Beginning
2 And it came about at that time that a dvar malchut (decree) was sent out from Caesar Augustus to register everyone in the entire Roman Empire.
2 This mifkad (census) was before that taken while Quirinius was governor in Syria.
3 And everyone was traveling to register, each to his own shtetl.
4 Now Yosef [ben Dovid] also went up from the Galil, from the shtetl of Natzeret, to Yehudah, to the Ir Dovid (City of David), which is called Beit-Lechem, because he was of the mishpochah and Bais of Dovid.
5 And Yosef [ben Dovid] went up to register with Miryam, who had been given to him in erusin (betrothal) and who was with child.
6 And it came about, while they were there, the yamim (days) were fulfilled for Miryam to give birth.
7 And she bore her ben, her Bechor (firstborn); and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in an evus (animal feeding trough), because there was no place for them in the malon (inn).
8 And ro’im (shepherds) were in the same region, living outside in the open air, and keeping shomer over their eder (flock) balailah.
9 And, suddenly, a malach Hashem stood before them, and the kavod Hashem shone around them; and they were afraid with a yirah gedolah (great fear).
10 And the malach said to them, Do not have pachad (fear, terror); for hinei I announce Besuras HaGeulah to you of great simcha (joy) which will be for kol Am Berit (all the People of the Covenant);
11 Because hayom, in Ir Dovid, has been born to you a Moshia (Go’el, Savior, Oisleizer), who is Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach HaAdon. [YESHAYAH 9:5(6)]
12 And this will be HaOt [The Sign] to you: you will find a small child, an infant, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in an evus. [SHMUEL ALEF 2:34; MELACHIM BAIS 19:29; TEHILLIM 86:17; YESHAYAH 7:14]
13 And, suddenly, there was with the malach a multitude of the Tzivos Hashem, the Tzivos HaShomayim (Armies or Hosts of Heaven) praising Hashem, and saying,
14 Kavod to Hashem in the Highest; and on haaretz shalom among Bnei Adam kavvanah tovah (of good intention). [YESHAYAH 9:5-6; 52:7; 53:5; MICHOH 5:4-5]
15 And it came about, when the malachim withdrew from them to Shomayim, the roim (shepherds) were saying to one another, Let us go now up to Beit-Lechem and let us see this thing that has come about which Hashem has made known to us.
16 And they came in haste and found both Miryam and Yosef [ben Dovid], and the child was lying in the evus (animal feeding trough, see Isa 53:7 on Moshiach the Seh).
17 And when the roim saw this, they made known the dvar concerning this yeled which had been told them.
18 And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the roim (shepherds).
19 But Miryam was treasuring up all these things, pondering them in her lev.
20 And the roim went back, and as they returned, they cried, Baruch Hashem! They gave kavod to G-d for all that they had heard and seen, just as it had been foretold to them.
21 And when shemonah yamim were completed for his bris milah, YEHOSHUA was given as SHMO, which he was called by the malach, before he was conceived in the womb. [ZECHARYAH 6:11-12; 3:8]
22 And when the yamim (days) for their tohorah (purification) according to the Torah of Moshe were completed, they brought him up to Yerushalayim to present him to Hashem [VAYIKRA 12:2-8; also see NUM 3 on Pidyon haben]
23 As it has been written in the Torat Hashem, KHOL ZAKHAR opening the RECHEM KODESH to Hashem [SHEMOT 13:2,12,15; BAMIDBAR 3:13]
24 And to offer a korban according to the thing having been said in the Torat Hashem, SHTEI TORIM O SHNEI BENI YONAH (a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons). [VAYIKRA 12:8]
25 And there was an ish in Yerushalayim whose shem was Shimon, a tzaddik, a chasid, awaiting the Nechamat Yisroel (Consolation of Israel), and the Ruach Hakodesh was upon him. [YESHAYAH 52:9]
26 And it had been revealed to him by the Ruach Hakodesh that he was not to see mavet until he had seen Hashem’s Moshiach.
