Legacy - Parshas Miketz & Chanukah

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 

Legacy         by Rabbi Naftali Reich         Print Version
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Parshas Miketz A Change of Heart There was no convincing the Egyptian viceroy. Jacob’s sons kept protesting that they had come to Egypt in all innocence to buy grain for their starving families, but the hostile viceroy would have none of it. They were evil spies, he insisted, and he had them arrested and thrown into the dungeon. Only one would be allowed to return home to bring evidence of their innocence, while the others would languish in prison. Three days later, however, the viceroy apparently has a change of heart. As we read in this week’s Torah portion, he has the brothers brought before him, and he tells them that, because he fears the Lord, he will modify his earlier decree. Instead of keeping them all incarcerated until their innocence is established, he will keep only one and allow the rest to return home with food for their hungry families. After the viceroy makes his announcement, the Torah adds, “And so they did.” But what was it that they did? The Torah does not specify. Instead, the Torah goes on to record their words of self-recrimination for having sold their brother Joseph into slavery. “We are indeed guilty of mistreating our brother,” they say. “We saw his extreme distress when he pleaded with us, but we did not listen to him. That is why we are being subjected to this misfortune.” But the mystery remains. What was it that they did as soon as the viceroy had spoken? Let us consider for a moment. Twenty-two years have gone by since that fateful day when the brothers sold Joseph into slavery. Why do they finally acknowledge their guilt at this particular moment? The commentators explain that the unexpected actions of the viceroy prompted them to reevaluate their own deeds so many years before. The viceroy ruled Egypt with the iron hand of an autocratic despot. He answered to no one except for Pharaoh, who gave him virtual carte blanche to do as he pleased. When he decrees that all the brothers would be locked up until they proved their innocence, it is inconceivable that he would suddenly have a change of heart. Why should he? Clearly, their fate is sealed. And yet, wonder of wonders, the viceroy does indeed have a change of heart. What could this mean? The brothers see in this a clear message from Heaven. A person must always keep an open mind and not feel locked into his original positions. No matter what, he must always maintain an objective perspective. If he thinks he may have made an error, he should correct it, though his ego may suffer somewhat. If even the arrogant and haughty viceroy had changed his mind of his own accord, surely Jacob’s sons could do no less. Originally, they had agreed among themselves that Joseph deserved to die, or at least be sold into slavery, for his supposed transgressions. Once they had arrived at this decision, they had been immovable, and all Joseph’s pleas for mercy had fallen on deaf ears. But now they took their example from the viceroy who had shown the courage to reexamine his earlier decision. “And so they did.” They, too, reexamined their earlier actions and found them wanting. A married couple sought the help of a great sage. “My husband is insufferable,” the wife complained. “I’m only reacting to her nastiness,” he retorted. “Think carefully,” said the sage. “When did this all begin?” “About a week ago,” said the wife, “I baked a very fancy cake, and he forgot to take it out of the oven. All that work for nothing!” “I didn’t forget,” protested her husband. “The message wasn’t clear.” “Now wait a minute, young man,” said the sage. “She did leave you a message, didn’t she? But you couldn’t admit that you made a mistake, so you defended yourself with all your might.” The husband nodded sheepishly. “Well then,” said the sage, “I think we can resolve all your problems. Just admit you were at fault and apologize. I’m sure she will forgive you.” In our own lives, we are constantly presented with situations that demand of us that we take a stand one way or the other. And once we have taken this stand, it sometimes takes on a life of its own. Once we have invested our honor and credibility in a particular position, we sometimes find ourselves going to great lengths to defend the indefensible. However, if we keep an open mind, if we are honest with ourselves and consider the possibility that we may have erred, we will discover that the ultimate honor always lies in embracing the truth and doing what is right. Chanukah Behind the Gray Blur All eyes stare riveted at the dreidel as it spins round and round, a cylindrical gray blur in the center of the table. Slowly, slowly, the spinning