"Take your son, your only one"(Genesis 22:2) MarCheshvan 19, 5784/November 3, 2023 "Take your son, your only one, whom you love..." (Genesis 22:2) These words, spoken nearly 4,000 years ago by G-d to Avraham, remain to this day the defining words of what it means to be a Jew, to be a son of Avraham, and to be the mother or father of a daughter or son of Avraham. To place the most precious thing in your world into the hands of HaShem, trusting and believing and loving, without flinching, is what it means to be a child of Avraham, a bearer of the covenant that he made with G-d. The binding of Yitzchak was Avraham's final and most difficult test before HaShem. Perfect faith in HaShem, unequivocal love for HaShem, is what enabled Avraham to navigate through the excruciatingly difficult task. Nor did Yitzchak flee from the test. "Father... Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" (ibid 22:7) Avraham's answer, "G-d will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son," (ibid 22:8) told Yitzchak all that he needed to know. Yitzchak neither pled nor fled. He understood the weight of responsibility which fell upon his shoulders, he heard clearly the Divine imperative being placed upon him, and he walked together with his father. Yitzchak was not passive. He was not a lamb being led to the slaughter. He took upon himself the burden of sacrifice so that others may live. And living we are. "And they came to the place of which G-d had spoken to him..." (ibid 22:9) Today in Israel at war against a malignant evil that even as it takes lives and defiles life and spits on everything sacred to G-d and man, manages to metastasize over the entire globe, hundreds of thousands of fathers are being told to "Take your son, your only one, whom you love..." and send them off to war, off to a sacred mission to defend the children of Avraham and the land that G-d promised Avraham. The stakes for every single father and for every single son are every bit as high as they were for Avraham and Yitzchak. Many will return, like Yitzchak, to their fathers. Many will not. We have faith, we have trust, we have love, but we have no guarantee. We have no insurance policy when called upon by G-d to place ourselves upon His altar. G-d will decide and we will accept. Tears will fall, hearts will be broken, but we will accept. But while individuals will fall, each soul a world of its own, the nation will endure. This was the covenant, this was the promise and this was the guarantee that was carved in stone and written in blood at Mount Sinai when "Avraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife..." (ibid 22:10) It was at that moment that Israel became G-d's eternal people. The angel's urgent plea, "Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do the slightest thing to him..." (ibid 22:12) was simply G-d's confirmation. Avraham didn't simply pass the test. He compelled G-d to pass the test as well. There was an embrace and a sigh of relief from both parties. And Yitzchak's beating heart beats to this day. "Choose life!" (Deuteronomy 30:19) HaShem tells us, the greatest bit of advice ever imparted to man, even if it means confronting death. Even if it means accepting death as the price of choosing life. Immediately after choosing life by adhering to G-d's command, Avraham lifted his eyes and "and behold! there was a ram!" (Genesis 22:13) Avraham saw there was a tomorrow. He saw that there would be a nation reborn some 3,600 years in the distant future whose sons and daughters would willingly and gladly place their lives on the line so that the nation may live. But he also saw something else. He saw G-d's omnipresent, overwhelming reality on that very plot of land upon which he stood. And just as G-d brought the world into being through speech, "Avraham named that place, HaShem will see, as it is said to this day: On the mountain, HaShem will be seen." Avraham staked his claim on that place on behalf of all mankind, and G-d swiftly pledged His endorsement: "an angel of HaShem called to Avraham a second time from heaven. And he said, ‘By Myself have I sworn, says HaShem, that because you have done this thing and you did not withhold your son, your only one, That I will surely bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the seashore, and your descendants will inherit the cities of their enemies. And through your children shall be blessed all the nations of the world, because you hearkened to My voice.’" (ibid 22:15-18) This place, this patch of dirt which lay beneath the altar built by Avraham in "the place of which G-d had told him," (ibid 22:3) is Mount Moriah, the place of the Holy Temple, where rams, and not our children, will be offered up to HaShem in a daily confirmation of our covenant. In the names of our father and sons, our mothers and daughters who are placing themselves on the front lines in our war against Hamas and their puppetmaster Iran, may we merit to rebuild the Holy Temple speedily in our day! "Hineni" Avraham answered G-d when He called. "Hineni - Here I am." G-d is calling us today. "Hinenu - we are here!" . |
Tune in to this week's Temple Talk, as Yitzchak Reuven talks about unity, spirit & love in the time of war, the Divine imperative to "take your son, your only one," and Avraham's question, "will the Judge of the entire earth not perform justice?" Welcoming the stranger, visiting the sick, seeking justice, treating others with loving kindness and walking with HaShem - this is the legacy of Avraham. It is these very principles which guide and unite the people of Israel today, along with the gift of joy and laughter, (the legacy of Sara), even as we relentlessly pursue the demonic Hamas death cult that seeks our destruction. The covenant between Avraham and G-d lives on! |
Help To Build The Holy Temple In Our Time! Donate Generously To Help The Sacred Work Of The Temple Institute! Every contribution helps to rebuild the Holy Temple in our Time! |
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! |
