange the bhoga in the four categories as described in the Gurvastaka, a song that glorifies the spiritual master.


Today I want to tell you about the new program that appeared online Eurex Trade (eurextrade.com) Due to the Who is information the domain name was registered on 27/12/2007 and paid till 27/12/2015. Looks like this domain name was bought a long time a go. EurexTrade was established in 2002. It was primarily built to provide Eurex direct market access (DMA) to corporate clients and businesses. The investment program has began offering its services to the public since December of 2007.
Now I want to describe investment plans of Eurex Trade. There are four investment plans which you may use to increase your budged.
Paying only on business days.
The Eurex Trade has great security features. The DDoS Protection hosting at Staminus Communications. Location of server US CA Fullerton, 92832 502 S. Harbor Blvd. SSL belonds to GeoTrust.
The design is quite simple anyway informational structure of the site really helps a lot.


We are offering a modern design of complex care facility located in lovely Jagodina Hill (Serbia) , and home to 52 residents. We provide exceptional care & service in a home-like setting by focusing on quality, safety & accountability, we value residents first along with working together, learning and innovation.
The added Wing Club Apartments **** ( www.wingclub.rs ) will provide homes for residents referred to and funded by Interior Health Authority as well as creating opportunity for a few private pay residents to join the Haven Hill home. Please contact the Administrator with detailed questions on access to additional space.


text:
Експірмо́н () — муніципалітет у Франції, у регіоні Нова Аквітанія, департамент Приморська Шаранта. Населення —  осіб (2011).

Муніципалітет розташований на відстані близько 450 км на південний захід від Парижа, 150 км на південь від Пуатьє, 115 км на південний схід від Ла-Рошель.

Демографія

Розподіл населення за віком та статтю (2006):

Економіка

Сусідні муніципалітети

Посилання

 [ Розташування муніципалітету Експірмон на мапі Франції та сусідні муніципалітети]

Див. також
 Список муніципалітетів департаменту Приморська Шаранта

Примітки

Муніципалітети департаменту Приморська Шаранта

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Corn Mazes Around Washington, DC!
Nothing says autumn like exploring a winding corn maze with your family. District Of Columbia's corn mazes are the perfect way to celebrate fall weather. What are you waiting for? Check out some of the great corn mazes near Washington!
Looking for more? Check out our extensive collection of Corn Mazes across District of Columbia and the US!
Hunting for Halloween events in Washington, DC like trick or treating, trunk or treating, haunted houses, ghost tours and more? We've got you covered.
In need of a jack-o'-lantern? Check out our collection of pumpkin patches, farms, and stands near Washington, DC.
Find District Of Columbia Corn Mazes!
So grab the kids and get ready to "lend an ear" [and your feet] - to the nearest District Of Columbia corn maze.


Abidjan was largely quiet and peaceful on Sunday (30 October) when there was a visibly low turnout in Ivory Coast's constitutional referendum following a short campaign for changes the president said will help end years of unrest. Voters were asked to approve a draft constitution containing provisions that the opposition contended will significantly strengthen the power of the presidency, with one of the proposed modification effectively scrapping a clause that sets 75 as the age limit to be able to run for president. Led by 74-year-old President Alassane Ouattara and the ruling coalition, the 'Yes' camp campaign kicked off last week, while Human Rights Watch claimed opposition parties' ability to explain their position to the public during their 'No' campaign had been "severely undermined". Violence was reported in between 100 and 150 polling stations out of the nations' 10,000. In some cases, stations were held up by young men with knives and ballot boxes were taken away, while others were attacked with men armed with clubs and machetes, according to Reuters. Overall, however, the issues lay with the process, participation and inclusiveness rather than the violence.
Full Article: Ivory Coast: A referendum vote mirred by a low turnout and machete attacks.


text:
Q: Closed and Open set clarification Why is $[a,\infty)$ both closed and open in the lower limit topology $\mathbb{R}_l$, actually I do get why it is closed (because it is the complement of the open set $(-\infty, a),$ but I do not get why it is considered open.
Generally speaking if I have some set $[2,5),$ if I want to check this set is open, then do I compute its complement and see if its closed? For instance, the complement of $[2,5)$ seems to be $(-\infty,2) \cup [5,\infty)$, but I fail to see how this is closed. Could anyone give me some thorough explanation regarding this confusion? Help would be much appreciated.