eases. Four flat sides come into view, featuring the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hay and shin. Finally, the dreidel comes to a stop and falls on its side. The letter that is uppermost determines if the one who spun it has won or lost. This simple game of chance has become so closely identified with the festival of Chanukah that it has practically attained the status of ritual. Indeed, many great sages have been known to give the dreidel a perfunctory spin or two as they sit beside the Chanukah lights. Clearly, there is a deep symbolism to the dreidel that connects to the broader themes of Chanukah. What exactly is this symbolism? And what is the significance of the letters etched into the sides of the dreidel? Perhaps we can find some enlightenment in this week’s Torah portion, which is always coincidental with Chanukah. As the curtain lifts, we find Joseph languishing in a dark Egyptian dungeon, forgotten by his family, seemingly bereft of hope. His life, whatever is left of it, is a miserable shambles. Then suddenly, everything turns completely around. Joseph is taken from his cell, washed and dressed and brought to Pharaoh. He makes such a powerful impression that Pharaoh appoints him viceroy of Egypt. The machinations of divine providence begin to emerge from concealment. One dramatic episode follows another. Joseph and his family are reunited. They settle in Egypt, and the long exile that would mold and shape the Jewish people begins. During the Chanukah era, the Jewish people experienced a similar turnaround. Alexander’s armies had swept away the old order and imposed Greek culture on the conquered peoples. In the face of the crushing power of the Greek empire and the allure of Hellenistic materialism, it seemed that flickering light of Judaism would be engulfed and extinguished. The dream of a special historical role for the Jewish people seemed to be coming to a bitter end. But even in the darkest hours, a few valiant men held fast to their belief in the constancy of divine providence. No matter how hopeless the situation appeared, they were convinced that Hashem’s guiding hand was controlling events. They rose in rebellion against overwhelming odds, and Hashem rewarded them with a stunning victory, the victory of light over darkness. Here may lie the key to the symbolism of the dreidel. The dreidel has four distinct sides, representing the four directions of the compass and the four basic forms of matter - earth, water, air and fire, in other words, solid, liquid, gas and energy. A turn from above sets the dreidel spinning, and its features are obscured in one dizzying blur. But even as the eye beholds confusion, underneath everything comes together to one focal point, the vortex from which all power emanates, the unifying power of the Creator of the Universe. And then, just when it seems as if the spinning will go on forever, it begins to slow down and the mysterious Hebrew letters come into view. What do these letters stand for? Traditionally, they are an acronym for nes gadol hayah sham, a great miracle happened there. The mystical teachers also point out that the gematria, the numerical value, of these four letters is equal to the gematria of Mashiach. Ultimately, when the mad spinning will finally come to an end, when the gray blur comes into focus and the true nature of creation is revealed, the world will be suffused with transcendent illumination of the Divine Presence, and we will enter the Messianic age. In our own lives, we must all struggle with the trials and travails of daily existence. Life is full of disappointments and disillusionment, and sometimes, its seems beyond our ability to cope. Let us take encouragement from the message of the Chanukah lights. We are not helpless flotsam and jetsam cast helter skelter into the raging ocean of life. At every moment, in darkness and in light, the loving hand of our Father in Heaven is gently upon us guiding us to our destiny and our fulfillment.     Legacy, Copyright &copy 2010 by Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org. Rabbi Reich is on the faculty of the Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum Education Center. Questions or comments? Email feedback@torah.org. Join the Jewish Learning Revolution! Torah.org: The Judaism Site brings this and a host of other classes to you every week. Visit http://torah.org or email learn@torah.org to get your own free copy of this mailing. Need to change or stop your subscription? Please visit our subscription center, http://torah.org/subscribe/ -- see the links on that page. Permission is granted to redistribute, but please give proper attribution and copyright to the author and Torah.org. Both the author and Torah.org reserve certain rights. Email copyrights@torah.org for full information.

