The Shabbat after Tisha B’Av is also called “Shabbat Nachamu”, Shabbat of consolation, for now, after three weeks of mourning (Bejn haMejzarim – between the afflictions) to the destruction of the temple, seven weeks will follow in which the life in full color splendor is to return. “Nachamu Ami” (“Be comforted my people”) the people will sing …

… the Sabbath songs according to the Haftarah, see down.

Deuteronomy 3:23 – 7:11; Haftara: Isaiah 40:1-26

Extracts of the Commentary by Michael Schneider,
Israel today, Jerusalem:
Our weekly reading begins with a moving prayer by Moses requesting that God allow him to enter the Promised Land, despite his earlier sin of striking the rock for water when he was instructed to merely speak to it. Moses has been waiting most of his life to see the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel. The Lord is merciful, and grants Moses half of his request by letting him see in a supernatural way from Mount Nebo all of the land from the Golan in the north to the Negev in the south.

Moses knew his people, therefore he warned them strongly before he died: “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live! Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” (4:9)

In chapter five Moses repeats the Ten Commandments, and in chapter six he reiterates the Torah’s Mega-Mitzvah: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (6:4-5 … Even today, those are the words a Jew recites before he dies.)

At the end of our reading Moses explains why God choose this people. Not because it is great and mighty, but rather the opposite is true: because it is the smallest of the nations! God Almighty chose Israel so that He could do mighty wonders and signs through this rebellious, stiff-necked people, because “in our weakness His power is perfected!”

Interestingly, all the readings from the prophets corresponding to the Torah readings through Deuteronomy, the fifth book of Moses, are from the Book Isaiah. Jesus and the apostles also often quoted from Isaiah (in Hebrew Yeshayahu – YAH will save).

This week’s reading from Isaiah starts with the words: “Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare has ended, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.”

Yes, indeed, this people has received a double portion of punishment. But guess what? It also will receive a double portion of blessing!
(By the way, read verse 22 carefully and you will see clear biblical proof that the earth is round! – “He who sits above the circle of the earth.” No need for Leorndado Di Vinci’s “discovery.”)

Shabbat Shalom

Parasha Deuteronomy 1:1 till 3:22; Haftorah Isaiah 1:1 till 1:27

This week we decided to bring our readers a video commentary on the Haftorah, which is read from the book of Isaiah (Yeshayahu) 1:1-27, because this Shabbat is the Shabbat before Tisha B’av, the Ninth of the month of Av, which is the anniversary of the destruction of both the first and the second Temple (Bait HaMikdash):

Shabbat Shalom

Israel is warned against seeking foreign comforts over its divine purpose, and cautioned regarding making treaties with hostile elements – lessons which still have relevance today!

Commentary by Michael Schneider,
israel today, Jerusalem:

Our weekly reading on this Shabbat is a double portion where we conclude the fourth book of the Torah, Numbers.

In chapter 32 we read of the last preparations of the people of Israel on the east side of the Jordan River before entering the Promised Land. Two tribes, Reuben and Gad, asked Moses to get as their inheritance the lands east of the Jordan.

Moses reacted angrily: It could “discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the LORD has given them.” Moses feared other tribes would likewise prefer to remain where they were rather than fight for possession of the Land, and he reminded Reuben and Gad what happened when then Ten Spies brought the discouraging report about giants 40 years earlier. The agreed upon compromise was that Rueben and Gad would leave their women, children and livestock behind in the greener pastures east of the Jordan, while “every man, armed for battle, will cross over to fight before the LORD” until the whole land was captured.

An ancient Jewish text notes that “three divine gifts were given to the world: Wisdom, valor and riches. But if they are not given by God, they won’t endure.”

Reuben and Gad performed their duty, but did so with a look to their own capital, inwardly detaching themselves from their brothers in a way that would later see an outward implementation (see 1 Chronicle 5:25).

How does this relate to the mindset of European and American Jews today? Is it not often their material riches that keep them from immigrating to Israel and assisting in the building and defense of this nation?

Those who want to immigrate to Israel but cannot, they can be helped! But he who can and is not willing, he can’t be helped. While they were forcibly held in exile, they could reject the influence of the heathen environment. Yet in the moment, when they choose voluntarily to live in exile, the assimilation started to nibble at them; intermarriage and foreign cults unhinged them from their people and faith.

The Holocaust began in Germany, where the Jews at the time were more assimilated than in any other place. Theodor Herzl’s “The Jew State” was first published in German, therefore the German Jews were the first that the idea of the Zionism was proposed to, but they rejected it. Their comfort and wealth in Germany were more important to them than returning back to the land of the forefathers.

