"The deeds of the Mighty Rock are perfect!"(Deuteronomy 32:4) Tishrei 7, 5784/September 22, 2023 We all know what it's like to be given a written assignment, only to wait till the last day before completing it and handing it in. But Moshe rabbenu, (Moses our teacher) was instructed by G-d to write the song we know as Ha'azinu, only on the very last day of his life! Moshe had no time to procrastinate. Nor was this the only last minute task assigned him by G-d. But it was, in fact, the very last act of Moshe, before blessing his people and ascending Mount Nevo, where he would breathe his last and ascend to heaven. And Moshe, being Moshe, could not hold back from composing a forty three verse poem that contains great aspirations for the children of Israel, but also anticipates with prophetic certainty great plunges into the depths of forgetfulness, vanity and idolatry. Moshe calls upon heaven and earth to bear witness to his anthem of tough love for Israel: "Listen, O heavens, and I will speak! And let the earth hear the words of my mouth! My lesson will drip like rain; my word will flow like dew; like storm winds on vegetation and like raindrops on grass. When I call out the name of HaShem, ascribe greatness to our G-d. The deeds of the Mighty Rock are perfect, for all His ways are just; a faithful G-d, without injustice He is righteous and upright. Destruction is not His; it is His children's defect you crooked and twisted generation. Is this how you repay HaShem, you disgraceful, unwise people?! Is He not your Father, your Master? He has made you and established you." (Deuteronomy 32:1-6) While Moshe berates Israel for her future downfalls, there is one thing that he insists is utterly unchanging: G-d's goodness, His righteousness and justice, and His unbending eternal love for and protection over Israel. HaShem is described by Moshe as a "Mighty Rock [whose deeds] are perfect," as the "Mighty Rock of your salvation," and as "the Mighty Rock Who bore you." (ibid 32:4,15,18) If we but cling to our Rock and our Redeemer, all will be good, and we will "ride upon the high places of the earth." (ibid 32:13) But should we stray, and provoke His jealousy, His wrath will blaze, and our fate will hang in the balance. All of Moshe's predictions of Israelite iniquity boil down to this one blasphemous statement of ingratitude and derision: "Our hand was triumphant! HaShem did none of this!" (ibid 32:27) Remembering HaShem's constant presence in our lives is our greatest comfort but also our greatest challenge. How easy it is to get caught up in our own lives and its accompanying accomplishments and failures, and forget that all we do and all that we possess is by the grace of HaShem, and no other. How easy it is to grow fat with pride and rebel! How easy it is to spurn our G-d and turn our back to Him while all the while feasting on the fruits of His blessings. Moshe completed his song and "came and spoke all the words of this song into the ears of the people he and Hoshea the son of Nun. And Moshe finished speaking all these words to all Israel. And he said to them, "Set your hearts to all of the words which I bear witness for you this day, so that you may command your children to observe to do all the words of this Torah. For it is not an empty thing for you, for it is your life, and through this thing, you will lengthen your days upon the land to which you are crossing over the Jordan, to possess it." (ibid 32:44-47) And these were Moshe's final words to Israel, save from the blessings with which he blessed them just before he died. Perhaps we would have preferred a more upbeat farewell address from Moshe, but his final words pierce our heart and penetrate right to the core of our purpose here on earth: to live our lives, day in and day out, in the knowledge of HaShem. Centuries after Moshe's demise, a young King David took his last words to heart and expressed with sublime simplicity: "I have placed HaShem before me always." (Psalms 16:8) A greater lesson could not be learned as we approach the holy day of Yom Kippur. . |
Tune in to this week's Temple Talk, as Yitzchak Reuven calls on people to get ready for Yom Kippur, and looks into Ha'azinu - the song of our lives, which extols Almighty G-d - our rock & our redeemer! We are gearing up for the great day of Yom Kippur, to stand once again before HaShem Who loves us, a day of joy and anticipation, whose outcome is entirely up to us. Ha'azinu, Moshe's final song to his people, reassures us that G-d is always with us, even when we fail epically. May we only succeed in all our endeavors as we embark upon the new year! |
