Let us build a Temple

בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי בְּכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲדָבָר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶת אַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי לִרְעוֹת אֶת עַמִּי אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר  לָמָּה לֹא בְנִיתֶם לִי בֵּית אֲרָזִים

2 Samuel 7:7

The writer of the Book of Shmuel presents the prophets' perspective on the Temple (Mikdash/Sanctuary). First, the nation of ancient Israel wanted to have a king like the other nations around them. This was rejected by the Almighty, who gave the Prophet a list of the things a king would do, for example, sacrificing their children in his own interest wars. The nation would be sacrificing their children to molok or molekh (king), contrary to the divine instruction (Leviticus 18:21). Nevertheless, they choose a king. To place restrictions to the leadership of this king, new guidelines were added later in the Torah; perhaps, in the days of Ezra.
The second king of Israel, David, now wants to build a temple like the one other nations have built for their idols and gods. This idea is rejected by the Holy One of Israel, who states that a temple was never required neither ordered in the Torah. The Tabernacle (Mishkan) was a practical and portable sanctuary to protect sacred items and where rituals could be performed. GOD will dwell among the people (Exodus 29:45). The sanctuary (temple) at Shilo, apparently, was a modest place compared with the place built later by Shlomo. David wanted, probably to enhance his reputation or maybe from an honest devotion, to build a temple. An idea that got the attention and favour of Nathan, the court prophet. While the idea is rejected by the Eternal One. The prophet Nathan is ordered to return to the king with the disapproval message. Instead GOD promise to build a Temple. This by a future descendant of David. The kingdom will be forever. It is understood that this is the beginning of the Messianic Age hope. The promonarchy writers in ancient Israel misunderstood it to be about Shlomo, instead of an Anointed One (Mashiach) in a distant future. The tension with the anti-monarchy prophets and others developed further in Israel history. A matter to address somewhere else another time.
Shlomo builds the Temple in Jerusalem. It was not by order from the Heavens. However, to avoid it to become a sanctuary for idols, the LORD sanctifies it, hence Mikdash, as a place to worship the Only True GOD. To avoid an ethnocentric religion, the Temple is also called a House of Prayer for all nations. Tragically through history the Temple became itself the idol. It was during the division of the kingdom, Israel to the north and Judah to the south, that the debate concerning the proper place of worship develops. When Israel is conquered and deported by the Assyrians, and later Judah by the Babylonians, they learned that GOD is not bound to a temple made by human hands. Regardless of it, as a political symbol, more than religious, those who returned from the galut to Jerusalem rebuilt a Temple, which later was enhanced by the Romans. Again, as a tool of political strategy. This second temple was also destroyed by the Romans. Again, we learned that GOD is not bound to a building (cf. Isaiah 66:1). Shlomo realized it after building the Temple (1 King 8:27).
Today people from all faith traditions are learning that to worship we do not need temples, mosques, synagogues, or churches. GOD is not bound to any of these places, neither to any nation or religion. The synagogue developed in ancient times as a house of study. A place to gather and learn from the Torah as a community. The study of the Torah is an act of worship. Needless to say, at times even these small temples we call synagogues or house of prayer or house of study, have become almost an idol. To the point that people at times have been more concerned with the building than with the purpose of it. We have seen that in other religions' communities of faith. One more time through these tragic and sad circumstances we all are facing, we remember that GOD is not bound to buildings or rituals. GOD dwells among the people that faithfully seek to make themselves a Temple. Yes, our synagogues are important, as long as they meet its purpose, as we wait for the time of the Messianic Age. Until then, make your home a Temple for the glory of GOD.

הוּא יִבְנֶה בַּיִת לִשְׁמִי וְכֹנַנְתִּי אֶת כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ עַד עוֹלָם

2 Samuel 7:13

Shabbat Shalom umevorakh

שבת שלום ומבורך

May you have a Shabbath of peace and blessing!

