Second-Graders Learn the Bible with the Land of Israel

No one can learn the Bible better than being in Israel, as second graders from Samaria learned by experiencing the uniqueness of living in Israel and learning the Bible through a visit to the traditional grave of Joshua.

The students from the Ben Porat Yosef Talmud Torah at Yitzhar, in northern Samaria (Shomron) celebrated their completion of the Book of Yehoshua (Joshua) by visiting his grave, located north of Jerusalem and between Ariel and the Barkan in Samaria.

IDF Brigade Colonel Ran Kahane and Major Shimon Sheetrit accompanied the children through Arab villages to celebrate their completion of learning the book. The brigade commander congratulated them and said he hopes they will follow Joshua’s path of combining strength with spiritual wisdom.

The children in turn wished the IDF commander the blessing bestowed on Joshua to keep the Torah and “do everything that is written” in order to succeed.

Towards midnight, the IDF officers joined the children, their parents and relatives in dancing and singing, “This is the time of mercy to do His will before You (HaShem).”

The Shomron Regional Council and One Shechem coordinate with the IDF several times a year to visit the burial site.

Education Minister Tours Shomron, Emphasizes Biblical Connection

More than 130 young Likud activists toured the Samaria (Shomron) region recently. They were hosted by Shomron Mayor Gershon Mesika.

The activists were accompanied by a special guest, Education Minister Gideon Saar, who joined the tour and also gave a lecture on Elon Moreh using Biblical and historical sources.

The tour, guided by Yossi Dagan, advisor to Shomron Regional Council head Gershon Mesika, and Boaz HaEtzni, was organized by the “Younger Generation in the Likud” movement, headed by Ariel Morali.

The itinerary included:

• The community of Barkan
• The Barkan industrial area
• A tour of Ariel, including a meeting with Mayor Ron Nachman
• A visit to the community of Itamar and a tour of the Givot Olam farm
• A tasting of wines made ​​in the Tura vineyard in the Samaria community of Har Bracha

From there, the group continued to the community of Elon Moreh and to the nearby Har Kabir nature reserve. It was in Elon Moreh that Saar gave his lecture using the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible).

Saar, who began by reading the verses in the book of Genesis which describe the historic covenant between G-d and Abraham, said, “The building of the altar by Abraham in Elon Moreh shows without a doubt that these places are the birthplace of the Jewish people.”

He said that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu “is a friend of the settlement movement, and he works as head of the state in a very complex arena. All in all he navigates things in the right direction and that’s how I see it.

“To all those who talk about concessions in Jerusalem or in Hevron, what we learn from reality is that every place where Israel does not rule is not a place in which freedom of worship can take place for members of all religions. That is perhaps the most important thing to say at this moment.”

The Education Minister emphasized to the young Likud activists, “The Jewish residents are not here on their own mission. First of all, they’re on a mission on behalf of the Israeli people. The settlement movement, and today we have a very good yet painful way of seeing this, keeps the security of the people of Israel. We saw what happened after the disengagement, and we saw how Hamas based itself inside the Gaza Strip.”

MK Katz:Honorable Prime Minister,State Our Rights to This Land by MK Yaacov Katz ("Ketzaleh")

To the Prime Minister of the State of israel

MK Benjamin Netanyahu

Honorable Sir,

 Re: Stating our Rights to the Land of Israel in Your Address

In the context of your mission abroad as the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, there is a brief and challenging opportunity to bring the words of the State of Israel, the words of the Jewish People, before the entire world.

At this point in time, between your speech to the members of AIPAC last night and your address to the two Houses of Congress today, I wish to bring to your attention the fact that there was a glaring omission in your to speech to AIPAC in that there was no mention of our Biblical and historical rights to our land.

In the two thousand years of exile from our land, we became accustomed to a defensive approach, stressing our security needs, when addressing  the tyrants who oppressed us.

But from the time we left the ghetto behind, returned to Zion and established ourselves as a free people in its own state, with the help of God, it is incumbent upon us to state with pride the real reason we are in the land of Israel, that which justifies our demand that the nations of the world recognize our rights to that land.

