Deuteronomy 7:12 – 11:25 || Isaiah 49:14 – 51:3

Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman for The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel:
«Moshe passionately describes the beauty and bounty of the land of Israel to his people. Moshe, himself, won’t be entering into the land with them, but he must make it clear to the children of Israel that the land of Israel is not just the final destination of their physical journey out of Egypt, but the place in which their dutiful and constant adherence to Torah will enable G-d to shower then with endless blessings»…more:

Shabbat Shalom

Deuteronomy 3:22 – 7:11 || Isaiah 40:1-26

Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman for The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel:
«Shema! The six word (in Hebrew) Jewish perception of Who G-d is to us is openly revealed for the first time in this week’s Torah reading of Va’etchanan, as Moshe continues to ready his people for their future in the land of Israel. What is the message behind Torah’s inclusion of the Shema each year in the Torah portion read immediately after the 9th of Av?»…more:

Shabbat Shalom

Please note that parashat NASO is being read in the land of Israel this Shabbat.
Galut: BEMIDBAR: Numbers 1:1 – 4:20 || Hosea 2:1-22

The Festival of Shavuot
Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman for The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel:
«Like the Torah itself, Shavuot, the holiday which celebrates the receiving of Torah at Sinai, is multifaceted. Not only does Shavuot merit a multiple of names, its meaning and its observance incorporate a multitude of messages. But ultimately, the unified message of Shavuot is to celebrate the receiving of Torah everyday, by making it come to life, in our lives, and in this world. Chag Sameach – have a happy and meaningful Shavuot»…more:

Shabbat Shalom veShavuot Sameach

Leviticus 6:1 – 8:36 || Jeremiah 7:21 – 8:3 & 9:22-23

Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman for The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel:
«The Shlamim (Peace offering) and the Todah (Thanksgiving offering) described in parashat Tzav, both free-will, voluntary offerings, are paralleled in their essence and intention to prayer and Torah study. The burst of energy which informs the Todah offering’s urgent expression of thanksgiving is reflected in the intimate immediacy of prayer. The intention of the Shlamim (Peace offering) which accompanies the fulfillment of a pledge is reflected in the steadfast dedication of Torah study. And the hidden message of both these offerings is revealed in the message of the Scroll of Esther, read on Purim. Purim Sameach! Happy Purim to all»…more:

Shabbat Shalom

Genesis 47:28 – 50:26 || 1 Kings 2:1-12

Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman for The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel:
«Shhhh! The Torah reading of Vayechi teaches us the importance of keeping silent. Not all information needs to be shared. Silence can be the best weapon against unnecessarily hurting someone, when employed thoughtfully. This is the unspoken message relayed to us by Binyamin and by Yosef»…more:

Shabbat Shalom

Chanukah News from Across the Globe »

Download Hanukkah Greeting Card »

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

Deuteronomy 26:1 – 29:8 || Isaiah 60

Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman for The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel:
«The people of Israel enters the land of Israel by virtue of the Torah of Israel and thereby becomes the nation of Israel, beloved by the G-d of Israel. This is the message, the entire message, of parashat Ki Tavo, from beginning to end, a message for Israel today, and a message for the world»…more:

Shabbat Shalom
New Year’s → Free Picture Greeting Postcards Download

Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19 || Isaiah 54:1-10

Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman for The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel:
«74 of the Torah’s 613 commandments, which are, in fact, G-d’s sage suggestions for us to live life by, are found in parashat Ki Teitzei – „When you go out to war against your enemies… “ Living by this code keeps G-d close as we make our way through life in the world G-d created»…more:

Shabbat Shalom
New Year’s → Free Picture Greeting Postcards Download

Hallel; Deuteronomy 11:26–16:17; Numbers 28:9-15 || (Rosh Ch.) Isaiah 66

Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman for The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel:
«As Moshe readies his people for their entry into the land of Israel and the establishment of a Torah-based just society, he introduces the concept of „the place which HaShem your G-d shall choose,“ suggesting that the location of the future Holy Temple is unknown. yet, from the days of Adam, Avraham and Yaakov, the location of the Holy Temple has been known. Has G-d really not yet chosen the place of His Chosen House? or is G-d simply waiting for Israel to choose likewise, and build the Holy Temple?»…more:

Shabbat Shalom

Deuteronomy 3:22 – 7:11 || Isaiah 40:1-26

Commentary by Rabbi Chaim Richman for The Temple Institute, Jerusalem, Israel:
«Shema! The six word (in Hebrew) Jewish perception of Who G-d is to us is openly revealed for the first time in this week’s Torah reading of Va’etchanan, as Moshe continues to ready his people for their future in the land of Israel. What is the message behind Torah’s inclusion of the Shema each year in the Torah portion read immediately after the 9th of Av?»…more:

Shabbat Shalom