The vision of sacrificing a red heifer is closer than ever
The vision of sacrificing a red heifer is closer than ever
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Rock-fortress and redeemer of Yisra’el —
bless the State of Israel,
the initial sprouting of our redemption.
Beit Yisrael International Torah Yomi for everyone who loves Yisrael.
HarHaBayit:
'We failed! We didn't throw of the Mountain: Amalek's descendants and their Israeli friends! The Erev Rav! We must be at war until all terrorists are dead! In and around Eretz Yisrael. The day after, we need to vote for an Elohim fearing Government. Then let us start to Pray and to talk about a new government. Every Jew and non-Jew must accept and respect Jewish Law. Voting's yes, but a new high Court system Jewish Law in all Eretz Yisrael: Including Aza, Yudea and Samaria. So that we may become a real blessing for the whole world as it was in the time of the Kingdom of HaMeleg David. Yes, real Teshuva and Study our Source: The Torah. The Sifri (a treatise on the derivation of Torah law from the exegesis of the verses of Numbers and Deuteronomy, written during the time of the Mishnah by Rav) says, "The Jewish people were commanded three mitzvos upon entering Israel: appointing for them-selves a king, building themselves a Sanctuary and wiping out the descendants of Amalek."
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Shemot (Exodus) - Chapter 25
8And they shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst | | חוְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָֽׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם: |
And they shall make Me a sanctuary: And they shall make in My name a house of sanctity. | | וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ: וְעָשׂוּ לִשְׁמִי בֵּית קְדֻשָּׁה: |
9according to all that I show you, the pattern of the Mishkan and the pattern of all its vessels; and so shall you do. | | טכְּכֹ֗ל אֲשֶׁ֤ר אֲנִי֙ מַרְאֶ֣ה אֽוֹתְךָ֔ אֵ֚ת תַּבְנִ֣ית הַמִּשְׁכָּ֔ן וְאֵ֖ת תַּבְנִ֣ית כָּל־כֵּלָ֑יו וְכֵ֖ן תַּֽעֲשֽׂוּ: |
according to all that I show you: here, the pattern of the Mishkan. This verse is connected to the verse above it: “And they shall make Me a sanctuary…” according to all that I show you. | | כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מַרְאֶה אֽוֹתְךָ: כָּאן את תבנית המשכן, הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה מְחֻבָּר לַמִּקְרָא שֶׁלְּמַעְלָה הֵימֶנּוּ וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מַרְאֶה אוֹתְךָ: |
Eretz Yisrael in Jewish Scriptures Click:
אבינו בשמים, מבצר סלע וגואל ישראל - לברך את מדינת ישראל, הנבטה הראשונית של גאולתנו. | Our father in Shamayim (Heaven), Rock-fortress and redeemer of Yisra’el — bless the State of Israel, the initial sprouting of our redemption. |
תפילה לשלום מדינת ישראל | Prayer for the Welfare of the State of Israel, by Rabbi Yitsḥak haLevi Hertzog
(1948)
Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, | Our father in Shamayim (Heaven), |
הָגֵן עָלֶיהָ בְּאֶבְרַת חַסְדֶּךָ, | Shield her beneath the wings of your lovingkindness; |
חַזֵּק אֶת יְדֵי מְגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ, | Strengthen the defenders of our Holy Land; |
וְאֶת אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל פְּקָד־נָא | Remember our brethren, the whole house of Yisra’el, |
וְיַחֵד לְבָבֵנוּ לְאַהֲבָה וּלְיִרְאָה אֶת שְׁמֶךָ, | Unite our hearts to love and revere your name, |
The Tefilah l’Shalom Medinat Yisra’el (“Prayer for the Welfare of the State of Israel”) was composed by Rabbi Yitsḥak haLevi Hertzog (1888-1959), edited by Shmuel Yosef (S.Y.) Agnon (1888-1970), and first published in the newspaper Ha-Tsofeh on 20 September 1948.
This prayer was instituted at the time by the Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rabbi Hertzog and Rabbi Ben Tsiyon Meir Ḥai Uziel. According to the custom of the Ashkenazic communities, the time for reciting the prayer was set between the end of the Torah reading and the haftara for the return of the Torah scroll to its place in the Holy Ark. In Sephardic communities, it is customary to recite the prayer at the time of the removal of the Torah scroll from the Holy Ark. (At this point in prayer, it was customary the prayer “Hanoten Tshuah”, blessing the ruler of the state and their immediate family.)
Because the State of Israel is referred to as “the beginning of the sprouting/growth of our redemption,” the prayer was not universally accepted. This expression, and the reservations about the state in general, are some of the reasons why non-Zionist and anti-Zionist Jews do not recite it in their synagogues. In fact, the recitation of this prayer and, to a lesser extent, the prayer for the safety of IDF soldiers, became one of the main differences between prayer in Ḥaredi synagogues and prayers in National Religious Zionist synagogues in Israel and in the Diaspora.