Shabbat is a sign between GOD and those who follow the faith of ancient Israel; also a gift from the Heavens to humanity.

Enjoy it!

אִם תָּשִׁיב מִשַּׁבָּת רַגְלֶךָ עֲשׂוֹת חֲפָצֶךָ בְּיוֹם קָדְשִׁי וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג לִקְדוֹשׁ יי מְכֻבָּד וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת דְּרָכֶיךָ מִמְּצוֹא חֶפְצְךָ וְדַבֵּר דָּבָר If you turn away your foot because of the sabbath, from pursuing your business on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, and the holy of the LORD honourable; and honour it, not doing your own ways, nor pursuing your business, not even speaking of it; אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל יי וְהִרְכַּבְתִּיך עַל בָּמֳתֵי אָרֶץ וְהַאֲכַלְתִּיךָ נַחֲלַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִיךָ כִּי פִּי יי דִּבֵּר Then delight yourself in the (day of) LORD, and I will make you to ride upon the high places of the earth, and I will sustain you with the heritage of Jacob your father; for the mouth of the LORD spoke. Isaiah 58:13-14

Keep the Commandments

בְּנִי תּוֹרָתִי אַל תִּשְׁכָּח   וּמִצְוֺתַי יִצֹּר לִבֶּךָ	My child, do not forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments (mitzvot);
כִּי אֹרֶךְ יָמִים וּשְׁנוֹת חַיִּים    וְשָׁלוֹם יוֹסִיפוּ לָךְ	Because length of days, and years of life, and peace, will they add to you.
חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת אַל יַעַזְבֻךָ קָשְׁרֵם עַל-גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶיךָ כָּתְבֵם עַל לוּחַ לִבֶּךָ	Let not kindness and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them upon the table of your heart;
וּמְצָא חֵן וְשֵׂכֶל טוֹב בְּעֵינֵי אֱלֹהִים וְאָדָם	You will find grace and good favour in the sight of GOD and man.
בְּטַח אֶל יי בְּכָל לִבֶּךָ    וְאֶל בִּינָתְךָ אַל תִּשָּׁעֵן	Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not upon your own understanding.
בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ דָעֵהוּ וְהוּא יְיַשֵּׁר אֹרְחֹתֶיךָ	In all your ways acknowledge GOD, and the LORD will direct your paths.
אַל תְּהִי חָכָם בְּעֵינֶיךָ יְרָא אֶת יי וְסוּר מֵרָע	Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

Proverbs 3:1-7

In a world full of so much mystery, paradoxes, things we do not know; when we feel powerless and circumstances are beyond our understanding, trust in the LORD, and show reverence to the Almighty by  keeping the commandments.

סוֹף דָּבָר הַכֹּל נִשְׁמָע

אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים יְרָא וְאֶת מִצְוֺתָיו שְׁמוֹר

כִּי זֶה כָּל הָאָדָם

Qoheleth (Ecclesiastes) 12:15

(This series of reflections follow the chapter and verse divisions on the printed Massoretic Text of the Hebrew Bible.)

Love your enemies?

אִם רָעֵב שֹׂנַאֲךָ הַאֲכִלֵהוּ לָחֶם וְאִם צָמֵא הַשְׁקֵהוּ מָיִם	If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
כִּי גֶחָלִים אַתָּה חֹתֶה עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וַיי יְשַׁלֶּם-לָךְ	Because you would build heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD will give you peace.

Proverbs 25:21-22

The teaching about showing love and mercy to an enemy, is part of the ethics of ancient Israel. Mercy can change enemies into friends. Today as we all, friends and enemies, face the tragedy of a pandemic we are learning to show compassion to everyone, even to the enemies. May we be empowered to be instruments of peace in times of conflicts and instruments of comfort in time of suffering.

עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא בְּרַחֲמָיו יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן

May the Maker of peace in t he high heavens may in his mercy, make peace for us and for all Israel, and say amen.

