Kol HaTor Weekly

Restoration update

18 Cheshvan 5769

16 November 2008

 

 

 

 

 

                    

 

 

 

 

IMPORTANT NEWS:

 

Hashem's Magnificent Yom Kippur Miracle

Friday, 24 October 2008

 

Our sages say that those who enjoy the benefits of miracles have no idea that those miracles have been taking place. Nothing could be truer.

The blogosphere has been buzzing about an Iranian plot to destroy Israel, G-d forbid, this past Yom Kippur. When I first heard the story, I had serious doubts about its veracity. But, with more and more proof piling up, it looks like the real deal.

 

Hashem foiled an Iranian effort to contaminate Israel with over 40,000 metric tons (100 million pounds) of radioactive nuclear-contaminated sand. The Iranians had planned to take advantage of the prevailing winds that blow off the Mediterranean to spread the deadly sand all over Israel, Heaven forbid.

 

On August 21st, 2008, the MV Iran Deyanat, an Iranian civilian merchant ship carrying 44,458 dead weight was heading towards the Suez Canal. As it was passing the Horn of Africa, about 80 miles southeast of al-Makalla in Yemen, the ship was surrounded by speedboats filled with members of a gang of Somalian pirates who grab suitable commercial ships and hold them and their cargos and crews for ransom. The captain was defenseless against the 40 pirates armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades blocking his passage. He had little choice other than to turn his ship over to them. What the pirates were not banking on, however, was that this was no ordinary ship.

 

Within a period of three days, those pirates who had boarded the ship and opened the cargo container with its gritty sand-like contents, all developed strange health complications, to include serious skin burns and loss of hair. And within two weeks, sixteen of the pirates subsequently died, either on the ship or on shore.

At this writing, the MV Iran Deyanat is at anchor, watched closely by American, French and Russian naval units.

 

Although American intelligence and government sources are maintaining a strictly observed silence, the same does not apply to the Russians and so it is that we learn the real story of the MV Iran Deyanat. She was an enormous floating dirty bomb, intended to detonate after exiting the Suez Canal at the eastern end of the Mediterranean and in proximity to the coastal cities of Israel. The entire cargo of radioactive sand, obtained by Iran from China (the latter buys desperately needed oil from the former) and sealed in containers which, when the charges on the ship are set off after the crew took to the boats, will be blasted high into the air where prevailing winds will push the highly dangerous and radioactive cloud ashore.

 

Given the large number of deaths from the questing Somali pirates, it should be obvious that when the contents of the ship’s locked cargo containers finally descended onto the land, the death toll would be enormous. This ship was nothing more nor less than the long-anticipated Iranian attack on Israel. Not the expected rocket attacks (which could be intercepted by the Israelis) but an even more deadly and unexpected attack by sea. It is very interesting to note that the Israeli government has in the past few weeks, been loudly demanding that the United States establish a naval blockade of Iran.

 

The reason for this blockade would be to prevent any more Iranian ships with deadly cargos from attacking either Israel or other targets from the sea.

Conclusion: We should be singing praise to Hashem nonstop day and night. Like we've said here repeatedly, our job is to strengthen emuna, Torah study, and mitzva observance. Hashem will fight our battles for us.

 

Thank you, beloved Father in Heaven.

http://lazerbrody.typepad.com/lazer_beams/2008/10/index.html

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Excerpts from:

 

The World Is Running Amok`

`Viewing It All Through Jewish Lenses`
Author: Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis

 

Nothing occurs randomly in the world. Nothing happens accidentally. Time and again, the Torah admonishes us not to fall into the trap of “keri”, the belief that that which befalls us is mere happenstance....that things just happen because they happen, and there is no Divine Hand guiding it (Leviticus, 26).

 

Despite our Torah’s warnings however, we tend to attribute events in our lives, be they personal or general, to coincidence – a convergence of circumstances, and therefore, we tragically fail to respond to the situation at hand even as the crises continues unabated. So let us attempt to understand our contemporary situation and examine it through Jewish lenses.