מי שברך לחיילי צה״ל | Mi sheBerakh for the Welfare of Israel Defense Forces Soldiers, by Rabbi Shlomo Goren (1956); amended by Dr. Alex Sinclair (2012)
Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב | May the One who blessed our forefathers Avraham, Yitsḥaq, and Yaaqov, |
יִתֵּן ה׳ אֶת אוֹיְבֵינוּ הַקָּמִים עָלֵינוּ | May Hashem cause the enemies who rise up against us |
הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִשְׁמֹר וְיַצִּיל אֶת חַיָלֵינוּ | May the blessed Holy One preserve and rescue our soldiers |
יִתֵּן ה׳ לְחַיָלֵינוּ חָכְמָה, בִּינָה וְדַעַת, | May Hashem give our soldiers wisdom, understanding, and insight, |
יַדְבֵּר שׂוֹנְאֵינוּ תַּחְתֵּיהֶם | May [Hashem] cause our enemies to submit before our soldiers, |
In recent months, thanks to the combination of cell phone cameras and YouTube, we’ve witnessed Israel Defense Force soldiers acting in deeply troubling ways. We’ve seen soldiers standing by while a civilian shoots live ammunition at Palestinian protesters, we saw Lt. Col. Shaul Eisner assault an unarmed Danish civilian with the butt of a rifle, and, before that, the killing at close range of Mustafa Tamimi, a protester in the Palestinian village Nebi Saleh. Many of these occurrences are regularly reported in Haaretz, but they don’t find their way as often, or as prominently, into other media outlets.
The most generous explanation for this phenomenon is that individuals, in a series of isolated incidents, fail to uphold the IDF code of conduct. More sobering explanations point to a widespread culture in the IDF whereby such conduct is tolerated and routine. Indeed, when the Eisner case was reported, the most shocking aspect of the YouTube video was the utter indifference to Eisner’s act by the six or seven other soldiers milling around. What we saw as a horrific, unforgiveable, outrage, they saw as boring and un-noteworthy.
I was on the receiving end of such an incident last year, while I was observing a non-violent demonstration against the occupation in the West Bank, and got caught up in tear gas that was fired indiscriminately at women, children, and observers. Since then, I’ve found it hard to say the prayer for the IDF that appears in all Israeli prayer books, and which my community, like most synagogues in Israel, reads aloud every Shabbat.
The prayer, written by Rabbi Shlomo Goren in the early years of the state, does not, to my mind, adequately respond to the ethical challenges that IDF soldiers face in exercising power over civilian communities, where things are much more complicated than state-against-state war.
But our response to troubling issues cannot simply to be cease from engagement with the issue. That’s true if the troubling issue is, say, Eishet Ḥayil (the poem traditionally sung by a husband to a wife on Friday night; while parts of it are beautiful, parts of it are also rather sexist); and it is also true if the troubling issue is inappropriate use of force by the IDF.
As engaged Jews who love the Jewish tradition but are troubled by particular aspects of it, my wife and I sing an amended version of Eishet Ḥayil on Friday nights. In doing this, we join countless other Jews who try to develop an active relationship with liturgy that more closely reflects their values.
As engaged Jewish Zionists, the time has come to do the same with the prayer for the IDF. Above is my suggested amendation. The text is the regular version of the prayer as found in the popular Rinat Israel siddur. The middle section is my suggested addition.
The Biblical verse quoted is from the story of Sodom and Gemorrah, where Abraham berates God for seeking to harm innocent people along with the wicked. To my mind, it’s an extremely appropriate analogy to much of what goes on today: there are wicked people out there who seek to harm us, and it’s good that the army protects us from them. But all too often, some soldiers (and some Israelis in general) don’t do enough to distinguish between those who are genuinely evil, and innocent people (including Palestinians, left-wing Israelis, and internationals) who are legitimately protesting the occupation. Amending the prayer for the IDF is one way to raise awareness about that uncomfortable fact, and begin a public, Jewish, Zionist conversation about it.
תְּפִלָּה לְפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם | Prayer for the Redemption of Israelis Taken Captive [during the war begun on Shemini Atseret 5784], by Rabbi Ofer Sabath Beit Halachmi (2023)
Source (Hebrew) | Translation (English) |
אֱלֹהֵינוּ | Our God, |
חַזְּקִי רוּחָם, הָבִיאִי לָהֶם אֶת תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ | Strengthen their spirit and bring them our prayers |
תְּנִי בִּינָה בְּלֵב אוֹיֵב | Implant understanding in the heart of the enemy |
תְּנִי תְּבוּנָה בְּלוֹחֲמֵי צַהַ״ל | Grant wisdom to the Israel Defense Forces |
תֵּן לְכָל בְּנֵי וּבְנוֹת אַבְרָהָם, שָׂרָה וְהַגֵּר | Grant strength of spirit and courage of heart |
יִקְרָאֵנִי | “They shall call upon Me, |
This prayer for the liberation of abducted Israeli citizens and military personnel was offered by Rabbi Ofer Sabath Beit Halachmi in response to the war initiated by Hamas from Gaza on Shemini Atseret 5784. The English translation was prepared by Rabbi Dr. Rachel Sabath Beit Halachmi.
