English Language Lecture and Conference Series

Root and Branch Association, Ltd.

English Language Lecture and Conference Series

R&B EVENT:

Monday, March 14th, 2011, 7:30 p.m.
Orthodox Union Israel Center
22 Keren HaYesod Street, Jerusalem
http://www.ouisrael.org/

"Torah Codes"

Illustrated Lecture by

by Professor Eliyahu Rips

Professor of Mathematics,
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
http://www.ma.huji.ac.il/rips/


Master of Ceremonies

Mr. Aryeh Yosef Gallin

Founder and President,
Root and Branch Association, Ltd.
http://lowellgallin.com

Admission Fees:
Israel Center Members NIS 25.00
Non-Members NIS 30.00
Israel Center Life Members NIS 5.00
Journalists Free

God's Perfect Timing

Commentary: God's Perfect Timing

By Dan Dever (guest columnist) | Thursday, March 10, 2011

As I listened to the phone ring, I was afraid to answer it. I was afraid to hear the words that I knew would change our life. I answered it and on the other end was my wife. She said, "We have to go right now to the children's hospital because the pediatrician has diagnosed our daughter with diabetes. She will have to take shots for the rest of her life and we will have to take a crash course on how to take care of child diabetes." Read more

"Secret rapture? 144,000?"

Commentary: "Secret rapture? 144,000?"

By Wyatt Ciesielka | Saturday, February 26, 2011

As we approach the end of this age and Christ's literal return, many Christians wonder what will happen to them. Many believe in a secret rapture. Jehovah's Witnesses claim to be part of the 144,000. Others wonder about the Great Multitude. What does the Bible really teach about God's saints at the end of this age? Read more

Accounts of the Tabernacles

"These are the accounts of the Tabernacle" (Exodus 38:21) I Adar 28, 5771/March 4, 2011 The Torah reading of Pekudei, literally "accounts" starts off mundanely enough. The first forty two verses are no more than a long list of all the details of the Tabernacle, its vessels, and the priestly raiments. We've read all this before, earlier in Exodus, so we can surely be excused for wondering where all this is leading to. But then, all of a sudden, from this earthly inventory bursts forth a beauty of cosmic proportion: "Now they brought the Tabernacle (Mishkan) to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings... Moses saw the entire work, and lo! they had done it - as HaShem had commanded, so had they done. So Moses blessed them." (ibid 39:33,43) These two verses are nothing less than references and recollections and reflections and refractions of the original account of creation that we read all the way back in the book of Genesis. "Now they brought the Mishkan to Moses, the tent and all its furnishings... " (ibid 39:33) recalls how "G-d formed from the earth every beast of the field and every fowl of the heavens, and He brought them to man to see what he would call it, and whatever the man called each living thing, that was its name." (Genesis 2:19) That is, G-d brought to man all He had created in order that man would invest G-d's creation with meaning and purpose, and that man would understand from this accounting just what his own purpose was to be in the great G-dly scheme of things. Here too, the people of Israel bring before Moses all these sundry man-made creations of wood and animal skins, of stones and fabrics and precious metals, for Moses to behold and to determine its meaning and purpose. And Moses, rising to the occasion, sees the fullness of Israel's efforts, and "Moses saw the entire work, and lo! they had done it - as HaShem had commanded, so had they done. So Moses blessed them." (ibid 39:43) Just as Adam, the first man understood from the parade of beasts that G-d brought before him that only he was missing a mate and that it was not good to be alone, so too, the Tabernacle, in all its various components has been brought before Moses. And the conclusion is not simply that man and G-d need not be alone, but that the Tabernacle is here to serve as the means by which G-d's presence and man's service to G-d can be united and made manifest here on this earth. And from here we can understand that just as G-d created a Garden of Eden and placed man within it in order to "work it and to guard it" (Genesis 2:15) so too G-d has commanded Israel to construct the Tabernacle, and appoint the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest, and place him within the Holy Tabernacle, so that Israel can work, (the Hebrew avodah meaning both "to work" in the profane sense, and to perform the Divine service in the Tabernacle), serving G-d from this place of purity and life. And in both instances, that of Adam in the Garden of Eden, (who stumbled), and Israel in the Tabernacle, (subsequently, the Holy Temple), G-d, after completing the work of creation, directs, through His word, what amounts to post-creation fine-spiritual tuning, literally, taking the great cosmic symphony of creation, and perfecting it, achieving through the Divine service in the Holy Temple, an overwhelmingly beautiful harmony of purpose and aspiration for all mankind. We also learn from Genesis, that " ... no tree of the field was yet on the earth, neither did any herb of the field yet grow, because HaShem G-d had not brought rain upon the earth, and there was no man to work the soil." (ibid 2:5) Yes, before the advent of the Tabernacle and the Divine service, the world had yet to fully blossom, man had yet to fully reach his potential. Little wonder, then, that G-d commanded Moses, saying, "On the day of the first month, on the first of the month, you shall set up the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting." (Exodus 40:1) This, of course, is the month of Nisan, the month of the exodus from Egypt, the month which heralds the onset of spring: "The blossoms have appeared in the land, the time of singing has arrived, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land." (Song of Songs 2:12) Creation will hit it's stride, the world will truly come alive when Israel again establishes G-d's Sanctuary. The time of singing, the transcendent song of the Levites will once again arrive, and the voice of Torah will come forth from Zion, and once again be heard throughout the land. It begins with an accounting, a taking stock and appreciation of every detail of G-d's creation and comes to a crescendo with the work of the Tabernacle, the establishment of G-d's Holy Temple!

