Chanukah in Our Jerusalem- VaYigash - This Week from Our Jerusalem

 Chanukah in Our Jerusalem- VaYigash - This Week from Our Jerusalem

American Friends of Ateret Cohanim / Jerusalem Chai Making the Old City and neighborhoods around the Holy Basin Young Again Shalom Friend Parashat Vayigash / פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּגַּש ה׳ טבת תשפ״ה   Candle Lighting in Jerusalem 16:07 5785 - תש"פה 'תהיה שנת פלאי ה May it be the year of Wonders in Jerusalem תהיה שנת פה A year of being present and using our mouth for the good-kedusha Day 455 Sharing Chanukah WITH those Who Protect Us Chanukah for Our Children at Magic Kass Thank you to all of our donors who made the Ateret Cohanim community's trip to Magic Kass possible! Donate (1st Row) Rabbi Tuvia and Miriam Silverstein (Far Rockaway, NY) and their son Yisroel at the Kotel Hakatan lighting with Jerusalem's mayor Moshe Leon. 2nd Row. Mr. Jonathan Tratt and Mati Dan with MK MK Amichai Boaron Chanukah in "Our" Jerusalem Click on the link below and choose your favorite Chanukah picture and help us find the winner to this year's Chanukiah lighting picture. Pick The Winner Daniel Luria, Executive Director and spokesman for Ateret Cohanim will be in the greater Florida area (primarily Palm beach and Hollywood) from January 24th till February 3rd to raise awareness and funds. For private meetings or for those able and willing to open homes and organize small meetings/gatherings- please contact Daniel directly on +972546544407 or email dljerusalem@gmail.com With Turkey, Hamas, and Hezbollah still declaring their intention to march on and take "our" Jerusalem - our work is paramount. Make a statement for Jerusalem and host Ateret Cohanim. Tour With Us Albert Srour and friends on tour with Meir- chief security officer & Mati Dan please click here to find out about our tours Thoughts on the Parsha Rabbi Reuven Schreier Rejoicing in Reunion While Weeping Over Destruction After Yosef reveals his identity to the brothers, the Torah describes the emotional reunion between Yosef and Binyamin. They share the same mother, Rachel, and Binyamin was very young when his older brother disappeared. One can only imagine the intensity of emotion when they embraced after 22 years of separation. "And he fell on his brother Binyamin's neck and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck." (Bereishit 45:14) Chazal famously comment that the verse strangely pluralizes the word "neck," ויפול על צוארי בנימין אחיו. (See the Gur Aryeh and other commentaries for a more complete grammar discussion.) They explain that Yosef and Binyamin were weeping over the eventual destruction of sanctified structures that were destined to be erected in the ancestral portions of their descendants. Yosef cried over the "necks" of Binyamin, the two future temples in Jerusalem that would be destroyed. And Binyamin cried over the "neck" of Yosef, the Tabernacle in Shilo that the Philistines would eventually overrun. READ MORE     PRINT COPY to contribute via Zelle: jeruchai@gmail.com Thank you for being our partner! Contact Daniel Luria dljerusalem@gmail.com or Shani Hikind shaniateret@gmail.com to find out how you you can help!

American Friends of Ateret Cohanim / Jerusalem Chai · PO Box 390 · Woodmere, New York 11598 · USA The Repetition of a Commandment As is his practice in many Halachos in the Mishneh Torah, the Rambam begins Hilchos Beis HaBechirah, “The Laws of [G‑d’s] Chosen House,” by stating the fundamental mitzvah upon which the entire collection of laws which follow is based: It is a positive commandment to construct a house for G‑d, prepared to have sacrifices offered within.... as it is written,1 “And you shall make Me a Sanctuary.” Significantly, the Rambam also mentions the mitzvah of con­structing the Beis HaMikdash elsewhere in the Mishneh Torah, in Hilchos Melachim, “The Laws of Kings.” There, however, he focuses on the mitzvah in a different context, stating:2 The Jews were commanded regarding the observance of three mitzvos when they entered Eretz Yisrael: to appoint a king over them.... to wipe out the descendants of Amalek.... and to build [G‑d’s] Chosen House; as it is written,3 “You shall seek out His presence and come to that place.” The commentaries question: What is the Rambam’s purpose in repeating the commandment to build a Sanctuary in Hilchos Melachim and why in that source does he link together the three mitzvos he mentions?4 The Bond Between These Three Mitzvos In regard to the latter question, it can be explained that there is an intrinsic con­nection between these three mitzvos.5 Although they are three separate commandments, the fulfill­ment of one contributes a measure of perfection to the others. To cite a parallel: The arm tefillin and the head tefillin are two separate mitzvos.6 Neverthe­less, when both of these mitzvos are performed together, each one is elevated to a higher level. Similarly, in regard to the three mitzvos mentioned by the Rambam: The intent is not merely that the mitzvos are to be fulfilled in the chronological order mentioned by the Rambam.7 Instead, the linkage of three mitzvos teaches that the mitzvah of building the Sanctuary can be fulfilled in the most perfect man­ner, only when first, a king is appointed and then Amalek is destroyed. Similarly, the fulfillment of the mitzvos of destroying Amalek and building a Sanctuary enhance the mitzvah of ap­pointing a king, and the fulfillment of the mitzvah of wiping out Amalek is enhanced by the mitzvos of appointing a king and building the Beis HaMikdash. This concept is supported by the verses8 cited by the Ram­bam in the halachah which follows in Hilchos Melachim:9 “And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and G‑d brought him peace from all the enemies which surrounded him, the king said to the prophet, Natan, ‘Behold, I am sitting in a palace of cedar, [while the Ark of G‑d dwells in curtains].’ ” These verses indicate how the secure establishment of the monarchy, [“the king dwelt in his house”,] the destruction of Amalek, [“And G‑d brought him peace from all the enemies which surrounded him,”10] and the building of the Beis HaMik­dash [David’s request from the prophet Natan] are interrelated.11 Based on the above, we can appreciate a further point: The Rambam’s statements in Hilchos Melachim are based on the Mid­rash Tanchuma. Nevertheless, he alters the text of that Mid­rashic passage, choosing a different prooftext. In the Midrash Tanchuma, the prooftext cited for the commandment to build the Beis HaMikdash is the verse: “And you shall make Me a Sanctuary.”12 The Rambam, by contrast, substitutes the verse: “You shall seek out His presence...,” because the context of this verse in the Book of Devarim describes the Jews’ entry into Eretz Yisrael and their progress to a state when “G‑d will grant you peace from all your enemies around you and you will dwell in security.”13 Fulfilling a Mitzvah in Stages The above concepts also shed light on another related point which has aroused the attention of the commentaries: As men­tioned above, the Ram­bam uses the verse, “And you shall make Me a Sanctuary,” as the prooftext for the mitzvah to build the Beis HaMikdash. This is problematic, for seemingly, this com­mand refers to the con­struction of the Sanctuary in the desert and not to the construc­tion of the Beis HaMikdash. The passage cited by the Rambam in Hilchos Melachim, by contrast, refers specifically to the con­struction of the Beis HaMikdash, and indeed, is cited as the source for the commandment to build the Beis HaMikdash by our Sages14 and by our Rabbis.15 It is possible to explain16 that the commandment, “And you shall make Me a Sanctuary,” is general in scope, applying to all the structures which were “a house for G‑d” [i.e., a place where G‑d’s presence was revealed] and “prepared to have sacrifices offered within” [a place for the service of the Jewish people].17 Throughout their history, the Jews fulfilled this commandment in several different ways, beginning with the construction of the Sanctuary in the desert. In this context, we can resolve a problematic point in Hilchos Beis HaBechirah. Directly after stating the mitzvah to build a Sanctuary, the Rambam continues: The Sanctuary which Moshe our teacher built is already described in the Torah. It was, however, only temporary in nature.... When [the Jewish people] entered Eretz [Yisrael], they erected the Sanctuary in Gilgal for the fourteen years in which they conquered and divided [the land]. After­wards, they came to Shiloh and built a structure of stone.... When Eli died, it was destroyed and they came to Nov and built a Sanctuary.18 When Shmuel died, it was de­stroyed and they came to Givon and built a Sanctuary. From Givon, they came to the [Divine Presence’s] eternal home. The place of such statements in the Mishneh Torah is prob­lematic. Unlike the Talmud or the Midrashim which are general in content, the Mishneh Torah is exclusively a text of Halachah, Torah law. Points of ethics, philosophy, and history are men­tioned only when they are themselves halachos, specific direc­tives governing our conduct. Thus the question can be raised: What halachic points can be derived from the historical back­ground to the construction of the Beis HaMikdash?19 On the basis of the explanation given above, we can, how­ever, appreciate the sequence of these halachos: After the Ram­bam uses a prooftext which implies that the mitzvah of building a Sanctuary is not confined to one specific structure, he illus­trates this point by citing the various different intermediate stages through which our people’s observance of this mitzvah underwent. Intermediate Way-Stations On the Path to Jerusalem To return to the concept explained at the outset: The link­age of the mitzvah of con­structing a Sanctuary with the mitzvos of appointing a king and wiping out Amalek is also rele­vant with regard to the other structures mentioned by the Ram­bam.20 Our Rabbis state that “Moshe Rabbeinu served as a king,”21 and the construction of the Sanctuary followed the war in which Yehoshua defeated Amalek.22 The title “king” was also applied to Yehoshua23 who con­structed the Sanctuary at Shiloh, and to Shmuel,24 who con­structed the Sanctuary at Nov. We are unsure of the exact time of the construction of the Sanctuary at Givon. We may, how­ever, assume that one of the following — Shaul, David, or Shmuel, all of whom either served, or were described, as kings — was involved in its construction. Similarly, at the time these structures were built, the people had