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The vision of sacrificing a red heifer is closer than ever
Published on: 14/08/2025At the TelShilo site, in the settlement of Shilo in the Binyamin region of the West Bank, there are three cows that, according to the site's operators, meet thehalachic criteriafor serving as "red cows." The "red heifer" is the sacrifice that, according to Jewish law, qualifies Jews to participate in worship in the Temple, and ostensibly can enable its re-establishment.
According to Orthodox law, the sacrifice of a red heifer (which is actually reddish-brown in color) is a ritual in which Jews are purified from the "impurity of the dead." In the ceremony,which is described in the Bibleand is supposed to take place on the Mount of Olives, the cow is slaughtered, its body is cremated, and its ashes are mixed with spring water, which is sprinkled on human beings, and thus they are "purified." Since most people have come into contact with the dead, they are "impure," and only those who are "purified" in the ceremony can enter the Temple.
Sign up now for the daily newsletterThe ashes of one cow are enough to "purify" millions of people. According to Halacha, a cow can only be sacrificed in the ceremony if it is a female who is at least three years old; Almost completely "red" – if there is no more than one white or black hair in any part of her body; if it has never been used for any other function (such as milking); And if there is no defect in it. The "Ancient Shiloh" visitor center in Tel Shilo says that three of the cows found there meet these conditions.
The show said that the cows were "the key to the Temple" and that the Texan farmer who sold them told the Jewish buyers: "I know the Bible very well, and I chose to breed this breed in the hope that one day my cows will be used in the Temple."
The importation of the red cows waspublishedin the international media at the time (without specifying where they were brought – it was written that they were on a "secret site in the West Bank"). The publication sparked outrage in the Arab world, and in 2023 itwas reportedthat Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah discussed it with concern. Hamas terror organization spokesman Abu Obeida claimedin a speech last yearthat bringing cows to Israel was one of the motives for the massacre on October 7, 2023.
The cowshed in "Ancient Shiloh" is home to five cows of the "Red Angus" breed, which were imported from Texasin 2022. According to a 2023article in Makor Rishon, they were purchased from farmers "not necessarily Jewish" by an organization called the Red Heifer Research Center, which is affiliated with the Temple Institute, as part of a series of attempts to import and breed red cows, most of which failed. When they were imported, they were one-year-old wagons, and it was not clear whether they would remain red and fit their purpose in adulthood.
According to tradition, the place where the "Ohel Mo'ed" is located at the site of "Ancient Shiloh" in the settlement of Shilo (Photo: Tani Goldstein)
"Ancient Shiloh" is crowded with people even at the height of the heat wave. The archaeological site – where remains from theKingdom of Israel were found, among other things, and where theOhel Mo'ed was located according totradition– are visited by many ultra-Orthodox families and groups of tourists from the United States, but most of them pass by the closed barn, close to the entrance to the site, where the cows reside, hidden from view. Only tourists who purchase a special ticket enter the pavilion adjacent to the barn to watch the cows.
In the pavilion, an audio-visual show is screened, in which the story of the cows is told and the purpose of their existence is presented. The show said that the cows were "the key to the Temple" and that the Texan farmer who sold them told the Jewish buyers from Israel: "I know the Bible well, and I chose to breed this breed in the hope that one day my cows will be used in the Temple." How old are the cows? I asked the guides on the website, and they answered: "Soon four years old."
"Ancient Shiloh" is funded by the budget of the Binyamin Regional Council and by tourist visits. The government budgets it with only about 32,000 shekels a year, from the Ministry of Defense, to fund tours for soldiers
Are they completely red?
"Three of the five meet all the conditions."
So it is possible [to sacrifice] them?
"Yes, they are suitable, it will be possible, God willing."
The management of "Ancient Shiloh" confirmed that the cows found in it were already over the age of three and that they were "kosher" for sacrifice at the ceremony.
"Ancient Shiloh" is funded by the budget of the Binyamin Regional Council and by tourist visits. The government budgets it with only about 32,000 shekels a year, from the Ministry of Defense, to fund patrols for soldiers. In the past, it was reported that the Ministry of Agriculture excluded the import of cows from the import regulations, and that the Ministry of Education was involved in organizing a conference in Shilo on the subject. Ministers from the right, such as Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, expressed enthusiasm for the red cows.
A red cow at a farm in Tel Shilo, August 2025 (Photo: Tani Goldstein)
According to Sharon Cliff, VP at Ancient Shiloh: "Ancient Shiloh is meant to tell the story of the Mishkan and the story of the Jewish people in general – and nothing more. The cows are part of this story. Many visitors come to the site from Israel and around the world, including Christians and Muslims, Jewsand Arabs. 'Ancient Shiloh' has no purpose or plan to rebuild the Temple or participate in its construction in any way."