Tune in to this week's Temple Talk as Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven discuss the Tabernacle & the Half-Shekel, and wax lyrical concerning the completion of the Mishkan in the desert, connecting the dots and examining the Torah portion of Pekudei, only to find to that it contains nothing new... but at the same time, it's brand new! It's that 'ol feeling of deja vu - we've read all this before. And we've built a house for the Creator before! It's not rocket science! We did it once, we did it twice - we can do it again. Really, why wait any longer for the world to begin?

Music of the Holy Temple: An All-New Light to the Nations video series: The Sweetest Music on Earth: The music of the Holy Temple was indeed the sweetest music on earth, and that is because it was the Levitical expression of the music of heaven. The music of the Levitical Choir and Orchestra was an integral part of the Divine service of the Holy Temple. Every day of the year, Shabbat and festival holidays included, the music of the Levites was heard in the Temple courtyards and throughout Jerusalem. What kind of music was played? What part did the music play in the Divine service? What instruments were used and how was the Levitical orchestra formulated? What will the music of the rebuilt Holy Temple sound like? In this five part Light to the Nations video series, Rabbi Chaim Richman and musicologist Rabbi David Louis explore the music of the Holy Temple, a fascinating and sublimely beautiful aspect of the Divine service.

To view Light to the Nations Music of the Holy Temple, Part I: The Sweetest Music on Earth, please click here.

This week features the Bat Melech video teaching with Rabbanit Rena Richman, entitled, "The Secret of Challah, Part II: Please join Rena in her special teaching for women. This lesson was originally recorded in Houston, Texas, and is being presented on UTN in four parts. We are all created and imbued with G-d given potential to achieve many great and good things in our lives. By following the commandments given us by Torah we can learn how to discover, develop and bring to fruition the unique potential that is within us. Learn the secret of your own hidden potential and how to fulfill it by serving G-d, in this exploration of the simple commandment to take challah when preparing bread." Click here to view.

This upcoming Saturday night, motzei Shabbat, (March 5), - is Rosh Chodesh Adar II - the first day of the new month of Adar II, the twelth and final month of the yearly cycle that begins with Nisan, ("the first of your months" Exodus 12:2), the month of the exodus from Egypt. When the Holy Temple is standing and the Divine service is being performed daily, the month of Adar is full of preparations for the upcoming Passover pilgrimage festival which begins on the 15th of Nisan. In addition, the month of Adar is the month that the half-shekel is collected. To learn more, please click here.