These basic claims are a chain linking all of Jewish history and are found in the Zionist movement’s writings, where your family served as  a cornerstone. You expressed words in this spirit in your writings, your father Professor Ben-Zion Netanyahu, may he be granted long life, lectured and educated towards that goal; your brother Yoni, may his blood be avenged, Israel’s hero, dreamed and fought for this idea. Clearly stated words to this effect were part and parcel of the speeches and lectures of your late grandfather Rabbi Millikovsky-Netanyahu in his appearances all over the United States 90 years ago.

In response to claims based purely on security, the President of the United States offers opposing security claims. In response to claims that we have a right to this land there are no acceptable claims.

That is why it seems incumbent upon you to make this just and simple claim your first point when addressing the United States Congress: that the entire land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel by the strength of God’s promise in the Bible. Most of your audience in Congress (and in AIPAC) understand this much better than they do security issues, which, important as they are, are secondary and significant only as an adjunct to our claim that the land is ours by right. Jerusalem, Shiloh, Beit El, Hevron, the names of our cities, are familiar to American ears from the Bible, and numerous towns in the USA are named for them.

As promised in the  Pentateuch and the books of the Prophets, the people of Israel will remain in their land forever.

The  historic speeches of Israel’s leaders will be studied in the future. Those that note the basic fact that the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel are the ones that future generations of our people will remember and repeat with pride.

Best wishes for success in your mission to guard our rights to the land of Israel.

With great respect,

MK Yaacov Katz

National Union Party Head

Found Egypt Wagons of Yitziyas Mitzrayim Kriyas Yam Suf; Amazing Film of Divers Finding the Egyptians Wagons & Chariots of Yitziyas Mitzrayim Kriyas Yam Suf in the Ocean.

Young Abraham DVD

Nimord's kingdom is about to face its greatest challenger in a young boy named Abraham. While little is known of Abraham's childhood in the Torah, the Midrash presents a mighty tale of this courageous boy who stands toe to toe against the most powerful ruler of the ancient world. For the ancient city of Ur to the lush hills of Canaan, Abraham's journey is filled with adventure, danger and plenty of laughs, while inspiring you. This is fun entertainment the whole family will enjoy!

Say it Like it Is

Rashi states on Torah's very first verse: "It could happen that gentiles will claim the Jews stole the Land of Israel from them. Therefore, G-d related His mighty works in the Book of Genesis to show that it was He Who created the Land of Israel and gave it to the Jewish People."

Rashi doesn't say that we should keep this as a secret for ourselves, rather this is the clear and unambiguous response to anyone who claims the rights to our Land. UN Resolution 242 is the greatest proof that ambiguity will not lead to peace. Quite the opposite! It has only invited additional pressure for decades on end.

If Israel makes concessions, G-d may again make a miracle and cause the other party to refuse the offer. But we are not allowed to rely on miracles; and second, we're not allowed to say something that is forbidden by Torah even if we know the other side will refuse the offer.

Ancient Tunnel Discovered Beneath Jerusalem

Noahide Archaeologist Vendyl Jones Passes Away

(Israelnationalnews.com) Vendyl Jones – Noahide archaeologist who discovered an immense stock of incense used in the Second Temple as well as the aromatic anointing oil – has passed away at the age of 80. He was most famous for his search for the Ark of the Covenant.
Diagnosed with cancer of the throat seven months ago, in pain and unable to swallow, Jones was tended by his wife Anita during this period. Money for medical bills was scarce, as most of the money he made during his career went towards furthering his archaeological and religious pursuits in Israel.
In the 1950s, while serving as pastor in a Baptist church, he began to seek out the Jewish sources and references of the Christian gospels, realizing that many apparently anti-Jewish statements therein were "omitted in more ancient manuscripts." He began to study with rabbis and even in a Talmud Torah (an elementary school for Jewish children), until he ultimately “resolved to learn, to know and to understand the Bible objectively, without any prejudices; to know what Jesus actually said in the language he spoke and what it literally meant to the people who heard him” [source:  Vendyl Jones Research Institute].
He eventually became a Noahide, believing in the Judaic teaching that non-Jews must follow the seven specific Noahide laws [such as belief in one G-d and no murdering or stealing], while Jews must abide by the laws of the Torah. He established the Judaic-Christian Research Foundation, from which developed the Institute of Judaic-Christian Research (IJCR), which is now the Vendyl Jones Research Institute.
His life goals began to take root when he learned, in 1964, that the Copper Scroll had been found in a cave at Qumran, Israel, and that it listed – in coded form – the hiding places of sacred articles such as the Ark of the Covenant. In April 1967, he moved his family to Israel, continuing his studies in the Department of Judaica at Hebrew University and becoming involved in archaeology. He aided the Israeli army during the Six Day War, when his color-blindness helped him detect camouflaged enemy tanks.
He worked on many digs at Qumran and other Judean Desert sites, though he did not receive government support or funding. His most famous find was that of the Ketoret – 900 pounds of reddish powder with a uniquely strong fragrance that he said was the Ketoret, the 11-ingredient incense used in the Holy Temple. Though critics disputed his findings, they were supported by tests conducted at Weizmann Institute and Bar-Ilan University.
Dr. Jones was often said to be the inspiration behind the "Indiana Jones" films starring Harrison Ford, though he himself has denied it, as have the film-makers. Among his children are converts to Judaism living in Samaria and elsewhere in Israel. His funeral will take place in Grandview, Texas.