Let us be free

שַׁלַּח אֶת עַמִּי

"Let my people go" is central to the story of the liberation of the Hebrews from the injustice of slavery and oppression under the Egyptian empire. The GOD of the Hebrews, the Only True GOD, orders the empire to do justice, to let the people free from all type of oppression. The outcome of this story: the freedom of the Hebrews and many other nations. The Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt was not the only act of liberation. The same GOD brought forth liberation to the Ethiopians, Philistines, and Arameans (cf. Amos 9:7). Even today the GOD of the Hebrews is still speaking to the oppressors in every nation saying: Let my people go. The greatest freedom is found in been servants of the GOD of the Hebrews.
This week we will celebrate Pesach (Passover). Many Jewish thinkers, scholars and sages, have said that we are not free until everyone is free. Free from injustice and any form of bigotry in the world. Let us be free from prejudices, racism, sexual immorality, materialism, violence, verbal and physical abuses at homes, etc. Let worship, serve, as free men and women, the GOD of Israel.

וַיֹּאמֶר יי אֶל מֹשֶׁה בֹּא אֶל פַּרְעֹה וְדִבַּרְתָּ אֵלָיו כֹּה אָמַר יי אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים שַׁלַּח אֶת עַמִּי וְיַעַבְדֻנִי

Then the LORD said to Moses:  'Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, that they may serve me. Exodus 9:1

Continue praying

מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ
מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם
שֶׁהֶחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה
רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶֽך

I give thanks to you living and everlasting King because you have restored my soul with mercy. Great is your faithfulness.

Every morning these are the first words recited as soon as we awake. All religious traditions have a similar liturgy. It is an act of worship to recognize the Source of Life. To live knowing or with the faith that it is the Faithful GOD, the Only True GOD, the Heavenly Father who cares for us like a Mother loves her children. The reasons to doubt this are many, but the reasons to believe, to have a little faith for the day, are many more. There is so much love and compassion in this world. Too often we dwell looking at the evil and so much hatred around us. Perhaps, we cannot use mathematics or any formula to calculate the percentage of love vs. hatred in this world. Any conclusion is abstract and subjective. However, according to the faith of our prophets, the Faithful GOD will transform this world to its original intention: a world where love and justice will reign. How? You and I are the instruments of the Almighty to rebuild this beautiful planet. Our home, with the sky as the roof and the ground as its foundation. Overcome evil with acts of compassion and love. Overcome hatred with forgiveness. Immerse yourself within worship. Immerse yourself in the devotional and academic study of the Torah; this is also worship. Stand humbly before the Creator in your prayers, with the knowledge that the LORD is Faithful. There is so much about the mystery of prayer I do not understand, but I have a little faith that sustains me and moves me to believe and pray. 

וְיכָּנְעוּ עַמִּי אֲשֶׁר נִקְרָא שְׁמִי עֲלֵיהֶם וְיִתְפַּלְלוּ וִיבַקְשׁוּ פָנַי וְיָשֻׁבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיהֶם הָרָעִים וַאֲנִי אֶשְׁמַע מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶסְלַח לְחַטָּאתָם וְאֶרְפָּא אֶת אַרְצָם

If my people, upon whom my name is called, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2nd Book of Chronicles 7:14

Keep LIVING!

גַּם כִּי אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא אִירָא רָע כִּי אַתָּה עִמָּדִי

Psalm 23:4

"The LORD is my shepherd." These words are often remembered in times of death. By reciting the full Psalm 23 we hope to comfort the mourners with hope and faith. But there are times when words are not enough. Perhaps, it is better to be silent. After all there are no words that could take away the pain caused by death. However, the writer of this Hebrew song invites us to reflect in the presence of the compassionate Shepherd as we face suffering. Regardless of our questions on theodicy, our doubts and so many unanswered questions, have a little faith. Keep living! 

אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד ירְדְּפוּנִי כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּי
וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית יי לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים

Psalm 23:6