Interview: Chaim Odem, Master Craftsman for the Temple Institute: Master craftsman Chaim Odem is the designer and creator of the the golden Menorah that currently stands in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, overlooking the Temple Mount. Chaim has also designed and produced other Temple vessels on behalf of the Temple Institute, including a model of the Ark of the Covenant. Chaim is currently working on recreating the Golden Lamp of Queen Helena, to be hung from the great entrance to the Holy Temple sanctuary. Chaim Odem personifies the two criteria spelled out by Torah concerning the craftsmen and women of the Tabernacle in the desert: "wise of heart" (Exodus 35:10) and "generous of spirit." (Exodus 35:21) In this interview Chaim tries to answer the question how he merited building the golden Menorah for the Holy Temple. His story begins as a young man in the Soviet Republic of Georgia, where news of Israel's victory in the 1967 Six Day War awoke within him for the first time an awareness of his Jewish identity, something that had been denied him growing up in the communist totalitarian state. Chaim's story is one of faith, perseverance and eventual aliya (emigration) to Israel. Click here to view.

Learn more about the construction of the Tabernacle in the desert. Please click here.

The Golden Lamp of Queen Helena: The Video: Watch this beautiful presentation of a dream in the making - a work in progress. To view this 2.5 minute video, please click here.

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! Click here to view Rabbi Richman's short teaching on parashat Pekudei (Exodus 38:21-40:38).

Blessings from the holy city of Jerusalem,   Yitzchak Reuven   The Temple Institute

Religion and society

Commentary: Religion and society

By John Wheeler | Thursday, February 24, 2011

Whether it be concerning the ongoing "cultural wars" in the United States, other Western nations, as well as the State of Israel, the rising tide of Islamism in vast swaths of the world, the affairs of the ascendant People's Republic of China, or the construction of the European Union, one question keeps being asked in various ways: What role, if any, should religion play in the affairs of society? Read more

Wars and rumors of wars

Commentary: Wars and rumors of wars By Roger Meyer (guest columnist) | Tuesday, February 22, 2011 War. It's an ugly word. It denotes death and destruction, pain and suffering, ruination and devastation. Every year it affects tens of millions of human beings. Will it ever end? Read more

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Return to Zion?

Shalom Ilan, haveri! Thank you for thinking of me. We've had an ice and snow snow that came in last night and expect another tonight. My car door won't open. Frozen shut.
I would love to visit my beloved Land but probably can't for many reasons: I'm a poor white boy (I'm a poor fellow getting ready to sell my home and move with Mom and her boyfriend Doug to a nice home with my own bedroom in the country). And my AIDS doctors said I'll probably be dead and are in shock I'm not already and haven't gotten sick with infectious diseases. Blessed be God! What will be will be. I won't give up without a struggle.

Love ya Ilan,

David

Back to the Kibbutz

Reunion trip - Back to the Kibbutz

June 12-19, 2011

Dear Friends,

As part of the 100 year anniversary of the Israel kibbutz, the kibbutz movement has organized a special reunion trip to Israel for former volunteers. The trip will include many unique attractions, including staying at kibbutzim, traveling around the country and meeting old friends.

If you are one of the 350,000 former volunteers who stayed and worked at a Kibbutz in the past, you are invited to re-live that experience and to meet people from all over the world who share those special memories.

Former volunteers and their families are welcome to join this unique reunion trip.
For details, please see attached brochure or send an email to: volunteers@amsalem.com

If you are just interested in attending the reunion, please see the attached link: www.kibbutzvolunteers.org.il

You are welcome to join the Kibbutz Volunteers facebook page: www.facebook.com/kibbutzvol for more updates.