27 And Shimon came in the Ruach Hakodesh into the courts of the Beis HaMikdash; and when the horim (parents) brought in the yeled, Yehoshua, to do concerning him the required mitzvah of the Torah [Lv 12:6-8],
28 Then Shimon took him into his arms, saying, Baruch Hashem, and the following:
29 And now, Adonoi, dismiss Your eved in shalom, according to Your dvar (word);
30 Because my eynayim have beheld the Yeshu’at Eloheinu, [YESHAYAH 40:5; 52:10]
31 Which You prepared in the presence of kol haammim (all the peoples),
32 An Ohr (Light) to give hisgalus (revelation) to the Nations and the kavod (glory) of Your Am (people), Yisroel. [YESHAYAH 42:6; 49:6]
33 And the Abba and Em of the yeled were amazed at the things being spoken about him.
34 And Shimon said a bracha over them and said to Miryam his Em, Hinei this one is destined for the michshol (stumbling) and tekumah (revival) of RABBIM [YESHAYAH 53:11-12] in Yisroel and for an Ot (Sign) that will be opposed (against which there will be mitnaggedim, opponents). [YESHAYAH 8:14; 53:3]
35 And a cherev (sword) will pierce the neshamah of you yourself also so that the machshavot of many levavot (hearts) will be revealed.
36 And there was a neviah (prophetess) named Chanah Bat Pnuel, of the shevet (tribe) of Asher. This isha (woman) was advanced in age, having lived with her baal (husband) sheva shanim (seven years) from her betulim (virginity),
37 And then to the age of eighty-four she had lived as an almanah (widow) who was not departing from the Beis HaMikdash, serving yomam valailah (day and night) with tzomot (fastings) and tefillos.
38 And at that very moment she came and stood nearby, exclaiming, Baruch Hashem. And she continued speaking about him to all the ones anticipating the Geulah (Redemption) of Yerushalayim. [YESHAYAH 40:2; 52:9]
39 And when they had been shomer mitzvot and completed everything according to the Torat Hashem, they returned to the Galil and to their own shtetl of Natzeret.
40 And the yeled continued growing and was given chozek (strength), being filled with chochmah (wisdom), and the Chen vChesed Hashem was upon him.
41 And his horim (parents) used to make aliyah leregel (pilgrimage) to Yerushalayim shanah bshanah (year by year) for Chag HaPesach (the Feast of Pesach). [SHEMOT 23:15; DEVARIM 16:1-8]
42 And when he became a bocher of twelve years of age, they made aliyah leregel (pilgrimage), as usual, according to the mitzvah and minhag of the Chag.
43 And as they were returning, having fulfilled the prescribed number of yamim (days), the bocher Yehoshua stayed behind in Yerushalayim. And his horim (parents) did not have daas (knowledge) of this,
44 But supposed him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey. And they began looking for him among the krovim (relatives) and acquaintances.
45 And, not having found him, they returned to Yerushalayim, looking for him.
46 And it came about, that after shlosha yamim (three days) they found him in the courts of the Beis HaMikdash, sitting in the midst of the rabbis, both listening to them and asking them she’elot (kashes, questions).
47 And all the ones listening to him where amazed at his binah and at his teshuvot (answers).
48 And when his horim (parents) saw him, they were astounded, and his Em (mother) said to him, Beni, why did you do thus to us? Hinei, your abba and I were anxiously looking for you.
49 And he said to them, Why is it that you were looking for me? Did you not have daas that I must be in the Beis Avi [i.e., dealing with His affairs]?
50 And they did not have binah of the dvar which he spoke to them.
51 And he went down with them, and they came to Natzeret; and he continued in mishmaat (obedience) to his horim (parents). And his Em (mother) was treasuring all these things in her lev (heart).
52 And Yehoshua kept increasing in chochmah VGADEL VATOV GAM IM HASHEM VGAM IM ANASHIM (and stature and favor with Hashem and men, SHMUEL ALEF 2:26).
3 In the shenat chamesh esreh (15th year) of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governing Yehudah, when Herod [Antipas] was tetrarch of the Galil, and when Philip the brother of Herod Antipas was tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis, and at the same time Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
2 And when, during the same historical period, Anan and Caiapha were Kohanim Gedolim, then it was that the dvar Hashem came to [the kohen-navi] Yochanan Ben Zecharyah bamidbar (in the wilderness).
3 And Yochanan went into all the surrounding region of the Yarden preaching a tevilah of teshuva for the selichat avon,
4 As it has been written in the sefer divrei Yeshayah Hanavi, KOL KOREY BAMIDBAR (A voice of one shouting in the wilderness, YESHAYAH 40:3): Prepare the Derech Hashem (the Way of the L-rd). Make his paths straight!