           

Hashem created this world in six days. We have a teaching that the duration of each day was one thousand years, and by the year 6000, Moshiach will come – a day that will be kulo Shabbos – all Sabbath. Of course, he can come earlier – even today. As it is written, “Hayom eem b’koloh tishm’u – Today, if we listen to His voice.”

           

What is salient for us to remember however is that we are presently in the year 5769, which is the erev Shabbos period in our history, and we all know that Shabbos can sometimes come early and sometimes late – but erev Shabbos it is.

           

Our sages teach that this period is also referred to as “eekvei d’Moshiach – Footsteps of Messiah, or Chevlei Moshiach – Birth pangs of Messiah”. Now, birth pangs can be very painful. At their onset, contractions come very slowly and irregularly, but as the birth becomes immanent, they speed up and intensify and just as the pain become unbearable, it’s “mazel tov” and the baby is born. Now what, you may ask, are the telling portents of this travail? Once again, we turn to the wisdom of our sages and prophets.

             

Chutzpah will abound; the young will rise insolently against their elders; families will become fragmented; children will turn against their parents; there will be no shame or embarrassment, even in face of the most vile, obscene, immoral acts; corruption and dishonesty will abound and there will be no one capable of admonishing the people since immortality will be so prevalent. Natural disasters and catastrophes will multiply – tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and hitherto unknown diseases will spread. The face of the generation will be like that of a dog (the dog runs ahead of its master, but keeps looking back to see if his master is following) – meaning that the people will lack values and principles and keep looking to see whether that which they espouse is politically correct....whether popular opinion endorses it. Overnight cherished icons and hallowed institutions in which people placed their trust will collapse and disintegrate.

           

How long will this process continue?  Until man concludes, “ein od milvado – there is no One but G-d”.

           

Does all this sound familiar? Do you recognize our generation?  Do you see a reflection of our contemporary world?  Do you see that which is unfolding before your very eyes? And there is more..... In Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer (an early Midrashic work), it is written that, before the coming of Messiah, we will have to contend with tribulations that will come from Yishmael. This teaching is reaffirmed by Rabbi Chaim Vital, the illustrious disciple of the Arizal, who wrote that, before the final curtain falls on the stage of history, Yishmael will inflict torture on our people in ways the world has never before seen.

           

We are the generation that has been destined to witness the fulfillment of the prophecy given to Hagar (Genesis 16:11-13). “Behold you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you shall name him Ishmael... and he shall be a wild ass of a man; with his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him and over all his brethren shall he dwell....”

           

The long arm of Ishmael’s terror has indeed reached every part of the world.  Who in America can forget 9/11? The sheer cruelty of that day is beyond anything that the human mind can comprehend. Does not Ishmael’s hand reach out throughout the entire world as was prophesied thousands of years ago? Does he not have cells all over the world?

           

In the Yalkut Shimoni (a Medieval/Midrashic compilation) the events of today are eerily foretold and should give us all pause.  It is written that before Messiah comes, the King of Persia will have a weapon that will terrorize the world. Ancient Persia is today’s Iran. Need I say more?

           

The Klausenberger Rebbe, Z’tl, referring to this teaching, said, “Remember these words. They are perhaps not understood now, but in time they will be, and will be a source of strength to our people.”

           

Had you heard these prophecies centuries ago, when they were written...never mind...just a few short years ago, you might have laughed and scoffed, but today, the impossible has become our reality.  And yet, we are blind. We have eyes that see not, ears that hear not. Alas, we are afflicted by the disease of Egypt (Deuteronomy, 28).

           

Now, what was the disease of Egypt? Stubborn, obdurate hearts. Ancient Egypt was struck by devastating plagues, but even as the mighty Egyptian empire crumbled, even as it was reduced to ashes, Pharaoh remained obstinate. He refused to concede that there is a G-d governing this world.