A: It's open as $[a,\infty) = \bigcup_{n=0}^\infty [a+n, a+n+1)$ which is a union of open sets in the lower limit (Sorgenfrey) topology.


text:
HC at Salisbury
"1-800-273-8255" : Live Like Logic
Kaitlyn Briselli
Artists today hold more power over today's youth and young adults than some would like to admit. Many of these artist shoot to fame with a solid hit and this is equally true for artist Logic. After years of obtaining a cult following with his music, Logic's newest album Everybody topped at No.1 on the Billboard pop chart in May of this year. More recently however his song "1-800-273-8255" made it onto the top 40 Billboard Hot 100 with its strong message of positivity and encouragement.
The name of the song "1-800-273-8255" was named after the National Suicide Prevention Hotline Number. Logic himself has said that "it's the most important song I've ever wrote." According to the National Institute of Mental Health suicide claims more than 44,000 people in the United States every year. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 14 and the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 34.
Since the songs released the Hotline has reported receiving the second highest call volume in history for a day.
The chorus of the song changes by starting as one of hopelessness with "I don't wanna be alive, I don't wanna be alive, I just wanna die today, I just wanna die" before moving on to "I want you to be alive, I want you to be alive, You don't gotta die today, You don't gotta die" before reaching a turning point of "I finally wanna be alive, I finally wanna be alive, I don't wanna die today, I don't wanna die." This track also features rapper Khalid and singer, song-writer Alessia Cara.
While performing this song recently at the Video Music Awards Logic was surrounded with suicide survivors wearing the name of his song on their shirts. Logic uses the platform he has to not just promote his music but to promote the ability to live and to survive. Following his performance he had this to say :
" I just wanna take a moment right now and thank you all so much for giving me a platform to talk about something that mainstream media doesn't want to talk about. Mental health, anxiety, suicide, depression, and so much more that I talk about on this album. From racism, discrimination, sexism, domestic violence, sexual assault, and so much more. I don't give a damn if you're black, white, or any color in between. I don't care if you're Christian, you're Muslim, you're gay, you're straight. I'm here to fight for your equality. Because I believe that we are all born equal, but we are not treated equally."
Logic recognizes the struggles that many people around the world face regarding important topics like mental health, race, and sexual orientation. Taking a step farther with his message, the music video for "1-800-273-8255" features a young African-American boy struggling with his sexuality and on the brink of suicide. When asked about his choice in story Logic said " I had to ask myself, who are some of the people that struggle most? I think black people in American, young people in America, and gay people in America, so I said let's make it about a strong, young, black, high-school student who's going through hell and screw what anybody else thinks."
Logic's music is important because it allows people to be honest about not being okay and about needing to reach out for help. As someone who's struggled with their mental health it's empowering to know that there's someone out there that cares so deeply about other people's well-being. My personal happiness that comes from his music also comes from knowing that Logic was born and grew up here in Maryland.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with suicidal thought or any other crisis the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at "1-800-273-8255."
Salisbury '19
Kaitlyn is a 2019 graduate from Salisbury University. She received three Bachelor's degrees for Media Production, Linguistics, and Communications. She additonally double-minored in History as well as Gender and Sexuality Studies. As a writer she prefers to challenge herself with pieces that are painful and brutually honest, to herself and to others. She was recently accepted to the Maryland Institute College of Art in their Master's Filmmaking program. As an adult she would like to direct horror films. She/Her/Hers
5 Reasons for Going on a Social Media Cleanse
Stranger Things 3: A hit or a miss?
Self-Care Sundays
5 Tips to Get Through School Without Old Friends
Beer Isn't THAT Disgusting: 5 Beers for Beginners


