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| Week ending Shabbat, October 14, 2006 |
22 Tishrei, 5767 |
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Largest 'Blessings' Crowd Since Temple Mount Liberation
In record numbers, Jews gathered Monday at the Western Wall of the Temple Mount for the traditional priestly blessings. This ceremony has become a tradition ever since the liberation of the Temple Mount during the Six-Day War in 1967 and is seen as an observance of the Jewish obligation (Biblically commanded) to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Temple three times a year, on Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost) and Sukkot (Booths or Tabernacles). During the weeklong Pesach and Sukkot holidays, the ceremony is held on the second of the Hol haMoed (intermediate) days. Hundreds of Kohanim [Jews who trace their lineage to Aaron, the first High Priest] stood closest to the Western Wall to take part in the special blessings. Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch stated that Monday's priestly blessing marked the largest such gathering for prayers at the site since the first Sukkot after the Six Day War.
Police were forced to close the gates leading to the Western Wall Plaza due to its being filled to capacity by worshippers. "The blessing, however, reaches those stuck outside the plaza as well, obviously," Rabbi Rabinovitch said. He added that many of those packing the plaza were not outwardly observant. "Many secular Jews have adopted the custom of making a pilgrimage to the Western Wall on the holiday," he said.
The blessing given appears in Numbers 6:23-27:
And G-d spoke to Moses saying: Speak unto Aaron and his sons, saying, in this manner shall you bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord shine His face upon you.
May the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and grant you peace.
Meanwhile, there have been ongoing visits to the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site, throughout the week. Guided visits are being offered free of charge for those wishing to visit the permitted areas of the mount in accordance with Jewish law. National Union faction head MK Uri Ariel ascended the Temple Mount Monday morning, saying that there is special significance to completing one's pilgrimage at the actual site of the Holy Temple on the three festivals. Ascending today, even as the Holy Temple is not standing, broadcasts a message reminding the entire world and first and foremost Israeli society, that the Temple is the center and the heart of the Jewish nation," Ariel said. "And we still expect and are prepared to rebuild it."
British Historian Claims to Have Found the Temple Treasures
What could have happened to fifty tons of gold, silver and sacred treasures that had been looted from the Temple in Jerusalem following its destruction by Rome in 70 CE? The Arch of Titus in Rome clearly depicts Roman soldiers bearing the golden candelabrum, silver trumpets, and the Table of the Divine Presence which the Roman emperor Vespasian and his son Titus carted back to Rome as the spoils of war. Between 75 CE and the early fifth century, the treasure remained on public display in the Temple of Peace in Rome's Forum. Many Jews believe the Temple artifacts remain there in Rome, secretly hidden in vaults beneath the Vatican.
In a newly published book however, British historian Sean Kingsley, basing himself on untapped historical texts and new archaeological sources, argues that the treasures were removed from Rome after the Vandal invasion of 455 CE. Kingsley's book God's Gold: The Quest for the Lost Temple Treasure of Jerusalem was released the 5th of October. In it he says that the loot was first taken to Carthage in Tunisia, then to Hippo Regius in Algeria, and on to Constantinople – today known as Istanbul, Turkey, before finally being returned to the Holy Land in the mid sixth century. The treasures were ultimately hidden in the Judean wilderness, beneath the remote Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. Theodosius, 12 kilometers east of Bethlehem.
It is a plausible argument that has messianic implications. If the Temple treasures were recovered, it may well lead to the actual rebuilding of the Temple, resumption of the sacrifices, and the coming of the Messiah.
First 'Righteous Gentile' Nominated for Nobel Prize
Irena Sandlar, who is ninety-six years old, has been nominated for Nobel Prize. Holocaust survivor groups have joined the recommendation of the Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Sandler. She was a member of the Polish underground group Zegota, known for their dedicated efforts to save Jews. Sandler was recognized by the Yad Vashem Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Authority in 1965 for smuggling numerous Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto. The children were given false papers. They were then either adopted by Christian families or sent to convents. Sandler, however, recorded the real names of 2,500 children on lists that were placed in glass jars and buried, with the hope that the youngsters would eventually be returned to their families. The Gestapo arrested Sandler in October 1943. Despite being tortured, she refused to reveal the identities of the children, and was sentenced to death by a Nazi court. The underground group freed her, and she lived in hiding under an assumed identity until the end of the war. If Sandler (still a resident of Poland) is chosen for the Nobel award, it would be the first time the honor would be bestowed to a righteous Gentile. "Giving the Nobel Prize to a Righteous Gentile is a fitting response to those who still dare to deny the Holocaust," said Noah Poleg, chairman of the umbrella organization of Holocaust survivors in Israel. Poleg added that if Sandler receives the prize, it would be the first time it has been awarded in conjunction with the Holocaust.
Thousands March in Jerusalem
The 49th annual Jerusalem Sukkot march took place Tuesday with participants and supporters from all over the globe. Police estimate that about 100,000 people took to the streets in the annual march, including 30,000 tourists from abroad, and 5,000 evangelical Christians who each year attend a Sukkot celebration hosted by the International Christian Embassy to Jerusalem [ICEJ]. These numbers represent a 100 percent increase from the number of participants who marched last year. Due to the recent fighting in Gaza and in the north, the organizers had decided to dedicate this year's march to saluting the Israeli security forces and IDF soldiers who fought in the war in Lebanon and in Gaza. The evangelical Christian participation in the march was very noticeable, as 5,000 Christian believers joined the marchers and expressed their unwavering support for the State of Israel and its people.
Jews Hike Rarely-Visited Areas of Hevron Hills
Nearly a thousand young Israelis hiked from Kiryat Arba to the hilltop community of Maaleh Hever in the Hevron Hills on Wednesday. It took them about five hours. Hikers were met at the end by a vehicular convoy in which an additional 500 people took part. The goal of the hike, similar to other activities the Land of Israel Youth have planned during the Jewish holidays, was to traverse areas in which Jews have become hesitant to travel due to the threat of Arab attacks. Other places visited by the hikers were Sde Calev, the quarry at the Maaleh Hever junction, Givat Ziv (Antenna Hill) and Givat Elazar, where participants took part in a Simchat Beit HaShoeva (Water Libation) Sukkot celebration. One of the event organizers, Nadia Matar, who heads the Women in Green organization, said that to see "a river of youth marching with pride though these mountains, without fear and outside the fences, to places where only a few individuals have ventured for years, was a glorious and invigorating sight." Matar said that such actions were not merely symbolic, but are a powerful statement. "All of the Land of Israel belongs to the nation of Israel and we will march and go freely and without limitations from the authorities. We will not be silent and we will not rest until all the hilltops that we visited today grow and develop into full fledged towns."
Simchat Torah
Simchat Torah celebrates the year-long cycle of reading the Torah, the five books of Moses [the first five books of the bible]. On Simchat Torah, Jews read the very last chapter of Deuteronomy, then roll the Torah back to the beginning and read the very first chapter of Genesis in an effort to illustrate the unbroken cycle of Torah study year by year. Simchat Torah is celebrated in synagogues with exuberant dancing and is the most joyous celebration of the Jewish year.
Tour Israel for Hanukkah:
It's still not too late to join us as we explore Israel from a genuine Biblical Zionists perspective. Meet the people who are continuing the Biblical narrative in the Land today. See for yourself how ancient prophesies are being fulfilled. Discover how you too can participate in the ongoing process of Biblical Redemption. Join us for an opportunity of a lifetime, to see the real Israel from the viewpoint of those who are living the Bible today. The experience will change your life. The tour has been coordinated and will be guided by Associate Pastor Jon Klein [pictured left].
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