Chapter 33 of Numbers recaps Israel’s 40-year journey through the desert, and ends with a divine mission: “You shall cross the Jordan River to the Land of Canaan,” and remove all the inhabitants and the relics of their foreign cults – “because I will give this land to you.” Israel was warned that any remnant of the godless Canaanites and their religions would be like “barbs in your eyes” and “thorns in your sides.” Israel was furthermore warned against any covenant with the Land’s former inhabitants, even compared as a ‘snare’ (Exodus 23:32-33). The reasons for this admonition continue to be clear even today.

In our reading from the prophets we see an interesting parallel: As with the Second Lebanon War last summer, and now with new war threats from Syria (in alliance with Hizballah and Iran), we read in Jeremiah chapter one: “Out of the north the evil will break forth on all the inhabitants of the land” (verse 14). Not a coincidence!

What a word of comfort the prophet Jeremiah gives in (Jeremiah 1) verse 5 of last weeks Haftara which is continued this week (Chapter 2:4-28) : “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
… in conclusion, an encouraging word to the people of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 2:2): “I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, the love of your betrothals, your following after Me in the wilderness…” which therefore is the text on the GSI Pesach greeting card >>

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbinical commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman:

Video commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman
(The Temple Insitute Jerusalem):
Liberalism is a phycological disorder, an if that’s the only way to correct them then so be it. Also I don’t believe that Pinchas is Elijah pre-carnate though it would be understandable (to me) if you claimed that he acted in the same righteous spirit. Peace be with you…

Shabbat Shalom

Commentary:
We read in our weekly Torah portion about Balak, king of Moab, who was frightened by thevictorious people of Israel after they defeated the mighty Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan. (Both of these battles are still remembered in daily Jewish prayers!)

Balak turned to spiritual powers for help: He called upon Balaam, a known seer, to curse Israel! We see that at first Balaam resisted the demands of the king, wanting to obey God. The king sent first messengers then princes to persuade him. God saw Balaam’s heart grow increasingly weak so He allowed him to go: “Rise up and go with them” (22:20). Balaam waited for the ‘green light’ from God. We read how quickly the next morning he packed his donkey and went.

God used the situation to demonstrate that he can use anyone to proclaim His word, even through a talking donkey.
Later we see that instead of a cursing, Balak had to listen to a blessing on Israel (23:11 and 25) three times. He, like Pharaoh, did not give up easily and it became a power struggle between a human ruler and the “still unknown” God of Israel.
“Blessed is everyone who blesses you (Israel), and cursed is everyone who curses you.” (24:9) However, the story shows us, that the Jewish people are the most cursed people in all history! The United Nations has passed more resolutions condemning Israel than against all other nations put together including Iraq! Of the 175 resolutions of the UN Security Council, 97 were against Israel! (figures 2006)

On the other hand, people, companies and individuals are blessed because they bless Israel whether through practical and financial help or prayer. Yes, this formula still holds good.

A classic example is seen in the history of the two parts of Germany before the reunification. East Germany (GDR) did not want to acknowledge their guilt towards the Jewish people, but West Germany did. Even the Chancellor Konrad Adenauer of West Germany ordered in 1965 compensation payments to Holocaust survivors. The blessing and the curse were obvious: West Germany prospered and became an economic super-power, while the GDR simply did not progress for a period of 40 years. Yes, we are speaking about the same “hard-working” Germans. Just look at the United States, which stands on Israel’s side most of the time and has been blessed for that.
One of Balaam’s blessings even became the introduction of a prayer: “How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel” (24:5).

Let it be a word of comfort to us: God can change any ordered and planned curse into a blessing!

Shabbat Shalom

(The Sabbath starts with Shalom Aleichem – a Sabbath Song prior to Kiddush)

Commentary:
This week’s Torah portion Chukat / Hukkat contains further “ordinances” (Hebrew: hukkim). First, we read about the “water of cleansing,” an atonement mechanism made from ashes of the sacrifice of a red heifer. The ashes are kept (Numbers 19:19) for the cleansing of a person who came into contact with a dead body or became unclean even by touching a grave.

Not much is known about the red heifer, but Jewish sages say nine red cows have been sacrificed since the giving of the Torah. According to Rambam, sacrificing the tenth red cow is reserved for the Messiah himself. Moses and the high priest Eleazar sacrificed the first red cow, slaughtered and burned outside of the sanctuary in the desert. The “cleansing ashes” of the cow were kept and used for many years.

Scientists are currently conducting tests and experiments on farms in Israel to try to isolate the genes of a red cow – not a single black or white hair is allowed.

Chapter 20 goes on to talk about Miriam’s death and burial in Kadesh.