             

The Torah portion that led us into this past Yom Kippur was Parshas Vayelech in which the Torah foretells the terrible suffering that will befall our people, and that we will declare “that this is happening because G-d is not in our midst!”  But G-d’s response will be to hide His face (Deut.31).

           

At first glance, this is difficult to understand. If people are willing to concede that G-d is not in their midst, shouldn’t G-d respond positively?  Why does He continue to hide His face? How do we understand this?

           

When we say that G-d is not in our midst, we place the onus of responsibility on the Almighty and absolve ourselves from blame. But it is we who are not with G-d.  It is we who are guilty!  It is we who must search our hearts and come closer to our G-d and embrace His Torah and mitzvos.”

           

So G-d’s presence remains hidden from us. But that need not be a negative prophecy, for someone who is hiding is not absent. He is here and need only be found.

           

There is a telling story about a Chasidic Rebbe who came upon a little boy standing behind a tree and crying bitterly.

            “Why are your crying?” the Rebbe asked.

            “I’m hiding,” the boy sobbed, “and no one is looking for me!”

           

The words of the child were like a sharp knife in the heart of the Rebbe.

“Woe is us,” he said. “G-d is waiting for us to find Him, but we have failed to search for Him! Woe is us.”

           

So what must we do to ease the birth pangs and insure a smooth birth?

           

First and foremost, we must search, find and connect with our Heavenly Father, and thus establish a genuine close relationship with Him. But this cannot be just a theoretical concept. Our sages teach that he who wishes to be spared the travails of the birth pangs of the Messianic period should occupy himself with three endeavors:

1)    Torah

2)    Gemilas Chasadim (acts of loving kindness) and

3)    be scrupulous regarding Shalosh Seudas the third Sabbath meal. The Hebrew term used for “occupy” is “ya’asok” which literally means “business”.

 

In other words, Torah and acts of kindness must be so much a part of us that they literally become our business. This does not connote sporadic, superficial study, observance and prayer, but rather, a total immersion in Torah and chesed, to the point where it takes over our lives.

           

As for the third Sabbath meal, every Shabbos we are commanded to partake of three (seudos) festive meals – Friday night, Shabbos noon, and a third meal in the afternoon. Our sages teach that all three meals are embodied in the last one, for at this point, we are satiated from our two previous meals. Nevertheless, we sit down at our table in honor of Shabbos and our G-d.

           

The psalm that is traditionally chanted at this meal is Psalm 23, authored by King David.

“The L-rd is my Shepherd, I shall not want...” The task of the shepherd is a lowly and lonely one. Day in and day out, he is destined to wander from place to place seeking pasture for his flock, and yet, David did not hesitate to refer to G-d as a Shepherd, for he perceived that G-d’s love is so total, so all encompassing, that when it comes to caring for His children, nothing is beneath Him. What a magnificent and fortifying thought – for no matter where life takes us, even if we have to walk in the treacherous valley overshadowed by death, we need not fear, for G-d, our Shepherd, will always be there to lead us to greener pastures, even if, at first, we do not recognize that the pasture is green.

 

http://www.hineni.org/rcolumn_view.asp?id=381&category=1

 

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TEACHINGS:

Have No Fear About Jerusalem...

Make Sense out of Gaza: End Time Prophecies concerning Israel and the Jews

Zechariah 12:2-3

2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of staggering unto all the peoples round about, and upon Judah also shall it fall to be in the siege against Jerusalem. 

3  And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a stone of burden for all the peoples; all that burden themselves with it shall be sore wounded; and all the nations of the earth shall be gathered together against it. 

4 In that day, saith the L-RD, I will smite every horse with bewilderment, and his rider with madness; and I will open Mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness. 

5  And the chiefs of Judah shall say in their heart: 'The inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength through the L-RD of hosts their G-d.' 

6  In that day will I make the chiefs of Judah like a pan of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire among sheaves; and they shall devour all the peoples round about, on the right hand and on the left; and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own  place, even in Jerusalem.

