The Torah of Israel through the prism of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. http://www.templeinstitute.org/events.htm Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute. 2006 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en Mon, 22 Jan 2007 12:55:17 +0200 Yitzchak Reuven Mon, 22 Jan 2007 12:55:13 +0200 reuven@templeinstitute.org FeedForAll Mac v1.5 (1.5.1.2) Teaching Torah in the light of the Holy Temple. The Temple Institute is a non-profit organization located in the Old City of Jerusalem, Israel, dedicated to raising Temple consciousness worldwide. Toward this end, The Temple Institute has recreated many of the Temple vessels according to strict halachic requirement, ready for use in the rebuilt Third Temple. Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman reuven@templeinstitute.org Yitzchak Reuven no http://www.templeinstitute.org/images/temple-talk-small.jpg 200 44 Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_73-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:24:46 +0200 A Heart of Justice In each of Moshe's earlier outings, he is an active pursuer of justice. Whether fighting, interjecting, fleeing, or coming to someone's rescue, Moshe is intent upon achieving justice. This time is different: "And Moshe said: 'I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.'" (ibid 3:1-3) Rather than leaping forward to achieve a goal, Moshe is stepping back, turning aside. He has, for the moment, retreated from his activist role, and has become contemplative, introspective: "why [is] the bush... not burnt[?]'" (ibid 3:1-3) This affords G-d His opportunity. Yes, Moshe is a sincere and relentless pursuer of justice, but having been brought up in the house of Pharoah, he was imbued with the notion that justice itself emanates from his own perception of it. Now, for the first time, he is being granted an insight into the truth that justice, G-d's justice, is transcendent, and as unattached to the will of man, as the flame of the angel is unattached to the burning bush. The heart of Moshe, burning with the flame of G-d's justice, will not burn out and become extinguished. Having now witnessed the Divine source of his own inexhaustible pursuit of justice, Moshe is ready to be called upon to lead G-d's children. Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven on this week's TEMPLE TALK, as they discuss Pharoah's attempt to annihilate the Jews, and the spiritual growth of Moshe Rabeinu - Moses our master - the one man who spoke "face to face" with G-d. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_73-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:24:46 +0200 A Heart of Justice "Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of G-d, unto Horeb. And the angel of HaShem appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said: 'I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.'" Exodus 3:1-3) This is the fifth "outing" of Moshe (Moses) that we are privy to. The first time we are told that Moshe "went out" (ibid 2:11), he sees the Egyptian hitting a fellow Hebrew, and seeking to impose justice, Moshe strikes the Egyptian, and kills him. The following day, Moshe again sallies forth, this time to witness two Hebrews fighting. Moshe inquires as to their dispute, and is promptly rebuked for interfering: "'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?'" (ibid 2:14) Moshe leaves Pharoah's palace a third and last time, after, having discovered what Moshe has done, Pharoah seeks to kill him. (ibid 2:15) Having escaped to Midian, Moshe steps forth a fourth time: "Moses stood up and helped" the daughters of Yitro (Jethro), who were being harassed by the local shepherds. (ibid 2:17) And now, Moshe is described leading the flock of Yitro. Yet this time he is confronted not by an Egyptian, nor by a Hebrew; not by Pharoah, and not by Midianite shepherds. This time he is met by G-d Himself, through the agency of an angel, in the form of the burning bush. Why did G-d choose this occasion to reveal Himself to Moshe? How was this moment different from the others described? 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_72-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:24:46 +0200 Revealing the End And how did the children of Israel respond? Torah provides us with two answers. The written Torah concludes the book of Bereshith with the death of Yaakov, followed by the death of his sons and their generation. The next book of Torah, Shmot - Exodus - begins to tell the story of the enslavement of the children of Israel in Egypt. Torah is telling us that the challenge that Yaakov set out for his children will be met through the redemptive process of history. The oral Torah, by way of a Midrash, furnishes us with another answer: "Yaakov Avinu assembled his sons before his death and wished to reveal to them the end of days, when suddenly the Shechina (divine presence) left him. Yaakov feared that perhaps one of his sons was unworthy. After all, Avraham bore an unworthy son, Yishmael, and Yitzchak bore Yaakov's brother Esau. Sensing their father's despair, the boys in unison declared, "Shema Yisrael, Hashem Elokenu Hashem Echad" - "Hear, O Israel - Hashem our G-d, Hashem is one!", announcing to Yaakov that they were all believers in the one G-d. Yaakov, overjoyed to hear this expression of his sons' conviction, responded by exclaiming, "Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuto Le'olam Va'ed" - "Blessed is the Name of the Glory of His Kingship, forever!"." (Pesachim 56:a) The Midrash is teaching us that the sons of Yaakov, by declaring the unity of G-d's name, were indeed worthy of the end of days. So which answer is correct? They both are. By maintaining their faith in G-d they are answering Yaakov's question in the affirmative: Are you where you ought to be? Nevertheless, only through the fullness of time will that positive answer be ultimately realized. This same dynamic informs our basic understanding of the Holy Temple: Only by being completely ready and prepared to build the Holy Temple today, will we merit building it at the historically propitious moment. Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven, as they discuss the final words of Yaakov avinu - our forefather Jacob, the enslavement of the Jews in Egypt, the towering figure of the Rambam, and more, on this week's TEMPLE TALK. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_72-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 08 Jan 2007 13:24:46 +0200 Revealing the End "And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: 'Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the end of days." (Genesis 49:1) Jacob - Yaakov - gathers his children together, intending, through ruach hakodesh - Divine inspiration - to reveal to them "the end of days." Yet what follows is not a revelation of the end of days at all. Yaakov, in fact, proceeds to give each of his sons a blessing. What happened? Our sages teach us that Yaakov's ruach hakodesh left him, as G-d did not want the end of days revealed. We can accept that at face value, but still, it strikes us odd that Yaakov, who spent a lifetime serving G-d, should so casually overstep his bounds. Wouldn't he, of all people, know that "revealing the end of days" is a non-starter? What, in fact, separates us from the end of days? Is it an expanse of time? Days, years, millennia? We are taught: "Repent one day before you die." (Chapters of the Fathers 2:10) At first glance, this is a very comforting teaching. We don't need to be accountable for our thoughts and actions: we will simply repent before we leave this world. On second glance, however, the challenge of this teaching becomes clear: No one knows the day of his death. Therefore we should regard every day as our last, at least in terms of our need to do teshuva - repent and draw nearer to G-d. Knowing that every day is the last day, the end of days, informs us that mending our ways, and clinging to G-d is an imperative. When Yaakov announced to his children that he was about to reveal to each of them the end of days, and then proceeds to relate to each son, one after the other, his Divinely inspired insight into the very core of their spiritual nature, perhaps he was really asking them: Are you ready? Are you ready for the end of days? Are you where you ought to be? If you're still thinking in terms of tomorrow, then you will never be ready. Only when you come to realize that we're not waiting for the time to arrive, for the time has arrived. Time is waiting for us to put our inner house in order and seize the day. This is the secret of the end of days that Yaakov was revealing to his children, and this is his challenge to them: This is where you are today, but this is where you need to be - will you take the necessary steps - today! 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_71-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 01 Jan 2007 13:24:46 +0200 The Language of Truth Yosef - Joseph - also made use of a translator, not to convey truth, but as part of his ruse before his brothers. The mere presence of a translator led the brothers to assume that Yosef did not understand their Hebrew tongue: "And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for the translator was between them." (Genesis 42:23) The very wording of the verse seems to imply that the translator himself was the cause of their deception. The verse serves to confirm that translations are not to be taken at face value. And no one better understood the importance of language than Yosef. After all, he was the captive slave that described himself to Pharaoh as being a Hebrew. Underlining this is Rashi's comment that the translator referred to in the above verse was none other than Yosef's son Menasheh. Yosef, who never lost the knowledge of his own true identity, made certain to teach his children the Hebrew tongue. In this past week's Torah reading, Vayigash, Yosef finally does away with all pretenses, and reveals to his brothers that he is Yosef. The ensuing emotional scene of reunion provides that answer to the question that begs to be asked: If the Torah cannot be adequately translated, then how can we encourage all those who are not knowledgeable in Hebrew to study Torah and to attach themselves to the G-d of Israel? When Yosef revealed his identity to his brothers, the interpreter disappeared. When Yosef came clean, the brothers remained speechless. The ultimate unity of brothers in true light of Torah is not achieved through a mixing of tongues, but a unity of hearts. Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven on this week's TEMPLE TALK, as they discuss the Torah reading of Vayigash, the three days of sorrow in the month of Tevet, and the enduring challenge of remaining true to the truth of Torah. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_71-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 01 Jan 2007 13:24:46 +0200 The Language of Truth "And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for the translator was between them." (Genesis 42:23) Normally, we understand the use of a translator as being a means of clearly conveying a message spoken, (or written), in one language, into another. Yet ever since the confusion of tongues which G-d caused in order to confound the imperialistic machinations of the tyrant Nimrod, the megalomaniacal genius behind the building of the tower of Bavel, (Babylon), what is spoken in one language, is incomprehensible in another. The great sage Rashi, commenting on the "confusion of tongues" (Genesis 11:7), describes how one worker would ask for a new brick, another would hand him mortar, and yet a third would hit him over the head with a hammer. This wasn't a simple linguistic impasse which could be readily overcome by some hand gestures or facial expressions. A great gulf had been created between how peoples conceived of and described their worlds. To this day, we must concede that even the finest translation of words from one language to another is at best, a distant approximation. Imagine what must be lost when reading Hamlet in Chinese, or War and Peace in English. Bearing all this in mind, one must question the motives of the Greek-Egyptian emperor Ptolemy, who, in the year 246 BCE, brought together 72 Torah sages, sent each one of them to his own separate chamber in order to work in total isolation, and ordered each one to translate the Torah from Hebrew to Greek. Was Ptolemy merely trying to fulfill the words of the prophet, by helping to spread the light of Torah to the nations? Or was he deliberately setting up a situation in which seventy two Torah sages would simultaneously produce seventy two different and conflicting translations, thereby confounding G-d's words, just as He had confounded the words of man so many generations before. So when the seventy two sages, through Divine inspiration. each produced the identical translation, it should have been a cause for great rejoicing. Yet the day that the translation was completed, the eighth of Tevet, was marked by the pious for many generations as a fast day. For even though the translation itself was Divinely inspired, the appearance in the world of the Torah exposed to the various cultural predilections of people, wise and great, perhaps, yet hostile to the divine truth of Torah, was, and remains, a great cause for trepidation. The Hebrew Torah, anchored in the very shapes and sounds of the Hebrew letters, is resilient, and ultimately repels all who would attempt to hijack its meaning for the sake of supporting their own intellectual or political agendas. But the Torah translated to a foreign tongue has been cut off from its source of Divine light, and is rendered vulnerable in the hands of the dissemblers. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_70-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 18 Dec 2006 13:24:46 +0200 Rekindling the Menorah, Revealing Our Inner Lights If we are re-seeing the world, then where have we seen the world in this light before? Again, our sages teach us that before we are born, while still in the womb, we are given access to this hidden light - this ohr ganuz - and, in fact, learn the entire Torah, down to its deepest depths, for the first nine months of our lives! Only upon leaving the womb and coming forth into the world, are we struck with "amnesia" and our profound Torah knowledge is lost to our conscious minds. We spend a lifetime relearning and rediscovering this Torah. We spend a lifetime of remembering and recalling the knowledge that has been within us from the start. We spend a lifetime returning to ourselves. Being true to ourselves by rediscovering our Torah origins is a lifetime celebration, each day rekindling another flame, each day burning brighter as we draw ever closer to G-d. On Chanukah the life process is laid out before us as for eight days we celebrate the miracle of of the kindling of the light. May each of us shine yet brighter, as we each day increase our depth of Torah knowledge, rediscovering our original selves along the way. Tune in to this week's TEMPLE TALK, as Rabbi Chaim Richman and his special guest, Yishai Fleisher, discuss the hidden light of Chanukah, the Torah reading of Miketz, and much more. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_70-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 18 Dec 2006 13:24:46 +0200 Rekindling the Menorah, Revealing Our Inner Lights "And Yaakov was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." (Genesis 32:25) Each year we light the chanukiah, adding once candle each of the eight days of Chanukah. As the holiday progresses and the light intensifies, our spirits revive, our commitment to HaShem is renewed, and our windows of Torah perception are swung open, allowing us to deepen our our knowledge. Our sages teach us that the source of the light of Chanukah is from the original supernal light of creation. This light, known as the ohr ganuz, was hidden away by G-d shortly after creation, and kept for the righteous to enjoy in the world to come. When we kindle the Chanukah lights, and enjoying their glow, as we are commanded to, we are re-seeing the world through enlightened eyes. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_69-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 11 Dec 2006 13:24:46 +0200 In Search of Our Brothers But the defenders of Torah against the Hellenizing detractors are not found just within the land of Israel, nor within the people of Israel alone. In our news bulletin of last week we also including a call to "all our friends and supporters, and all to whom the future of the Jewish nation in the land of Israel is dear to their hearts, to express your outrage. Please send a fax of protest to Public Security Minister Avi Dichter: 972-(0)2-530-8039." Your response was tremendous, both in the volume of faxed messages that the Israeli police did, indeed receive, even while Rabbi Ariel was still being interrogated, but, judging by sample messages that were also forwarded to us, also in the indignation and clarity of protest expressed in your words. The sudden surfeit of faxed messages received to the great astonishment and admonishment of the police, proved heartening to Rabbi Ariel, who was informed of the protest by the very police who were questioning him! The spirit of the Maccabees lives and flourishes today, and will continue to spread and take root. The day will certainly be not long in coming when today's Hellenizers will be routed once and for all, and the Holy Temple, spreading forth the pure light of the rekindled menorah, will be rebuilt. The Torah parashot that we read each Shabbat during this season of Chanukah are imbued with special significance when seen in the light of the holiday. Like our forefather Yaakov, the Maccabees, and, indeed, we today, "have struggled with man and G-d, and have prevailed." (Genesis 32:29) But perhaps the greatest lesson to bear in mind is, that while our struggle today to remain true to the life and the promise of the Torah leads us at times to conflict with our own brethren, that of the following words spoken by Yosef, when he was sent by his father to join his brothers: "And he [Yosef] said: 'I seek my brothers. Tell me, I pray you, where they are feeding the flock.'" (ibid 37:16) Our history teaches us that only in unity and brotherly love will the Holy Temple again become the the dwelling-place of G-d and "a house of prayer for all nations." (Isaiah 57:6) Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven on this week's TEMPLE TALK, as they discuss the Torah readings of Vayishlach and Vayeshev, the meeting between Simon the Just and Alexander the Great, the indomitable Maccabbees of yesterday and today, and much, much more. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_69-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 11 Dec 2006 13:24:46 +0200 In Search of Our Brothers One week ago we sent out an urgent news bulletin to all the subscribers on our list. The breaking news was that Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, the Founder and Head of The Temple Institute had been arrested and was being interrogated concerning an opinion of halacha - Jewish law - that he had expressed in response to a question posed by private citizens. The issue was of absolutely no concern to the Israel police, but the arrest and investigation were certainly part of a deliberate program of harassment directed toward all citizens who have dared to make known their objection to the government's "disengagement" expulsion of thousands of Jews from their homes and communities two summers ago. It does seem extraordinary that in this day and age, (the year 5767 - 2006), and with the nation of Israel being surrounded by enemies bent on her annihilation, the democratic government of Israel would find the time and desire to be involved in the suppression of free thought and Torah scholarship. What is even more remarkable is that this is transpiring on the background of the approaching Chanukah festival. Chanukah, of course, commemorates the miracle of the sealed cruse of pure olive oil which contained enough oil to kindle the menorah for a single day, but which remained burning for eight full days. But Chanukah also commemorates the heroism and determination of an initially small number of Jews who refused to bow to the tyrant Antiochus and abandon the faith of their forefathers for the Hellenistic culture sweeping society at that time. Thankfully, that same spark of faith and resilient commitment to the Torah of Israel continues to burn in the hearts of not a few individuals today, both within the people of Israel, and without. The true face of the Jewish people is today a minority within the official Israeli establishment, which, steeped in its secular dogma and adherence to the politically-correct, continues to hold the G-d of Israel in contempt. But the Jewish people in the land of Israel, who have returned from their exile in the far-flung corners of the earth, remain steadfast and unshakable in their commitment to the teachings of the Torah and the future that G-d has laid out before us. And this is the true majority of the nation of Israel. Leaders of Rabbi Ariel's Torah stature and moral conviction are not great in number, but those whose thoughts and beliefs his words express, are many. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_68-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 05 Dec 2006 12:12:24 +0200 "And Yaakov was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day."<br> (Genesis 32:25) The following morning Yaakov is well prepared for Esau, as he bows down seven times before his brother. They embrace and kiss. The climax of their confrontation comes with the following exchange:<br><br> '"What did you have to do with that whole camp that came to greet me?' asked [Esau].Ê 'It was to gain favor in your eyes,' replied [Yaakov]. 'I have plenty, my brother,' said Esau. 'Let what is yours remain yours.' 'Please! No!' said Yaakov. 'If I have gained favor with you, please accept this gift from me. After all, seeing your face is like seeing the face of the Divine, you have received me so favorably. Please accept my welcoming gift as it has been brought to you. G-d has been kind to me, and I have all [I need].' [Yaakov thus] urged him, and [Esau finally] took it." (ibid 33:9-11)<br><br>"I have plenty, my brother," Esau boasts. "G-d has been kind to me, and I have all [I need]," Yaakov humbly replies. The original Hebrew states it clearly. Esau says, "I've got rav," meaning, I have a lot, I have many possessions, I am a man of stature. Yaakov's reply, "I have all I need," in Hebrew, yesh li kol, is an expression of humility and satisfaction with one's lot... as if to say, "whatever I have, whatever G-d has given me, is exactly what I need.'" Esau's self-appraisal reveals the inherent dissatisfaction of the materialistic life: One can possess a lot, but one derives no fulfillment from the multitude of things with which he surrounds himself. Esau is also known in Torah by the name Edom, a name used by our sages to denote the Jewish exile of the past two thousand years. The latest, and perhaps most pernicious form of this exile of Edom may well be what is known as consumerism: man is judged, (and judges himself), not by his deeds, but by what he owns, and by what he doesn't own. In the exile of consumerism, even our bodies become mere possessions and status symbols. But never being able to acquire enough, we are never at peace with ourselves. We are strangers to our own inner true, and as such, are unable to serve G-d as we are intended.<br><br> For twenty years, Yaakov avinu was immersed in such a materialistic society. He possessed the inner fortitude to break away from Lavan, when called upon by G-d. Yet still he questioned his own conviction as he approached his twin - the materialistic and earth-bound Esau. Indeed, one level of understanding is that it was with his own inner Esau that he wrestled through the night, until finally, demanding and receiving the heavenly blessing he sought, he emerged victorious - over his own self-doubt. Always humble before G-d, he now is humble before his brother: "G-d has been kind to me, and I have all [I need]."Ê G-d's blessing has released Yaakov of earthly desires. Returning now to the land of his birth, he is free, truly free, to serve G-d:<br><br>"And Yaakov came in peace to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram; and encamped before the city. And he bought the parcel of ground, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for a hundred pieces of money. And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel, (G-d-is-Israel's-L-rd)." (ibid 33:18-20)<br><br> Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven on this week's Temple Talk, as they discuss the Torah readings of Vayetze and Vayishlach, the confrontation between Yaakov and Esau, the confrontation between Israel and the Hellenists, and much more. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_68-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 05 Dec 2006 13:24:46 +0200 "And Yaakov was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day."<br> (Genesis 32:25) Fighting to Remain Humble<br><br> After twenty long years in exile, Yaakov Avinu - our forefather Jacob - was about to reenter the land of Israel, and confront his brother Esau, from whom he had fled for his life, those many years ago. At this crucial point in his journey, we are told that, after sending his children and their mothers across the river Yabbok, he tarried the night, and remained alone. It was there in the night that a man appeared, and proceeded to engage Yaakov in mortal combat. Our sages teach us that this "man" was actually an angel. Furthermore, he was the guardian angel of Yaakov's brother Esau.<br><br> Is the Torah engaging here in foreshadowing? Perhaps this is a literary device to enhance the dramatic tension? Of course the answer to these questions is no, for the Torah is to teach and not to entertain. We can begin to look for the answer in the words Yaakov said to G-d just prior to separating from his family: "I am not worthy of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which You have shown unto Your servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two camps." (ibid 32:11) The Hebrew word translated as "I am not worthy," is katan-ti - literally, "I have been small." Yaakov, in his prayer to HaShem, is expressing his humility. Twenty years of exile, living with and working for Lavan, his greedy and jealous father-in-law, in a society where people are judged by their wealth, and where keeping up with, and getting ahead of the Jones' is the social code, it seems remarkable that Yaakov maintained his sense of perspective, his humility before G-d. All the more so, when one considers the success with which Yaakov's endeavors had been blessed, continually increasing his father-in-law's flock. Yet, Yaakov's prayer as he prepared for the encounter with Esau's angel, seems to indicate that he remains troubled by his own past relationship with Esau. Something is greatly bothering Yaakov as he prepares to meet Esau, and not only the safety of his family. Yaakov wants to "come clean" with Esau, and in the struggle with Esau's angel he prevails, proving himself up to the task, and setting the stage for the ominous reunion. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_67-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 28 Nov 2006 13:24:46 +0200 "'This is none other than the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven.'" (Genesis 28:17) "Hamakom" - "the place" - is none other than the place where Avraham bound Yitzchak. And, Midrash teaches, the twelve stones that Yaakov placed under his head as a pillow, were the very stones of the altar upon which Yitzchak was bound. And when Yaakov awakens, and the rocks beneath his head have been transformed into a single stone, he declares, "'How full of awe is this place! this is none other than the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven.'" (ibid 28:17) If the binding of Yitzchak represented the selfless devotion to G-d that would describe the future generations of the progeny of Avraham, then Yaakov's dream represents the beginning of the history of the Jewish nation, and the vision of a future for all mankind, in which nations are united, and hearts are open to the light of Torah. A future in which that very place upon which Yaakov laid his head, that "house of G-d," will one day be called by G-d Himself, "a house of prayer for all nations." (Isaiah 56:7) Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven this week on TEMPLE TALK, as they discuss sleep, dreams, Kislev, Chanukah, Yaakov avinu, and more. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_67-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 28 Nov 2006 13:24:46 +0200 "'This is none other than the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven.'" (Genesis 28:17) Kislev, the month of Chanukah, the month of sleep. Chanukah, of course, begins on the 25th of Kislev. But what is the connection between Kislev and sleep? The ancient Book of Formation - Sefer Yetzirah - makes the association, describing sleep as an attribute of the month of Kislev. But why? The Sefer Yetzirah, traditionally attributed to the patriarch Avraham, does not provide an explanation, and so the riddle stands. Perhaps evidence can be found in the parashot - the weekly Torah readings that are annually read during the month of Kislev. For in the remaining chapters of the book of Genesis, which will be read in the coming weeks, a much repeated motif is the dream. Yaakov, Yosef and Paraoh, (Jacob, Joseph and Pharaoh), each have dreams, and through their dreams the fate of the Israelite nation, as well as the fate of the entire world, is determined. And to dream, one needs to sleep. This week's parasha - Vayetze - (Genesis 28:10 - 32:3), relates the dream of Yaakov, arguably the most significant dream ever dreamt in the history of mankind. In fact, the dream of Yaakov avinu, (Jacob our forefather), is so important, that G-d Himself, our sages teach, shortened the road before Yaakov, literally causing the road to leap forth, so as to insure that Yaakov would arrive at what Torah calls "the place" - "hamakom" - by nightfall. For it was while sleeping at "the place" that G-d appeared to Yaakov in a dream: "And he lighted upon the place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of the place, and put them under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of G-d ascending and descending on it. And, behold, HaShem stood beside him, and said: 'I am HaShem, the G-d of Abraham your father, and the G-d of Isaac. The land whereon you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed. And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in