OrthJBC - Hebrews - 12

12:1  So, therefore, als (since) we have surrounding us so great an Anan Edim (Cloud of Witnesses), let us also lay aside every weighty impediment and easily ensnaring averos, and let us run with endurance and savlanut the race set before us,

12:2  fixing our gaze on the Mekhonen (Founder) of our [Orthodox Jewish] faith, and the One who makes it Shlemut--Yehoshua, who because of the simcha set before him, endured HaAitz HaMoshiach, disregarding its bushah, and YASHAV LIMIN KISSEH HASHEM ("Sat down at the right hand of the throne of G-d" Tehillim 110:1).

12:3  Let your hitbonenut (meditation) be on the One who endured such opposition from chote'im (sinners), that you may not be weary in your neshamot, losing heart.

12:4  For you have not yet resisted to the point of death al kiddush ha-Shem in your struggle against Chet;

12:5  and you have let slip from zikaron (remembrance) the dvar haChizzuk which he speaks to you as banim, MUSAR HASHEM, BNI, EL TIMAS, VAL TAKOTZ BETOKHACHTO ("My son, do not think lightly of the musar of the Hashem, do not lose heart when rebuked by him")

12:6  KI ES ASHER YE'EHAV HASHEM YOKHI'ACH YAKHIV ES BEN YIRTZEH ("for whom Hashem loves he disciplines and he punishes every Ben whom he receives"--Mishle 3:11-12; Iyov 5:17).

12:7  For you endure nisayonot for the sake of Musar. And Hashem is dealing with you as banim. For what ben is there whom an Abba does not give musar?

12:8  But if you are without musar, in which all the yeladim share, then you are not banim but mamzerim.

12:9  Furthermore, we had Avot on haAretz, who were morim that we reverenced and treated with kavod. Should we not even more subject ourselves to the Avi HaRuchot and live?

12:10  For they disciplined us for a short time, as seemed tov to them, but Hashem disciplines us for tov lanu in order that we might share in his kedusha.

12:11  All musar for the moment seems not to be na'im (pleasant), but seems to bring agmat nefesh; yet afterwards to those who have been taught by musar, it yields the p'ri haShalom and the p'ri haTzedek.

12:12  Therefore, CHAZZKU YADAYIM RAFOT UVIRKATIM KOSHLOT ("Bring chizzuk to the weak hands and the feeble knees--Yeshayah 35:3),

12:13  and make the drakhim straight for your feet, so that the ever (limb, member) which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather have refu'ah (healing). WARNING AGAINST REJECTING THE CHESED OF HASHEM

12:14  Pursue shalom with kol bnei Adam, and the kedusha without which no one will see Hashem.

12:15  See to it that no one fall short of the Chen v'Chesed Hashem; that no SHORESH (Devarim 29:19) of merirut (bitterness) sprouting up may cause tzoros, and by it many be made teme'ot;

12:16  lest someone guilty of gilui arayot (sexual immorality) or some person who is mitnaged ladat like Esav, who in exchange for one meal sold Habechorah belonging to him.

12:17  For you have da'as that even afterwards, when he desired to receive the nachalah of the berakhah, he was rejected, for he found no place for teshuva, though he sought for it with tears. DEVEKUT (ATTACHMENT TO G-D) WITH HASHEM THROUGH REBBE, MELECH HAMOSHIACH IS SUPERIOR TO ALL ELSE

12:18  For you have not come to a Har that can be touched and to a blazing Aish and to choshech and gloom and storm,

12:19  and to the blast of a shofar and the sound of dvarim, which sound was such that the ones having heard begged that no further dvar be spoken to them.

12:20  For they could not bear the mitzvah "If even a BEHEMAH" ("animal" Shemot 13:19) should touch the Har, the punishment will be seqilah (stoning).

12:21  And so fearful was the sight that Moshe Rabbeinu said "YAGORTI" ("I am afraid"--Devarim 9:19) and trembling,

12:22  but you have come to Mount Tziyon, that is, HaIr HaElohim Chayyim, to the Yerushalayim in Shomayim and to myriads of malachim in a knesset of festivity,

12:23  and to the Kehillat HaBechorim who are inscribed in Shomayim and to Hashem, the Shofet HaKol, and to the ruchot (spirits) of the tzaddim made shleimim,

12:24  and to Yehoshua, the Melitz of a Brit Chadasha and to the dahm hahazzayah (blood of sprinkling), which speaks better than the dahm haHevel.

12:25  See to it that you do not refuse the One speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who gave them warning on ha'aretz, much less shall we escape who turn away from the One whose warning comes from Shomayim.

12:26  And the bat kol of Hashem shook ha'aretz then, but now he has given havtachah (promise), saying, "Yet once more V'ANI MARISH ES HASHOMAYIM V'ES HA'ARETZ ("And I will shake the heavens and the earth." Chaggai 2:6)

12:27  Now the phrase, "Yet once more" denotes the removal of that which can be shaken, that is, created things, in order that the unshakeable may remain.

12:28  Therefore, als (since) we are receiving a malchut unshakeable, let us hold on to the Chen v'Chesed Hashem through which we may offer to Hashem, an acceptable avodas kodesh, with yirat Shomayim and chassidus.

12:29  For, indeed, Eloheinu is a consuming Aish. [Devarim 4:24; 9:3; Yeshayah 33:14)