Researchers Claim to have Found Graves of the Tribes; After years of researching documentation, Yossi Hertzberg and Israel Stepansky are convinced that they know where Reuven, Shimon, Levi and Dina -- the children of Jacob are buried.

A pair of scholars are convinced that the graves were located on the Arbel -- Jacob's children - Reuben, Simeon and Levi and their sister Dinah. Israel Hertzberg, an Orthodox Jew from Jerusalem, and Yossi Stepansky, formerly a senior archaeologist for the Northern District of the Israel Antiquities Authority conducted a study that lasted 11 years and included collecting and validating records of the sources of 120 pilgrims' journey logs from the past 200-1000 years.

They were entitled to investigate rare documentation at Israel's National Library at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where they found documents and dates of visits to the tombs by Jewish tourists. Joining their research was Israel Meir Gabbai, Chairman of "Ohalei Tzaddikik" or organizations which deals with rebuilding tombs and their research was approved by the chief Sephardic rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Shlomo Amar.

"In the Writings of the Ramban and in all the ancient travel diaries of pilgrims, they described the same path of visiting the graves of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, their sister Dinah, and even of Seth, Adam and Eve's child," said Israel Herzberg -- the journey went from the grave of Nabi Shuaib to the Arbel [mountain].

In journals, its describe how the graves of the righteous see the magnificent high synagogue, and the tombs are North of the ancient village, where the synagogue is located in the center.

According to records there is a cave with stairs leading down it it,to the grave of Seth and he was near the tombs of the tribes in the field which have large markers. Pilgrims describe Dinah's grave as having a myrtle/Hadas bush growing out of it.

Since in the modern era, that area is not plowed, it took us six years to find the graves. When we arrived we were amazed to discover in the cave, the Hebrew names of these pilgrims were engraved, dating back some 600 years ago.

I was rather skeptical of this discovery, so I went to the authoritative book on graves in Eretz Yisrael, the 2 book compendium "Holy Graves in Eretz Yisrael" by Israel Prize Winner, the noted geographer Ze'ev Vilnai (first edition, 1951. I use the third edition from 1985)

He notes the following; Page 88.

In the middle ages, Jews showed the grave of Shet, in the area of Tiveria, near the ruins of ancient Arbel. The pilgrim, [Rabbi] Shumel Ben Shimson who visited the area in 1210, writes about "the tomb of Shet, which we saw." In this same area, Rabbi Yaakov Ben Netanel HaCohen passed through and wrote: "And one marker was built like a house, memorializing Shet the son of Adam, and there is a well inside the house." The Ramban's student also went through that area in the early 14th century and writes about holy graves in the area of the Arbel: "And near there is another tzaddik's [righteous person] and a water pier flows over his grave, and is covered with sand and a building, and the water falls as if from a waterfall into a well in the building, and they say that is Shet the son of Adam." In another list of holy graves, the Arbel is mentioned as "Arbelata": "On the western side, Shet the son of Adam is buried, and near his grave is a large myrtle tree." The ruins of ancient Arbel are known to us today in the Arabic as "Irbid." Near them are the new settlements of Arbel and Kefar Hittim. In the entire area of the Arbel, there are no findings of any marker or grave of Shet the son of Adam."

