Showing posts with label Temple Mount. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Temple Mount. Show all posts

July 27, 2023

Tisha B'Av: Remembering The Fallen Temple

Please G-d, the 3rd Temple soon and in our times!  

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)


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May 29, 2022

Zionism of Strength and Humility

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called "Zionism of Strength and Humility."

I sometimes get very scared when we don’t give Hashem the proper credit for our incredible accomplishments and military successes, but rather we talk about our own “self-reliance.” To a certain extent, the calls for self-reliance is understandable amidst broad-based anti-Semitism in the world, calls for Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, and near constant United Nations resolutions again us. Of course, in these circumstances and with our history of suffering persecution, pogroms, and Holocaust, we may look to insulate and protect ourselves from the world’s incessant and irrational hatred of Jews.
Most importantly though, we have to recognize that G-d is in charge. As a small people in a tiny (albeit marvelous) land, surrounded by enemies, we can never forget that remaining sovereign over Israel and defeating our enemies that rise up against us time and again is nothing but completely miraculous. Our enemies are 1,000 to 1 against us, and yet G-d makes them run from before us.

(Source Photo: IDF; https://www.flickr.com/photos/idfonline/51131344223/in/album-72157719004030432/)
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May 13, 2021

Support Israel and the IDF!


 (Photo via Facebook)


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March 21, 2021

Sheep No More

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, Sheep No More

In thinking about sacrifices as animal substitution for consequences to man, we can also reverse this logic to explore what sacrifices can teach us about consequences to man in their relationship to the Jewish people. In this particular case, I am thinking about Jewish responses to those who desire to be our friends and want to build kind and productive relationships with us or the opposite, to our enemies, who seek to persecute, attack us, and make the Jews their korban, victims.
In short, traditional korbanot in the Temple can teach us not only about how animals can substitute for people in our sacrifices to G-d for thanksgiving, communion, and acknowledging of consequences and teshuva (repentance) for our wrongdoing, but also how the Jewish people can relate to the nations of the world in everything from full peace, positive engagement, acts of guilt and sin against us, and even full-fledged war. Sacrifices teach us that while peace is always the desired state and fiery war a last resort in our self-defense and preservation, we know that after thousands of years of anti-Semitism, persecution, and Holocaust, we are no longer the sacrificial lamb on anyone’s Temple altar.

(Source Photo: Pixabay Free Image)

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March 14, 2021

Preparing for The Third Temple

Please see my new article in The Times of Israel called, "Preparing for the Third Temple."
In essence, the Jewish Temples have been not only physically buried over, but also the site has been historically Islamicized despite the Temple Mount’s intrinsic holiness to all three major religions (Christianity, Islam, and Judaism). In short, this is a very sensitive issue that is likely anchored in facets of intolerance and religious rivalry, as well as pretenses of superiority and dominance, rather than ultimately on the shared connection we have through both our genetic and spiritual lineage as Abraham’s decedents.
We absolutely want to have a peaceful and productive coexistence with all people, but just as Israel has risen from the Valley of Dry Bones, so too the day is coming soon when the Jewish Temple will be rebuilt in shinning glory and we can worship G-d just as we did in times before. What will be special about the 3rd Temple is that it will not only be for the Jewish people, but for all the world’s people to come together harmoniously to recognize and worship the one true and faithful G-d of us all.  ;-)

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)


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May 11, 2017

A Curse That Is Really A Blessing

So here is an amazing true story from this week.

My wife was in Israel. 

She went to the Kotel (Jewish Temple Mount in Jerusalem) to pray. 

On the way, an old, poor man stopped her and asked for food. 

My wife gave him her sandwich. 

Then after walking another block, he stopped her again and gestured for assistance. 

This time, my wife gave him some money too.

After this, she asked him if he would bless our family.

And he did and also gave a special blessing to my elder daughter who had just recently gotten engaged. 

My wife also went to the Kotel and prayed for us and her. 

That same evening back in the States here, my daughter and her fiancee ended their engagement. 

At first, the breakup seemed like a big disappointment and that a terrible thing had happened--almost like a curse--but G-d works in mysterious ways. 