Erase Me From Your Book

"And now, if You forgive their sin, but if not, erase me now from Your book, which You have written." (Exodus 32:32) I Adar 14, 5771/February 18, 2011 Purim Katan This week's Torah reading of Ki Tisa is sharply divided into two distinct parts. Part one continues the instruction for and description of the building of the Tabernacle and its vessels, and the service of the kohanim, the Temple priests, from the washing of their hands and feet at the brass laver, to the preparation of the incense offering and the anointing of the priests and the vessels alike. This idyllic narrative concludes with five verses concerning the sanctity and observance of the holy Shabbat. These words are spoken directly by G-d to Moshe. Not by chance this passage mimics the opening verses of the book of Genesis which describe the six days of creation and conclude with the Sabbath, the day of rest. The mention of Shabbat here in the book of Exodus comes to express two exceedingly important ideas concerning the nature of the Tabernacle and the historical moment at which man has arrived. Our sages teach us that the mention of Shabbat following the description of all the labors involved in the construction of the Tabernacle, was to inform Israel that the work on the Tabernacle was to cease on the Sabbath, despite its own intrinsic holiness. In other words, the sanctity of the Shabbat takes preference over the sanctity of the building of the Tabernacle. But as a parallel to the verses of Genesis, the mention of Shabbat carries its own implication that the construction of the Tabernacle was an essential part of creation itself; That the world without the Tabernacle, (and subsequently, the Holy Temple), is simply incomplete. The Genesis account of the creation of the world concludes without mention of the Tabernacle. But here, in a reprise of the description of creation, creation draws to a conclusion only after the completion of the Tabernacle. Next, in what appears on the surface to be a wholly disjointed subject, Torah describes the conclusion of Moshe's stay on Mount Sinai, his descent from the Mount, and the scene of reckless abandonment that awaited him. Having grown weary of waiting for Moshe's return, Israel, bated by the mixed multitude, has pressed Aharon into creating the infamous golden calf. Perhaps it began as an almost innocent, if misguided attempt to create a tangible sign of G-d's presence in the world, in light of Moshe's absence, to guide them through the desert. But no sooner had the golden calf emerged from the fire than the nation descended into a mad display of licentiousness, the golden calf at its center. This painful scene is not, however, as we supposed, incongruous or detached from the contented description of the Tabernacle and the Shabbat that preceded it. On the contrary, the debacle of the golden calf is an all too familiar denouement to the completion and seeming perfection of creation. It was after the completion of creation and G-d's placement of man in the Garden of Eden, that man ate from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, the results of which are known to all. Man, by demurring from keeping G-d's sole commandment not to eat the fruit, in effect rejected G-d. So too, Israel, by attaching itself to the golden calf, likewise rejected G-d. So it would seem that man, once again, has failed G-d. Or did he? After they ate from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, Adam and Eve hid themselves from G-d. When G-d asks of Adam point blank, "Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" (ibid 3:11) Adam, rather than assuming the responsibility for his own transgression, points the finger at Eve. "The woman whom You gave to be with me she gave me of the tree; so I ate." (ibid 3:12) Now G-d purposely imbued man with free will, both a gift and a responsibility. A gift because it enables us to cling to G-d and to heed G-d's word of our own volition. A responsibility, because when we fail to heed G-d's word, and exile Him, as it were, from our presence, we must hold ourselves, and only ourselves, responsible. It would be foolhardy to conclude, then, that G-d, having granted man free-will, expects man's actions to be flawless. But the possession of free-will does demand that we be accountable. When G-d's wrath was kindled against Israel concerning the golden calf, He turned to Moshe and threatened to destroy Israel and make of Moshe "a great nation." (Exodus 32:10) Moshe rejected this offer out of hand, and countered G-d's anger, reminding G-d of His covenant with Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov, of His responsibility toward Israel. Moshe then went on to forcefully castigate Israel and to stamp out the evil that had spread. He was angry and disappointed with his people, but when he turned back to G-d to ask His forgiveness for Israel, his words put an end to any doubt as to where he stood on the issue: "And now, if You forgive their sin, but if not, erase me now from Your book, which You have written." (ibid 32: 32) Unlike Adam, who meekly pointed to his helpmate Eve, Moshe stood by his people and with his people. Their sin was his sin. By doing so, he became vested with the responsibility and the ability to make amends, to right the wrong. We learn from Adam's response to G-d that it is a most basic human instinct to point the finger at others, and to hold others responsible for our own failings. It could be argued that this is what is at the root of all the world's ills today. An entire Islamicist doctrine of hatred does just this, blaming all its own failings on others, thereby threatening humanity itself. The world doesn't have to be this way. Moshe teaches us that putting oneself in harm's way and accepting upon one's shoulders the entire weight of responsibility, not just for his own actions, but for those of his people, as well, marks the beginning of change. This is the man that G-d intended. Not a perfect man, but a responsible and repentant man. The Tabernacle, the Holy Temple, the meeting place for man and G-d cannot be completed as long as man is pointing his finger, accusing the other. Only by facing G-d in a show of undivided fellowship can we complete the sacred work of creation - the building of the Holy Temple.