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Zechariah 14

 

1      Behold! A day of the L-rd is coming, and your plunder shall be shared within you.

 

2      And I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to wage war, and the city shall be captured, and the houses shall be plundered, and the women shall be ravished, and half the city shall go into exile--and the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 

 

3      And the Lord shall go forth and wage war with those nations, like the day he waged war on the day of the battle.

 

4      And on that day His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem from the east. And the Mount of Olives shall split in the midst thereof--toward the east and toward the west--a very great valley. And half the mountain shall move to the north and half of it to the south.

 

Amos 9

 

Amos 9:14-15, "And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel [literally means 'I will bring back the exiles of My people, Israel] ... And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the L-RD thy G-d."

 

Ezekiel 28:24-28

 

“And there will no longer be to the House of Israel a pricking briar or painful thorn from all that are around them, who plunder them, and they will know that I am the L-rd G-D. So says the L-rd G-D: when I gather in the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they have been scattered, and I have been sanctified through them in the eyes of the nations, then they shall dwell on their land that I gave to my servant Jacob. And they shall dwell upon it securely, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards and dwell securely when I execute judgement against all those that plunder them from all around them, and they shall know that I am the lord their G-D.”

Obadiah 1

Worse still, says the prophet, was that Edom rejoiced at Israel’s (previous) downfall and joined in the fray, attacking the survivors and plundering their possessions. Because of this, G-d promises that at the end of days, “And the house of Jacob shall be fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall become straw, and they shall ignite and consume them, and the house of Esau shall have no survivors, for G-d has spoken (Chap. 1, verse 18).” The Jewish people will then inherit Edom’s territory and G-d will reign as King over the earth.

 

An Interesting Source – Destruction of Neveh Dekalim (Gush Katif in Gaza)
by Yacov M. Tabak, Ph.D.

 

In the wake of the devastation of the Jewish presence in Gaza, many powerful emotions are sweeping through the Israeli public. Those “blue” partisans on the left side of the map are in some cases even gleeful that the Messianic ideology of the State of Israel as the harbinger and tool of the coming of the Messiah has been demonstrated to be empty of significance, and the land of this country has been reduced to its rightful status as only a bargaining chip for the personal security of its citizens. An outstanding expression of this attitude is the major surge in Stock Market indicators in the last week. Money is to be made now that we are back to a purely materialistic orientation to our existence.
 
 The “orange Orthodox” on the other hand may be expected to be in deep depression at the apparent shattering of a 140-year-old ideology, where the State of Israel can no longer be viewed as “reishit tzemichat geulateinu” the initial flowering of our Redemption. A state which would do what the government, army and police have just done cannot possibly have this role to play. A political refuge for persecuted Jews – maybe. A vessel of classical Bible-based prophetic Redemption – never.
 
Both positions are incorrect, says Jewish tradition. It turns out that this process of the destruction of Neveh Dekalim and its satellites was foretold, and is an integral element in the unfolding scenario of Redemption. The source is the Targum Yonatan ben Uziel (ancient Aramaic elaborate rendering of the Pentateuch and Prophets, sentence by sentence, in light of prophetic and rabbinic [Midrashic] sources) on Deuteronomy 34:3. First, the Hebrew, then the Targum, then the English:

1) Ve’et hanegev ve’et ha kikar, bikat Yereicho ir hatemarim ad Tzoar.

2) VeYat melich daroma di’mitchaber im melich tzifuna lechabala yatvei ar’ah, veAmonai uMoavai yatvei meishra deme’ikin lehon leYisrael, ve-yat galvat talmidei  Eliahu de galan min bikata deYereicho, ve-yat galvat talmidei de’Elisha de galu min Kirvat Diklaya al yedei ahuhon beit Yisrael matan alfin guvrin, ve-yat akat kol dar vedar, ufuranut Armalgus reshia ve sidrei krava d’GOG, uve’idan tzaarah rabah hahi, Michael yekum bideraa leferuka.

