"The end of all flesh has come before Me"(Genesis 6:13) MarCheshvan 5, 5784/October 20, 2023 "Ketz kol basar ba lefanai ki mal'ah ha'aretz hamas." This is the transliterated Hebrew source of Genesis 6:13: "And G-d said to Noach, 'The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth has become full of treachery...'" Yes, the Hebrew word used by the 4,000 year old Torah to define why "HaShem regretted that He had made man" is Hamas! It is an ancient word that our sages have sought to understand for thousands of years. Often it is translated as "robbery." As offensive as robbery is, would a world wide wave of robbery truly cause HaShem to regret that He created man? Other times Hamas is translated as "violence." A global outbreak of violence would certainly cause G-d great consternation. But would that alone convince G-d that man was an unfixable mistake in creation that must be eliminated once and for all? Neither of these translations, neither robbery, nor violence alone would seem to justify so radical a decision by G-d. But two weeks ago, on October 7th, a Shabbat and the holiday known as Simchat Torah - the Joy of Torah, the world finally learned the true meaning of the word Hamas. Israel was awakened that morning by the sound of sirens, something that we have grown all too accustomed to, signaling that the Hamas terror organization and its Islamic Jihad offshoot have launched a massive missile attack on Israel. But within moments it became clear that the missiles were a cover for acts of evil of a far greater magnitude. As many as 3,000 Hamas terrorists and a mixed multitude of Gazan civilians who simply couldn't resist the temptation, broke through Israel's security fence and launched a rampage of unprecedented violence and cruelty. They attacked a music festival, gunning down more than 260 young people as they fled for their lives. Young people, both Israelis and visitors from around the world, who only wanted to share a day of music and peace and fraternity. The men were killed. The women were raped and killed. Simultaneously, the Hamas terrorists invaded nearby towns and farming communities, killing every living thing they saw. They shot infants in their cribs at point blank range. They shot children in front of their parents and parents in front of their children. They bound together and burned people alive. They tortured the wounded and mutilated the bodies of the dead. They cut off the heads of babies. They kidnapped upwards of 200 men, women, toddlers, and the elderly and brought them into captivity in Gaza, after torturing, raping and parading them through cheering and jeering and adoring Gazan crowds. Since that day their fate is unknown. On October 7th, 2023, the Hamas terror organization finally revealed to the entire world the meaning of the ancient word Hamas. Is it any wonder G-d had had His fill of mankind? Could you disagree with G-d? And so here we are again. Some four millennia after the time of the great flood, and once again man has sunk to unimaginable depths of depravity and inhumanity. And the world of man would have ended all those years ago, submerged under the cleansing waters G-d sent down from heaven, if not for one man: Noach. "Noach was a righteous man he was perfect in his generations; Noach walked with G-d." (ibid 6:9) There is no one else in the entire Torah that merits so unrestrained a description: righteous, perfect, walked with G-d. What made Noach so special, so praiseworthy, so unique? Simple. He saw Hamas for what it was and he despised Hamas. No wonder "Noach found favor in the eyes of HaShem." (ibid 6:8) Today, anyone with eyes in their head and the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, what is human and what is satanic, and sets their face against Hamas, is a Noach. Everyone who understands that the depravity of Hamas cannot be tolerated and must be obliterated, now and forever, is a Noach. Noach received instructions from G-d to build an ark and to sequester himself and his family within the ark. G-d would see to the rest. On the morning of October 7th, more than 1,400 Israelis, Jews, but not just Jews, Christians and Muslims and foreign workers and tourists from overseas as well, did not have an ark to run to. They were simply slaughtered. Many did try to hide in their safe room, a closet sized room of reinforced concrete and a steel door designed to protect them from missile attacks. But the Hamas terrorists hunted them down. Designed for protection from overhead missiles, the doors of the safe rooms didn't have locks. Concerning Noach we are told, "And those who came male and female of all flesh came, as G-d had commanded him, and HaShem shut him in." (ibid 7:16) G-d shut them in - G-d locked the door to keep the evil out. 1,400 people of Israel had no such good fortune. The waters around us are already increasing. Is mankind set to drown in a flood let loose by the evils of Hamas? So many people around the world seem to be ready, willing and anxious to do just that. Violent shows of support for Hamas have rampaged through major cities of the 'western, civilized' world. The campuses of the United States’ most elite universities have unleashed a torrent of unrelenting hate, as the creme de la creme of America's young and rising educated class unabashedly call for the genocide of the Jews. Again. For one hundred and fifty days Noach remained locked up inside his ark, safe from the extinction of all life outside the ark. Some of the survivors of the Hamas massacre managed to stay hidden, some below lifeless bodies, for endless hours, somehow undetected by the rampaging monsters outside. We are told that at one point during Noach's half year upon the waters that "G-d remembered Noach." (ibid 8:1) If we understand these words at face value we can imagine the horrible fear and anguish that gripped Noach, imagining, even for a moment during his hours upon the waters that G-d had, indeed, forgotten him! In the testimony of one elderly women, who did, in fact, survive fifteen hours hidden in her safe room, which, by stroke of good fortune, (which she attributed to a Divine miracle), she had outfitted years before with a lock, she states that she had no doubt that “HaShem and His angels, and the prayers of the nation,” would keep her alive. Faith like hers will keep many of us alive in the upcoming days and weeks as this terrible storm of hate and destruction and depravity continues to spread and cover the earth. Has G-d forgotten us? Or have we forgotten G-d? G-d remembered Noach, caused the rains to cease and the waters to dry, and