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The Timeless Rav Hirsch - Parshas Miketz

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein and Torah.org

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 

The Timeless Rav Hirsch         by Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein         Print Version
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Parshas Miketz Unfinished Business1 Yosef remembered the dreams he had dreamt about them. He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to observe the nakedness of the land!” We are tempted to scream out to Yosef, “No, don’t do it! Your dreams are only significant because they originate with Hashem. He doesn’t need your help in making them come about. You don’t have to torment your brothers for the future to bring what it must. G-d has many ways of making sure that events comply with His Will.” We might add for good effect that we cannot understand why, in all the years that he occupied a position of power he did not find a way to use his office to send a message to his father that he was still alive[2]. Returning to our shock and indignation over this pasuk, we would summarize and conclude, “Yosef! The dreams are none of your business!” The dreams, in fact, were his business. They were essential business to not only Yosef, but to all his brothers as well as his father. How he handled that business is a testimony to his cleverness and penetrating intellect. He could, indeed, have identified himself to his shocked brothers. They would have recovered in time. He could then have sent for Yaakov, and set them all up with attractive sinecures and a family estate in Goshen. It would have been, on the surface of things, a comfortable way of life for all concerned. Appearances, however, would not have betrayed the family dynamic that would have played itself out in every interaction they would have from that moment on. They would always mistrust and fear him, as they did when he was younger, and their suspicions had far less foundation. Now, as viceroy of Egypt, he had the power to rule over them – indeed to do with them whatever he pleased. It would not be more pleasant from his point of view. Every “Good morning” he received from them would be stab and a twist. “What did they mean by that? Is their friendliness just camouflage for their true sentiment? Do they secretly despise me, and plot to finish what they began decades ago?” They could be reunited, but that would not turn them into a fully functional family. Yosef demanded for all concerned that feelings of mutual love and trust be restored to the family. For this to happen, he knew that two things had to change. He remembered the dreams, and the fear and hatred that they had stirred in his siblings. That damage had to be undone. He had to view them very differently from what they looked like to him, peering down at him in the pit into which they had thrown him – and oblivious to the grief that his loss would cause their father. They, in turn, had to regard him differently than as the power-hungry usurper they saw in his dreams, who threatened their safety and security. Yosef set out to accomplish both changes. He guessed – and hoped – that in the course of time, his brothers would have reconsidered some of their attitudes. He hoped that they would have developed a familial glue that bound them together. How could he assure himself that this was true? He would give them even greater cause to sacrifice one of them for the benefit of the others than they had had when he was the perceived threat. He would watch and see how they would comport themselves. Years before, he offered no more than a distant threat to them. What if they faced an open-ended imprisonment, and the starvation of their hungry families back in Canaan? Would they perform the same cold calculus as before, and abandon one of them? He put this to the test, by entrapping Binyamin, and watching for their reactions. He was able to reassure himself that the brothers had in fact changed – that they were willing to risk their own lives for Binyamin, rather than leave him behind. He had a plan as well to change their view of him and his dreams. They saw him as a pretender to a fictional throne, from which he would lord it over them. This would be an unconscionable assault on their freedom, as well as dashing hope for the success of their mission. He waited until his power was not imaginary, but backed by the authority of the Egyptian monarchy. He waited until he had them in a compromised position, when he would have been justified in crushing them, if that is what he really wanted to do. Precisely when it was clear to them that he had the ability to harm them it he wanted, he showed in a most dramatic way that his heart belonged to them, and that he would not use his power against them, consistent with their understanding of his dreams. In this treatment of his brothers in this incident, Yosef showed that he had become a great statesman, who would use his diplomatic insight for the benefit not only of his host country, but for his beloved family. 1. Based on the Hirsch Chumash, Bereishis 42:9 2. Interestingly, the Abarbanel, who served in the court of several monarchs, criticizes those who asked the question. Those familiar with the intrigue of court life know all too well that a foreigner or other suspect person working in the inner circle of trusted court personnel would put his life in danger by sending any message out of the country. He would be seen as a foreign agent.     Questions or comments? Email feedback@torah.org. Join the Jewish Learning Revolution! Torah.org: The Judaism Site brings this and a host of other classes to you every week. Visit http://torah.org or email learn@torah.org to get your own free copy of this mailing. Permission is granted to redistribute, but please give proper attribution and copyright to the author and Torah.org. Both the author and Torah.org reserve certain rights. Email copyrights@torah.org for full information.

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Rabbi Frand on Parshas Miketz

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Rabbi Frand and Torah.org

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 

Rabbi Yissocher Frand To sponsor an edition of the Rabbi Yissocher Frand e-mail list, click here