you and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with you, and will keep you whithersoever you go, and will bring you back into this land; for I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken to you of.' And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said: 'Surely HaShem is in this place; and I knew it not.' And he was afraid, and said: 'How full of awe is this place! this is none other than the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven.'" (Genesis 28:11-17) 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_66-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:24:46 +0200 "A whole man, a dweller of tents." (Genesis 25:27) Meanwhile a new rebel had arisen - Avraham. Avraham sought and found G-d, and G-d blessed Avraham with Isaac - Yitzchak. And G-d tested Avraham with the akeida - the binding of Yitzchak. And from the crucible of the binding of Yitzchak G-d's vision for humanity begins to become manifest. Avraham has arrived at Mount Moriah - the very location of the future Holy Temple - where man shall draw near to G-d, and where G-d's presence shall dwell on earth. For Avraham this place is remote and foreboding - a mountain far from the cities of man. Yitzchak, we are taught, perceived the very same spot, not as a mountain, but as a field: an open space, readily approachable, fertile, and suitable to be worked by man. And Yitzchak sought to bestow his inheritance and his blessing on his son Esau, a "man of the field." (Genesis 25:27) For who could better serve G-d in this spot than a man whose prowess in the field is unmatched? And so it might have been that Esau would have gained ascendancy had not the ever watchful Rebecca - Rivkah - intervened on her son Jacob's - Yaakov's - behalf, and successfully steered the blessing toward him. But where had Rivkah acquired her vision? And why did she place her trust in Yaakov - "a dweller of tents?" Rivkah was the spiritual heir of Sara, the wife of Avraham. Ironically, it was the akeida itself, Midrash teaches us, that caused such shock to Sara as to precipitate her death. In her stead arrived Rivkah. And in her tent, which Midrash tells us was distinguished by three phenomena: a cloud of the shechinah - the presence of G-d, always hovered above; the challah - bread - she baked always remained fresh, and the Shabbat candles she lit remained burning from Shabbat to Shabbat; in her tent Rivkah was to dwell. Rivkah understood that the one place on earth where the shechinah - the presence of G-d shone most brightly - was in the home. And that the one place on earth where the blessings of G-d, both spiritual and material, are most abundant, is in the home. And it was this vision that she bequeathed to her son Yaakov, the "dweller of tents." The field is truly a place of tremendous spiritual might. But in the field exists the danger that murder and deception might rule - as did Esau. But only the righteous can cause true peace to dwell within the house. And this is Yaakov, "A whole man, a dweller of tents." Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven this week on TEMPLE TALK, as they discuss "the history of the world," the Torah readings of Chayei Sara and Toldot, the new month of Kislev, the upcoming Chanukah festival, and more. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_66-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:24:46 +0200 "A whole man, a dweller of tents." (Genesis 25:27) For ten generations, G-d allowed man the luxury of exploring his own spiritual path. But man, having erred once in the Garden of Eden, continued to drift from his Father, and not only began worshiping a multiplicity of gods, but by the generation of the flood, seemed bent on corrupting the very earth beneath his feet, with the aim of banishing G-d's presence completely from this world. After all, what would G-d want with a profaned and desecrated creation? G-d's response, midah kneged midah, (measure for measure), was to pull out the earth from under man's feet, as it were, in the form of the flood. And so the floodwaters covered all the earth. All the earth but one spot: the land of Israel. Midrash tells us that the land of Israel remained intact, and it was from the land of Israel that the dove brought back the olive branch to Noach. Defeated, but undaunted, the rebels now relocated in Babylon - Bavel - where, led by the rebel king Nimrod, (whose name means rebel), they devised a new attempt at life without G-d. Having granted G-d His grip on the earth, they sought to build a tower so high that they could distance themselves from G-d's earth, and rule themselves as gods. But G-d despised their disdain for the earth that He had created for man, and brought low the tower of Bavel. Humbled, but not for long, the leading social engineers of the generation regrouped back in the land of Israel. They had learned two great lessons: the land of Israel could be ignored no more than it could be corrupted; and G-d would not tolerate any attempt by man to usurp His heavenly throne. So they built a new society, and they called it Sodom. Here in Sodom they would take on all the trappings of a righteous and G-d-fearing society: they established courts, even a supreme court, and enacted laws to be applied to each and all, without favor or exception. All were welcome to this open and correct society but one: G-d. And so the humanist but G-d-less laws they enacted and enforced equally before all, bespoke a cruel and decadent society. Provoking G-d once again, their fate was sealed. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_65-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Sun, 19 Nov 2006 18:00:52 +0200 Going Together It is this very bond which has remained inseverable throughout the generations, uniting all those who seek the G-d of Israel with our forefather Avraham. And to think it all happened on Moriah, that very spot where the prophet Isaiah says all nations will act as one in their worship of G-d: "Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be acceptable upon Mine altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples." (Isaiah 56:7) Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven this week on Temple Talk, as they discuss the Torah readings of Vayera and Chayei Sara, the Holy Temple, and more. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_65-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Sun, 19 Nov 2006 18:00:52 +0200 Going Together Who was Avraham avinu - Abraham our forefather - and what is our connection to him? Why did G-d subject him to so many trials? After all, he is referred to by G-d as "Avraham My friend." (Isaiah 41:8) Didn't G-d promise him, "'I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee,'" (Genesis 12:2) "And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth...," (ibid 13:16) "'Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, thy reward shall be exceeding great.'" (ibid 14:1), and finally, "'... My covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee...'" (ibid 17:21) What then was Avraham's final trial, the binding of Yitzchak - Isaac - all about? Doesn't G-d's command to Avraham to offer his son Yitzchak as an oleh - burnt - offering contradict both G-d's promise and Avraham's faith in G-d? The place to search for the answers to these questions is in the very story of the akeida - the binding of Yitzchak - itself. By examining both what was said, and what wasn't said, we can begin to shed light on who Avraham was, and what is it that truly binds us to him despite the passing of over three millennia from the days in which he walked the earth. G-d contacts Avraham, and the Torah records the words spoken: "And He said: 'Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, even Yitzchak, and get you into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for an oleh, (a burnt-offering) upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of.'" (ibid 22:2) Midrash teaches us that when G-d said "Take your son," Avraham replied, "I have two sons." G-d clarified, "your only son," but Avraham rejoined, "Ishmael is my only son from Hagar,and Yitzchak is my only son from Sara." G-d responded, "whom you love," to which Avraham answered, "I love both my sons." Finally, G-d said, "Yitzchak." Once this was clear to Avraham without a shadow of a doubt, he declined further comment, and set out quickly to perform G-d's word. Avraham was willing to discuss the issue of justice with G-d, when it came to the punishment He planned for Sodom, but, of course, G-d opened the discussion, inviting Avraham's input. There is no such invitation in the case of the akeida, nor does Avraham question G-d's words. Avraham cleaved to G-d. G-d spoke, Avraham did. There was no space between them, not for doubt, and not for hesitation. It was this same selfless love that G-d wanted to exist between Avraham and Yitzchak, effectively binding them together just as closely as Avraham was bound to G-d. The unfolding of the narrative makes it clear that this is what was achieved. Yitzchak called, "'My father.' And he, (Avraham), said: 'Here am I, my son.' And he said: 'Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?' And Avraham said: 'G-d will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.' So they went both of them together." (ibid 22:7-8) Our sages point out that the words, "my son," in Avraham's response were seemingly extraneous. It is clear who he is addressing. But when read with a different inflection we can hear the true message: "'G-d will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering - my son,'" meaning you, you, my son, you are the offering! But it is what follows that G-d was after: "So they went both of them together." It was now clear both to Avraham and to Yitzchak, the true nature of their mission. And in spite of the awesome nature of their test, they pursued it together, with one heart, and a shared desire to perform the word of G-d. The binding of Yitzchak was, in fact, the binding of Yitzchak and Avraham together, one to the other, singular in purpose and united in their love for G-d. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_64-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Thu, 09 Nov 2006 18:17:15 +0200 The Sons of Avraham Thursday, (Cheshvan 18), marks the passing of Rabbi Meir David Kahane, of blessed memory. He too was a maverick who refused to play by the rules as they were laid our before him. Rabbi Kahane spent his entire life fighting hypocrisy and indifference. He was intolerant of those fellow Jews who preached one thing but practiced another. To the Jews in America he said simply, leave your comfortable lives here, and move to Israel. To the Jews of Israel he said, forget the chimera of a "Jewish democracy" as you have defined it, and shape your lives and define your nation according to the precepts of Torah, the ultimate and sole source of all your claims for independent statehood. Rabbi Kahane foresaw the existential threat that a radicalized irredentist Arab population in the state of Israel would pose for the Jewish nation, long before others cared to admit it. He foresaw the moral decay that would set in as long as Jews in Israel rejected their four thousand year heritage. Fiery and uncompromising, and never afraid to speak his mind, Rabbi Kahane was reviled and rejected by the vast majority of his own people. He was murdered by a Moslem terrorist in Manhattan in 1990. Each of these three defenders of the Jewish people was unique. Each had his own insights, each had his own approach. Yet Mattitiyahu, Reb Shlomo, and Rabbi Kahane were all the sons of Avraham. They all shared his love for G-d and his dedication to G-d's path. Like Avraham, they "made souls in Haran," (Genesis 11:5), (brought people close to HaShem), and like Avraham they didn't hesitate to take up the sword, to defend their people: "And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan. And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus." (Genesis 14:14-15) Avraham avinu - Abraham our forefather - was a multi-faceted man, whose strength and ideals live on today in the hearts of his most beloved children. May their memories be for us a blessing. This week on TEMPLE TALK, Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven discuss the lives and legacies of Mattitiyahu ben Yochanan, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, and Rabbi Meir Kahane, and the present day situation in Israel, all in light of this week's Torah reading of Vayera, and our forefather, Avraham avinu. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_64-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Thu, 09 Nov 2006 18:17:18 +0200 The Sons of Avraham "...Avraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him." (Genesis 18:18) This week marks the passing of three righteous men; three whose love of HaShem, His Torah, and the people of Israel was boundless and uncompromising; three who strove their entire lives to bring the children of Israel back to their Father in heaven, and the nation of Israel back to Torah: three sons of Avraham. Mattitiyahu ben Yochanan, Kohein Gadol - High Priest - whose yarhtzeit, (day of passing), was this Monday, (Cheshvan 15), was living in the town of Modiin when he was sent for by a passing officer of the army of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian-Greek tyrant, to slaughter a pig on a makeshift altar of idolatry. This would have been but a minor anecdote in a well-planned attack on the spiritual well-being of the Jewish nation, designed to eradicate the observance of Torah in the land of Israel, but for Mattitiyahu's response. Mattitiyahu the High Priest not only refused to participate in the abomination, but swearing allegiance to the G-d of Israel, he killed the Syrian-Greek officer, and rallied his fellow Jews with the cry: "He who is with G-d will come with me." Thus began the Maccabean uprising. The ragtag band of rebels which gathered round, were soon transformed into a well-disciplined army, which in two years time, now numbering ten thousand, defeated the soldiers of Antiochus Epiphanes, despite being outnumbered by six to one. From military victory they proceeded to liberate Jerusalem, and the Temple Mount, and to purify and rededicate the Holy Temple, and reinstate the Divine service. Mattitiyahu had died one year earlier, but it was his zealousness for his G-d and his people that turned the tide of history. Tuesday, (Cheshvan 16), marked the passing of one of the Jewish nation's most beloved leaders of this generation: Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, of blessed memory. Affectionately known as Reb Shlomo, he was a scion of a well known Chassidic dynasty, and a brilliant Talmid chacham - Torah scholar - in his own right. Deeply disturbed by the growing alienation of Jews around the world, Reb Shlomo eschewed the honorable chambers of establishment Judaism that awaited him, and set off on a search for Jews, wherever they might be. That search led him to San Francisco of the psychedelic '60s, where he befriended many a lost and bewildered fellow Jew. Over the next three decades he raised up thousands of students in Israel, America, and the world over. Reb Shlomo's magic was in his uncanny ability to reveal to each and every soul he met, the Divine spark that glowed within them, and to reunite them with their loving Father in heaven. He spent his lifetime traveling the globe, singing songs and telling stories. Castigated by some and ridiculed by others for his unorthodox approach, during his own lifetime, his legacy of love for his brothers and sisters of the Jewish nation has grown stronger and stronger in the twelve years since his passing. Like Mattitiyahu, Reb Shlomo too raised the banner of, "He who is with G-d will come with me," but his battle was against loneliness and indifference, alienation and ignorance. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_63-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:16:04 +0200 Walking Before G-d "And Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram..." (ibid 11:26) Terach, we are told by our sages, was a well known worshipper, (and retailer), of idols. His world, his mindset, was the world that Avraham, (Avram), was born into. Unlike Noach, Avraham never distanced himself from his fellow man. On the contrary, his life's work was going to be to change the way his fellow man perceived himself, his world, and G-d. Avraham was a rebel and an iconoclast from the start. In fact, midrash teaches us that even before he was born, Nimrod, king and self-proclaimed god of the city of Ur, saw a heavenly sign that a troublemaker was to be born to Terach, and sought to kill the infant Avraham. Avraham spent his youth in search of truth, and arrived at the conclusion that idols of wood and stone were but the work of man, and that even the stars and the sun and the moon were likewise the work of a single Creator. No stranger to strife and persecution, (he had to flee Nimrod after the latter had him thrown into a furnace because of his dangerous talk of the one true G-d), Avraham, nevertheless understood G-d to be a G-d of chesed - loving-kindness. It was the G-d of chesed and not the G-d of retribution that Avraham attached himself to and sought to introduce to his fellow man. "And when Avram was ninety nine years old, HaShem appeared to Avram, and said unto him: 'I am G-d Almighty; walk before Me, and be wholehearted." (ibid. 17:1) Avraham didn't walk passively "...walk with Elokim (the G-d of justice)," as did Noach. He walked before HaShem. He sought to beseech and persuade G-d on behalf of his fellow man. We are told by the Torah that Avraham "stood yet before HaShem," (ibid. 18:22) and that he "drew near..." (ibid. 18:23) to G-d. Noach perceived that a world of justice would take place even at the expense of man. Avraham understood that a world of justice necessarily includes mankind within it. To that end, he sought to bring man to G-d, and G-d to man. Noach is easy to describe, "a man righteous.. and wholehearted," (Genesis 6:9). But how do we describe Avraham, the offspring of idol worshippers? His heart was so big. His vision so bold. His blessing so great. He is simply Avraham avinu - our forefather Abraham. Listen to this week's TEMPLE TALK, as Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven discuss the Torah readings of Noach and Lech Lecha, and the personalities of Noach and Avraham. Also explored are the tower of Babel, the city of Sodom, and the blessing of rain in the land of Israel. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_63-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:14:22 +0200 Walking Before G-d First Noach, then Avraham, are challenged by G-d and by the world that He created. Each are heros - each in his own way. Each rescued mankind from oblivion. Each were spoken to by G-d and each obeyed G-d's command. So what really distinguished Avraham from Noach, and why were both men "necessary" for the spiritual development of mankind? Of Noach it is said, "Noach was a man righteous (ish tzaddik) in his generation and wholehearted (tammim); Noach walked with G-d." (Genesis 6:9) Avraham, on the other hand receives no such appellations. Indeed, Avraham is introduced to us by the Torah as being "the son of": "And Terach lived seventy years, and begot Avram..." (ibid 11:26) Why would the Torah present Avraham, the man who would seek out G-d in this world, and through whom all nations would be blessed, in such an inauspicious fashion? The answer to both these questions may, in fact, be one and the same. Noach is easy to define. He separated himself and his family from all others around him. He didn't mix with the evil-doers of his generation. He set his mind and heart to the building of the ark, as G-d had commanded. He was a righteous man and his intentions were pure. He was close to G-d. His defense against the corruption of his generation was to insulate himself from their influence, first by dedicating himself to building the ark, and later, by entering into the ark itself. From there he would never look back, not even to shut the door behind him: "...and HaShem shut him in." (ibid. 7:16) When Noach emerged from the ark one year later, he was essentially the same man. Yet now Noach earns one more appellation, ish ha'adamah, "...a man of the earth..." (ibid 9:20) Here, however, the description, man of the earth is not provided to describe a new facet of Noach's personality, but essentially to confirm that the experience of the flood had, in fact, not changed who he always had been. Only now, stripped of his own generation, he no longer is found meriting the title righteous. His job is essentially done. He has saved man from physical devastation. He is a man of the earth, not of the heavens. Noach "walked with G-d (Elokim)." (ibid 6:9) He understood G-d to be a G-d of justice, and did not deem himself worthy of speaking up on behalf of the sinners of his generation before the G-d of justice. He cannot transcend himself, nor understand the transcendent nature of G-d. One hundred and twenty one years after he received G-d's command to build the ark, his perception, neither of himself, nor of G-d, nor of mankind, has changed. He remains righteous, but he cannot change the world forever; he does not believe that he has the power to imbue the physical world with spirituality. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_62-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Sun, 29 Oct 2006 17:28:29 +0200 Finding Favor While the Waters are Rising What went wrong was that man, despite having been the crowning glory of G-d's handwork, whose very breath of life was inspired into him by G-d Himself, experienced a spiritual de-generation with the very passing of the biological generations. Gradually distancing himself from his Divine source, he began ascribing sovereignty to the various aspects of G-d's created universe, eventually creating in his own heart an idolatrous pantheon of empty gods. With the one true G-d out of mind, soon man would begin to follow only the whims of his own heart, and that would lead quickly to "only evil all the day.""And the earth was corrupt before G-d, and the earth was filled with violence." (Genesis 6:11) Our sages teach us that the verse is referring to two specific offenses being committed rampantly: violent robbery, (hamas), and sexual impropriety. These two crimes constitute the final elimination of G-d and desecration of His creation that had begun in the earlier generations. No longer recognizing that all belongs to G-d, violent robbery becomes the norm. No longer recognizing that we are created in G-d's image, we disabuse our own spark of Divinity. In two weeks time a "Gay Pride Parade" is scheduled to march through the streets of downtown Jerusalem. Coupled with the Oslo inspired terror which culminated in the violent expulsion of 9,000 Jews from their own homes and communities just over a year ago, the earth seems to be once again corrupted and filled with violence. Are we once again on the threshold of a cataclysmic end? But the month of Cheshvan also contains within it the seeds of redemption. Not only is it the month that the righteous Noach boarded his ark, but according to midrashic tradition, it is the month in which the future third Holy Temple will be dedicated. Yes, the month of Cheshvan will ultimately reveal itself in time as a vehicle for redemption. Referring again to our midrash: "King Solomon built the First Temple and the work was completed during the month of Cheshvan. But the spirit of Divine inspiration indicated to King Solomon that he was to hold off the dedication of the Temple until the month of Tishrei. This caused the month of Cheshvan great embarrassment. In response, G-d promised to reward Cheshvan in the future when it will host the dedication ceremony of the Third Holy Temple." May we, too, fine favor in G-d's eye, as did Noach, and may we, with our own hands, speedily rebuild the Holy Temple, and may our offerings be a sweet smelling savour unto HaShem. The month of Cheshvan, the parasha - Torah reading - of Noach, and the past, present and future of the Holy Temple, are all discussed on this week's TEMPLE TALK, with Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_62-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Sun, 29 Oct 2006 17:28:29 +0200 Finding Favor While the Waters are Rising No festivals, nor holidays, not even a fast... Void of outward signs of spiritual activity, the month of Cheshvan would appear to be a sleeper. Yet still waters run deep, a very appropriate allusion to the month of Cheshvan, the month of the great flood. And if the month of Cheshvan, (coined MarCheshvan - "bitter" Cheshvan because of its lack of sweetening holidays), appears placid, it is because the spiritual changes it measures are tectonic in their vastness, and seismic in their impact, too profound, perhaps, to be detected easily. For the spiritual trajectory that Cheshvan marks stretches all the way back to the days of the flood and concludes only at the redemptive dawn of mankind's tomorrow. "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." (Genesis 7:11-12) It was in the month of Cheshvan that the rain began a-falling, marking the end of the beginning for all mankind. Creation, having begun so positively, ("And G-d saw the light, that it was good" Genesis1:4, "...and G-d saw that it was good" ibid 1:10,12,18,21.25, "And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good" ibid 1:31), took a steep downturn, ("And HaShem saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the day," (Genesis 6:5) What went wrong? 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_61-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Thu, 19 Oct 2006 10:54:08 +0200 Beginning Again The holiday season has also been marked by much activity on and around the Temple Mount. Each day of the intermediary days of Sukkot hundreds of Jews went up to the Temple Mount, in strict accordance with Jewish halachic law. Tens of thousands of Jews from around Israel, and around the world, all gathered on the second intermediary day of Sukkot, at the Western Wall plaza at the foot of the Temple Mount, to hear the Priestly blessing, as in the days of the Holy Temple. But other forces, not so positive, have also been afoot. The Jordanian monarch decided that the time has come to add yet a fifth Moslem minaret to the Temple Mount. And the secular government of Israel, apparently unaware of its own sovereignty over the Temple Mount,... agreed. What does this mean for us? And what can we do about it? 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_61-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Thu, 19 Oct 2006 10:54:08 +0200 Beginning Again From the first day of Elul, when we begin reciting Psalm 27, ("The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"), and blowing the shofar each morning, to the last day of the holiday season, (Shmini Atzeret - Simchat Torah), is a total of fifty one days. We begin our spiritual preparations in Elul. On Rosh Hashana we stand before the Creator and recognize His sovereignty. On Yom Kippur we confess our sins before G-d and ask for His forgiveness. For the seven days of Sukkot we dwell in the sukkah, enveloped by the Holy Shechinah - the presence of HaShem. Finally, on Shmini Atzeret - Simchat Torah we dance joyfully with the Sefer Torah as we read the conclusion of the book of Devarim - Deuteronomy - and begin reading from the book of Bereshith - Genesis. But what about the day after, the fifty second day? Are we in for a big let down? What is to become of all the spiritual energy generated? Are we to fall from our heightened perches? The answer is no, at least if we have been sincere in our endeavors and determined in our efforts to bring ourselves closer to Hashem, and closer to the person that He intended for us to be. The festival of Sukkot, also known as the festival of the harvest, is a time for filling our storehouses with the fruits of our spiritual labors over the past year, and especially over the past fifty one days. By the time we leave our Sukkot and return to our permanent house on Shmini Atzeret, it is not the same house that we left only one week ago. For while we have been dwelling in the Divine embrace of the sukkah, G-d has, as it were, been fixing what is broken in our house. And this new, improved spiritual environment that G-d has fashioned for us, based on our own spiritual efforts and accomplishments, is ours to grow in for the coming year. The day after Shmini Atzeret is not the end of the cycle, but only the beginning. Spiritually refreshed, renewed and reinvigorated we reenter our day-to-day lives on a much higher level than we were just fifty two days ago. It is this new level of invigoration that fuels us as of this moment. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_60-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:37:41 +0300 The Tishrei Special Four days after we stand before G-d on Yom Kippur, confess our sins, and beg Him for forgiveness, we fulfill the mitzva of sitting in the sukkah. This impermanent and precarious structure is symbolic of the impermanent and precarious nature of this world. We sit within the sukkah as a profound faith in G-d's benevolence. But on an even more rarified level, the sukkah itself is G-d's loving embrace, surrounding and encompassing us. In other words, it is the answer to the question posed above. Has G-d forgiven us? Of course He has, and the heartfelt embrace of the sukkah is the manifestation of His deep love for us. Join Rabbi Chaim Richman & Yitzchak Reuven on TEMPLE TALK as they discuss Rosh Hashana, the ten days of repentance, Yom Kippur and the festival of Sukkot! 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_60-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Fri, 22 Sep 2006 17:37:41 +0300 The Tishrei Special On Yom Kippur we ask G-d to forgive us for the sins we have committed over the past year. Yet how do we know that G-d has, in fact, forgiven us? The days leading up to Yom Kippur are likewise the time for asking forgiveness from our fellow man. This can often prove more difficult than asking forgiveness from G-d Himself. In fact, the more important the individual we are asking forgiveness from is to us, the greater our trepidation. By the same token, it is also incumbent upon us to forgive those who request our forgiveness. A casual acquaintance who beseeches our forgiveness will most likely merit a gracious, if perfunctory, "you are forgiven." or, "think nothing of it." The same encounter between people who share a deep love for one another will naturally elicit a much more emotion-laden response. A tearful, "You are forgiven," and a heartfelt embrace may best express the depth of the forgiveness. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_59-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Thu, 14 Sep 2006 07:09:03 +0300 Banishing Doubt The bringing of the first fruits to the Holy Temple marks the conclusion of a months long effort. By way of analogy, let us examine the process that precedes the simple loaf of bread that we place upon our table: The field is plowed, the seed is planted. The wheat is watered and cultivated. The soil is tilled, the weeds are pulled. The crop is harvested and stored. The wheat is winnowed, the grains are ground and sifted. The flour is baked into bread. We wash our hands, lift the bread, and recite the motzei blessing - thanking "G-d, who has brought forth the bread from the earth." For what exactly are we thanking G-d? There would seem to be no food more labor-intensive and dependent solely upon the sweat of a man's brow than a simple loaf of bread. But we, as the farmer, know that without the rain and the sun in their proper balance; without all the forces of nature being directed by G-d toward the nurturing of the wheat crop; without his efforts being blessed and brought to fruition by G-d Himself, in each and every step "along the way", all his labor would have been in vain. The farmer takes his first fruits and brings them to the Holy Temple. He stands before the High Priest and utters praise to G-d. It is this trust in G-d and gratitude for the blessings which He bestows upon us that vanquish within us all doubt that there is a G-d, and His place is here - among us and within us. When we overcome the doubt with which Amalek embitters our lives, we can then enter into the land of Israel, and go up in thanks and certainty, to the House of the L-rd - the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven in this week's Temple Talk, as they discuss Amalek, the first-fruits, the approaching Rosh Hashana, and the birth day of the holy Baal Shem Tov, (Elul 18). 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_59-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Thu, 14 Sep 2006 07:09:03 +0300 Banishing Doubt The Torah reading of Ki Teitzei concludes with the commandment to remember the evil Amalek, "how he happened upon you along the way, and smote the hindmost of you, all that were enfeebled in the rear, when you were faint and weary; and he feared not G-d." (Deuteronomy 25:18) The parasha of Ki Tavo, which immediately follows, opens with a description of the first-fruits offering at the Holy Temple: "And it shall be, when you have come in unto the land which HaShem your G-d has given you for an inheritance, and you possess it, and dwell therein; that you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you shall bring in from your land that HaShem your G-d has given you; and you shall put it in a basket and shall go unto the place which HaShem your G-d shall choose to cause His name to dwell there." (Ibid 26:1-2) Surely the Torah is teaching us something by tying together these two seemingly unrelated passages. But what? What can the incident of Amalek, which occurred soon after the crossing of the Sea of Reeds have to do with first-fruits in the land of Israel, and going up to the Holy Temple? The enemy Amalek has many darts in his quiver. He attacks us from without, but also he attacks us from within. Doubt, self doubt, doubt in G-d's providence: these doubts can conquer us spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Doubt is Amalek's most powerful weapon. This is hinted at by the words "how he happened upon you..." as if this act of terrorism was merely a happenstance, a coincidence. As if there is no G-d in the world whose hand guides all things. As if there is no eternal and immovable divide between right and wrong, good and evil. As if our own thoughts and actions don't count for all that much because G-d isn't really watching anyway... 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_58-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 05 Sep 2006 19:51:10 +0300 Listening to the Shofar: Hearing the Divine Breath of Life G-d draws near to us in this month of Elul, (the King is in the field), and we in return draw near to Him as we stand before Him on Rosh Hashana. The purity of this intimacy can be seen in the Hebrew letter yod which is associated with the month of Elul. The smallest and simplest of all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the yod represents that small, still pure, still unspoiled spot within us that connects us to the Divine. Similarly, the Rosh Hashana service focuses on the single commandment to hear the sound of the blowing of the shofar. For the voice of the shofar is the voice within us, the very breath of life which G-d has breathed into us. By hearing the shofar we are reliving our own birth as Adam on the sixth day of creation. We are literally inspired to renew and refresh our life-bond with our Creator. Join Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven as they discuss Elul, Rosh Hashana, and prayer on the Temple Mount in this week's TEMPLE TALK broadcast. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_58-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 05 Sep 2006 19:51:10 +0300 Listening to the Shofar: Hearing the Divine Breath of Life The month of Elul provides us with a spiritual moment in which to shed our worldly pretensions and vanities, and simply be ourselves. For our our essential and simple inner self is what G-d truly desires as He sets out from His remote abode, as it were, and seeks us out now in the month of Elul. Preparing for the judgment of all mankind is not so much a matter of taking on vows of self improvement as it is stripping ourselves of all the dross and illusion of self-importance in which we envelope ourselves throughout the days of the year. Rosh Hashana marks the completion of the process of creation of all existence with the birth of Adam Harishon - the first man. Having created the parameters of His kingdom, G-d now breaths the breath of like into Man - His subject. And as the descendants of the first Man, we are all His subjects, and no day is more propitious for recognizing G-d's sovereignty over us all than Rosh Hashana, the day of our birth. And only once we have recognized G-d's role as our creator and our Sovereign are we able to take upon ourselves the awesome task of repentance. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_57-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Thu, 31 Aug 2006 17:28:06 +0300 In Our Work Clothes Elul, the month preceding Rosh Hashanah is known to be a time of eyt ratzon - a time of heavenly good will, or grace. But to understand the unique spiritual dimension of Elul, one needs to explore the imagery of "the King is in the field." Not satisfied with passively awaiting His role as Judge on Rosh Hashana, the King has emerged from His chamber and actively seeks out His subjects. He seeks out His subjects not to catch them in their inequity, G-d forbid, but to see in each and every one of us that spark of pure light which binds us to His will. But finding the good within us requires knowing where to look for it. The Baal Hatanya explains, when discussing "the King in the field" that G-d is seeking us in our "work clothes," that is, as we are. The very first step toward preparing ourselves for standing before the Judge on Rosh Hashana is accepting ourselves for who we are and for where we are. Only when we confront our own strengths and weaknesses, our own accomplishments and failures can we begin the process of bettering ourselves. This is what the King is seeking within us when he emerges from the great distance of His heavenly abode and draws near to us in the field of our existence, in this world. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_57-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Thu, 31 Aug 2006 19:49:10 +0300 In Our Work Clothes This same emphasis on the pure and simple truth that dwells within us finds expression in the blowing of the shofar. Hearing the blowing of the shofar is the main aspect of the avodah - the Divine service - performed in the Holy Temple on Rosh Hashana. It is the custom, which dates back to the generation of the desert, to blow the shofar each day during the month of Elul. The non-verbal cry of the shofar as it is blown is meant to awaken within us the need to rebind our lives to the will of G-d. Likewise, the shofar is blown in order to signal to G-d that we are here - alive and yearning to draw nearer to Him. Join Rabbi Chaim Richman on TEMPLE TALK, as he and guest co-host Yishai Fleisher discuss the month of Elul, the Torah reading of Shoftim, and the comprehensive architectural plans being drawn up for the Holy Temple, beginning with the Chamber of Hewn-stone - the seat of the future Great Sanhedrin. Also learn about the new siddur - prayer book - being composed for the growing Bnei Noach international community. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_13.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 21 Aug 2006 19:32:35 +0300 This week's Temple Talk is a rebroadcast of the original Av 18, 5765/August 23, 2005 episode. Focusing on the weekly Torah readings - Ve'etchanan and Ekev - (Deuteronomy 3:23 - 11:25), stressing the commandments to enter the land and conquer it, drive out the occupiers and inherit the land, all according to G-d's promise to the Israelite nation. We also have with us in the studio two dear friends and special guests from the U.S., Beth and Brian. They describe U.S. news coverage of the forced expulsion of 10,000 Jews from Gaza and northern Samaria, as well as their own feelings concerning the disengagement. Long attached to the people of Israel, the land of Israel, and the G-d of Israel, Beth and Brian talk about their spiritual journey as Bnei Noach committed to living their lives based on the Torah of Israel. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_56-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 14 Aug 2006 19:32:35 +0300 Av 20, 5766/August 14, 2006 A description of the Av 20, 5766/August 14, 2006 Temple Talk broadcast is temporarily unavailable. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_56-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 14 Aug 2006 19:32:35 +0300 Av 20, 5766/August 14, 2006 A description of the Av 20, 5766/August 14, 2006 Temple Talk broadcast is temporarily unavailable. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_55-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:32:35 +0300 Avoiding the Snare The Torah places a supreme value on human life. We are commanded to "choose life." An appreciation of all living things is essential to an understanding of the inner meaning of the Divine service at the Holy Temple. The everyday mitzvot with which we preoccupy ourselves are a celebration of life. One particular day in which the celebration of life as a heavenly gift to be both appreciated and embraced, is Tu B'Av - the 15th day of the month of Av. Considered a minor holiday by Jewish tradition, it is nevertheless one of the most sublime occasions on the Hebrew calendar. Tu B'Av is a day of brotherly love, where common daily distinctions are dropped, and all be come equal. As brothers in peace and unity we become fit for our most sacred task and ultimate destiny - to become partners to the Holy One Himself, Creator of the universe. To learn more about Torah teachings concerning the morality of war, and how to conduct a war morally, and to gain insight into the joyful life embracing spirit of Tu B'Av, listen to the week's broadcast of TEMPLE TALK. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_55-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Mon, 07 Aug 2006 19:32:35 +0300 Avoiding the Snare "And thou shalt consume all the peoples that the LORD thy God shall deliver unto thee; thine eye shall not pity them; neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee." Deuteronomy 7:16 Moshe rabbeinu - Moses our master - who selflessly devoted his entire life to the physical and spiritual well being of the Israelite nation, had but one wish before he died: "let me enter the land and see that goodly mountain: the Lebanon." These are the words that open this week's Torah reading, Ve'etchanan, (Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11). What is the meaning of this cryptic reference to Lebanon? We know that the Torah refers to the land north of the land of Israel as Lebanon, the very same land of the cedars in which Israel today is battling the terrorists vipers of Hezbollah. Is Moses asking for entrance into the promised land simply to gain access to Lebanon in the north? When confronted with a life or death decision, it is incumbent upon us to act decisively and morally. To be indecisive or to hesitate, to be passive rather than active, can be both immoral and deadly. Today Israel is waging war against an implacable enemy, an enemy which worships at an altar of hate and destruction, and which will be satisfied with nothing less than the total annihilation of the state of Israel, the genocide of the Jewish people, and the obliteration of the Torah of Israel from the face of the earth. When facing such an enemy, each soldier of the army of Israel needs to be armed with a clear and uncompromising understanding of his responsibility to himself, his nation, and all humankind. We are taught by our sages that one is required to die as a martyr rather than to murder. Yet, to cut down an enemy in battle is not murder, but the prevention of murder. Even when that enemy places himself among "innocent" civilians. Even when those "innocents" are women and children. To refrain from pursuing the enemy because of these extenuating circumstances is not an act of moral deliberation. It is an act of confusion, perhaps even cowardice. Torah makes it clear that an enemy is to be pursued mercilessly. The ungodly "moral dilemma" cooked up by the enemy, practitioners of a cynical death cult, is to be treated with contempt. To spare a murderer, even at the risk of killing an innocent child, is to allow and to encourage him to continue to murder and to murder and to murder. To concede to the rules that the terrorists would have us play by, is to become ensnared in trap both deadly and immoral. As much as we hate to see our sons and friends confronted with such decisions, the stern warning which the Torah delivers in this week's reading, Ekev, leaves no room for moral equivocation. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_54-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 01 Aug 2006 19:32:35 +0300 The Lebanon of Jerusalem Today, as we approach the fast of the 9th of Av, the day commemorating the destruction of the Holy Temple, the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces are fighting a vicious unscrupulous enemy in the Lebanon of the north, Likewise, our hearts are turned in prayer, in remembrance, and in determination, to the Lebanon atop "that goodly mountain" - Mount Moriah, Jerusalem, the place of the Holy Temple. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_54-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 01 Aug 2006 19:32:35 +0300 The Lebanon of Jerusalem "'Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.'" Deuteronomy 3:25 Moshe rabbeinu - Moses our master - who selflessly devoted his entire adult life to the physical and spiritual well being of the Israelite nation, had but one wish before he died: "let me enter the land and see that goodly mountain: the Lebanon." These are the words that open this week's Torah reading, Ve'etchanan, (Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11). What is the meaning of this cryptic reference to Lebanon? We know that the Torah refers to the land north of the land of Israel as Lebanon, the very same land of the cedars in which Israel today is battling the terrorists vipers of Hezbollah. Is Moses asking for entrance into the promised land simply to gain access to Lebanon in the north? This is certainly not the case as a familiarity with the ancient Hebrew scriptures readily proves. The word Lebanon, or levanon in Hebrew is from the Hebrew root lavan, meaning "white." It is used frequently throughout the twenty four books of Tanach - the Hebrew scriptures - as a reference to the Holy Temple! Our sages point out that our transgressions are whitened through the Divine service and prayer at the Holy Temple. In fact, a main ingredient of the incense offering at the golden altar is levonah - frankincense - from the same Hebrew root - lavan. Within the word lavan itself is another Hebrew word - lev - heart. For the Holy Temple - and the "goodly mountain" - Mount Moriah - upon which it stands, is the heart of all humanity, and the place toward which all who wish to serve the G-d of Israel turn their hearts. Beseeching G-d that he may enter the land and see the Levanon - the Holy Temple - is therefore no minor request on Moses' behalf. Moses too wants to be of the generation whose hands and hearts build the Holy Temple - and whose eyes can behold the fulfillment of the divine commandment first received by Moses and the children of Israel in the desert: "Build for me a sanctuary, that I may dwell amongst you." (Exodus 25:8) 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_53-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:29:46 +0300 Still Surrounded This past week's double Torah reading of parashot Matot and Ma'asei, which close out the book of Bemidbar - Numbers: what motivated the tribes of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe to request to graze their livestock and raise their children in the land and cities east of the Jordan River? Why did Moses grow angry at their proposal? What can we learn today from the book of Numbers, known also as "the book of mistakes" in reference to the many errors committed by the Israelites during their desert sojourn? Listen to this week's TEMPLE TALK as Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven discuss the situation in Israel today, in light of the life lessons the Torah bequeaths us, and the promise the Torah holds out for us: "Oh that My people would hearken unto Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries. The haters of HaShem should dwindle away before Him; and their punishment should endure for ever. They should also be fed with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.'" (Psalms 81:14 - 17) 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_53-1.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:29:46 +0300 Still Surrounded "But you shall soon cross the Jordan and live in the land that G-d your Lord is allotting you. When He has granted you safety from all your enemies around you, and you live in security, there will be a site that G-d will choose as the place for His name to rest there." Deuteronomy 12:10 - 11 Still surrounded by enemies, Israel today is waging war on two fronts. Broken promises and empty threats and Israel's northern (Lebanon) border and southern (Gaza) border have erupted. Israel seems to have awakened to the acute existential threat posed by these two enemies, (Hamas and Hezbollah), each of them proxies for the fascist Islamic government of Iran. But has Israel's secular leadership awakened to the existential threat posed by their estrangement from the land of Israel, the Torah of Israel, and the G-d of Israel? Will forcing her enemies back and buying time prove anything but a dangerous illusion if the decision makers in Israel don't return to the Torah values that have protected and propelled this people forward for more than three thousand years? Of what value is "security" if Israel isn't determined to be "the place for His name to rest there." Can this nation be secure if we don't make room for G-d to dwell amongst us? 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount Rabbi Chaim Richman no Living life according to the Torah of Israel. http://www.templeinstitute.org/audio/templetalk_52-2.mp3 http://www.templeinstitute.org/multimedia.htm Wed, 19 Jul 2006 00:35:42 +0300 "My covenant of peace" Numbers 25:12 Listen to this week's Temple Talk as Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven explore the inner meaning of the "covenant of peace" forged between G-d and Pinchas, the grandson of Aaron the High Priest. Discover the bond between the zealous Pinchas and Elijah the prophet who lives to this day. Rabbi Richman also discusses the two inseparable "sides" of the Torah, the written Torah and the oral Torah. 47:00 Torah, Judaism, Holy Temple, Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, Temple Mount