When we saw the reasons for the breakup, we realized fully that G-d had indeed heard the blessings of the old, poor man (maybe an angel) and the prayers of my wife.

We wish the young man all the best in his future, but we just saw clearly that this was not the right match. 

So what at first can seem like a curse is really a blessing in disguise. 

Truly, when you give charity, you're not only helping others, but it's really a blessing for you too. 

Thank you to the old, poor man in Jerusalem and to Hashem who heard my wife's prayers at the Kotel. ;-)

(Source Photo: Dannielle Blumenthal)
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October 19, 2016

Sukkah Surprise



I'm in Washington D.C. and I look towards the World Health Organization (WHO) a specialized agency of the United Nations. 

And lo' and behold, what do I see? 

It looks like a sukkah!

A sukkah is a small temporary hut that is put up on the Jewish holiday of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles or Booths) which we are celebrating now. 

The sukkah commemorates when the Jewish people left Egypt and journeyed through the desert for 40 years until they reached the promised land of Israel. 

Sukkot is traditionally one of three times a year of historical pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem, and this was fascinating to see this in DC just as the UNjust UNESCO failed history by erroneously declaring the Temple Mount in Jerusalem only sacred to Muslims. 

So while I'm thinking how cool is it that the WHO has a sukkah for the celebration--I've never seen a sukkah in Washington DC before.--I'm realizing this is something much more.

As I get closer, I see there are pictures of impoverished people with names of diseases like chagas and elephantiasis caused by parasites. 

As I then learn, this is not like any traditional sukkah--usually decorated, happy, and celebratory for the redemption from slavery and the founding of Jewish nationhood. 

I stop by some people outside and ask what this structure is and they tell me it's a favela (like a shanty town hut from Brazil).

The WHO had this put up as a display for an important meeting of public health officials, and they said I am welcome to take a look. 

So what is to some a sukkah for celebrating the holiday of redemption to another is a favela for learning about critical health conditions around the world. 

People are so connected all over the world in more ways than we normally realize. 

Either way, this temporary shelter is no place to call home, even though seeing it from a distance made me feel just that way.

Unfortunately, the UN does not duly recognize and respect the Jewish homeland, it's ancestry and religious connections to G-d, the Temple, and the Holy Land.

To the unfortunate bigoted and hateful UNESCO, I'm sure a sukkah is just another favela--that is the disease so prominent in their hearts and minds. 

But with hopefulness, perhaps even they can be miraculously redeemed like the symbolism we get from the sukkah. 

(Source Photos: Andy Blumenthal)
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October 14, 2016

Jerusalem's Absolutely Jewish Temple Mount

So the Nazi's tried to make the world Judenrein--free of Jews--meaning dead, as in Holocaust and genocide!

The Babylonians tried. 

The Assyrians tried.

The Greeks tried.

The Romans tried.

The Persians tried. 

And more...

...but they all failed. 

Empires came and went with their anti-Semitism, hatred, racism, discrimination, and bigotry. 

Now the UNjust United Nations, heralded by demagogues, dictators, and human rights abusers from around the world come together against Israel.

The latest yesterday, by the corrupt UNESCO, which drafted yet another resolution against the Jewish State declaring that the Holy Temple Mount in Jerusalem where the Jews worship at the Western Wall of their twice destroyed temple (Beit HaMikdash) is not Jewish.

The First Temple: 
1 Kings 6: "In the 480th year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the 4th year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the L-rd. 

The Second Temple:
Ezra 1-3: "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia...the L-rd stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia...thus says Cyrus king of Persia...whoever among you of all his people, may his G-d be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the L-rd, the G-d of Israel--he is the G-d who is in Jerusalem."

The anti-Semitic UN and it's farcical subagencies like UNESCO can make earthly resolutions--false and worthless--all they want. 

But there is a heavenly G-d, and only He/She reigns supreme and whose resolution is truth and will endure. 

Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel and the Temple Mount is the holy site of the Jewish people, and if the UN has a problem with the word of G-d then they have a very BIG problem indeed. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal; The beautiful painting by Penina Flamm)
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