Doesn't the very fact that red cows are found at the site encourage messianic plans by Jewish extremists and violent reactions by Muslim extremists, thus contributing to the general unrest and therefore dangerous?
"I don't know what's dangerous and what's not. I am not willing to downplay our religion, identity, history and culture. Hamas wants to harm us not because of cows, but because of the fact that we are Jews and the very fact that we are in this country."
"Hamas wants to harm us not because of cows, but because of the fact that we are Jews and the very fact that we are in this country"
At the TelShilo site, in the settlement of Shilo in the Binyamin region of the West Bank, there are three cows that, according to the site's operators, meet thehalachic criteriafor serving as "red cows." The "red heifer" is the sacrifice that, according to Jewish law, qualifies Jews to participate in worship in the Temple, and ostensibly can enable its re-establishment.
According to Orthodox law, the sacrifice of a red heifer (which is actually reddish-brown in color) is a ritual in which Jews are purified from the "impurity of the dead." In the ceremony,which is described in the Bibleand is supposed to take place on the Mount of Olives, the cow is slaughtered, its body is cremated, and its ashes are mixed with spring water, which is sprinkled on human beings, and thus they are "purified." Since most people have come into contact with the dead, they are "impure," and only those who are "purified" in the ceremony can enter the Temple.
The ashes of one cow are enough to "purify" millions of people. According to Halacha, a cow can only be sacrificed in the ceremony if it is a female who is at least three years old; Almost completely "red" – if there is no more than one white or black hair in any part of her body; if it has never been used for any other function (such as milking); And if there is no defect in it. The "Ancient Shiloh" visitor center in Tel Shilo says that three of the cows found there meet these conditions.
The show said that the cows were "the key to the Temple" and that the Texan farmer who sold them told the Jewish buyers: "I know the Bible very well, and I chose to breed this breed in the hope that one day my cows will be used in the Temple."
The importation of the red cows waspublishedin the international media at the time (without specifying where they were brought – it was written that they were on a "secret site in the West Bank"). The publication sparked outrage in the Arab world, and in 2023 itwas reportedthat Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah discussed it with concern. Hamas terror organization spokesman Abu Obeida claimedin a speech last yearthat bringing cows to Israel was one of the motives for the massacre on October 7, 2023.
The cowshed in "Ancient Shiloh" is home to five cows of the "Red Angus" breed, which were imported from Texasin 2022. According to a 2023article in Makor Rishon, they were purchased from farmers "not necessarily Jewish" by an organization called the Red Heifer Research Center, which is affiliated with the Temple Institute, as part of a series of attempts to import and breed red cows, most of which failed. When they were imported, they were one-year-old wagons, and it was not clear whether they would remain red and fit their purpose in adulthood.
"Ancient Shiloh" is crowded with people even at the height of the heat wave. The archaeological site – where remains from theKingdom of Israel were found, among other things, and where theOhel Mo'ed was located according totradition– are visited by many ultra-Orthodox families and groups of tourists from the United States, but most of them pass by the closed barn, close to the entrance to the site, where the cows reside, hidden from view. Only tourists who purchase a special ticket enter the pavilion adjacent to the barn to watch the cows.
In the pavilion, an audio-visual show is screened, in which the story of the cows is told and the purpose of their existence is presented. The show said that the cows were "the key to the Temple" and that the Texan farmer who sold them told the Jewish buyers from Israel: "I know the Bible well, and I chose to breed this breed in the hope that one day my cows will be used in the Temple." How old are the cows? I asked the guides on the website, and they answered: "Soon four years old."
"Ancient Shiloh" is funded by the budget of the Binyamin Regional Council and by tourist visits. The government budgets it with only about 32,000 shekels a year, from the Ministry of Defense, to fund tours for soldiers
Are they completely red?
"Three of the five meet all the conditions."
So it is possible [to sacrifice] them?
"Yes, they are suitable, it will be possible, God willing."
The management of "Ancient Shiloh" confirmed that the cows found in it were already over the age of three and that they were "kosher" for sacrifice at the ceremony.
"Ancient Shiloh" is funded by the budget of the Binyamin Regional Council and by tourist visits. The government budgets it with only about 32,000 shekels a year, from the Ministry of Defense, to fund patrols for soldiers. In the past, it was reported that the Ministry of Agriculture excluded the import of cows from the import regulations, and that the Ministry of Education was involved in organizing a conference in Shilo on the subject. Ministers from the right, such as Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, expressed enthusiasm for the red cows.
According to Sharon Cliff, VP at Ancient Shiloh: "Ancient Shiloh is meant to tell the story of the Mishkan and the story of the Jewish people in general – and nothing more. The cows are part of this story. Many visitors come to the site from Israel and around the world, including Christians and Muslims, Jewsand Arabs. 'Ancient Shiloh' has no purpose or plan to rebuild the Temple or participate in its construction in any way."