When Vilnai researched his book in 1951, and then in the second and third publications of it, the house with the well had not been found.

Regarding Dina, he wrote on page 220:

"The Jewish tradition for the burial place of Dina, the daughter of Yaakov is in Israel" According to our sages, "Shimon [her brother] took her bones, and buried her in the land of Cna'an" [Breisheet Rabba 80:11] Jewish Pilgrims in the Middle Ages were shown her grave in the area of Tiveriya, at the Arbel, which is near Moshav Kefar Hittim. The Ramban in his explanation of the Torah writes: "And her [Dina's] grave is know to this day through Kabbala, and it is in the city of Arbel...and its possible that Shimon mercifully brought up her bones [to Israel for burial] or the children of Israel brought her with all the the bones of the tribes [sons of Yaakov] as was mentioned by our Rabbis." [Ramban, Breisheet 34:12] Also Rabbi Yaakov Ben Netanel HaCohen passed through the area in the end of the 12 century and mentioned her grave. A student of the Ramban, who visited the area at the beginning of the 14th century wrote: "And near the Arbel are 3 of the tribes of Yaakov and their sister Dina. Next to the grave is a large, nice myrtle tree, and no one is allowed to take a branch from it - neither Jew or Arab, lest they be punished." In the list of the Holy Places, Arbel is mentioned, "Arbalata...to the North are buried 4 of the tribes...including Dina the daughter of Yaakov, and all the graves are covered with large stones, and how is it possible than a man could have moved those stones?" [implying the stones are very large and heavy].

Today there are no signs of these graves, tombs or markers in the entire Arbel area...which is now called "Arbid" which has a nice, large ruin of a Beit Knesset, though any remains of graves or markers have vanished."

This appears to corroborate the discovery of the researchers.

1. Though written about centuries ago, the cave building / waterfall / well which is the traditional burial place of Shet, was not found till recently by the researchers. Vilnai knew it was written about but no one knew where it was.

2. The manuscripts of the Jewish pilgrims who wrote about the burial place of Shet, Dina and the other tribes were reviewed by the researchers, who found the names of the pilgrims and the dates they were there in the cave building which is ascribed to Shet, thereby corroborating it being the correct place.

3. The myrtle tree and large stone coverings of the graves match the document's brought by Vilnay.

So...it could very well be that based on the texts quoted by Vilnai, the researchers have indeed located the grave sites mentioned by the Jewish pilgrims and rabbis of the 12th-14th centuries.

Fascinating!

I'll update this post a bit later with Vilani's comments on the graves of Reuven, Shimon and Levi.

On my next trip up North to the Arbel area, I will have to try and locate them as well, and take some pictures.

There Are No Settlers in Jerusalem

To the Editor:

In “Eviction of Palestinian Family, After a Legal Battle, Underlines Tensions Over Jerusalem” (news article, Nov. 24), you call Israelis who move into homes legally purchased from Palestinians in Jerusalem “settlers.”

Today, hundreds of Palestinians are moving legally into homes owned by Jews in Jerusalem. We, however, do not disparage them as “settlers.” Rather, we call them “residents” and “neighbors.”

The notion that some areas of Jerusalem — the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years — should be off-limits to Jews, while the entire city is open to Arabs, is deeply prejudicial. The suggestion that Jews, or any other ethnic group, would be denied residence in an American city would instantly be condemned as racist.

Moreover, there are no settlers in Jerusalem, which is sovereign Israeli territory, just as there are no settlers in Tel Aviv and Haifa.

While The Times often reports on construction in Israel, it reports much less often on the constant incitement against Israel from the Palestinian Authority, including a delegitimization campaign against the State of Israel — the biblical sites, the history and the borders of the country.

Joel Lion
Spokesman and Consul for Media
Consulate General of Israel
New York, Nov. 24, 2010

The Portion: Vayishlach; A Feared Confrontation; Wrestling With God; A Sister's Honor

LAZERBEAMS: Mattia Ben Cheresh

Mattia Ben Cheresh was a holy Tanna and a student of Rebbe Meir. He was an unbelievably holy individual who is the role model for all times about personal holiness and guarding our eyes. His holy gravesite is therefore a special place to pray for personal holiness and guarding our eyes.

