"Go forth - to your seed I will give this land!"(Genesis 12:1,7) MarCheshvan 12, 5784/October 27, 2023 "And HaShem said to Avram, 'Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and you shall be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you.'" (Genesis 12:1-3) But wait, there's more! "And HaShem appeared to Avram, and He said, 'To your seed I will give this land,' and there he built an altar to HaShem, Who had appeared to him." (ibid 12:7) Anything you may hear, any screaming mob, any chanting cadre of elite university idiots, any statement, any Twitter post, any Instagram, Facebook or TikTok, or anything spoken from the lips of the General Secretary of the United Nations or the King of Jordan or the 'Supreme Leader of Iran, or anyone else on the face of the earth that contradicts, denies, derides or defies these truths, is fake news at best, and contemptible, satanic hatred at worst. Deny this truth and what are you left with? Chaos, hate, death and destruction. HaShem's promise to Avram all those thousands of years ago is nothing less than the central pillar upon which all civilization stands. Destroy that pillar and all civilization collapses into tyranny, slavery, misery and death. "And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse." Can it be any clearer? The war imposed upon Israel by the savage Palestinian Hamas terrorists of Gaza has got nothing to do with land or with alleged oppression or occupation or the illusion of a "two state solution," or any other gibberish you may hear from woke fanatics spouting their intersectionality manifesto. It has to do with whether we are going to play by G-d's rules or not. Whether we wish for blessing and life, prosperity and peace, or whether we despise all the freedom and abundance we have been blessed with and prefer to march lockstep with the thought police and purveyors of death. But all the intimidation in the world cannot rob us of the precious gift G-d gave each of us: the gift of choice. When G-d said to Avraham "Go forth" - in Hebrew, Lech lecha - an emphatic repetition of the word Lech - Go! He wasn't giving Avraham a directive, He was giving him a choice. It was an offer so great, so fantastic, so unprecedented, that Avraham could have been fully justified if he had simply replied, "No thanks." "No thanks. I'm comfortable with what I have been taught, with the belief in idolatry that rules my world, with the possessions that I have accrued over the years, with the status that I have achieved in the eyes of my idol worshiping compatriots. I think I'll stay just right where I am." But no, Avraham did not demure, not even for a second. He gathered up all that he and Sara had and made straight away for Canaan, "the land that I will show you." When given the opportunity, Avraham headed straight for the truth, straight for the promise of HaShem, straight out of darkness and straight for daylight. And because of his conviction, because of his love for and faith in HaShem, we have all been invited as his descendants, biological or spiritual, to be the beneficiaries of G-d's blessing. But the blessing doesn't come for free. We too must go forth - lech lecha! We too must, on a daily basis, over and over again, drop the idolatrous beliefs that we are constantly being fed, and all the creature comforts we can order with a simple tap of our finger, designed to bury us and ultimately suffocate us in a fairy tale of illusory luxury, and go forth, to reach out for G-d and march toward the truth. Avraham didn't have an easy life. He was tested by HaShem time and time again. G-d promised him many things, but only one thing would he enjoy in his lifetime, and that was his son through Sara, Yitzchak. And even that was not without its heartrending trials. G-d promised Avraham many things, but He did not promise him a rose garden. Nor does G-d promise us a rose garden. Being a child of Avraham is no picnic. hatred and violence is so much easier than adhering to HaShem, to His truth, to loving kindness and peace. Yet Avraham stood out for his loving kindness, for his reaching out to others. Nevertheless, when confronted with the news that his nephew Lot had been kidnapped by a warring party, he hesitated not for a second, but girded his loins, assembled together 318 of his fellow truth seekers and set out from Mamre, near Hevron all the way to Damascus to free the captives. It is not easy to be the descendants of Avraham and the benefactors of HaShem's promise that "To your seed I will give this land." Here in that very land, the land of Israel, we have been called upon, just like Avraham, to gird our loins, to assemble together, to trust wholly and unconditionally in HaShem, and to fight ruthlessly to hold on to G-d's promise. "Look at Avraham your father and at Sarah who bore you," the prophet Isaiah