Doesn't the very fact that red cows are found at the site encourage messianic plans by Jewish extremists and violent reactions by Muslim extremists, thus contributing to the general unrest and therefore dangerous?
"I don't know what's dangerous and what's not. I am not willing to downplay our religion, identity, history and culture. Hamas wants to harm us not because of cows, but because of the fact that we are Jews and the very fact that we are in this country."
"Hamas wants to harm us not because of cows, but because of the fact that we are Jews and the very fact that we are in this country"
"If it is possible to build the Temple, the cows will be needed"
To date, a halacha has not yet been issued approving the use of cows in Shiloh, or some of them, as sacrifices in the ceremony. This is because white hairs were discovered on the tail of some of them. The hairs are not close to each other, but close. Halacha permits the sacrifice of cows that have non-red hairs, if they did not grow from a single source. Messianic rabbis are currently debating whether the distance between the hairs in the tails of the cows in Shiloh is large enough.
According to Rabbi Azaria Ariel, head of the Torah research team at the Temple Institute and author of the book "The Red Heifer Ke-Halacha": "There is a question mark about the kashrut of the cows in Shilo (for the purpose of sacrificing them), which is found in halakhic clarity. There is a white hair plant in the tail, and there is a question as to whether the source of the different hairs is far enough from each other to be kosher."
Purim has passed and the masks have already been removed
1/ Tel Shiloh, which disguises itself as an archaeological site most of the year, presents its true face – an arm of the Temple movements that enjoy government support. Tomorrow at the site, which has long been not only archaeological, the "Red Cow Conference" will be held. >>pic.twitter.com/2yv54uSQve
— Equal Valley (@EmekShavehHeb)March 26, 2024
Assuming that they are kosher, what is the purpose of their import and cultivation?
"First of all, the mitzvah of the red heifer is a mitzvah and must be fulfilled. Second, the existence of a red heifer can help to properly fulfill other mitzvot, such as the separation of challah and donations to the priests, without burning some of the challah and destroying some of the donated vegetables and fruits, as is done today. And if there is – or will be – the possibility of building the Third Temple, the red heifer will help in that."
In a presentation at Tel Shiloh, it was said that the red cows are "the key to the Temple." Is that true?
"That's half true. Given that it is possible to build the Temple, the red heifer will be needed so that it will be possible to make a pilgrimage to it."
Rabbi Mordechai Blue: "It is impossible to make (sacrifice) a red heifer, even if a thousand cows are raised. Whoever performs the ceremony must be pure from the impurity of the dead himself, and there are no such people today."
There are rabbis who say that you can't sacrifice a red heifer as long as the Third Temple doesn't exist, do you agree with them?
"I respect their opinion, but I don't agree with them. The mitzvah can be fulfilled even before the Temple is built – and I explain how in my articles."
In a reality in which it is not possible to build a Temple, will the sacrifice of the red heifer allow, halakhically, Jews who currently refrain from ascending to the Temple Mount to ascend to it?
"From a halachic point of view, no. I and many others go up to the mountain without finding a halakhic prohibition to do so. Jews avoid the Temple Mount because of their (political) views, or because they do not know exactly where, at the time, the Holy of Holies was located. This is because no one is allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, except for the Kohen Gadol, and they are afraid to pass over it by mistake. I believe that the location of the Holy of Holies is known, and therefore it is possible to enter the Mount."
A model of the Second Temple is on display at the Israel Museum (Photo: Ariely, Wikipedia)"These reasons will not change even after the mitzvah of the red heifer is observed. But it is possible that the red heifer will bring about a change in the atmosphere, which will encourage more Jews to go up to the Mount."
Other rabbis – including national-religious rabbis close to messianic circles – oppose the sacrifice of a red heifer, even if there are cows that can be sacrificed. According to RabbiElkana Lior, an expert on the Temple Mount: "It is impossible to fulfill the mitzvah of the red heifer before the Temple is built."
"The Temple will come as it is from heaven with the coming of the Messiah. If the Temple is built first, it will have no halachic value, and this is even before the security disaster that this entails."
Ultra-Orthodox rabbis deny the very issue of dealing with the issue. According to RabbiMordechai Bello, head of a shift in the Bnei Brak Badatz and an activist in the Degel HaTorah party: "It is impossible to make (sacrifice) a red heifer, even if a thousand cows are raised. Whoever performs the ceremony must be pure from the impurity of the dead himself, and there are no such people today."
So you don't agree with the statement that the red cows are "the key to the Temple"?
"God forbid. The Temple will come as it is from heaven with the coming of the Messiah. If the Temple is built first, it will have no halakhic value, and this is even before the security disaster that this entails. But my answer is simple: There is no kohen who can fulfill the mitzvah of the red heifer."
Prayers on the last Friday of Ramadan on the Temple Mount, April 29, 2022 (Photo: Jamal Awad/Flash90)Balevi bases his words on the tradition that in ancient times, the children of priests who were destined to sacrifice red cows were raised in closed compounds in Jerusalem, from which they could not leave until they reached the age where they could perform the ritual. There are modern rabbis and Temple activists who claim that in addition to the red cows, dedicated priests should be raised for their sacrifice, in the way they were raised thousands of years ago.
