Once a year
heavenly light will be close to us.
Meant is not the Christ but in a very different way Jesus of whom a Jewish tradition says:
“Now it was the Feast of Dedication [Hebrew: Hanukkah] in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.” (Gospel of John 10:22). To make a long story short, Jesus was a regular rabbi coming from Nazareth who refueled on the Temple Feast of Dedication and was about – like every other rabbi around the globe till the time being – to bring The Light into the world because “I [the LORD] have called You [Israel] in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes” (Isaiah 42:6).
Sh’ma Israel:
“The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart:”
Change the world, You, who are chosen! Bring My Light to the Gentiles, O Israel! That is what – like Jesus – the Lubavitcher Chassidim today do on Hanukkah on behalf of His Israel in U.S. cities and all over the nations.

It is the Jews who were chosen to open the blind eyes of the Gentiles / nations, not visa versa! Even if the church wants us to do the opposite credible – the decision and love of God, baruch HaShem, is eternal: “I will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations” (Isaiah 25:7). The victory is Me – not the church. That is the story behind, that a small group of Jews (Maccabees and Jews in total compared to the world and the church) were victorious over the hundred times larger Syrian-Greek conversion heer in 164 BCE (→ Seleucid Empire), but after all in the devastated temple of God in Jerusalem was only a single pot of kosher oil for the eternal light to find. Not more than one day, this amount would have been enough oil, but by a heavenly miracle, the light burned for eight days. Which is precisely the time it took to complete the procedure for obtaining new kosher oil. Since that time celebrated all the faithful believers, religious and non-religious one, these eight days a year as Hanukkah (Hebrew: consecration / dedication), till our Second Temple was destroyed . . . by the Romans!

The same Romans had financed with the spoils of the 66 – 70 CE wars against Israel and the destruction of God’s Temple, the construction of the Colosseum from year 72 on (see German Wikipedia which is obviously not allowed to be translated in the American Wikipedia considering tourism collapse from Overseas might be) and later on founded their new religion against God, His Temple, His People, His Shabbat . . . and not least against the teachings of Jesus. . .

• Was it Jesus who – as one of His People a model of all mankind – put Satan to flight with the words of the Holy Scriptures (Deut. 6:13): “You shall worship the LORD your God, and HIM ONLY you shall serve.” Rome made Jesus himself, of all warnings to the contrary, the God, their own Lord.
• Did Jesus warned, “Moses [Torah] and the prophets [Neviim] to hear and obey” in order not to arrive at “the place of eternal torment” instead of eternal life (Luke 16:28), then Romans cultured their own scriptures, which they sanctified and in them is to read to this day, that ” therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech – unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded [instead of that Jews shall open the eyes of the Gentiles – see above]. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [such as to murder Israel in Jewish-Roman Wars, Crusades or Luther’s Reichskristallnacht] But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. “(2 Cor. 3:12 ff).

But Adonai, Adon Olam, remains the same (Isaiah 60), He yesterday . . .
. . . and You One in Him today on Hanukkah? . . .
“Arise, shine; for Your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon You. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over You, and His glory will be seen upon You. The Gentiles shall come to Your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
. . . wherever You are!

Hag Hanukkah Sameach
Eric C. Martienssen

Commentary by
Michael Schneider, Jerusalem:
Our Torah reading begins with Sarah’s death and ends with Abraham’s death. She was 127 years old. Abraham now set out to negotiate in typical Middle-Eastern style for a burial site. How come that our parasha Chayei Sarah means “the life of Sarah,” although it deals with the death of Sarah?
Jewish sages explain it this way: “The wicked even when they are alive are called dead, while the righteous even after they die are called alive.”

A Sabbath Song / Prayer

Abraham negotiated with Ephron, who at first flattered Abraham and told him he’d give him the Machpela Cave as a gift. When Abraham insisted on paying for it and Ephron saw his money (verse 13), Ephron’s true nature came out and he asked for 400 silver shekels! A full price!

It was good that Abraham insisted that he pay, especially for today’s political conflict in Israel. God knows that everything should be done justly and legally otherwise you are beholden to the grace of man. Israel has purchased three of her most wanted holy sites, hotly disputed until now: The cave of Machpela in Hebron; Joseph’s grave in Nablus; the grave of Joseph (Jacob bought it, as mentioned in Joshua 24:32); and the Temple site in Jerusalem (David bought the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite mentioned in 2 Samuel 24:18-25).

In chapter 24, Abraham ordered his faithful servant, Eliezer (actually, the first matchmaker), to find a wife for his 40-year old son Isaac. Isaac needed a wife because he was very much connected to his mother (24:67), so it became for as “a comfort”. Abraham opposed a marriage with Canaanites who worshipped idols and were cursed according to Genesis 9:25 because he was faithful to his given promises and as an elected one and he knew the danger of assimilation. Abraham wanted to be sure, after all the tests he had been through in life that the blessing would continue!