tells us,"for when he was but one I called him, and I blessed him and made him many." (Isaiah 51:2) We, the children of Avraham in the land of Israel, though we number in the millions, are one. Just as Avraham, we are one, united in our trust in HaShem and in His promise, whatever the odds, whatever the numbers of those set against us. Go! Go forth! Fear none but HaShem. "But you, Israel My servant, Yaakov whom I have chosen, the seed of Avraham, who loved Me, Whom I grasped from the ends of the earth, and from its nobles I called you, and I said to you, 'You are My servant;' I chose you and I did not despise you. Do not fear for I am with you; be not discouraged for I am your G-d: I encouraged you, I also helped you, I also supported you with My righteous hand. Behold all those incensed against you shall be ashamed and confounded; those who quarreled with you shall be as nought and be lost. You may seek them but not find them, those who quarrel with you; those who war with you shall be as nought and as nothing. For I, HaShem your G-d, grasp your right hand; Who says to you, 'Fear not, I help you.'" (Isaiah 41:8-13) . |
Tune in to this week's Temple Talk, as Yitzchak Reuven focuses on G-d's words to Avraham - Lech Lecha - Go Forth!, and about world war in the days of Avraham and today, and when loving kindness means fighting for it! Israel continues to pound Hamas and their supporters in Gaza, defending the land promised by G-d to Avraham, and defending the very children of Avraham to whom G-d promised the land. There comes a time in our lives and in the life of mankind when we are called upon to drop all that we have been doing and report to HaShem. Now is the time to decide: will you be among those blessed by HaShem, or will you be among the cursed? Stand by Israel and bask in the blessing! |
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Illustrated Tour Of The Holy Temple! The Temple Institute's Illustrated Tour of the Holy Temple will guide you through a complete tour of the Holy Temple and the courtyards, chambers, offices, gates and walls that made up the Holy Temple complex during the latter half of the Second Temple period. As we proceed, we will be moving slowly from the perimeter of the Temple Mount, closer and closer to the Holy Temple itself. We will enter the Temple Sanctuary where only the kohanim were permitted in Temple times. And finally, we will enter into the Holy of Holies, where only the Kohen Gadol was ever allowed to set foot! Beautifully illustrated with 100's of photos, paintings and diagrams! |
The war currently waging in and about the land of Israel has its ancient origins in this week's Torah reading. From his birth, Yishmael, the son of Avraham and Hagar, was destined to be a thorn in the sides of all the nations. Lech Lecha (Genesis 12:1 - 17:27)
Parashat Lech Lecha is read on Shabbat:
MarCheshvan 13, 5784/October 28, 2023 |
Haftara For Shabbat Parashat Lech Lecha Isaiah 40:27 - 41:16: "Why should you say, O Yaakov, and speak, O Israel, 'My way has been hidden from HaShem, and from my G-d, my judgment passes'? Do you not know - if you have not heard-an everlasting G-d is HaShem, the Creator of the ends of the earth; He neither tires nor wearies; there is no fathoming His understanding. Who gives the tired strength, and to him who has no strength, He increases strength..." |
The Temple Institute Opens Its Doors To All Evacuees The Temple Institute opens our doors to all residents of the Gaza envelope and the northern border of Israel who have had to evacuate their houses due to the security situation in Israel. You are invited to visit our Jerusalem exhibition free of charge! |
Today, The 11th Of Marcheshvan: Anniversary Of The Passing Of Rachel Imenu Today, the 11tn of MarCheshvan, is the yahrzeit (anniversary) of the passing of Rachel Imenu (our mother), beloved wife of Yaakov, who died in childbirth and was buried on the road to Beit Lechem. "And they journeyed from Beit El, and there was still some distance to come to Ephrat, and Rachel gave birth, and her labor was difficult. It came to pass when she had such difficulty giving birth, that the midwife said to her, 'Do not be afraid, for this one, too, is a son for you...'"_ (Genesis 35:16-20) |
Why The Olive Branch Is A Symbol Of Peace In times of war it is always important to remember the promise of peace. Last week we read the story of Noach and the flood. Noach, seeing that the rains had stopped and the waters had subsided, sent out a dove to determine whether dry land had reappeared: "And the dove returned to him at eventide, and behold it had plucked an olive leaf in its mouth; so Noach knew that the water had abated from upon the earth." (Genesis 8:11) |
