Tsephanyah - Tsephanyah - Zephaniah Chapter 3
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NOT visit this site on Shabbat or on a
- Y-H-V-H, which
we usually pronounce as “Adonai” or “HaShem”.
*“This
is My Name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.”
Shemot - Exodus 3:15.
Although some minor alterations have been made relating to names and attributes having been corrected.
Please Note:
Verse numbers may at times vary in non Jewish Bibles.
Chapter
Three - 
)
With Rabbi Reuven Ben-Avraham.
… Teach me, Thy
way, that I may walk in Thy truth; unite my
heart to fear Thy Name. I will praise Thee, O my
Elohim, with all my heart: and I will glorify Thy Name for
evermore” Tehillim - Psalms 86:1 & 11-12 (JPS).
I believe this is where we really should be at as Torah keeping Jews, thus let us ask the question, do we really measure up to this beautiful exclamation by King Dovid? We need to remember that our beloved Creator, blessed be He, sees all, knows all our thoughts, thus we simply cannot hide in any shape or form, thus at Yom Kippur we should pour out our hearts and repent of all our wrong doings. But should we really just wait until that one day a year, I feel it should be done the very minute we know we have wronged, for He has already seen it! The sad truth is that the world is in turmoil, and surely none of us could say otherwise, for being very honest things have never been worse in a general tense as I will sadly must describe.
I am beginning with a rather sad thought, for the tragic truth is if we take a really good look at today’s world we will realise that the vast majority of this world is in a severe crisis! The truth is that the world in general has become a most sinful, if not a very evil world. All we have to do is just look at the news and we know what we will hear and see, for it will cover all the worst that is happening in our city, country and throughout the globe, for evil seems to be the way of life for so many and it is not just adults but now it is also the very young ones who are driving cars like idiots, and killing their own friends, robbing as well as murdering people.
WE should ask ourselves, “What is the real problem with human nature today”. The sad truth people these days are filled with the - I - Me, and Myself. They have become individuals that are filled with kind inclinations of the self, lust and need of self-gratification and somehow they do not care if they have to hurt others, and even if they have to kill. We need to realise beloved evil has in general become a deity of the earth and that is why sin rules the globe, and that is why we see murders on a daily basis, and what is so sad as I have already said, so many who do the killing are also among the younger generation these days. I am sure most of us are aware that there seems to be an epidemic of rape, and wife abuse these days and sadly I know for a fact that it is happening right in our very own Jewish community! The most horrid and wicked things are occurring these days at a speed so fast that the law simply cannot keep up with it!
I am so sorry that I am painting such a
shocking, but sadly a very truthful picture of this world, but
what is so sad, what I am telling you what I have been saying
also includes ‘Eretz Yisrael’! And that is one of the
great tragedies, for what should Yisrael really be according to
the Torah? 
- “A Holy Nation”, but tragically
Yisrael is so far from being that, for sadly it is no more than a
badly run ‘secular state’ and it is very far from the
land we read about in prophecy, and certainly not the restored
land which was spoken of in the Tanakh, for it has turned the
wrong way in many more ways than one!
“…
ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation”
Shemot - Exodus 19:6 (Jewish Publication Society - JPS version of
the Torah).
So, if we love our Elohim, blessed be He, how would He see this, and do you think He would bless the land, or would He prefer to destroy it? Well punishment will come for all those who will not repent, but the day must come when not just Eretz Yisrael and its people will have to change their ways and they will have to … “Return unto Me”.
“From
the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from Mine
ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto Me, and I will
return unto you, saith of hosts” Malochi -
Malachi 3:7 (JPS version of the Tanakh).
Considering the above sad situation of what is going on in the world and Yisrael, we are now going to look at a study I have entitled “Yisrael’s Passing Crisis,” which is based on what Tsephanyah has given us in this third chapter of his sefer.
But I would like to commence at the beginning,
for unlike most other prophets, Tsephanyah provided us with a
great detail of his mishpocha’s (family’s) background.
In fact, in the first verse of the book, he provided details of
his families four generations.
The Book of Tsephanyah commences with my
favourite Ivrit words (Ha) “
” - which
translates as (The) “Word (of) .”
which came unto Tsephanyah the son of Cushi,
the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of
Hezekiah” Tsephanyah - Zephaniah 1:1 (JPS version of
the Tanakh).
has treasured,” or “
protects.” It was a well-chosen name for that time.