Rabbi Ariel believes that there is no need for this. The Temple Institute has a list of priests who, according to Ariel, are "pure from the impurity of the dead." Among other things, these priests were born at home and not in the hospital. Ariel – the son of the founder of the Temple Institute, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel – once established a "Beit Midrash for the Red Heifer," where rabbis and Temple Mount activists discuss such questions.
There are rabbis and activists who claim that in addition to the red cows, designated priests should be raised for their sacrifice, in the way they were raised thousands of years ago
Another question that arises in these discussions is where the cow sacrifice ceremonies should be held. According to tradition, the ceremony is supposed to take place on the Mount of Olives, and according to a halachic interpretation of this tradition – the exact location is insidethe Catholic Church Dominus Flevit. But even Temple Mount activists understand that such a ceremony cannot be performed there.
To date, a halacha has not yet been issued approving the use of cows in Shiloh, or some of them, as sacrifices in the ceremony. This is because white hairs were discovered on the tail of some of them. The hairs are not close to each other, but close. Halacha permits the sacrifice of cows that have non-red hairs, if they did not grow from a single source. Messianic rabbis are currently debating whether the distance between the hairs in the tails of the cows in Shiloh is large enough.
According to Rabbi Azaria Ariel, head of the Torah research team at the Temple Institute and author of the book "The Red Heifer Ke-Halacha": "There is a question mark about the kashrut of the cows in Shilo (for the purpose of sacrificing them), which is found in halakhic clarity. There is a white hair plant in the tail, and there is a question as to whether the source of the different hairs is far enough from each other to be kosher."
Purim has passed and the masks have already been removed
1/ Tel Shiloh, which disguises itself as an archaeological site most of the year, presents its true face – an arm of the Temple movements that enjoy government support. Tomorrow at the site, which has long been not only archaeological, the "Red Cow Conference" will be held. >>pic.twitter.com/2yv54uSQve
— Equal Valley (@EmekShavehHeb)March 26, 2024
Assuming that they are kosher, what is the purpose of their import and cultivation?
"First of all, the mitzvah of the red heifer is a mitzvah and must be fulfilled. Second, the existence of a red heifer can help to properly fulfill other mitzvot, such as the separation of challah and donations to the priests, without burning some of the challah and destroying some of the donated vegetables and fruits, as is done today. And if there is – or will be – the possibility of building the Third Temple, the red heifer will help in that."
In a presentation at Tel Shiloh, it was said that the red cows are "the key to the Temple." Is that true?
"That's half true. Given that it is possible to build the Temple, the red heifer will be needed so that it will be possible to make a pilgrimage to it."
Rabbi Mordechai Blue: "It is impossible to make (sacrifice) a red heifer, even if a thousand cows are raised. Whoever performs the ceremony must be pure from the impurity of the dead himself, and there are no such people today."
There are rabbis who say that you can't sacrifice a red heifer as long as the Third Temple doesn't exist, do you agree with them?
"I respect their opinion, but I don't agree with them. The mitzvah can be fulfilled even before the Temple is built – and I explain how in my articles."
In a reality in which it is not possible to build a Temple, will the sacrifice of the red heifer allow, halakhically, Jews who currently refrain from ascending to the Temple Mount to ascend to it?
"From a halachic point of view, no. I and many others go up to the mountain without finding a halakhic prohibition to do so. Jews avoid the Temple Mount because of their (political) views, or because they do not know exactly where, at the time, the Holy of Holies was located. This is because no one is allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, except for the Kohen Gadol, and they are afraid to pass over it by mistake. I believe that the location of the Holy of Holies is known, and therefore it is possible to enter the Mount."
"These reasons will not change even after the mitzvah of the red heifer is observed. But it is possible that the red heifer will bring about a change in the atmosphere, which will encourage more Jews to go up to the Mount."
Other rabbis – including national-religious rabbis close to messianic circles – oppose the sacrifice of a red heifer, even if there are cows that can be sacrificed. According to RabbiElkana Lior, an expert on the Temple Mount: "It is impossible to fulfill the mitzvah of the red heifer before the Temple is built."
"The Temple will come as it is from heaven with the coming of the Messiah. If the Temple is built first, it will have no halachic value, and this is even before the security disaster that this entails."
Ultra-Orthodox rabbis deny the very issue of dealing with the issue. According to RabbiMordechai Bello, head of a shift in the Bnei Brak Badatz and an activist in the Degel HaTorah party: "It is impossible to make (sacrifice) a red heifer, even if a thousand cows are raised. Whoever performs the ceremony must be pure from the impurity of the dead himself, and there are no such people today."
So you don't agree with the statement that the red cows are "the key to the Temple"?