Parshas Miketz These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Tapes on the weekly portion: Tape # 705, Chanukah Candles, Hotels and Chashunas. Good Shabbos! The Essential Attributes of Being an "Ish Chacham v'Navon" Chanukah Related Audio Shiurim by Rabbi Frand Available Now At www.yadyechiel.org When Pharaoh's could not find a satisfactory interpretation for his dreams, Yosef was called from prison to interpret them. Not only was Yosef able to interpret the dreams, but he gave Pha raoh advice as well: "Now let Pharaoh seek out a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed and let him appoint overseers in the land, and he shall prepare the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. And let them gather all the food of those approaching good years; let them amass grain under Pharaoh's custody for food in the cities, and safeguard it. The food will be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine which will come to pass in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish in the famine." [Bereshis 41:33-36]. Pharaoh and all his servants were very pleased with Yosef's advice and Pharaoh appointed Yosef to fill the role of the "discerning and wise man" in his advice scenario. He became the second most powerful person in Egypt ("Only by the throne shall I outrank you.") In effect, Pharaoh created a new department of government (Food supply security) at that time. Normally, to run such a major go vernment agency, one looks for an extremely organized person with bureaucratic skills. One would think that one would look for a person who has experience in agriculture, food storage, and food distribution. However, there is no indication that Pharaoh took any of these qualifications into consideration – either in Yosef's advice or in Pharaoh's appointment. The primary quality emphasized in the Torah's description of this new cabinet position is that it required a person who was extremely wise –- ish navon v'chochom. In Biblical and Rabbinic vocabulary, the words navon and chochom have specific implications. A chochom is not only one with a high IQ, but is one who foresees the future [Tamid 32b]. Likewise, a navon is not only a wise person but is specifically one who understands one thing from another (mayvin davar m'toch davar) [Chagiga 14a]. Yosef called for a person who had tremendous insight and tremendous foresight. Why was such a person necessary? In tim es of plenty, it is extremely difficult for people to begin imagining what it is like not to have food. Thank G-d, in this country we have never experienced famine. I recently read a memoir of someone who lived in Vilna who recalled a famine that claimed the lives of 50 people a day. We cannot imagine such a thing! The truth is that we do not need to experience famine to relate to this concept. At the end of the nineteen nineties, there was a tremendous economic boom. All of these high tech industries and "dot coms" sprouted up. Everyone thought that this was "the new economy" and that there would be no end to this prosperity. People were making so much money that they did not know what to do with it. The luxury car dealers in New York City could not wait until December because that was when Wall Street gave out their bonuses and people were receiving seven figure bonuses. What happens to a 27-year-old person working on Wall Street who gets a million dollar bonus (on top of the good salary that he has been making all year)? What does he do? He goes down to his Lexus dealer or his BMW dealer and he puts down 90 or 100 thousand dollars on a car. It means nothing to him. People thought that there would be no end to the dot com boom and to the soaring stock market. People could simply not relate to what it would be like to be out of work. Last year he received a million dollar bonus and this year he should be concerned about having a job? When the 7 years of plenty were occurring, with bounty crops year after year, people could not imagine that a famine would ever occur. During those years of plenty, the most important thing was for a leader to get people to pick up the scraps of grain that would have been discarded. Just as the person who receives the million-dollar bonus does not concern himself regarding the following year's livelihood, the farmers laughed at Yosef's government collectors, who were busy picking up the scraps of tho se bumper crops. The Chacham – who foresaw the future – was able to imagine that a time would come when there would be no crops and the Navon saw the implications of that future situation such that every little stalk of grain would become valuable. They needed a person who would inspire the people and foster a mentality within them that the good times WOULD eventually end and that the bad times were just around the corner. We can view this phenomenon as a parable for the dichotomy between this world and the next. As long as we are here and can fulfill mitzvos with very little cost or effort, people do not appreciate the time that they have in this world. Especially when people are young, it is hard for them to imagine that there will come a time when they will not be able to do this. There is a famous story told of the Gaon of Vilna. On his deathbed, he picked up his tzitsis and noted that in this world, for a few rubles one could buy a garment with frin ges and fulfill a great Biblical commandment. "I am soon going to a place now where this will no longer be possible." We are living in the "years of