The Midrash Tanchuma tells the story of how the Yetzer Hara (evil inclination) tried to tempt Rebbe Mattia, who sat all his days in the house of study occupying himself with Torah. The Midrash says the splendor of his countenance shone like the sun's radiance of the sun, and that he was as handsome as an archangel. Never in his life had he raised his eyes to look at a woman.

Once, Satan passed by became full of envy when he saw Rebbe Mattia. The Satan asked, "Is it possible that there is a righteous man entirely without sin in the world?" He instantly flew upstairs,stood before Hashem and asked, "Master of the universe, Matia ben Heresh: what sort of man is Mattia ben Cheresh in Your sight?"

Hashem: "He is totally righteous."

Satan: "Give me permission, and I will tempt him."

Hashem: "You will not prevail over him."

Satan: "Nevertheless!"

So Hashem gave him permission. The Satan went found Rebbe Matia imbersed in Torah. So he appeared to him in the guise of a beautiful woman, the like of which there had not been in the world since the days of Naamah, Tubal-Cain's sister, on account of who even archangels went astray.

Satan (as a gorgeous woman) stood in front of Rebbe Matia, who refused to look and turned his back.

Satan went around and again stood in front of Rebbe Matia. When Rebbe Matia turned his face to still another direction, Satan was once more in front of him.

When Rebbe Matia saw that Satan [in the woman's guise] turned up on all sides, he said to himself: "I'm afraid that the evil inclination is about to overcome me and cause me to sin. So then what the tzaddik do? He summoned one of his disciples, who acted as his attendant, and said to him: "My son, go and bring me fire and nails."

After the pupil brought them, Rebbe Matia passed the nails through the fire, then plunged them into his own eyes.

When Satan saw this, he was shaken, all but knocked out, and left Rebbe Matia.

In that instant, the Holy One summoned Raphael, the angel of healing, and said to him, "Go and heal the eyes of Mattia ben Cheresh."

When Raphael came and stood before him, Mattia asked, "Who are you?"

Raphael answered, "I am the angel Raphael, whom the Holy One had sent to heal your eyes."

Mattia: "Let me be. What happened has happened."

Raphael returned to the Holy One and reported to Him, "Master of the universe, thus-and-thus did Mattia ben Ceresh answer me."

Hashem said, "Go and tell him: From this day and henceforth, fear not. I guarantee you in this matter that, throughout your days, the evil inclination will have no control over you."

When Mattia ben Cheresh heard Hashem's guarantee from the angel, he was willing to accept the angel's healing and was healed.

* * *

Rebbe Mattia's holy gravesite is on the outskirts of the village Aiblin in the Central Galilee, pictured below. May his holy memory protect us, amen!

LAZER BEAMS: Rabbenu Bachiya ben Asher

Rabbenu Bachya ben Asher lived in Spain in the mid 1300's. He was a student of the Rashba (Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet), who was a student of the Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, or "Nachmanides"). As such, he was deeply immersed in both the revealed and esoteric sides of Torah, strongly influenced by his teacher and his teacher's teacher. Rabbenu Bachiya's classic work in "Rabbenu Bachiya on the Torah", an exquisite, classic commentary on the Five Books of Moses.

Rabbenu Bachiya is buried near Hukuk in the Upper Galilee in a cave alongside his students (monument above the cave in the photo below). May his holy memory protect us, amen.

A Jewish man holds an Israeli flag during a protest march near the Jewish settlement of Yitzhar, with the village of Burin seen in the background.

'Massive' ancient wall uncovered in Jerusalem

UNESCO and the cradle of Jewish history; If not for the Israeli security presence, Rachel’s Tomb, the Cave of the Patriarchs, and Joseph’s Tomb would be off limits to Jews today.

UNESCO, the United Nations body in charge of preserving historical sites, went too far this time.

Rabbi Berel Wein's JewishHistory.org's - Abraham & Sarah

Parashat Chayei Sarah, Hebron City of the Avot

NYT: Ezekiel's Tomb in Iraq- nytimes.com/video

NYT: Ezekial's Tomb in Iraq; Crossroads of Antiquity Can’t Decide on New Path

KIFL, Iraq — This small town, shaded by date palms on a bend of the Euphrates River, has been revered as a holy place for centuries — by Jews, by Muslims and, for periods of peace, at least, by both. “The old democracy,” as the local police chief put it.