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Yom Kippur In The Holy Temple! Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement - the holiest day of the year! In the time of the Holy Temple, Yom Kippur is a day of intense service performed exclusively by the Kohen Gadol in the Holy Temple, for one single purpose: to achieve atonement for himself and for the entire nation of Israel. learn how Yom Kippur is observed in the Holy Temple in our beautifully illustrated feature! Yom Kippur begins Sunday evening. |
Divine justice - the good being rewarded and the bad paying the price, isn't always so crystal clear and presents a real stumbling block for many. Ha'azinu, the parasha long poem, however, harbors no doubts and emphatically insists on Divine justice, whether we perceive it or not. Ha'azinu (Deuteronomy 32:1-52)
Parashat Ha'azinu is read on Shabbat:
Tishrei 8, 5784/September 23, 2023 |
Haftara For Shabbat Parashat Ha'azinu Hoshea 14:2-10; Michah 7:18-20: "Return, O Israel, to HaShem your G-d, for you have stumbled in your iniquity. Take words with yourselves and return to HaShem. Say, "You shall forgive all iniquity and teach us the good way, and let us render for bulls the offering of our lips. Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses, nor will we say any longer, our gods, to the work of our hands, for in You, by Whom the orphan is granted mercy." |
Yom Kippur Preparations: The Kohen Gadol Reviews The Animal Offerings Another aspect of the Kohen Gadol’s preparations for Yom Kippur involved a review of the animals from which he was to offer the next day. One commentary states that he was to decide which specific animal would be most suitable for each offering. Bulls, rams and sheep would be brought before him, outside the Gate of Nikanor on the morning before Yom Kippur, “so that he would learn and become familiar with the service.” |
Yom Kippur Preparations: The Kohen Gadol Takes An Oath Before the Yom Kippur service began, the judges of the Sanhedrin would adjure the Kohen Gadol and have him swear that he would fulfill his duties properly. This ceremony took place in Beit Avtinas, above the Water Gate in the southern part of the Azara (inner courtyard). The elders said to him: “Sir, Kohen Gadol, we adjure you by He Who had His name dwell in this house [the Sanctuary is seen through the window] not to change anything of what we have told you,” and specifically not to bring the incense as the Sadducees did. |
Yom Kippur Preparations: The Kohen Gadol Studies Torah On Yom Kippur Night The Kohen Gadol (High Priest) would remain awake throughout the night of Yom Kippur, to ensure that he not become impure. He would spend the night studying and teaching Torah. The picture shows leading Jerusalem residents, as well as Torah scholars of the Sanhedrin and others, gathered together in Beit Avtinas to study with him. |
Yom Kippur Preparations: Appointing A Deputy Kohen Gadol One of the preparations just before Yom Kippur involved appointing a Deputy Kohen Gadol – someone who could fill in for the Kohen Gadol in case he became impure or otherwise unfit for the service. In this picture we see the head of the Sanhedrin introducing the Deputy to the other members. |
Yom Kippur: 7 Days Of Preparation For The Kohen Gadol The service of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, in the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple) was fully performed by one specific kohen: the Kohen Gadol (High Priest). Throughout the entire day of Yom Kippur the Kohen Gadol was completely immersed and preoccupied with the performance of his service, known as the Seder Avodah. |
Nearly 50,000 Jews Ascended The Temple Mount In 5783 "Despite increased intimidations and restrictions, tens of thousands of Jews still chose to ascend to the holiest place in Judaism." Nearly 50,000 Jews ascended the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during the Hebrew year 5783, according to the Beyadenu movement, a Temple Mount activist group that monitors Jewish visits to Judaism’s holiest site. |
Archeologists Uncover Ancient Stone Workshop Outside Jerusalem The workshop, dating back to the Second Temple period, was discovered along Road 437 between Geva Binyamin/Adam and Kfar Hizma. Israeli archeologists have discovered an ancient workshop for the manufacture of stone utensils just outside Jerusalem, the Civil Administration’s Archaeology Unit announced on Monday. |
Temple Institute Rabbi: 'Jews Came From All Of Israel To Blow The Shofar On Shabbat' Rabbi Yisrael Ariel describes how the Temple Institute brought back a practice from the Talmudic era over Rosh Hashanah.
