The Rebbe wrote: ↑February 15th, 2019, 8:48 am
Ok....ready?
Before I begin this chapter by chapter, verse by verse analysis of the Book of Mormon through Hebraic eyes, let me preface it with two things:
First, I do not know if I will be able to do this with the entire book. I am exceedingly busy with synagogue business and the spiritual/emotional needs of the congregation, so I will do my best to tackle as much as I can in whatever time I have available.
Second, I will work under the assumption that the events and characters in the Book of Mormon are real and as portrayed. I am not saying I believe this, nor am I saying that I endorse this. Still, it is far simpler to work within these parameters.
Ok! Let's start. 1 Nephi 1:1:
1 I, NEPHI, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.
Name etymology: Nefi - possible from the Hebrew
נפל (Nefil) which means "tall one"?
Nephi as a scribe or keeper of Jewish histories: In ancient Israel, a scribe was an office of high prestige. Being a scribe meant that one was well instructed in the Torah-Law of Israel. Being a scribe, Nephi would have been certainly a prestigious member of his society.
In the
Jerusalem Targum, Moshe and Aharon are called the scribes of Israel. Judaism mantains that Moshe began a school of prominently faithful israelites who would have the mission of transmitting the teachings of the law. Nephi would have been a member of such ancient scribal school.
Mysteries of the Almighty: There is a word-play between the word
ספר (sofer - scribe) and the
ספירות (sefirot) which account in Judaism for the mysterious nature of G-d. Nephi was therefore very knowledgeable in the higher truths of Judaism.
2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.
Part of the role of a scribe was also to translate Torah into other languages so that the laymen in exile would understand it. The greatest known literature in Judaism are the Targums in Aramaic and the
Samaritan Targum. This role of scribe seems to be fulfilled when Nephi writes in the Egyptian language.
3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.
In Judaism, hands were used in connection to oaths. (See, for example B'reshit 24:2) By emphasizing that the writing is of his own hand, Nephi is taking an oath concerning its truthfulness.
4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the afirst year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.
Teshuvah or Repentance: The word in Hebrew for this is
שוב (shuv) which quite literally means to turn or, more interestingly, to
return. Nephi's warnings were that the people had strayed from Torah understanding and practice. Repenting in Judaism is more than a feeling. It is seeking the original way; the way of the Almighty, praised be He. Two schools of thought within Judaism defined such repentance: Some say repentance is to seek the state of the Sinai. Others define it as seeking the state of our primary existence as it was in the Garden of Eden.
5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.
Name etymology: Lehi (לחי) means "jaw".
Prayed with all his heart:
The heart in Jewish culture meant the center of one's spirituality, whether good or bad. The Jewish Midrash in
B'reshit Rabbah 67 says:
"The wicked are in the power of their heart, but the righteous have their heart in their power."
The meaning idea of Lehi praying with all his heart meant that no evil was to be found in his heart for he had overcome it.
6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.
In ancient Jewish tradition the pillar of fire symbolizes the power of G-d's word to transform. It is said that Onkelos converted many into Judaism by narrating how G-d is the pillar of fire before Israel.
7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.
8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.
9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.
From Nephi's description of the angels seen by Lehi, we can be sure that Lehi saw
כרובים (cherubim) – which in Hebrew means "the near ones". The ending "-im" in Hebrew is a masculine plural ending, but it does not always indicate the masculinity of the term.
In the ancient wisdom of Kabalah (
Zohar Terumah 2:176a), the cherubim represented the closeness between G-d and Israel. When Israel was in connection with G-d, the cherubim turned unto G-d for praise. When Israel strayed away the cherubim would rebuke the Jewish people. It comes as no surprise that it is the cherubim who send the message to Lehi.
10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.
Jewish tradition mantains that the stars are governed by the angels of heaven. The twelve cherubim mentioned by Lehi are also cited in the Book of Enoch:
"Its ceiling was like the path of stars and lightning, and between them were twelve fiery
cherubim, and their skies were as waters."
Like what is inferred from Enoch, Lehi's vision shows that such angels ruled above the stars of heaven. This is particularly revelant as Babylonian culture of Lehi's time would see the stars as governing the fate of mankind. In Lehi's vision G-d shows him how he is above and in control of the fate of Jerusalem.
11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.
Another possible word-play between
ספיר (sapir - brightness) and
ספר (sefer - book). In Judaism, it is said that the heavens contain the records of what will become of the world. Therefore, this again indicates a revelation of the fate of Jerusalem.
12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
Usually the term in Hebrew for filled in this case is
מלא (maleh) which means not only to fill, but also to confirm.
There is a clear word-play here with
מלא (fill) and
מלאך (malach - angel). The only difference between the two words is the letter
כ in its final form. This is also the first letter of the word cherub as well as the word star (
כוכב - cochav). It seems therefore that the spirit-filling of Lehi comes as a second witness to the message of the angels, as demanded by Torah-Law which requires two witnesses to establish truth.
13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem—that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.
14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!
It may sound odd to the reader that Lehi rejoiced over such news. However, in Judaism this is a rather common attitude. Ancient kabalah believes that when something evil befalls Israel it means that it's in fact such a highly elevated goodness that this world cannot comprehend it. This is why the prophets often rejoiced over that which would ultimately save Israel even if it meant suffering for a while.
15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.
16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.
The Talmud in tractate
Avodah Zarah states that dreams are 1/60th of a prophecy. Rumba (Maimonides or Moses Ben Maimon) in
Moreh Nevuchim states that, in order to achieve the level of the prophets, one must at least speak to an angel in a dream. The highest level one can achieve within prophecy without actual involvement in the prophetic events is to rebuke the people in the name of G-d. This shows how Lehi was a prominent prophet in his time.
17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an aabridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my dfather then will I make an account of mine own life.
Given that a scroll can wear out, in Judaism plates are considered to be a means in which one would only record the most sacred or precious information. To this very day Jewish prayer books are often covered by engraved plates for that very reason. An important example is the Copper Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls which contained the location of several treasures from the Temple of Jerusalem.
Jewish tradition maintains that the Law given by G-d to Moshe was carved onto tablets of pure sapphire, the same sapphire on the flag of Israel.
18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.
19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.
There's a clear word-play between גילויה (giluyah - manifestation) and גאולה (geulah - redemption). Thus Nephi seems to indicate that the manifestation of Messiah would mean the redemption of the world.
It may almost go unnoticed to the reader that one of the reasons why the Jewish people of Lehi's time may have become upset is because at the time the idea of a global redemption was not yet unanimous in Judaism. Many thought that only Israel would be redeemd and the other nations would serve them.
20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.
There is an ancient Jewish proverb that is likely to have been known by Nephi which says:
"Pray to God for mercy until the last shovelful of earth is cast upon thy grave."
Nephi's words seem to be an answer to such a proverb by turning it around and stating clearly that he would not take his prayers to his grave.
