Chanukka, Light, Jerusalem and the Bet haMikdash

We all need more light through Hanukkah. Join us for the public lighting of the candles in your city or community!

Light is the central theme in the creation story of Hashem. It is a transformative and yet independent existence. Light is always a guide and an attribute of existence. Darkness, on the other hand, has no independent existence and is solely the absence of light. Light is therefore something very precious; for where there is light, there is no room for darkness. One could also say that light is one of the most important creations of Hashem. In Genesis 1:1-2, the creation of heaven and earth is described as a state of desolation, void, and darkness, all „on the face of the abyss.“

This prompts Hashem to act (Genesis 1:3), and God said, „Let there be light,“ and there was light.

Light is an active creative process of God. He calls the light good! (Genesis 1:4)

Only then does He establish the distinction between light and darkness. He called the light day and the darkness night.

Today is another day of Hanukkah. Like Jews and all our friends, we will light another candle and celebrate, despite all the threats of darkness in this world, so that the light may increase and we may remember Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem together.

Israel is and always will be the land closest to God; it is the land of His people and the place of Bet haMikdash.

Chag Urim Sameach!
Hanukkah Sameach!

At Parasha WaJeze… (Part 2)

At this time I am studying our Torah, to be prepared for the upcoming Shabbat. Its about Parasha WaJeze.

The parasha WaJeze is so named because Yaakov left Beersheba. There are different emphases in translations as to how WaJeze is to be understood. Personally, I prefer the interpretation of ‚approaching something‘. For me personally, it is the most important parasha in my life as a Jew.

Jacob goes to a place that the Torah only refers to indirectly… „and came to that place“. And yet everything is clear, as we will learn in the course of the further interpretation of the words of the Torah.
It is Jacob who leaves his familiar surroundings and takes one of the stones of the place for his head and lies down. It is a hard surface that Jacob chooses. On the one hand, this is his decision, and on the other hand, he does not make it easy for himself – quite deliberately.

Then he has his famous dream with the ladder reaching up to heaven. Messengers of G-d (plural) ascend and descend on it. These messengers are a clear indication of things to come. Then Jacob has a vision of G-d. G-d speaks to Jacob. Hashem promises him and his seed (i.e. descendants), that is, Israel as a whole. For Hashem says that all the clans of the earth will be blessed in him and spread out. Hashem clearly says, „I am with you, I will guard you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land, yes, I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.“
…
Which place does the Torah describe in this event? It is Mount Moriah, today’s Temple Mount! G-d is everywhere, but He does not reveal Himself everywhere.

When Jacob awakens, everything is strange to him, yet clear. He takes the stone on which his head rested and erects a monument with it, which he pours oil over. It is this symbolic act that sanctifies the profane and makes a decisive difference. He calls this place Bet-El, House of G-d. This refers to the Temple in Jerusalem.

Then he makes a vow. He formulates his words (in chapter 28, verse 20) not as a demand, but as a condition and logical prerequisite. …

But study and read every detail of the Parasha for yourself. I have always seen it as my duty never to lose my faith, even in exile. And I do not, because only in this way can I serve God and return to the house.

Shawua Tov.

At Parasha WaJeze (Part 1)…

At the moment I am busy with the Parasha WaJeze. The first sentence fascinates me – Yaakov left Beersheba and went to Charan. In the evening he has to set up camp and, after taking a stone from there to rest his head on and lying down, he has the famous dream. While Yaakov moves from Beersheba to Charan, Avraham moves with Lot from Ur to Charan. Both have the same goal, although their motivation is different.
Back to Ya’akov’s dream… The ladder is placed on the earth and touches the sky. Messengers rise from her and descend from her. Messengers (Malach) are angelic beings. See also Hosea 12:5. Let us not forget that they do this easily and gracefully, without any effort; while a climb requires overcoming gravity. If you refer to Genesis 32, 25ff., then we are talking about a man & G-d. While one movement stands for an ascent from the earth, it is not important how many steps the messenger has already covered, how high the Jew has already reached, but that he has already reached the previous ones and thus the foundation of the form the ladder in front of him. When a man climbs a ladder, this is a movement from earth to heaven, which means nothing other than that the man sanctifies the profane. While the opposite direction from heaven to earth represents bringing heaven to earth. This is the job of the messengers.

Bet haMikdash!

Ich werde nicht fasten (aus gesundheitlichen Gründen) weil alle diese Tage Tage der Freude werden – bald wird die Realität diejenigen einholen, die an seinen Wiederaufbau nicht mehr glauben oder sich selbstzufrieden mit der Zerstörung (bis auf einen erhaltenen Rest) arrangieren. Die einen, weil sie ihn nicht wollen, die anderen, weil sie an dessen Zerstörung aktiv in der Vergangenheit beteiligt waren und jetzt diesen euphemistisch als nicht mehr notwendig erachten.

Shavua Tov!

Ich bin mit meiner Seele und in Gedanken ganz in Jerushalajim und dem Bet haMikdash.

Ja’akov’s Dream

I am dealing with the Parasha Vayezah at this time… right at the beginning it is reported that Ya’akov went towards Haran, after leaving Beershaba. On his way he came to a place – it had become dark and he had to spend the night – where he dreamed the famous dream of the ladder to heaven, on which messengers ascend and descend.
In this dream it was important that the Eternal was above it. Hashem had his observation of what was happening the whole time. He says that the G-d of Avraham is his father and that he is the G-d of Yitchak. The land on which he, Ya’akov, lies, Hashem gives to him and his seed – that is, his children. Hashem goes on to say that he will spread out like the dust of the earth in the evening and in the morning… and that with him, Ya’akov, all the families of the earth will bless themselves.
This is very important because it contains a double message: Firstly, that Ya’akov and his children have a special role and responsibility for life on this planet; and secondly, that the nations bless each other with Ya’akov – not against him.

The dream continues, in which Hashem promises that he is with him and protects him wherever Ya’akov goes.

I have always thought about Ya’akov raising the stones of his headrest into a pillar and pouring oil on them; it is a clear reference to the Bet haMikdash in Jerusalem, and that it is precisely this that is being built. Ya’akov therefore gave the name Bet-El – House of G-d to this place where he dreamed and woke up again.

Shavua Tov!