"God forbid. The Temple will come as it is from heaven with the coming of the Messiah. If the Temple is built first, it will have no halakhic value, and this is even before the security disaster that this entails. But my answer is simple: There is no kohen who can fulfill the mitzvah of the red heifer."
Balevi bases his words on the tradition that in ancient times, the children of priests who were destined to sacrifice red cows were raised in closed compounds in Jerusalem, from which they could not leave until they reached the age where they could perform the ritual. There are modern rabbis and Temple activists who claim that in addition to the red cows, dedicated priests should be raised for their sacrifice, in the way they were raised thousands of years ago.
Rabbi Ariel believes that there is no need for this. The Temple Institute has a list of priests who, according to Ariel, are "pure from the impurity of the dead." Among other things, these priests were born at home and not in the hospital. Ariel – the son of the founder of the Temple Institute, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel – once established a "Beit Midrash for the Red Heifer," where rabbis and Temple Mount activists discuss such questions.
There are rabbis and activists who claim that in addition to the red cows, designated priests should be raised for their sacrifice, in the way they were raised thousands of years ago
Another question that arises in these discussions is where the cow sacrifice ceremonies should be held. According to tradition, the ceremony is supposed to take place on the Mount of Olives, and according to a halachic interpretation of this tradition – the exact location is insidethe Catholic Church Dominus Flevit. But even Temple Mount activists understand that such a ceremony cannot be performed there.
"Dangerous madness, under the current government anything can happen"
Prior to the importation of red cows to Shiloh, several attempts were made to breed and import red cows to Israel, which failed. In the past, Temple activists raised a herd of partially red cows in the Golan Heights and bred them in a way designed to bring about the birth of a "kosher" red cow. In 2019, two red wagonswere bornthere, but when they grew up, they did not remain completely red.
In parallel with the attempts to raise the cows in Israel, Temple activists set out to search for them in the United States. An article in Makor Rishon stated: "The Red Heifer Research Center has established contacts with many American farm owners, and they have pulled out the most relevant ones from thousands of cows for its sake, even before their ears have been pierced – a step that mutilates them and disqualifies them."
The red heifers are part of an extensive activity carried out by Temple activists to prepare for the intended construction of the Temple. The various Temple movements recruited and trained priests, performed the "Passover sacrifice practice" in Jerusalem, createdtools and musical instruments for the Temple, built an altar, and wroteoutline plans, plumbing, heating, air conditioning andparking for the Temple.
"It's not far-fetched to think that on one of the upcoming holidays they will bring a red heifer to the Mount of Olives, burn it and start purifying people in preparation for the Temple. And it's not hard to guess what kind of fire it will ignite."
At the same time, more and more Jews are going up to the Temple Mount. In the 20th century, only dozens of Jews entered the Al-Aqsa compound each year, but since then the number has steadily increased. In 2012, more than 8,000 Jews went up to the Mount, and in recent years, more than 50,000 have entered the Temple Mount every year. Until the appointment of the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the police made sure to enforce the prohibition on Jews praying in the compound; Today, thousands of people pray there, including Ben-Gvir himself.
According to the CEO of Emek Shaveh, Alon Arad: "Sites like 'Ancient Shiloh' whitewash the settlement and messianism, wrap them in an envelope of fun and give them a so-called 'scientific' validation. They take boys and soldiers to a place with a winery, and real archaeological remains, and cows, and they leave with the feeling that it's normal.
Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir on the Temple Mount on the occasion of Jerusalem Day, May 26, 2025 (Photo: Jonathan Zindel/Flash90)"Like the other activities of the Temple movements, the issue of cows is a complete hallucination. But if in the past it might have been possible to say that it was a handful of eccentrics who want to raise cows and dream of the Temple, which will be ashamed of them, today it is clear that this is dangerous madness. After all, under the current government, anything can happen.
"It's not far-fetched to think that on one of the upcoming holidays they will bring a red heifer to the Mount of Olives, burn it and start purifying people in preparation for the Temple – and it's not hard to guess what kind of fire it will ignite. Ultimately, Jewish messiahs, Christian evangelicals and Islamists have the same interest: to turn the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a national conflict into a religious war, to set the Middle East on fire, and to bring doomsday closer."
Source: חזון הקרבת פרה אדומה קרוב מתמיד: "לא מופרך שיקריבו אותן בחגים" | זמן ישראל
Prior to the importation of red cows to Shiloh, several attempts were made to breed and import red cows to Israel, which failed. In the past, Temple activists raised a herd of partially red cows in the Golan Heights and bred them in a way designed to bring about the birth of a "kosher" red cow. In 2019, two red wagonswere bornthere, but when they grew up, they did not remain completely red.
In parallel with the attempts to raise the cows in Israel, Temple activists set out to search for them in the United States. An article in Makor Rishon stated: "The Red Heifer Research Center has established contacts with many American farm owners, and they have pulled out the most relevant ones from thousands of cows for its sake, even before their ears have been pierced – a step that mutilates them and disqualifies them."