Rabbi Israel Ariel, head of the Temple Institute, tells in a conversation with Israel National News about the unusual situation of blowing a shofar at the Temple Institute on Rosh Hashanah, which fell on Shabbat. |
Rosh Hashana : Shofar Sounded On The Temple Mount! Filmed by Arabs on Sunday, the second day of Rosh HaShana, we hear the sounding of the shofar by a Jewish worshiper walking along the eastern wall of the Temple Mount and fulfilling the single positive Torah commandment on Rosh HaShana - sounding the shofar! The shofar blower can be clearly seen at 4 seconds into the video. Immediately after blowing the shofar, the ba'al tokei'a (shofar blower) was arrested and removed by police from the Temple Mount. Is blowing the shofar on Rosh HaShana on the Temple Mount illegal? No! Why was he arrested? A very good question! |
Tzom Gedaliah - The Fast Of Gedaliah
Following their exiling of the Judean Israelites to Babylon and their destruction of the first Holy Temple, the Babylonian leadership appointed Gedaliah ben Achikam as governor over the remnant of the Jews who had remained in Judea. Upon receiving word of his appointment, Jews who had fled to Moav, Ammon and Edom, returned to Judea. Under Gedaliah ben Achikam's leadership, the local Jewish community began to replant their fields and rebuild their lives. |
Mikdash Monday - Shofar (Part 3) “And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy gathering; you shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the horn to you.” (Bamidbar 29:1) |
Shavua Tov & Shana Tova From The Temple Mount! 100's of Jews ascended and prayed on the Temple Mount on the second day of Rosh HaShana, and a shofar was also sounded on the Mount - an excellent way to begin the new year of 5784! Wishing all a shavua tov - a good week - and a very good year ahead! |
Build a House for HaShem! "Be strong and have courage! Build a House for HaShem!" In this scene from a film soon to become an integral part of the Temple Institute's Jerusalem based Visitors Center experience, the prophet Samuel charges King David with the task of building the Holy Temple! |
The Glory of this Last House Shall be Greater than the First! "The Glory of this Last House Shall be Greater than the First!" In this scene from a film soon to become an integral part of the Temple Institute's Jerusalem based Visitors Center experience, Zerubavel from the house of David and Kohen Gadol (High Priest) Yehoshua consult with the prophet Haggai who instructs them to waste no time in rebuilding the Holy Temple! |
Red Heifers Arrive In Israel! On Thursday, September 15, 2022, 5 PM, 5 perfect, unblemished red heifers arrived in Israel from the USA. A modest ceremony was held at the unloading bay of the cargo terminal at Ben Gurion airport, where the new arrivals were greeted and speeches were made by the incredible people who have put their hearts and souls and means into making this historic/prophetic day become a reality. |
Biblical Red Heifer Could Bring Million Visitors To Samaria The Ancient Shiloh heritage site will soon host a Red Heifer research center. Hundreds of visitors flocked to Shiloh in Samaria’s Binyamin region on Thursday to welcome a biblically pure red heifer. The 22-month-old cow, which was brought to Israel from the United States, found a new home at the Ancient Shiloh heritage site, where the biblical Tabernacle once stood. |
Gmar Chatima Tova - May You be Inscribed in the Book of Life - from the holy city of Jerusalem!
Yitzchak Reuven
The Temple Institute |
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