Tune in to this week's Temple Talk as Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven hang on tight as parashat Ki Tisa leads us through the highs and the lows, the ups and the downs of Bnei Yisrael as the sublime work on the Holy Tabernacle is interrupted by the unbridled licentiousness of the golden calf. Moshe rabbenu - Moses our master - masterfully navigates a path fraught with cosmic cataclysmic pitfalls, as he castigates Israel and seeks their forgiveness from G-d. Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven describe Moshe's unique leadership qualities, and also the well-intentioned but colossal folly of Israel as they pursued the ill-fated "shortcut" of the golden calf. Also, righteous women and their tight connection to the Copper Laver and the Golden Lamp: Making a Choice To Bring Light Into This World!

The Golden Lamp of Queen Helena: 1980 years ago a woman presented a precious gift to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. She brought the gift from afar. And with the gift she brought her husband and her children. The gift found its place in the Holy Temple and the woman and her family made the city of Jerusalem their new home. The woman's name was Helena and she was the queen of Adiabene, a small nation found in what is present day Iraq. Immersed in the prevailing Roman pagan culture, Queen Helena was searching for a way of life that was true and moral. She searched and she discovered the One G-d of Israel. Queen Helena and her family left their pagan ways and adopted the faith of Israel as their faith and the Torah of Israel as their truth. We invite all who wish to play a part in the rebuilding of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem to join us in recreating the golden lamp, Queen Helena's gift to the Holy Temple. Please click here.

The Golden Lamp of Queen Helena: The Video: Watch this beautiful presentation of a dream in the making - a work in progress. To view this 2.5 minute video, please click here.

This week features the Bat Melech video teaching with Rabbanit Rena Richman, entitled, "The Secret of Challah, Part I: Please join Rena in her special teaching for women. This lesson was originally recorded in Houston, Texas, and is being presented on UTN in four parts. We are all created and imbued with G-d given potential to achieve many great and good things in our lives. By following the commandments given us by Torah we can learn how to discover, develop and bring to fruition the unique potential that is within us. Learn the secret of your own hidden potential and how to fulfill it by serving G-d, in this exploration of the simple commandment to take challah when preparing bread." Click here to view.

This week also features the Light to the Nations teaching by Rabbi Chaim Richman, entitled, "Building the Holy Temple, Part IX: The Blessing of the Temple: Torah was given to man, not angels, and our sages tell us that one hour in this world is worth an eternity in the world to come. The Holy Temple is of this world, and it is our, and only our, responsibility to build it." (This teaching was initially posted in December 2009. Rabbi Richman will soon be recording new teachings.) Click here to view.

In an unprecedented confrontation with G-d, Moshe, by denying and defying G-d’s will, actually fulfills G-d’s will perfectly. Passing this test with flying colors, Moshe proves his mettle as a defender of his people and a true leader of Israel. Click here to view Rabbi Richman's short teaching on parashat Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11-34:35).

Blessings from the holy city of Jerusalem,   Yitzchak Reuven   The Temple Institute