reached progressively more developed stages of being “at peace from the enemies around them.” Nevertheless, just as the monarchy and Israel’s peace had not been established in a complete manner at the time of these structures, these structures did not represent a complete manifestation of the indwelling of the Divine Presence, nor did they fulfill the ideal conception of a center for the sacrificial worship of the Jewish people. It was not until “the king dwelt in his house, and G‑d brought him peace from all the enemies which surrounded him,” i.e., David had securely established the monarchy and brought peace to the land, that it was possible to build the Beis HaMikdash. The Ultimate Beis HaMikdash Based on the above, we can appreciate one of the positive dimensions that will be pos­sessed by the Third Beis HaMikdash. That structure will be built by Mashiach,25 the ultimate Jewish monarch, and will be con­structed after he “wages the wars of G‑d, defeating all the nations around him.”26 Among these wars will be the total an­nihilation of Amalek.27 Thus, since in the Era of the Redemp­tion, the other two mitzvos, the appointment of a king and the destruction of Amalek, will have been fulfilled in a perfect mat­ter, this will contribute an added dimension of per­fection to the mitzvah of constructing the Beis HaMikdash. We can hasten the coming of this era through our divine service. To explain: In chassidic thought,28 the appointment of a king is associated with developing inner bittul, nullifying oneself to G‑d. This in turn allows a person to “drive out” Amalek from his being, to free himself from pride, egotism, and other unde­sirable character traits. Such personal refinement allows him to proceed further and transform his person, his home, and his surroundings into a “sanctuary in microcosm,” in which the Divine Presence can rest.29 This will serve as a catalyst for change in the world at large. For each particular manifestation of the Divine Presence within the world hastens the coming of the time when the Divine Pres­ence will again be revealed, and not merely in microcosm. At that time, “the world will be filled with the knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the ocean bed.”30 May this take place in the immediate future. Adapted from Likkutei Sichos, Vol. VI, Terumah Beit Yisrael International. Become a member. Get the MemberShip from Beit Yisrael! ‘How to become a Righteous of the Nations (Ultra-Orthodox Chassidic/Lost Tribes of Efrayim/‘Ger Toshav‘: Israelite by accepting the Shulchan Aruch and Chasidut, the teachings of CHaBaD, hearing and doing.) Click: Beit yisrael international  Until........: Isa 11:9 – 16 They do no evil nor destroy in all My set-apart mountain, for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Adonai as the waters cover the sea. Rashi: knowledge of the Lord: [lit.] to know the Lord. 10 And on that day, there shall be a Root of Yishai, standing as a banner to the people. Unto Him the nations shall seek, and His rest shall be esteem. Rashi: as a banner for peoples: that peoples should raise a banner to gather to him. 11 And it shall be in that day that Adonai sets His hand again a second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left, from Ashshur and from Mitsrayim, from Pathros and from Kush, from Ěylam and from Shin‛ar, from Ḥamath and from the islands of the sea. Rashi: a second time: Just as he acquired them from Egypt, when their redemption was absolute, without subjugation, but the redemption preceding the building of the Second Temple is not counted, since they were subjugated to Cyrus. and from the islands of the sea: the islands of the Kittim, the Romans, the descendants of Esau. And he shall raise a banner: Perka, perche in O.F. [i.e., the verse is literally referring to the pole upon which the banner is attached.] And it shall be for a sign to gather to him and to bring the exiles of Israel to Him as a present. 12 And He shall raise a banner for the nations, and gather the outcasts of Yisra’ěl, and assemble the dispersed of Yehuḏa from the four corners of the earth. 13 And the envy of Ephrayim shall turn aside, and the adversaries of Yehuḏa be cut off. Ephrayim shall not envy Yehuḏa, and Yehuḏa not trouble Ephrayim. Rashi: Ephraim shall not envy Judah: The Messiah, the son of David, and the Messiah, the son of Joseph, shall not envy each other. 14 But they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west; together they plunder the people of the east, their hand stretching forth on Eḏom and Mo’aḇ, and the children of Ammon shall be subject to them. Rashi: And they shall fly of one accord against the Philistines in the west: Heb. בְכָתֵף. Israel will fly and run of one accord against the Philistines who are in the west of Eretz Israel and conquer their land. [כָּתֵף, lit. a shoulder, is used in this case to denote unity. The word שֶׁכֶם, also lit. a shoulder, is used in a similar sense.] Comp. (Hoshea 6:9) “They murder on the way in unison (שֶׁכְמָה) ”; (Zeph. 3:9) “One accord (שְׁכֶם אֶחָד).” And so did Jonathan rendered it: And they shall join in one accord to smite the Philistines who are in the west. and the children of Ammon shall obey them: As the Targum states: Will hearken to them. They will accept their commandments over them. 15 And