And then, when water became scarce once again, the grumbling of the people also picked up. “Why did you take us out of Egypt to die in the desert?” (20:5). From a human perspective, the people had a good reason to grumble in the blistering heat. Believe me, many of us would do the same! But Moses took his rod and said: “Hear now, you rebels; must we bring you water out of this rock?” (20:10). Angrily, Moses struck it twice instead of just speaking to the rock as God had commanded. This was happening while he was still coping with the death of his beloved sister who had saved him when he was a child.

As God’s representative, Moses did not act as the Almighty had commanded. The punishment was harsh: Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. But even though God punished Moses and Aaron, He provided water, the so-called bitter waters, but water in abundance, enough for more than 1 million people – another miracle!

When Aaron died, the people mourned for 30 days and Eleazar, his son, became High Priest. Chapter 21 talks about the victory over the Canaanites from Arad.

When the people complained again about a lack of water and food, the Lord sent poisonous snakes among them and many died. A serpent of bronze was erected on a pole and became salvation and healing for all who saw it. The serpent on a pole later became the symbol of modern medicine. Again, the punishment for the repeated grumbling ended in healing.

This event holds deep spiritual meaning: The fall of mankind occurred because of a serpent that infected all of mankind with its devilish poison.

Shabbat Shalom

Here another Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Insitute:

Abstract of the Commentary by
Michael Schneider, israel today, Jerusalem:

This Shabbat’s Torah reading is about Korah’s rebellion. Korah descends from the Levitical family of Kehat. Altogether, there were 250 renowned men that “rose up” against Moses by doubting his and Aaron’s authority as the chosen national leaders.
As if the separation of the Levites by God Himself was not enough, this family

within the Levitical tribe did not want to tolerate any human authority. (“Is it not enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them; and that He has brought you near, Korah, and all your brothers, sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking for the priesthood also?” verses 9-10)

Korah, Dathan and Abiram complain against Moses, but Moses defends God’s decision to appoint Aaron. Moses was not keen on being the only leader of the camp. That became apparent in his reaction to Eldad and Medad when they started prophesying. Moses responded to them: “Would that all the LORD’S people were prophets…” (11:29).

But Moses was not threatened, and even when Korah led his rebellion against him, Moses remained humble and brought the issue before God.
Moses’ humble response was followed by undeniable supernatural justice: “The ground that was under them split open; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men who belonged to Korah with their possessions” (verses 31-32).

God is a God of justice and Moses knew it. When the people murmured again (17:6), God punished them with a plague. Aaron brought an atonement for the sins of the people with an incense offering and stood “between the dead and the living” for the plague to stop.

Subsequently, we read about God’s order to collect the rods of each tribe. The appointment of Aaron was confirmed among the murmuring and rebellious people: “The rod of the man whom I choose will sprout” (17:5). Almonds sprouted on Aaron’s rod! His rod became “a sign against the rebels” and was kept as a reminder.

Shabbat Shalom

The entire story in a small animation film – compare it also to Sabbath Songs above:

Abstract of the Commentary by Michael Schneider,
israel today, Jerusalem
The fourth book of Mose, of the Torah, describes the 40 years of the wandering of the SECOND generation, who were born in the desert and did not know personally Egypt. Only they were to enter the Promise Land – except Josua and Caleb. Josua and Caleb were LIVING BY FAITH and NOT BY SIGHT! They trusted the LORD despite of fearing the giant – what there eyes also saw. That’s what God is expecting from us too, Living by Faith and not by sight! Like little David with just a sling overcomes the giant Goliath.

Another thing about the desert-generation: they can be compared to children of parents that experienced the salvation from the world (Egypt today). Now God teaches them how to walk while He is the Way. The goal is the same but the way is sometimes different.

In few days the Jewish people will celebrate the feast of weeks, Shavuot (find Greeting Card here>>) in remembrance of Giving of the Law at the Mt. Sinai.

Schabbat Schalom and Hag Shavuot Sameach

This week’s video commentary on this Shabbat Bamidbar is held by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Insitute, Jerusalem:
In the desert each of the Israelite tribes was assigned a flag. What was the significance of the flags? What made them so important to G-d? What makes them so important to us today?

The term „Archetype Exodus“ (Greek for „archetype“ and „departure / exodus“) resulted through the phenomena that in 2009 happened of the sequence in time by the biblical Passah Feast and the heathen Easter-Feast, also Seder and Last Supper. The later will be in 2009 like through a miracle – when did that happen last – celebrated directly following its biblical original! (Seder March 8th / Maundy Thursday March 9th, 2009).

What is it about:
(In brief: All goyim are lacking the archetypical experience capability of the Exodus / personal deliverance from bondage – therefore God meets them with one of His Sons [Son of God], so that they may experience personal deliverance and now also be united with the Father.)