concluded Noach's great trial, at last telling Noach to open the door and let himself out of the ark. What Noach saw when he set foot from the ark was a world void of life. What the fortunate survivors of the Hamas rampage witnessed when they emerged from where they had hid, was a world full of death and destruction. Their homes were gone. Their neighbors were gone. Their world was gone. What does one do when his world is no longer what it was, and never will be? "And Noach built an altar to HaShem, and he took of all the clean animals and of all the clean fowl and brought up burnt offerings on the altar." (ibid 8:20) Noach made an offering. He reached out to HaShem. He called for renewal, for rebirth, for life to return. "And HaShem smelled the pleasant aroma, and HaShem said to Himself, 'I will no longer curse the earth because of man, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth, and I will no longer smite all living things as I have done.'" (ibid 8:21) Noach rekindled life the only way he could, by reaching out to the giver of life. And G-d took it upon Himself that He would never again be the cause of man's extinction, and by doing so, passed the responsibility for defeating and destroying evil in the world, when and where it rears its grotesque head, to man, to us. It is up to us now to rid the world of evil. Only we have the power and the authority to do the job, and do the job we must. Today we are either Noach - righteous and walking with G-d, or we are Hamas, corrupting the earth. We either defeat evil, or are defeated by it, and the latter is no option. When the fury of hatred against HaShem's most precious creatures subsides, and Hamas and all those who side with Hamas are driven deep into the bowels of hell, a new dawn will appear, just as it did for Noach. And our instinctive response will be just as Noach's was: we will build an altar. An altar, not on the mountain of Ararat, but on the mountain of HaShem in Jerusalem, Mount Zion, the Temple Mount. Just as Noach reached out on behalf of all G-d fearing mankind, so will the Holy Temple be a place for all mankind to stream to, to join hearts and hands, and serve the One G-d. Today, the brave and righteous soldiers and pilots of Israel are fighting Hamas, determined to extinguish their evil forever. But all the while we are also fighting another fight, on a different front. We are fighting a peaceful battle, but a battle, nonetheless, for the hearts and souls of man. A battle for the recognition and acknowledgment of the One True G-d, the Father and Creator of us all, Who longs to see His chosen house, the Holy Temple, rebuilt and filled with His children from the four corners of the earth. This battle, this campaign of sharing the promise of the Holy Temple and working towards making it a reality, a place of peace and restoration after all that the world has been going through, is the daily battle of the Temple Institute. And in times such as we are living through today, the promise of the Holy Temple appears more urgent than ever. Just as the rainbow appears after the storm, so will the Holy Temple, the sign of the covenant between G-d and man, signify mankind’s ultimate triumph over evil. . |
Tune in to this week's Temple Talk, as Yitzchak Reuven talks about Noach & the war against Hamas, about the covenant of the children of Noach, and about wiping the earth clean of depravity. The parallels between the generation of the flood and the times we are living through today are positively chilling. The satanic behavior of Hamas is the very reason G-d regretted making man, and it is up to us to destroy Hamas before they destroy us. |
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There is a trajectory in human history that bends to the will of G-d, something we call fate. At the same time there is another kind of fate, a personal fate, also known as hashgacha pratit, determined by HaShem, out of compassion for His creation. Noach (Genesis 6:9 - 11:32)
Parashat Noach is read on Shabbat:
MarCheshvan 6, 5784/October 21, 2023 |
Haftara For Shabbat Parashat Noach Isaiah 54:1-10: "'Sing you barren woman who has not borne; burst out into song and jubilate, you who have not experienced birth pangs, for the children of the desolate one are more than the children of the married woman,' says HaShem. Widen the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations, do not spare; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For right and left shall you prevail, and your seed shall inherit nations and repeople desolate cities..." |
Faith! An Israeli soldiers says the Shema on the border between Israel and Lebanon. Our soldiers are full of faith, determination and purpose! |
The 6th of Marcheshvan: Maimonides on The Temple Mount This coming Shabbat, the 6th of MarCheshvan, is the 857th anniversary of Maimonides' (Rambam) historic ascent to the Temple Mount. Rambam sailed from Morocco just six months earlier, arriving in the northern Israel city of Akko after a perilous journey. The land of Israel at the time was under crusader control and extremely dangerous for Jews. nevertheless, as Rambam tells us, "I left Akko and set out for Jerusalem, encountering many dangers along the way. I entered the "Great and Holy House" and prayed there, on Thursday, the 6th of the month of Marcheshvan [October 21, 1166]." |
"Behold The Guardian of Israel Will Neither Slumber Nor Sleep!" Israeli artists have been visiting the troops stationed outside Gaza awaiting orders to begin the ground incursion. This video clip is just one of the many informal appearances by top Israel recording artists. The troops are sing the words of Psalm 121: "A song for ascents. I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come? My help is from HaShem, the Maker of heaven and earth..." |
Timely Reminder: 3rd Temple To Be Dedicated In Marcheshvan! Midrash teaches us that the Tabernacle which Moshe built was completed in the month of Kislev, but only dedicated in the month of Nisan, as it is written “On the day of the first month, on the first of the month, you shall set up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting.” (Exodus 40:2) Similarly, the first Holy Temple, built by King Solomon was completed in the month of MarCheshvan, but only dedicated the following year in the month of Tishrei. |
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 New Moon Of Marcheshvan! One photo, taken at twilight on Monday, shows the new moon as it first appeared in the sky. The other photos were taken on Tuesday as the sun was setting, showing the day old moon.