text:
erpadmin@es.catapult.org.uk
Leveraging today's perspectives for tomorrow's sustainable energy solutions
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You are here: Home / Emerging technologies, low carbon solutions and recommendations for investment
Emerging technologies, low carbon solutions and recommendations for investment
By Richard Heap
It is argued that most of the options that will be deployed to help achieve the emission reduction targets for 2050 are already available. The long timeframes for energy technology R&D means that there is unlikely to be any new technology that could achieve widespread deployment to help meet the 2050 decarbonisation target.
However, there are substantial uncertainties for investment, not least because of a lack of policy clarity about which low-carbon options will be deployed, but also because of the potential impact of emerging technologies from outside of the traditional energy sector. These could reduce the costs of different options, but importantly could disrupt the existing institutional and commercial structures.
Some of the low-carbon technologies are already in use, but are not deployed on a large scale in the UK, such as heat pumps. While other technologies or solutions are currently being trialled or are at the demonstration stage, such as CCS, or widespread use of hydrogen. In other areas the thinking and supply chains have only had narrow adoption, such as design for re-use, rather than recycling.
Uncertainty about the future role of the gas network, or the market mechanisms to support heat pump deployment and the subsequent impact on the electricity networks create substantial risks for investments. Similarly for transport, new energy infrastructure will be needed to supply energy to electric or hydrogen vehicles.
But what impacts could developments in data management, communications infrastructure, manufacturing techniques and artificial intelligence have on the energy system? New ownership models for passenger cars could lead to fewer vehicles being built, but with much higher utilisation. The owner could be incentivised to make them more efficient and use new fuels, on top of having lower maintenance needs. This could be led by an 'Uber' type service, where cost reduction is important. This in turn could lead to autonomous vehicles, with people hiring them rather than owning them. Integrated with real-time traffic data these could reduce journey times and save energy. But will this lead to more car journeys or will virtual reality mean office workers do not need to leave their homes?
Peer-to-peer energy services and developments in ITC systems could change the commercial structure of the energy system, linking sources of energy to users and bypassing the traditional utility companies. The systems could maximise the utilisation of sources of energy. They could develop through existing infrastructures, but what will the market structure and regulations will be needed to enable the investment in the infrastructure? What percentage of energy will be traded through these mechanisms, but what will it mean for system resilience and how will that be funded?
ERP's work on Horizon Scanning and the Future of Utilities is exploring the potential impact of new energy system models and how they might emerge. It will also identify areas where market value could be created but the mechanisms or structures are not in place to enable them to develop.
Further work will be needed to understand how to overcome the uncertainties and ensure that investment flows to the low-carbon options and supporting infrastructure that will be important in the future.
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The ZOOM 2 is one of the world's most economical and precise fiber optic power meters delivering professional performance and a complete feature set for optical loss testing in both multimode and singlemode networks.
The ZOOM 2 is N.I.S.T. Traceable and is calibrated at four commonly used industry standard wavelengths (850, 1300, 1310, and 1550), which makes it an ideal choice for both multimode and singlemode testing.
Additionally, the ZOOM 2 is calibrated at 1490nm, making it an excellent option for measurement of FTTx PON networks.
The ZOOM 2 can store reference values for all of its calibrated wavelengths, and displays optical power as an absolute value in dBm or relative to a user set "zero" reference in dB. It has an intuitive two-button interface, with one button controlling power and wavelength selection, while the other is used to toggle between dBm, dB, and uW, as well as setting the optical reference, or "zero".
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Ssssh. Don't tell anyone, but mobile ordering from Disney theme park quick service dining locations is a huge time saver during peak meal times. By using the Disneyland App guests can order off the menu, pay ahead, and then pick up their fresh food with minimal wait.
The service recently expanded to include 20 locations across both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. The latest additions are: Edelweiss Snacks, Stage Door Café, Refreshment Corner and Royal Street Veranda.
Disneyland locations – Bengal Barbecue, Galactic Grill, Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor, Hungry Bear Restaurant, Jolly Holiday Bakery Café and Red Rose Taverne.
Disney California Adventure locations – Award Wieners, Clarabelle's Hand-Scooped Ice Cream, Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill, Corn Dog Castle, Flo's V8 Café, Lucky Fortune Cookery, Pacific Wharf Café, Paradise Garden Grill and Smokejumpers Grill. Order customization will be available directly on the app, including allergy-friendly offerings at select locations.
The full list of menu offerings are available at each location and Disney also offers some specials, including seasonal favorites like the Halloween Hot Dog at Refreshment Corner on Main Street, USA.


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Red Cross fire shelter at Shasta College 'can take plenty more': How to help those there
While the evacuations are big, officials say their campus is bigger.
Red Cross fire shelter at Shasta College 'can take plenty more': How to help those there While the evacuations are big, officials say their campus is bigger. Check out this story on redding.com: https://reddingne.ws/2uTAP8O
Alayna Shulman, Redding Record Searchlight Published 10:53 p.m. PT July 27, 2018 | Updated 8:42 p.m. PT Aug. 3, 2018
Evacuees from the Carr Fire listen to an update from a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection official at Shasta College's evacuation center July 27, 2018.(Photo: Alayna Shulman)Buy Photo
While evacuations continue to grow from the Carr Fire, officials say there's still more than enough room at Shasta College's sprawling Old Oregon Trail campus to fit everyone who needs shelter.
The shelter there had about 560 people as of Friday afternoon, said Kevin O'Rorke, Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Student Services at the school. That also includes livestock and smaller animals who belong to those people, and there are special accommodations for both at the school.
Still, officials said there's no need to worry that the school will run out of room.
"Shasta College is a very large college, and so the most important thing that we can get across is that we have not hit capacity," O'Rorke said. "We can take plenty more."
More: UPDATE: Carr Fire has destroyed 500 structures; grown to 48,312 acres
The campus is 337 acres, said Peter Griggs, marketing director for Shasta College.
Other shelters in the area include the ones at Crosspointe Community Church (2960 Hartnell Avenue in Redding), Weaverville Elementary School (31020 Highway 3 in Weaverville) and Grace Baptist Church (3782 Churn Creek Road in Redding).
What if you're not evacuated, but want to help those who are?
Ice, bottled water and new blankets are needed at the shelter, O'Rorke said. People who want to donate any of those items can come to the campus's south entrance and follow the signs, he said.
Meanwhile, Heath Wakelee, a volunteer and public information officer for the American Red Cross at the shelter, said the agency needs money to help fire victims, and donating at the Red Cross website to "Northern California Fire Victims" will ensure your contribution helps them specifically.
More: There's no relief in sight from the Carr Fire
Read or Share this story: https://reddingne.ws/2uTAP8O
Search for Danielle Bisnell expands to Oregon
South side of Whiskeytown closed due to mud slide danger


Happy Birthday, Tina!!! cat in a bag - Hope it's lovely and all you could wish for!!!
Happy Birthday to all our March members that I have missed!!
Hope you have a fantastic birthday on Sunday, Cat!!
Happy birthday Kittens Scare Me!
A most happy happy birthday, Cat!
Happy birthday to all March babies!
Have an amazing birthday cat in a bag !!
hope you have a great birthday Cat!
Happy Birthday to all the March babies out there, except one of you. You know which one you are.