Malchitzedek The King of Salem & Kohen to The Most High G-d Following Avram's successful military operation in which he secured the release of all the captives taken to Damascus, including his nephew Lot, Avram returns to Canaan. We are then told of a meeting between Avram and one Melchitzedek: "And Malchitzedek the king of Salem brought out bread and wine, and he was a kohen to the Most High G-d. And he blessed him, and he said, 'Blessed be Avram to the Most High G-d...'" (Genesis 14:18-20) |
Levitical Choir Performs at the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount! Last week, during the intermediate days of Sukkot, the Temple Institute's Levitical Choir joined dozens of other musical Levites in a festive performance of Psalm 27. The Temple Institute's Levitical Choir performers can be recognized by their Levitical uniforms, and, of course, the silver trumpets are those reproduced by the Temple Institute. The concert was a joint production of The Temple Institute, the East Jerusalem Development Company, the Municipality of Jerusalem, and others. |
The 5 Wooden Maltarot Have you ever wondered what were the five prominent horizontal protuberances that appear above the Temple Sanctuary entrance in depictions of the second Holy Temple? These were massive wooden beams, called maltarot. They were embedded in the thickness of the Sanctuary's stone wall. The five beams were decorated and were intended for the beautification and elevation of the House of G-d. |
"Shema Yisrael - Hear, O Israel: Hashem Is Our G-d; Hashem Is One!" A young boy sings "שמע ישראל - ה' אלקינו, ה' אחד - Hear, O Israel: HaShem is our G-d; HaShem is one!" To the Israeli troops waiting orders to enter into Gaza to crush Hamas terrorists for once and forever, and follows with the sounding of the shofar. |
Jews Outnumber Arabs On Temple Mount In order to prevent incitement on the Temple Mount, the Israel police are restricting access to Muslims from east Jerusalem only. For the first time, Israel also stationed policemen on the Temple Mount during last Friday in anticipation of the Friday Muslim prayers and the inevitable incitement that accompanies it. With the current restrictions in effect, Jewish worshipers on the Temple Mount are outnumbering Muslims on the Mount. |
This Week: Parashat Lech Lecha: Multifront War In The Middle East This week we read in parashat Lech Lecha about the outbreak of a major war in the Middle East, involving many different nations: "Now it came to pass in the days of Amraphel the king of Shinar, Arioch the king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and Tidal the king of Goyim. That they waged war with Bera the king of Sodom and with Birsha the king of Gomorrah, Shineav the king of Admah, and Shemever the king of Tzevoiim, and the king of Bela, which is Tzoar." (Genesis 14:1-2) |
Mikdash Monday - Menorah (Part 1) "Speak to Aharon, and say to him, When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light towards the body of the candlestick." (Bamidbar 8:9) |
This Week: Parashat Lech Lecha: Go Forth! This week we read parashat Lech Lecha, "Go forth..." the third reading from the Torah this year, in which Avram is call upon by HaShem,, to leave everything behind and go "to the land that I will show you." In the past two weeks hundreds of thousands of Israelis, both here in Israel and abroad, have left everything behind, their families, their jobs, their safety, their comfort and their leisure, to come to the defense of the land that G-d promised to Avraham and to his children forever. The spirit of Lech Lecha - "Go forth" - lives! |
"Ve-Ten Tal U-Matar Li-Verakhah - Bestow Dew And Rain For A Blessing" Last night, at the conclusion of Shabbat in Israel we began to add the prayer for rain in the Amidah (standing) prayer, which we recite three times each day. We begin the prayer on the 7th of MarCheshvan, exactly two weeks after the conclusion of Shemini Atzeret, the last of the Tishrei holidays. This date was fixed during Temple times, in order to allow enough time for all festival pilgrims to return from Jerusalem back to their homes, without the threat of rain imperiling their journey. |
Shavua Tov From The Temple Mount! It is more important now than ever for Jews to be ascending the Temple Mount armed with prayers for the success of our IDF soldiers, for the speedy and complete healing of our wounded civilians and soldiers, for the return of our more that 200 captive men, women and children, being held by the subhuman Hamas terrorists, and for the complete victory over and the utter annihilation of all Hamas terrorists from their top leaders and their puppet masters in Iran right down to the scum that committed the atrocities in Israel two weeks ago. |
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. |
Blessings from the holy city of Jerusalem!
Yitzchak Reuven
The Temple Institute |
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