plenty" in terms of spiritual opportunities. We do not realize that there will come "years of famine" as well, regarding opportunities to do mitzvos and earn spiritual reward. Putting this into more of a micro-context –- I teach boys in Yeshiva in their late teens and early twenties. They often treat their opportunity to learn and study Torah very casually. "We have plenty of time to learn all that we want to learn." These years pass by all too soon. That golden opportunity to learn a whole day will not return. It quickly slips away. One must be an "ish chochom v'navon" to appreciate what one has –- what one has while he is in Yeshiva and what he has while living in this world. Rav Eliyahu Lopian gave a parable of a king who fought an extended war. He was unable to win the war until finally he appointed a new gener al who was able to turn the tide of battle and won the war. The king was extremely appreciative and in recognition of the accomplishment of the general, he offered to allow the general to go into the king's treasury house and spend an hour there taking out whatever he wanted for himself. The general was thrilled. He prepared a large sack and waited anxiously for the day when the king would allow him to enter the vault where the king's wealth was stored. In the meantime, the king regretted his decision. While the king did not want to renege on his promise, on the other hand, he did not want to sit by and let the general clean out his most valued possessions. The king's advisors gave him a plan. The general had a passion for good music. The advisors told the king to place the greatest musicians in the country in the vault and have them play the world's most beautiful compositions. This would distract the general from despoiling the king's treasury. Sure enough th e plan worked. The music of the orchestra so mesmerized the general that each time the general told himself that he should be filling his bag instead of listening to the music, the musicians began a more dramatic composition. The general became paralyzed and fixated with the music. By the time the general realized that he was losing the opportunity of a lifetime, the hour of opportunity had passed. He wound up with a few small items, but lost all that potential for riches because of his distraction with the orchestra. Rav Eliyahu Lopian said this parable refers to this world. HaShem [G-d] puts us in this world and tells us to "grab the jewels", i.e. – do the mitzvos. However, at the same time, HaShem gives us all of the familiar distractions of life – both valid and invalid distractions. We become fixated with these distractions. There are times when we wake up and say, "Hey, life is passing us by" and then we are once again distracted with something else! One day, so meone taps us on the shoulder and says, "It is time to leave this world." We look back and bemoan the fact that we have missed our opportunity of mining this world for the spiritual treasures that were available to us. We leave the world empty handed or at best, we leave with our sacks half full. When we have it so good, when the mitzvos are just there for our taking, it is hard to imagine that there will come a time that they will not be there anymore. That is why we need to have the attributes of ish chochom v'navon. We need to foresee the future and take the proper implications from that vision. This write-up was adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tape series on the weekly Torah portion. The complete list of halachic topics covered in this series for Parshas Miketz are provided below: Tape # 035 - Chanukah Issues Tape # 077 - Prohibitions During Times of Crises Tape # 126 - Dreams in Halacha and Hashkafa Tape # 173 - Dreams in Halacha II Tape # 219 - Chanukah Issues II Tape # 263 - Women and Chanukah Candle Lighting Tape # 309 - "Lo Sechanaim" Giving Gifts to Non-Jews Tape # 353 - Chanukah and Hidur Mitzvah Tape # 397 - Lighting Neiros in Shul; Other Chanukah Issues Tape # 441 - Taanis Chalom Tape # 485 - Miracle Products and Other Chanukah Issues Tape # 529 - Ner Chanukah: Where, When, and Other Issues Tape # 573 – The Silver Menorah and Other Chanukah Issues Tape # 617 – The Bad Dream Tape # 661 - Davening for the Welfare of the Government Tape # 705 - Chanukah Candles, Hotels and Chashunas Tape # 749 - Solomonic Wisdom Tape # 793 - Oops! 3 Candles on the 2nd Night Tape # 837 - Hairbrushes on Shabbos - Permitted or Not Permitted Tape # 881 - The T’reifa Chicken Scandal Tape # 925 - Kavod Malchus - How Far Can You Go? Tape # 968 – The Minyan: Must Everyone Be In The Same Room? Tape #1012 – Preparing for Shabbos – Thursday or Friday? And Other Issues Tapes or a complete catalogue can be ordered from the Yad Yechiel Institute, PO Box 511, Owings Mills MD 21117-0511. Call (410) 358-0416 or e-mail tapes@yadyechiel.org or visit http://www.yadyechiel.org/ for further information.     Transcribed by David Twersky Seattle, WA; Technical Assistance by Dovid Hoffman, Baltimore, MD RavFrand, Copyright © 2007 by Rabbi Yissocher Frand and Torah.org. Join the Jewish Learning Revolution! Torah.org: The Judaism Site brings this and a host of other classes to you every week. Visit http://torah.org or email learn@torah.org to get your own free copy of this mailing. Permission is granted to redistribute, but please give proper attribution and copyright to the author and Torah.org. Both the author and Torah.org reserve certain rights. Email copyrights@torah.org for full information.