Adonai shall put under the ban the tongue of the Sea of Mitsrayim, and He shall wave His hand over the River with the might of His Spirit, and shall strike it in the seven streams, and shall cause men to tread it in sandals. Rashi: And… shall dry up: [lit. shall cut off] to dry it, so that the exiles of Israel will pass through it from Egypt. over the river: The Euphrates River, for the exiles from Assyria to cross. with the strength of His wind: Heb. בַּעְיָם. This is hapax legomenon in Scripture, and according to the context it can be interpreted as “with the strength of His wind.” into seven streams: into seven segments, for the aforementioned seven exiles: from Assyria and from Egypt, etc. Those from the islands of the sea are not from that side. and He shall lead: the exiles within it. with shoes: on dry land. 16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people, those left from Ashshur, as it was for Yisra’ěl in the day when he came up from the land of Mitsrayim. Rashi: And there shall be a highway: in the midst of the water for the remnant of His people. Together we Triumph by Gal Einai February 28, 2024 "And they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines on the west; together shall they spoil the children of the east; they shall put forth their hand upon Edom and Moav; and the children of Amon shall obey them." (Isaiah 11:14) This verse refers to the days of Mashiach, when the Nation of Israel will defeat all its surrounding enemies. The verse is particularly relevant to us today, while we are fighting in Gaza. The Gaza Strip is the ancient “land of the Philistines.” Today’s “Palestinians” are the Arabs who live in Gaza, on Israel’s western flank, on the sea. To defeat the Philistines, we have to be united, as is written in the same prophecy about the ingathering of the distant members of the Nation of Israel and the unity between Judah and Efraim. “And they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines on the west.” Rashi explains: “Israel will fly and run with one shoulder upon the Philistines who are in the west of the Land of Israel and will conquer their land.” We have to be “with one shoulder” – united, shoulder-to-shoulder. Today, we can also add that “And they shall fly down” can be understood literally as the defeat of the Palestinians with Israel’s air force. Our soldiers will spread their wings and fly to destroy the enemy and assist the ground forces in their conquest of Gaza. We receive the power of “one shoulder” from Joseph, who is buried in Shechem (In Hebrew, Shechem is both the name of the city and means “shoulder”). Shechem is the city of the covenant, as we say in Psalms 80:2 “The shepherd of Israel, listen, He Who leads Joseph like a flock – appear, He Who is enthroned upon the cherubs.” (And in gematriah, עפו = יוסף: “shall fly” equals “Joseph”). The concept of “one shoulder” is connected to the ultimate Messianic purpose of rectification of the world, when all people will recognize God and the Torah of Moses: “For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language that they may all call upon the name of God, to serve Him with one shoulder.”[1] The current war in the land of the Philistines in the west, on the shores of the Great Sea, is particularly associated with the clarification and rectification of the Western world and Western culture, reaching to the US on the other side of the world. Triumph in the land of the Philistines is the realization of the promise in the Torah, “And I will place your border from the Red Sea until the Sea of the Philistines and from the desert to the river, for I will give the dwellers of the land into your hands and you shall expel them from before you.”[2] This is our map of the “New Middle East’: “From the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines” including the entire Sinai Peninsula. (Surrendering Sinai to Egypt 45 years ago was the root of all further surrenders and retreats). “From the desert to the river” – From the Sinai desert in the southwest until the Euphrates in the northeast. This includes the elimination of the combined threat from Syria-Iraq-Iran. And so in Isaiah’s prophecy, “together shall they spoil the children of the east” – the defeat of the enemies to the east (such as the hostile nations on the Arabian Peninsula).  “…for I will give the dwellers of the land into your hands and you shall expel them from before you.” This is the directive and our mission: to create a new Middle East, to expel Israel’s enemies from the Land of Israel – and to extend Israeli rule and benevolence to those non-Jews who desire the status of foreign resident in Israel. [1] Tzephania 3:9. [2] Exodus 23:31. Source: https://inner.org/together-we-triumph/  We like to invite you to join our new social network where you shall find good Torah and News Updates from Yisrael even translated Israeli Newspapers articles click picture: Blessings  Bet Yisrael International From Gaddi and Ariel, Many Blessings to all the ShneymAsarHaShevatim (Twelve Tribes) in the Golus, Shalom! @Bayit - Profiles click: For donations, on https://link.space/@Bayit click: $support me Click:  Ariel your Representee, Representee of Ephraim and adviser (not a rabbi but friendly adviser) of Bet Yisrael international on the Har HaBayit.