The red heifers are part of an extensive activity carried out by Temple activists to prepare for the intended construction of the Temple. The various Temple movements recruited and trained priests, performed the "Passover sacrifice practice" in Jerusalem, createdtools and musical instruments for the Temple, built an altar, and wroteoutline plans, plumbing, heating, air conditioning andparking for the Temple.
"It's not far-fetched to think that on one of the upcoming holidays they will bring a red heifer to the Mount of Olives, burn it and start purifying people in preparation for the Temple. And it's not hard to guess what kind of fire it will ignite."
At the same time, more and more Jews are going up to the Temple Mount. In the 20th century, only dozens of Jews entered the Al-Aqsa compound each year, but since then the number has steadily increased. In 2012, more than 8,000 Jews went up to the Mount, and in recent years, more than 50,000 have entered the Temple Mount every year. Until the appointment of the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the police made sure to enforce the prohibition on Jews praying in the compound; Today, thousands of people pray there, including Ben-Gvir himself.
According to the CEO of Emek Shaveh, Alon Arad: "Sites like 'Ancient Shiloh' whitewash the settlement and messianism, wrap them in an envelope of fun and give them a so-called 'scientific' validation. They take boys and soldiers to a place with a winery, and real archaeological remains, and cows, and they leave with the feeling that it's normal.
"Like the other activities of the Temple movements, the issue of cows is a complete hallucination. But if in the past it might have been possible to say that it was a handful of eccentrics who want to raise cows and dream of the Temple, which will be ashamed of them, today it is clear that this is dangerous madness. After all, under the current government, anything can happen.
"It's not far-fetched to think that on one of the upcoming holidays they will bring a red heifer to the Mount of Olives, burn it and start purifying people in preparation for the Temple – and it's not hard to guess what kind of fire it will ignite. Ultimately, Jewish messiahs, Christian evangelicals and Islamists have the same interest: to turn the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from a national conflict into a religious war, to set the Middle East on fire, and to bring doomsday closer."
Source: חזון הקרבת פרה אדומה קרוב מתמיד: "לא מופרך שיקריבו אותן בחגים" | זמן ישראל
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Tehillim (Psalms) - Chapter 87
6[When] the Lord counts in the script of the peoples forever, [He will say,] "This one was born there."
Rashi:
The Lord counts in the script of the peoples, “This one, etc.”. This is a transposed verse, and סלה, forever, which is said at the end, refers to the beginning: When the Lord counts in the script of the peoples forever. That means that in the future, when the Holy One, blessed be He, inscribes the nations for an abhorrence, He will count the Israelites who are assimilated among them and those who were coerced [to abandon Judaism] among them and extract them from their midst, and [He shall] say, “This one was born of those of Zion,” and He will choose them for Himself. This is what Isaiah says (66:21): “And from them, too, will I take for priests and for Levites.” From the nations bringing them for tribute, I shall take those assimilated among them. And there will be among them priests and Levites who are unrecognizable, but they are revealed to Me, says the Lord. Now where did He say it? (Deut. 29:28) “The secret things belong to the Lord, our God.”
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As the Representative of Beit Yisrael International I collect the weekly YouTube Torah studies from Gaddi (President), and I give you weekly news-updates about how that Beit Yisrael International is developing in a world association of Torah Observants Ephraimites (Yisrael): individuals, groups and organizations associated with each other in Torah. With the goal the 'restoration' of the Kingdom of Ephraim (Yisrael) into unity with Yehuda (Jews), the restored Kingdom of Hameleg ben David, under 'supervision' of Jewish Orthodox Rabbis.
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The people of Israel did not believe in Moses because of the miracles he performed. So why did they believe in him? Because when we stood at Sinai, our own eyes saw and our own ears heard the fire, the sounds and the flames, and how Moses approached the cloud and G-d's voice called to him...
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The people of Israel did not believe in Moses because of the miracles he performed. So why did they believe in him? Because when we stood at Sinai, our own eyes saw and our own ears heard the fire, the sounds and the flames, and how Moses approached the cloud and G-d's voice called to him...
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On the Essence of Chassidus
עִנְיָנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרַת הַחֲסִידוּת
This landmark discourse explores the contribution of Chasidus to a far deeper and expanded understanding of Torah. The Rebbe analyzes the relationship Chasidus has with Kabbalah, the various dimensions of the soul, the concept of Moshiach and the Divine attributes.
By Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe
Published by Kehot Publication Society
עִנְיָנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרַת הַחֲסִידוּת |
Excerpt from a Talk by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Last Day of Passover, 5730 (1970) |
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Likkutei Sichot: Eikev
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01. Rest for Animals
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Tefillin, Mezuzah and Sefer Torah - Chapter Seven
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Heinrich W. Guggenheimer, 1999-2015
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The people of Israel did not believe in Moses because of the miracles he performed. So why did they believe in him? Because when we stood at Sinai, our own eyes saw and our own ears heard the fire, the sounds and the flames, and how Moses approached the cloud and G-d's voice called to him...
–Maimonides
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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
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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.
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