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Can we do תפילות prayers for:

The Messianic Israel Alliance

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 

Upcoming Events Congregation Leadership Workshop March 22-25 Watertown, Tennessee Boot Camp 2 June 28 - July 3 Knoxville, Tennessee January 28-30 Henderson, Nevada Join teachers Daniel Botkin, John Conrad, Rico Cortes, Scott Diffenderfer, Hale Harris, Wally Smith, local worship teams, and other believers for our first southwestern regional conference! [Learn More]		Celebrate Hanukkah with the MIA this Weekend Worship Leader: Mason Clover We are pleased to announce that musician Mason Clover will be leading us in worship as we celebrate our Messiah, the Light of the World! The MIA is pleased to present The Creation Gospel with Dr. Hollisa Alewine. We are blessed to be able to celebrate Hanukkah focused upon the lampstand, Yeshua - the Light of the World! Dr. Alewine will lead us through her awesome and deep study on The Creation Gospel over two days with a bonus offering of The Spirit Filled Family on day three. We will have times of praise and worship, presentation dances, Torah readings, and good fellowship as well. Come and join us for the Feast of Dedication as we lift up the Light of the World and bask in His goodness. Where LAMB Fellowship 3633 Poplar Hill Rd Watertown, TN 37184 Schedule Friday, December 3 7:00 – 7:30 Praise and Worship 7:30 – 9:30 Creation Gospel – 7 Days of Creation Saturday, December 4 10:00 – 12:30 Creation Gospel – 7 Spirits of Adonai 12:30 – 1:30 Lunch break 1:30 – 2:00 Praise and worship 2:00 – 2:30 Torah readings 2:30 – 3:00 Break / fellowship 3:00 – 5:30 Creation Gospel – 7 Feasts of the Messiah 5:30 – 7:00 Dinner on own 7:00 – 9:00 Creation Gospel – 7 Churches of Revelation 9:00 – 9:30 Praise and worship Sunday, December 5 10:00 – 12:30 The Spirit Filled Family 12:30 – 1:00 Praise and Worship 1:00 Blessings and departures Local Hotel Recommendations Holiday Inn Express $69.99 plus tax per night 826 South Cumberland St Lebanon, TN 37087 (615) 994-3225 America’s Best Value Inn and Suites $44.99 plus tax per night 822 S Cumberland St Lebanon, TN 37087 (615) 449-5781 Both hotels offer a complimentary hot breakfast. They are located next door to each other just off I-40 at exit 238. There is a Shoney’s restaurant next door and several others within walking distance. The Holiday Inn Express is one year old, the other is older and a former Shoney’s Inn. These hotels are approximately 7 miles from LAMB Fellowship. Please call the hotels before November 20 the make your reservation at these special prices. Conference Registration Early Registration Fees - After November 30 add $5 per person Single $15 Couple $25 Family $40 Advanced registration is strongly recommended. Lunch available on Shabbat for an additional $5 (must be purchased prior to Nov. 30). Child care provided for all teaching session for ages 4-10. Registration fees include over 9 hours of teaching, and refreshments. We recommend you purchase Dr. Alewine’s Creation Gospel (workbooks 1 and 2) at: www.thecreationgospel.com (at least one set per family) prior to the event and use it as your study guide. Call (800) 829-8777 to register prior to November 30!
PO Box 3263, Lebanon, TN 37088 | (800) 829-8777 | www.messianicisrael.com

 

Chag Hanukkah Sameach! Happy Hanukkah!

Can we do תפילות prayers for:

Messianic Temple Beth El

That also through them The האור Light, רפואה The Healing and The ואהבה Love of ישועת יהוה Yeshuath YHWH may come back to הארץ The Land of Israel?

 