When Rebekah not only offered him water but watered his camels as well, fulfilling the condition Eliezer sought in a sign, he sat and watched still wondering if she was the one (24:21). That’s like us – we so often sit skeptically without realizing that God’s promises are being answered right in front of our eyes!
By-the-way, Jacob and later Moses found their wives also at a well / fountain!!

The custom of covering the bride with a veil before the Chupah originated from Rivkah, “And she took the veil and covered herself.” – we read in verse 65.

Then we meet Rebekah’s brother, Laban, who was after success and money. He saw the benefit of Abraham’s blessing and the riches from Rebekah’s union with Isaac. We meet him again when Rebekah’s son Jacob works for him over 20 years.

In chapter 25 we read that Abraham took a second wife and had six more sons with Ketura. Then Abraham died at 175 years old. Isaac and Ishmael together buried their father at Machpela in Hebron (25:9). All three patriarchs and matriarchs are buried there except for Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife.

In our reading from the prophets in I Kings 1, we read about the last days of King David, that not unlike the story of Abraham, where the line almost went astray, in the end, because of the intervention of a mother and the king’s wife, Bathsheba, the right king, Solomon, sat on the throne.

Shabbat Shalom

Picture: © stock.xchng (SXC)

Please notice Current Themes article: Kristallnacht LUTHER Pogromnacht

Summary of the Commentary
by Michael Schneider, Jerusalem:

We read in our weekly portion about good hospitality of Abraham and Sarah, as they hurried to prepare the best of the best for the three men of God who visited them in the heat of the day in Alon Mamre. This kind of extravagant hospitality is found in the Oriental nations, the Arabs, Bedouins and the Sephardic Jews. You never know if you are hosting angels unaware. Never reject guests, even if they’re not welcome! Maybe they have a word from God for you!

The couple was tested again, but Sarah laughed (18:12-15). After all their human efforts had been exhausted and Sarah was 90, the supernatural could spring into action.
“Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” (18:14) First the flesh should die, then the LORD can function.

After the angels brought the message of hope and life, they turned their eyes on Lot’s city of Sodom and brought a message of death! Abraham as the first intercessor, tried every way to rescue this city asking the Lord if there were only 50, 45, 40, 30, 20 or 10 righteous, would he spare the city. Because God would have mercy until ten righteous person, the Jews took the minimum number of 10 worshippers during a sermon or prayer in the synagogues (→minyan). Abraham in his negotiation with the Almighty was very humble and careful, saying: “I am but dust and ashes” (18:27). No pride.

Chapter 19 speaks about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, but before that God called His people out as He did with Noah. He saved the family of Lot. God called us too out of this world, but warned us saying: “Remember Lot’s wife!” Her heart was still in the lusts of the world.

Interesting analogy we find between the story of Noah and Lot; both called saints ‘of their days’, both called out and redeemed, but both ended up in drunkenness and in forbidden sexual relations, incest, within the family followed by cursing the descendants of the committer – be it Ham or Moab and Ammon.

We can still sense the spirit of Sodom in the two daughters of Lot, a spirit of immorality (verses 31-33). Or maybe is it a revenge toward their father, who was ready to give them as virgins over to the wild mob? Both nations that came from Lot and his daughters, Moab and Ammon, were cursed and located as in Biblical time on the east side of the Jordan. The Jordanian capital today is called Amman!

In chapter 21, Isaac was born, meaning “he laughed,” and on the eighth day he was circumcised. Isaac is the fulfillment of a long-awaited promise of God! It teaches us a lesson – it is worth it to wait upon the LORD no matter for how long!

In chapter 22 we come to the true test of faith in Abraham’s life: To sacrifice his only son (→Mount Moriah / Temple Mount), the one he waited so long for. Abraham, without hesitation or arguing, set out the next morning with his son Isaac, obedient to God until the point of raising the knife to kill his son!
Then the voice came: “Abraham, Abraham!… for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (22:12).

After this act of true faith, the Lord showered Abraham with numerous blessings. It was worthwile, to be obedient until the end!

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

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Insert of the GSI editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Video Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem:
What is the meaning of the Torah’s reference to the mysterious “covenant of salt?” (Numbers 17:19) Salt can be lifeless and deadly. It can also preserve, enhance and provide nourishment. Each one of us has within us an aspect of salt, the potential for lifelessness and the potential to enhance and increase life, thereby forging our own “covenant of salt” with G-d…

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

Here is the entire story in a small animation film:

Video Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem:
The Torah concepts of tahara and tum’a, imperfectly translated as spiritual purity and impurity, are impossibly difficult for us to entirely grasp through our intellect. And this is because, simply put, these concepts, or the realities that they express, are so much greater than our own individual selves. The period of impurity which visits a mother upon the birth of a child bespeaks of the passage of pure and perfect knowledge from one world to the next, and the necessary loss that results. The extended period of impurity upon the birth of a daughter reflects the more perfect image of G-d that is embodied in the female soul…

Shabbat Shalom

Video Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem:
With the completion of the Tabernacle the work of the creation of the world finally draws to a close. Moses blesses the work Israel has done, and now, the final piece in place, the world can begin!