• The Seder meal – it forms the prelude to the biblical feast for the memory of Israel‘s exodus from Egypt, also God‘s salvation / redemption of His people from bondage, Passah Feast or simply called Pesach (Hebrew).
• The Exodus – it is an undeletable memory, longing and promise experienced only in an Jewish soul. Beyond the Seder there exists a weekly memorial day, the Shabbat (the eternal sign between Jews and God, Exodus 31:12-14), who offered His beloved and chosen people from God among others also for the purpose to remember consciously His salvation from the Egyptian bondage (Deut 15:5). Passah like Shabbat are also a guaranty for the soulish staying awake in an exclusive love relationship in an eternal covenant of salvation, experience and promise of God with regard to His exclusive and holy people. The Archetype Exodus is an – because experienced by no other people on their own body – only to be experienced and remembered event by Jews!
• The Last Supper – it is also called Holy Supper, is a remembrance instituted by Jesus (Mt. 26:26-28) for the New Covenant in context with the Seder Feast. Unfortunately, through moving the Passah Feast to the unbiblical Easter Feast, the original meaning of the Seder has been lost. Unbiblical because, Jesus Christ, obedient to the instruction (hebr. Tora), kept on that evening only God‘s order (hebr. Seder) together with His disciples, and not a future replacement feast for Pesach initiated.

As the Church, respectively her precursor, included the letters in the Bible canon, looked the laws and biblical feasts since increasingly so, as if they would be legalistic forms of the Jews. And while Jesus postulated in the Gospels: „Salvation comes from the Jews“, the nations (Gentiles, heathen or in the Bible often also summarized as „Egyptians“) in the course of Church history through mis – interpretations of those Epistles more and more as justified and the Jews became the mission target. Only in 1965 accepted the declaration „Nostre Aetate“ of the 2. Vatikan Council again Judaism as an independent religion, in which the Christian faith is rooted. But than in 2007, the Pope permitted again the precouncil Good Friday intercession, in which after the „Last Communion“ on Maundy Thursday it was anew allowed to pray for the „blindfolded, impenitent and perfidious (faithless, unbelieving) Jews“.

Even to the early Apostles was a assigned an superior teaching authority. In Judaism however their is no higher teaching authority, because the ONLY teaching authority is God Himself. Whilst Jesus in the Gospels refers exclusively and constantly to God as the ONLY ONE, i.e. „You shall worship the Lord, your God, and serve him alone“, so from the 2nd century onward increasingly he himself was handed down as the ONE Saviour. The next irritation came through the uprising of „Replacement theology“. Did these developments reflect the spirit of Jesus? Here may everyone draw his own, liberating conclusions, that lead to a biblically mature, responsible dialogue in the Christian-Jewish cooperation. Apropos – as far as the Exodus and resulting deliverance are concerned – the word „deliverance“ has – as a Rabbi explained us recently – in the Hebrew the same letter as the word „responsibility“. The latter merely with the letter Aleph up front, that stands for ONE.

Already from the beginning of the 4th Century was Judaism finally replaced, at least till today, as root by Christianity. The new root was named Constantine (acc. „Paulinus“ Weekly News in Bistum Trier, special edition of June 2nd, 2007: „Recollection of the roots – With Constantine was the Christian Occident founded / Trier remembers the great Emporer“). First result of the „Constantine turning point“ were new laws, which forbad keeping all customs and ways of the „Hebrews“ – first of all it was tried to eliminate the soulish participation of memories about the Exodus from Egypt (also among Christians).

„One of the laws denied the Jews even the spreading of their religion, at that time Judaism stopped to be a proselyting religion. Not only that Judaism was not allowed to recruit proselyts, a law from 315 forbad even conversion to Judaism by threat and execution of death by fire.“ (citation Marita Sara Meyer, paragraph I. The Establishment of Christianity lead to first Schism).

But, and that is the miracle, the Jews kept their redemption from bondage, in heart and in Spirit. It was founded by God and it remained inseparable connected with God till today. Enviable, or? And the Gojim, where did they remain? God met them in one of His son, so that they may experience also personally salvation and be now united with the Father as well. But, as we were just reading, it was than – like once with the Jews – quickly again an end, less through Constantine, then through their own decision, like i.e. the Feast of Shabbat moved to Sunday and thus desecrated, or even the mind alienation of further from God biblically determined feasts. Is it therefore not a wonder, which we should welcome with all our heart, that we now, standing still at the beginning of a new millennium, can celebrate together with all Jews, and first of all the Jew Jesus, in mind and in the spirit of Seder? Is it not pure reconciliation grace, that this year the „three days and three nights in the heart of the earth“ are really existing, as pronounced by Jesus, as with Jona?

Shabbat Shalom and Hag Pesach Sameach!