December 2, 2010 / Kislev 25, 5771       Multicultural Spirit-Filled Nazarene Synagogue proclaiming the restoration of the 12 Tribes of Yisra'El: Beit Yehudah/House of Judah and Beit Ephraim/House of Ephraim.   We welcome Jewish people and non-Jews to worship Yahshua HaMashiach, the Messiah of Yisra'El with us.   Our Weekly Schedule:   Shabbat Service: 10:30 am on Saturday      Yeshiva Classes: Shabbat/Saturday 9:00 am  Wednesday 7:30 pm  Warriors for Yisra'El intercessory warfare group: Monday 7:30 pm For members only   We minister Deliverance and Spiritual Warfare. We are Shomer Shabbat/ Shabbat keepers and we observe all HaMoedim/Feasts of Yahweh. Please refer to our website for the dress code.     YouTube             Facebook   Start following  messianictemple on facebook!          Prophetic Re-Gathering Of Israel TV     Watch our program on Internet Streaming TV. Click the BCAT logo above  then Launch BCAT 2, Tuesday at 7pm (EST)   Contacts   Website: www.messianictemple.org Email: messianictemplebethel@gmail.com     Phone: 1-718-621-7399   Directions   Messianic Temple Beth El 1641 76th St (corner of 76th Street & New Utrecht Avenue) Brooklyn, NY 11214  USA       By Car: Take the Belt Parkway to exit 5, which is Bay Parkway. Stay on Bay Parkway to 76th St.Turn left onto 76th St. Keep straight to New Utrecht Ave. The Temple is on the corner.   By Train: Take the D train to 79th St. and walk to 76th St.         By Bus: Take the B4 to New Utrecht Ave  and walk to 76th St.        "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit"  said Yahweh Tz'vaot/Yahweh of Hosts (Zekaryah 4:6)     CHAG HANUKKAH SAMEACH! HAPPY HANUKKAH!   Hanukkah is an eight day festival celebrated on Erev/Eve of Kislev 25th according to the Jewish calendar.  It usually falls in December according to the Gregorian calendar.  It is a Festival of Lights when a special Lampstand called "Hanukkiah" is lit.  Hanukkiah has eight lights plus the ninth which is called "shamash".   More than 21 centuries ago, the Land of Yisra'El was ruled by Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people of Yisra'El, but against all odds, a small army of faithful Jews known as the "Maccabees" defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth.  They drove the Greeks from the Land of Yisra'El, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of the Holy One of Yisra'El.   Hanukkah commemorates the great victory of the few faithful over the wicked when Elohim of Yisra'El "delivered the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few...the wicked into the hands of the righteous".   Hanukkah means "dedication or induction".  Following the Maccabees victory over the Greeks, they rededicated Beit HaMikdash, the Holy Temple in Yerushalayim/Jerusalem and its altar, which were desecrated and defiled by the pagan Greeks.   This celebration observed the Rededication of the Temple and the victory by a group of Jews led by Yehudah Maccabee against Hellenizing rule and defiling of the Holy Temple by the Greek Ruler Antiochus IV.   This occurred after the Old Covenant and before the New (inter-testament period).  The New Covenant mentions that Yahshua celebrated Hanukkah (Yohanan/John 10:22-23).   This year Hanukkah starts on Erev/Eve of Wednesday, December 1st, 2010  We invite you for the Hanukkah Service with the Remnant of Yisra'El   Shabbat/Saturday:   December 4, 2010 Yeshiva Class:        9:00am Hanukkah Service:  10:30am followed by Oneg Shabbat   Blessing Over Hanukkah Lights Deserving of praise are You Yahweh Eloheinu/our Elohim Ruler of the Universe, who sanctified us by Your commandments and allowed us to light the Hanukkah lights.   Ba-ruch ata Yah-weh E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech ha-o-lam, a-sher ki-de-sha-nu be-mits-va-tov, ve-tsi-va-nu le-had-lik neir shel Ha-nu-kah.   Deserving of praise are You Yahweh Eloheinu/our Elohim Ruler of the Universe, Who did wondrous things for our fathers in days of old at this season.   Ba-ruch ata Yah-weh E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech ha-o-lam, she-a-sa ni-sim la-a-vo-tei-nu ba-ya-mim ha-heim ba-ze-man ha-zeh.   Deserving of praise are You Yahweh Eloheinu/our Elohim Ruler of the Universe, Who has granted us life, sustained us, and permitted us to celebrate this joyous festival.   Ba-ruch ata Yah-weh E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech ha-o-lam, she-he-che-ya-nu ve-ki-ye-ma-nu ve-hi-gi-a-nu la-ze-man ha-zeh.   In the traditional blessings over Hanukkah lights, all three verses are recited on the first night.  The first two verses are spoken on each of the following seven nights.   After Kindling the Lights, the Hallalu is recited. The Hallalu:  "We kindle these lights (to commenorate) the saving acts, miracles and wonders which You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time.  Throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, these lights are set apart.  We don't make use of them,  but only look at them, in order to offer thanks and praise Your great Name for Your miracles, for Your wonders and for Your salvations."   Try to spend a few minutes in silence, in the darkness, looking intensely at the light, the candles, meditating on the Great Elohim we serve, His Torah of life, and the salvation that we have through our Messiah Yahshua.     Watch our program Prophetic Re-gathering of Israel  on Internet Streaming TV.     Click the BCAT TV logo above, then Launch BCAT 2, Tuesday at 7 pm (EST)                                                              © Copyright 2010/5771 Messianic Temple Beth El All Rights Reserved