There is no doubt that this prophet may not rival some of the
great prophets like Yeshayahu - Isaiah in sublimity, nor did he
match the eloquence and imaginative powers of
Elohim,
blessed be His Sanctified Name, is not a respecter of persons, be
they chosen or not. Thus, Elohim must and will punish the
children of disobedience, according to His Word!
.”
Tsephanyah at all times rightly sought to inspire fear of that
coming day into the hearts of his hearers and constantly appeals
for true “repentance,” in Hebrew the word is
“Te’Shuva,” which means to “Return” to
Elohim, in order for them to be redeemed, restored and be made
whole once again!
” Tsephanyah 3:12 (JPS).
“Woe
to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
She hearkened not to the voice, she received not correction; she
trusted not in , she drew not near to her Elohim. Her
princes in the midst of her are roaring lions; her judges are
wolves of the desert, they leave not a bone for the
morrow. Her prophets are wanton and treacherous persons; her
priests have profaned that which is holy, they have done violence
to the law. who is righteous is in the midst of her, He
will not do unrighteousness; every morning doth He bring His
right to light, it faileth not; but the unrighteous knoweth no
shame. I have cut off nations, their corners are desolate; I
have made their streets waste, so that none passeth by; their
cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is
no inhabitant. I said: 'Surely thou wilt fear Me, thou wilt
receive correction; so her dwelling shall not be cut off, despite
all that I have visited upon her'; but they betimes corrupted all
their doings. Therefore wait ye for Me, saith , until
the day that I rise up to the prey; for My determination is to
gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour
upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger; for all the
earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy”
Let us commence with the Hebrew word for “filthy”
which is 
- “Morah” which is also
translated as “rebellious.” What Tsephanyah was
saying is this …
“B’nei
Yisrael were rebellious against Elohim and are behaving in a
vile and an abhorrent manner.” (Paraphrased).
“Ga’al”
that also means, “defiled” or “stained.”
This same word is found in Yeshayahu - Isaiah chapter 59 Verse 3.
“For your hands are defiled (Ga’al) with
blood.”
Thus we have read that 
- “the oppressing
city.”
It is related to that word -
Ga’al, which we have we know means “defiled”
or “polluted,” however this word has another
meaning in Ivrit.
In Shemos - Exodus chapter 6, the word -
“Ga’al” is also used, however in this
chapter it is translated in a completely different way for there
it is “deliver” see the “Stone Edition and
the JPS Version.
,
and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,
and I will deliver you from their
bondage” Shemos - Exodus chapter 6: 6 (JPS).
In fact it is that in this chapter that the
word “Ga’al” appears for the very first
time in the Word of Elohim. Thus, we may ask, why then is “Ga’al
not translated in Tsephanyah” as “delivered”
or “redeemed” but rather as something completely
opposite such as “polluted” or “defiled.”
The question is how can this be?
Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name,
and we were indeed saved from the evil Egyptian’s and all
the armies that desired our elimination whilst we were in the
Wilderness. Elohim, blessed be He surrounded us with His love and
care and kept us safe!
However, when this same word is used in the
negative tense it represents a covering of evil. Thus, it is
either a covering of good or a covering of evil as
it is in Tsephanyah. Sadly, the Judeans who had gone astray
living in Jerusalem tragically had their hands
“polluted,” or “stained,” and
“covered” in blood, said Elohim, blessed be
His Sanctified Name, through His prophet Tsephanyah.
But now we come to the concluding word of verse 1, “the oppressing.” In Hebrew, it is “HaYonah.” This word is a rather strange one, for it also translates as “the Dove.”
Thus, in a sense we see
Wickedness and fleshly desires of its
inhabitants turned
However, praise be to Elohim, even during times
of great sin and evil, there were always a remnant that remained
faithful, one being the faithful prophet, Tsephanyah. Thus,
Elohim sent him to proclaim His Word and he did so without fear.
Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name,
declared in verse 6 that He has “cut off nations”
because of their horrendous sins, and that their “cities
were made desolate, without inhabitants.” Now you would
think that no stronger warning could have been given to
The question is did the people heed to this
powerful warning? Sadly, the answer is, Not in any way
whatsoever, for
“And
they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their
fathers, in their treachery which they committed against Me, and
also that they have walked contrary unto Me. I also will walk
contrary unto them, and bring them into the land of their
enemies; if then perchance their uncircumcised heart be humbled,
and they then be paid the punishment of their iniquity; then will
I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with
Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I
will remember the land … And yet for all that, when they are
in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither
will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My
covenant with them; for I am their Elohim. But I will for
their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I
brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the
nations, that I might be their Elohim: I am the ”
Vayikra - Leviticus 26:40-42, 44-45 (JPS).
“For
then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may
all call upon the name of , to serve Him with one consent.
From beyond the rivers of . The remnant of
Verse 9 states, “For then I will
restore to the peoples a pure language.” “A pure
language” is better translated as “a pure lip.”
Human lips in that day will not be contaminated by the mention of
idolatrous deities, instead “with one accord”
for Elohim is not finished with B’Nei Yisrael!
“And so all
“Oh
that the salvation of
We now come to the last seven verses of this
chapter and considering the state Elohim, blessed be
His Sanctified Name, has found His people in, here we discover
that He proves His never-ending love of His people. And even now,
when His secular people are back in the state of Israel living a
life much the same as was written in the Tsephanyah, Elohim is
still in “the midst of them” sustaining both His people
and His land.
“Sing,
O daughter of hath taken away thy
judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy; The King of Israel, even
,
is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not fear evil any more. In
that day it shall be said to thy Elohim is in the midst of
thee, a Mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over thee with
joy, He will be silent in His love, He will joy over thee with
singing.’ I will gather them that are far from the
appointed season, who are of thee, that hast borne the burden of
reproach. Behold, at that time I will deal with all them
that afflict thee; and I will save her that is lame, and gather
her that was driven away; and I will make them to be a praise and
a name, whose shame hath been in all the earth. At that time
will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather you; for I
will make you to be a name and a praise among all the peoples of
the earth, when I turn your captivity before your eyes, saith ” Tsephanyah
3:14-20 (JPS).
We may ask ourselves, “Who really won the
Six-Day War? Was it the mighty army of Elohim,
blessed be His Sanctified Name, had already declared in His Word
that;
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn” Yeshayahu - Isaiah 54:17 (JPS).
Even though his people were not living within
the way of the Torah, but Elohim is always in control of His land
and allowed things to happen when it was right, and when the
enemy was evil he would save B’Nei Yisrael! But as I made
clear at the beginning, the current State of Israel is NOT the
completed nor the intended nation of Israel of Elohim, blessed
be His Sanctified Name, for it is a terribly sinful nation and
sadly they are far removed from being Torah abiding. But the time
will come that He will make the name of Yisrael, “for I
will make you to be a name and a praise among all the peoples of
the earth” verse 20.
It is my one prayer that we all get back to the
one and only Torah, and it was written in the Five Books of
Moshe, yes there are 613 Mitzvot given. Although not all are
relevant to each and every one of us, because we are not all
priests, farmers, also many mitzvot with specific duties are
assigned for certain persons, etc. But there are all those which
are far more general and we should uphold those, and NOT those
FAKE rabbinic manmade ones! In fact they have almost destroyed
the Torah of Elohim, for they are really part of an evil plot.
Ba’ra’chu Et HaSHEM Ham’vo’rach.
Bless HaSHEM who is to blessed.
Baruch
HaSHEM
Blessed be HaSHEM, who is to be blessed forever and ever.
Ba’ruch
Ata HaSHEM Elo’hey’nu Me’lech
Ha’olam A’sher Ba’char Ba’nu
Mi’kol Ha’a’mim Ve’na’tan
La’nu Et Tora’to.
Ba’ruch
Ata HaSHEM Elo’hey’nu Me’lech
Ha’olam A’sher Na’tan La’nu
Torat E’met Ve’chai’yeh O’lam
Na’ta Be’to’che’nu.
Blessed
are You, O HaSHEM our G-d, King of the universe, who has given us
Your Word of truth, and have planted everlasting life in our
midst.
Always remember our motto seen on the logo at
the top of this page: “The More Torah, the More Life”,
for Elohim, blessed be His Sanctified Name,
is the one who gave us our Life!”
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