OrthJBC - Matthew - 23

23:1  Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach spoke to the multitudes and to his talmidim,

23:2  saying, "Upon the Kisse Moshe (Chair of Moses) sit the Sofrim and the Perushim.

23:3  Therefore, everything whatever they may tell you, be frum and be shomer, but according to their ma'asim (works) do not be shomer, for they do not practice what they preach.

23:4  And they tie up heavy [extra-Biblical, Mt.4:4; 15:3,6-9; 22:29] loads, hard to bear, and they place them upon the shoulders of men, but they, with so much as a finger, are not willing to lift the oppressive burdens. DO NOT SEEK AFTER CHASHIVUS OR A CHASHUVE POSITION IN THE KEHILLAH

23:5  And all their ma'asim hamitzvot (works of the commandments) they do in order to be seen by bnei Adam, for they their tefillin broad and lengthen their tzitziyot

23:6  and they love the places of honor at the seudot (banquet dinners), and the shuls,

23:7  and the `Shalom' greetings in the market places, and to be called by Bnei Adam, `Rebbe.'

23:8  But you are not to have pretentious titles like `Rebbe,' for One is your Rebbe [Moshiach], and all of you are achim.

23:9  And do not refer to anyone in Olam Hazeh as your `Abba,' for One is your Av sh'baShomayim.

23:10  Neither be called `Moreh Torah,' for One is your Moreh --the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.

23:11  And the greatest among you will be your mesharet (servant/ minister).

23:12  But whoever will lift up himself will be humbled, and whoever will humble himself will be lifted up.

23:13  But oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevu'im (hypocrites), for in front of bnei Adam you shut the Malchut HaShomayim. You do not go in yourselves, and the ones entering, you do not permit to enter.

23:15  Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevu'im, for you travel over the sea and the dry land for the giyyur (proselytization) of one proselyte and then, when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehinnom as you.

23:16  Oy to you, morei derech ivrim (blind guides), the, ones saying,`Whoever swears by the Beis Hamikdash, it is a worthless shevu'ah (oath): but whoever swears by the gold of the Beis Hamikdash, he is obligated.'

23:17  Iverim! (blind ones), for which is greater, the gold or the Beis Hamikdash which gives the gold its kedusha (holiness, sanctity)?

23:18  `And whoever swears by the Mizbe'ach (altar), it is worthless; but whoever swears by the korban upon it, he is obligated.'

23:19  Ivrim, blind ones, for which is greater, the korban or the Mizbe'ach which gives the korban its kedusha (holiness, sanctity)?

23:20  Therefore, the one having sworn by the Mizbe'ach swears by it and everything upon it.

23:21  And the one having sworn by the Beis Hamikdash swears by it and by everything indwelling it.

23:22  And the one having sworn by Shomayim swears by the Kisei Hashem and by the One sitting upon it. REBBE, MELECH HAMOSHIACH SPEAKS ABOUT TERUMOS (OFFERINGS) AND MA'ASROS (TITHES)

23:23  Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevu'im, for you give ma'aser (tithe) of mint and dill and cumin, and you have neglected the matters of the Torah of greater consequence: mishpat, chesed, and emunah. These things it was necessary to do and those [others] not to neglect.

23:24  Morei derech ivrim (blind guides), the ones that strain out a gnat and swallow a camel. REBBE, MELECH HAMOSHIACH DEMANDS EHRLICHE YIDEN, WITH ALL HIS TALMIDIM GLAT KOSHER (FIT, PROPER) ON THE INSIDE AND WITH HIS HECHSHER THAT EACH IS A KOSHERER YID (GOOD AND RIGHTEOUS JEW)

23:25  Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevu'im, you cleanse the outside of the kos (cup) and the dish, but inside they are full of chamdanut (greed) and ta'avanut (lust).

23:26  Blind Parush, first cleanse the inside of the kos, that perhaps also the outside may become clean.

23:27  Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevu'im, for you are like kevarim (graves) having been whitewashed which on the outside indeed appear ois vaist (ostensibly) shein (beautiful), but on the inside are full of the unclean bones of the mesim (dead ones) and every kind of unclean treifoh.

23:28  Thus on the outside you indeed appear tzodek (righteous) to bnei Adam, but on the inside you are full of tzevi'ut (hypocrisy) and you are lawlessly against the Torah.

23:29  Oy to you, Sofrim and Perushim, tzevu'im, for you build kevarim of the Nevi'im and decorate matsevot (gravestones) of the tzaddikim,

23:30  and you say, `If we were in the yamim (days) of Avoteinu (our Fathers), we would not have been chaverim (partners) with them in the dahm haNevi'im (blood of the Prophets).`

23:31  Therefore, you give edut (testimony) against yourselves that you are the banim (sons) of the ratzchaniyot (murderers) of the Nevi'im.

23:32  And you fill up the measure of your Avot.

23:33  Snakes, you yeladim of nachashim, how can you escape the Yom HaDin of Gehinnom?

23:34  For this reason--hinei!--I send to you Nevi'im and Chachamim and Sofrim, some of whom you will kill and some you will pierce al aitz (on the tree) and some you will subject to the shot (whip) in your shuls, and you will drive them out from city to city,

23:35  so that upon you may come all the dahm naki (innocent blood) shed upon the earth from the blood of Hevel to the blood of Zecharyah, * whom you murdered between the Heikhal and the Mizbe'ach.

23:36  Omein, I say to you, that all these things will come upon this generation. REBBE, MELECH HAMOSHIACH GIVES THE NEVU'AH (PROPHECY) OF THE CHURBAN (DESTRUCTION) OF THE BEIS HAMIKDASH AND THE MAKKOS (PLAGUES) OF THE ACHARIT HAYAMIM--HIS KENA (LAMENT) OVER YERUSHALAYIM

23:37  Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, the ones that kill the Nevi'im and stone those having been sent to you! How often have I wanted to gather your yeladim, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you were not willing!

23:38  Hinei! Look! KI LECHARBAHYIH' YEH HABEIT HAZEH (`for this House will become a ruin` (i.e. churban), YIRMEYAH 22:5).

23:39  For I say to you, by no means will you see me (Moshiach) from now until you say, BARUCH HABA B'SHEM ADONAI (`Blessed is the One who comes in the Name of Adonoi`).