Shabbat Shalom

Video commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Insitute, Jerusalem:
What’s new in the world? What’s new in your life? Moshe gathers all Israel together before him and reveals to them two things that never grow old and never get stale, but are always fresh and new, and spectacularly always in the moment, in a forever sort of way: the Holy Shabbat and the Tabernacle – the Holy Temple. Keep it new – that’s G-d’s plan!

Shabbat Shalom

Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman, The Temple Institute, Jerusalem:

“Egypt is now behind us – it’s time to get down to business . . . G-d says essentially: We’ve been through enough together; after all He says: I created the world for a purpose:
That you should know who I am!
So Israel is commanded to build the tabernacle in the middle of the desert, it’s a spiritual oasis in the midst of a foreboding emptiness… later the tabernacle becomes the Holy Temple. The whether we talk about the temporary tabernacle or the permanent Temple on Mount Morjah the message is the same: Israel has a job to do, a calling, a mission, and that is to bring the lights of the divine presence by making a house for G-d’s sake, by welcoming Him in, by welcoming Him home.
»And they will build Me a sanctuary and I will dwell amongst them. « (Exodus 25:8) »Build it for ME«, G-d says. For My names sake. I want to dwell amongst man in this world. Such is My desire. G-d is not asking for perfection from mankind. Only for a welcome into this world..“

Shabbat Shalom

The Temple Institute Jerusalem Rabbi Chaim Richman says:
Reconciliation between brothers and sisters, parents and children, lovers and friends, all have their root in Torah. The root for the ultimate reconciliation, between G-d and man, can be seen in the story of Yosef reuniting with his brothers.

Shabbat Shalom

Chanukkia in Köln

< Hanukkah Menorah in Cologne/Germany 2010
Download Hanukkah Greeting Card here »

Once a year heavenly light will be close to us.
Meant is not the Christ but in a very different way Jesus of whom a Jewish tradition says:
“Now it was the Feast of Dedication [Hebrew: Hanukkah] in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.” (Gospel of John 10:22). To make a long story short, Jesus was a regular rabbi coming from Nazareth who refueled on the Temple Feast of Dedication and was about – like every other rabbi around the globe till the time being – to bring The Light into the world because “I [the LORD] have called You [Israel] in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes” (Isaiah 42:6).
Sh’ma Israel:
“The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart:”
Change the world, You, who are chosen! Bring My Light to the Gentiles, O Israel! That is what – like Jesus – the Lubavitcher Chassidim today do on Hanukkah on behalf of His Israel in U.S. cities and all over the nations.

It is the Jews who were chosen to open the blind eyes of the Gentiles / nations, not visa versa! Even if the church wants us to do the opposite credible – the decision and love of God, baruch HaShem, is eternal: “I will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations” (Isaiah 25:7). The victory is Me – not the church. That is the story behind, that a small group of Jews (Maccabees and Jews in total compared to the world and the church) were victorious over the hundred times larger Syrian-Greek conversion heer in 164 BCE (→ Seleucid Empire), but after all in the devastated temple of God in Jerusalem was only a single pot of kosher oil for the eternal light to find. Not more than one day, this amount would have been enough oil, but by a heavenly miracle, the light burned for eight days. Which is precisely the time it took to complete the procedure for obtaining new kosher oil. Since that time celebrated all the faithful believers, religious and non-religious one, these eight days a year as Hanukkah (Hebrew: consecration / dedication), till our Second Temple was destroyed . . . by the Romans!

The same Romans had financed with the spoils of the 66 – 70 CE wars against Israel and the destruction of God’s Temple, the construction of the Colosseum from year 72 on (see German Wikipedia which is obviously not allowed to be translated in the American Wikipedia considering tourism collapse from Overseas might be) and later on founded their new religion against God, His Temple, His People, His Shabbat . . . and not least against the teachings of Jesus. . .

• Was it Jesus who – as one of His People a model of all mankind – put Satan to flight with the words of the Holy Scriptures (Deut. 6:13): “You shall worship the LORD your God, and HIM ONLY you shall serve.” Rome made Jesus himself, of all warnings to the contrary, the God, their own Lord.
• Did Jesus warned, “Moses [Torah] and the prophets [Neviim] to hear and obey” in order not to arrive at “the place of eternal torment” instead of eternal life (Luke 16:28), then Romans cultured their own scriptures, which they sanctified and in them is to read to this day, that ” therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech – unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded [instead of that Jews shall open the eyes of the Gentiles – see above]. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [such as to murder Israel in Jewish-Roman Wars, Crusades or Luther’s Reichskristallnacht] But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. “(2 Cor. 3:12 ff).

But Adonai, Adon Olam, remains the same (Isaiah 60), He yesterday . . .
. . . and You One in Him today on Hanukkah? . . .
“Arise, shine; for Your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon You. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over You, and His glory will be seen upon You. The Gentiles shall come to Your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”
. . . wherever You are!

Hag Hanukkah Sameach
Eric C. Martienssen