5 KOL GEY YINNASE VKHOL HAR VGIVAH YISHPALU (Every valley will be filled in and every mountain and hill will be leveled off), VHAYAH HEAKOV LEMISHOR VHARKHASIM LVIKAH (The crooked will be made straight, the rough paths made into smooth roads);
6 VRAU CHOL BASAR ES YESHUAT ELOHEINU (and all basar will see the salvation of our G-d). [YESHAYAH 40:3-5; TEHILLIM 98:2; YESHAYAH 42:16; 52:10]
7 Therefore, Yochanan was saying to the multitudes coming out to have the mikveh mayim’s tevilah supervised by him, You banim of nachashim, who warned you to flee from the charon af [Hashem] habah (the coming burning wrath of Hashem)?
8 Therefore, produce p’ri tov l’teshuva (fruit worthy of repentance), and do not begin to presume within yourselves, saying, We have the zechut Avot (merit of the Fathers) of Avraham Avinu, for, I say to you, that Hashem is able from these avanim (stones) to raise up banim to Avraham Avinu.
9 And already the ax is laid at the shoresh haetzim (the root of the trees). Therefore, every etz not producing pri tov is cut down and is thrown into the Eish.
10 And the multitudes were questioning him, saying, What then should we do?
11 And in reply, Yochanan was saying to them, Let the one having two kaftans share with the one having none, and let the one having okhel (food) do likewise.
12 Now came also mochesim (tax collectors) to receive the tevilah of teshuva, and they said to him, Rabbi, what should we do?
13 And Yochanan said to them, Collect nothing more than the amount having been commanded you.
14 And chaiyalim (soldiers) as well were asking him, What should we do also? And Yochanan said to them, Extort kesef from no one, and let there be no lashon hora, and be satisfied with your loin (wages).
15 As the Am [Berit] were filled with expectation, and all were wondering in their levavot (hearts) concerning Yochanan, whether perhaps he might be the Moshiach,
16 Yochanan answered everyone, saying, I give you a tevilah with a mikveh mayim, but Hu HaBah (He Who Comes, i.e., Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach) has more chozek (strength) than me; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will give you a tevilah with the Ruach Hakodesh and with Eish.
17 The winnowing fork is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the MOTZ (chaff) he will burn up with an EISH LO TIKHBEH (fire not [ever] extinguished.
18 Therefore, with many other dvarim Yochanan was exhorting them, preaching the Besuras HaGeulah to the Am [Berit].
19 Now Herod the tetrarch, when he was reproved by Yochanan about Herodias, the wife of his brother, and about all reshaim (evil) which he did,
20 Herod added this above all: he locked up Yochanan in the beit hasohar (prison).
21 And it came about while all the Am [Berit] were receiving the tevilah, and when Yehoshua also had been given the tevilah and was davening, Shomayim was opened,
22 And the Ruach Hakodesh descended in demut gashmit as a yonah upon Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach; and then came a bat kol out of Shomayim, saying, ATAH BNI AHUVI ASHER BCHA CHAFATSTI
23 And Yehoshua himself was about shaloshim shanah, at the beginning of his avodas kodesh ministry, being the ben (as it was being thought of Yosef) ben Eli,
24 Ben Mattat, ben Levi, ben Malki, ben Yannai, ben Yosef,
25 Ben Mattityahu, ben Amotz, ben Nachum, ben Chesli, ben Naggai,
26 Ben Machat, ben Mattityahu, ben Shimi, ben Yosef, ben Yodah,
27 ben Yochanan, ben Reisha, ben Zerubavel, ben Shealtiel, ben Neri,
28 Ben Malki, ben Addi, ben Kosam, ben Elmadan, ben Er
29 Ben Yehoshua, ben Eliezer, ben Yorim, ben Mattat, ben Levi,
30 Ben Shimon, ben Yehudah, ben Yosef, ben Yonam, ben Elyakim,
31 Ben Malah, ben Manah, ben Mattatah, ben Natan, ben Dovid,
32 Ben Yishai, ben Oved, ben Boaz, ben Salmon, ben Nachshon,
33 ben Amminadav, ben Admin, ben Arni, ben Chetzron, ben Peretz, ben Yehudah,
34 Ben Yaakov, ben Yitzchak, ben Avraham, ben Terach, ben Nachor,
35 ben Serug, ben Reu, ben Peleg, ben Ever, ben Shelah,
36 Ben Keinan, ben Arpachshad, ben Shem, ben Noach, ben Lemekh,
37 Ben Metushelach, ben Chanoch, ben Yered, ben Mahalalel, ben Keinan,
38 Ben Enosh, ben Shet, ben Adam, ben HaElohim.
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