The moon's constant renewal is a sign from the heavens that we too, always have the potential and the ability to repair and renew ourselves. The new moon is a monthly reminder of G-d's gift of renewal to mankind. Chodesh tov - have a good month! |
This Week: Parashat Noach: Noach Builds An Altar In this week's Torah reading, Noach, (Genesis 6:9 - 11:32), Noach, after leaving the ark, builds the first altar recorded in Torah. It is true that Cain and Abel each made offerings to HaShem, but an actual altar is not mentioned in their story. Midrash also teaches us that Adam and Eve, after their transgression built an altar and made an offering to HaShem seeking forgiveness. But Noach's altar merits the first specific mention in Torah. |
Prayers On The Temple Mount In Times Of War Jews are still ascending the Temple Mount even in these times of war. Understandably, the number of Jews on the Mount each day has dropped as so many have been called up for the war effort. But those who are able to are ascending the Mount and praying on behalf of the injured, those taken hostage, bereaved and worried families, our brave soldiers, and the nation of Israel. |
Israel At War: On Its Own, But Never Alone! Israel is at war in Gaza, in Lebanon and in Syria, destroying the Hamas nest of vipers while also striking at Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian militias in Syria. Israel never fights alone, for HaShem is with her! "And you, fear not, My servant Yaakov, says HaShem, and do not be dismayed, O Israel, for behold I save you from afar and your seed from the land of their captivity, and Yaakov shall again be silent and at ease, and no one will frighten them." (Jeremiah 30:10) |
Chodesh Tov Marcheshvan! Today is the second day of the two day Rosh Chodesh celebration. Following is a prayer said on the Shabbat preceding the new month: “May it be Your will HaShem, our G-d and G-d of our forefathers, that you inaugurate this month upon us for goodness and for blessing. May you give us long life - a life of peace, a life of goodness, a life of blessings, a life of sustenance, a life of physical health, a life in which there is fear of heaven and fear of sin, a life in which there is no shame nor humiliation, a life of wealth and honor, a life in which we will have love of Torah and fear of heaven, a life in which HaShem fulfills our heartfelt requests for good. Amen, Selah.”
Chodesh tov - may we have a good month! |
Mikdash Monday - The Holy Temple “And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Shlomo’s reign over Israel, in the month Ziv, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of Hashem.” (Kings 1, 6:1) |
This Week: Parashat Noach: Hamas - The Reason For The Flood This week we read parashat Noach, (Genesis 6:9 - 11:32), the story of the flood which covered the earth and wiped our humanity, save for Noach, his wife, his three sons and their three wives.
G-d makes very clear to Noach why he is going to bring on the flood: “And G-d said to Noach, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth has become full of violent treachery because of them, and behold I am destroying them from the earth.” (Genesis 6:13) |
Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan - Chodesh Tov! Today is the first of a two day celebration of the new month of MarCheshvan. MarCheshvan is the eighth month of the Hebrew calendar. It is the month in which (on the 7th of MarCheshvan) we begin to pray for the rain to fall in the land of Israel. It also is the month in which the flood waters in the days of Noach first began to cover the face of the earth. MarCheshvan is also known simply as Cheshvan. The additional "Mar," which means bitter, has been added as a nod to the fact that the month of Cheshvan does not contain any holidays, making it a "bitter" month. |
Shavua Tov & Chodesh Tov From The Temple Mount! Today is the first day of a new week and the first day of the new month of MarCheshvan. Today also begins the second week of Israel's war against Hamas, following last week's depraved slaughter of over 1,000 Israel civilians - men, women, the elderly and infants. Israelis in the reserves have already reported to their bases, and Israelis not in the reserves are working full time for the war effort. Hamas must be destroyed! |
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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