"Will You even destroy the righteous with the wicked?" Avraham asks of G-d, concerning Sodom. The same question, in slightly different terms, is being put before Israel today, as the IDF continues to pound Gaza following the inhuman atrocities perpetrated by Hamas on 1,400 innocent Israeli men, women, children, infants, unborn babies, toddlers, teens and the elderly. What consideration should be taken concerning the safety of the allegedly uninvolved citizens of Gaza as Israel eliminates Hamas? The ambiguous answer Avraham received from G-d leaves only one possible conclusion: get out while you can. Vayera (Genesis 18:1 - 22:24)
Parashat Vayera is read on Shabbat:
MarCheshvan 20, 5784/November 4, 2023 |
Haftara For Shabbat Parashat Vayera II Kings 4:1-37: "Now a woman, of the wives of the disciples of the prophets, cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant, my husband, has died, and you know that your servant did fear HaShem; and the creditor has come to take my two children for himself as slaves." And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me what you have in the house..." |
Israel in Gaza "You shall obliterate the remembrance of Amalek from beneath the heavens. You shall not forget!" (Deuteronomy 25:19) |
Dimensions Of The Temple Mount At the beginning of the Second Temple period, the area of the Temple Mount was five hundred cubits square (approx. two hundred and fifty square meters). During the time of Herod, the area was greatly expanded and reached its present day dimensions, approximately 36 acres (150,000 square meters). The Holy Temple and its courtyards were situated on the Temple Mount. |
"Let Us Go To The House Of Hashem" We are all familiar with the iconic photo of the three Israeli soldiers taken at the Western Wall following Israel's victory in the Six Day War. It is our fervent prayer that following Israel's total destruction of Hamas, their sister terror organizations and their puppet master Iran, that the iconic photo symbolizing Israel's victory will look like this: three Israeli soldiers watching as the Holy Temple is being rebuilt. May HaShem protect our soldiers and lead them to victory! |
The Kohen Anointed For War At the beginning of chapter 20 in the book of Deuteronomy we read about the kohen anointed for war: "When you go out to war against your enemies, and you see horse and chariot, a people more numerous than you, you shall not be afraid of them, for HaShem, your G-d is with you Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And it will be, when you approach the battle, that the kohen shall come near, and speak to the people." |
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. |
Beginning To Build The Second Holy Temple: The Altar "And in the first year of Cyrus, the king of Persia, at the completion of the word of HaShem from the mouth of Jeremiah, HaShem aroused the spirit of Cyrus, the king of Persia, and he issued a proclamation throughout his kingdom, and also in writing, saying: "So said Cyrus, the king of Persia, 'All the kingdoms of the earth HaShem G-d of the heavens delivered to me, and He commanded me to build Him a House in Jerusalem, which is in Judea..." |
"Blessed Is HaShem, My Rock" Given a one day leave, this soldier and veteran Temple Mount activist left the front lines in the war against Hamas and made time for a visit to the Temple Mount, the house of HaShem, Who is looking over all Israel. There he met another veteran Temple Mount ascender who is making sure that every day our battle for HaShem's glory is not just being fought in the south against Hamas and in the north against Hezbollah and Iran, but also on the Temple Mount itself. May HaShem protect our soldiers and lead us to victory on all fronts! |
A Look At The First Holy Temple David's son, King Solomon built the first Holy Temple on Mount Moriah, where David had built his altar. The first Holy Temple stood four hundred and ten years, before it was destroyed by the Babylonians. |
"For HaShem, Your G-d, Is The One Who Goes With You" They say that an army travels on its stomach. True enough. But the army of Israel travels on its prayers, its faith, its trust in HaShem, its love for its people and its love for its land. And the army of Israel does not travel alone: "For HaShem, your G-d, is the One Who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." (Deuteronomy 20:4) May G-d grant us complete victory in our battle against Hamas and all that side with and support it. May G-d grant us the safe return of all our hostages. |
Origins Of The Holy Temple: King David Builds An Altar Hundreds of years following the binding of Yitzchak on Mount Moriah, which we read about in this week's Torah parasha, Vayera, (Genesis 18:1 - 22:24) King David and the prophet Samuel revealed the same Mount Moriah to be the place chosen by G-d for the Holy Temple, just as had been foreseen by Avraham. |
Mikdash Monday - Menorah (Part 2) "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) |
Sound The Great Shofar! “Sound the great shofar for our freedom; raise a banner to gather our exiles, and bring us together from the four corners of the earth into our land. Blessed are You HaShem, who gathers the dispersed of His people Israel.” From the Daily Amidah Prayer |
This Week, Parashat Vayera: The Binding Of Yitzchak This week we read parashat Vayera - "And He appeared..." (Genesis 18:1 - 22:24) which begins with the dramatic announcement by three angels whom Avraham has invited to his table, that Sara will give birth to a son Yitzchak, and concludes with the call upon Avraham by HaShem to make an offering of Yitzchak on Mount Moriah. |
Shavua Tov From The Temple Mount! This past week Israeli ground forces entered Gaza and the Israeli flag was raised once again in Gaza, eighteen years after Israel's shameful expulsion of all Israeli citizens from Gaza. Meanwhile Israeli ground forces, more commonly known as Jewish worshipers, continue to ascend to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, place of the Holy Temple and holiest place on earth. May the flag of Israel soon wave high above the Temple Mount!
Shavua tov - have a good week! |
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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