3) “And the King of the South who joins with the King of the North to cause injury to the inhabitants of the Land [of  Israel], and the Ammonites and Moabites – dwellers on the plains who cause pain to Israel, and the exile of the disciples of [the Prophet] Elijah who are exiled from the plains of Jericho, and the exile of the disciples of [the Prophet] Elisha who are exiled from the town of Dekalim by two hundred thousand of their brethren of the House of Israel, and the pain of each and every bonfire, and the disaster [caused by] Armalgus the Evil One, and the battle order of Gog, and at the time of that great agony, [the Archangel] Michael will rise up with [G-d’s outstretched right] forearm to redeem.”
 

Here is a brief rendering of the sources for this text and their context:

 

a)    Kings of the South/North – see Daniel 11: 40 and sentences following. At the Et Ketz – Time of the End [End of Days] there is a back-and-forth conflict between a King of the South and the King of the North. The classic Jewish commentator Metzudot David identifies the King of the North as Rome – the Christian world.

 

b)    The Malbim, another commentator,  identifies the King of the South as associated with the land of Ishmael – the Moslem world. As to the specifics of this conflict, kindly consult your daily newspapers since 9/11. The information is written there in gruesome detail. In the end, they invade Israel under the leadership of Gog from the Christian world.

 

c)    Ammonites – dwellers in Rabat Ammon – the modern Amman, capital of trans Jordan.

 

d)    Moabites are the people who dwelled in southern Jordan and northern Saudi Arabia. Their descendants migrated into Turkish-Mandatory Palestine during the last century and one half and are today identified as “the Palestinians”. These indeed cause great pain to Israel.

 

e)    Elijah went up to heaven in a fiery chariot at Jericho, and his disciple Elisha assumed his mantle of prophetic calling. Their disciples are those who embrace the redemptive message of prophecy.

 

f)     The reference to the town of Dekalim requires no elaboration. The reference to “two hundred thousand men” can be correlated with the total number of soldiers and police in uniform at this time – close to 50,000 dealing directly with the exile and destruction in Gush Katif, the balance dealing with the needs of the rest of the country.

 

g)    “Dar” in Aramaic can be “generation”, it can be “bonfire”, and it can be a “ploughed furrow”. Here the context of bonfire is most logical. Some citizens even set fire to their own homes in the last week. Enough said.

 

h)    Armalgus is a “misrendering” of  “Armilius”, originally the Aramaic version of “Romulus” the founder of Rome (see the Targum on Isaiah 11:4). According to the students of the Vilna Gaon, he considered that in the gradual unfolding of the Redemption, Armilius will be not from Rome but the leader of the Erev Rav, the modern-day faction among the Jews, who, like the original Exodus Erev Rav [mixed multitude], will agitate for the undoing and the ridiculing of the Geula – Redemption.

 

Since this “misrendering”  leads to a Gematria – numerical value of 340, and since there exists a leading promoter of Palestinian interests among the veteran Jewish ministers whose name in gematria equals 340, this may not be a misrendering at all, and Sharon may ultimately not be the one who is behind this entire scenario. Time will tell.

 

i)      The War of Gog uMagog is the final battle where G-d Himself rescues the Jewish People in Israel (see Zecharia 14) from an invasion led by a leader referred to as Nasi Gog – President Gog (see Ezekiel 38-39). Taking into account that the classic Yemenite pronunciation of Hebrew can render this GeOGe, with soft Ge’s, and that in Texas the southern drawl renders this name Geo’ge with no “r” being pronounced, it is entirely possible that the leader of the Christian world to whom there is Biblical  reference is easily identified as a current leader. We should not be surprised if in the wake of the precedent set by the destruction of last week, the UN [Ha’um - Magog in Gematria -52], under American Presidential leadership organizes an expeditionary force to invade Israel with the “peaceful” purpose of applying this Dekalim precedent further to other Israeli presences beyond the Green Line, when Sharon refuses to do so. If this happens, we will likely be witnessing the beginning of the War of Gog uMagog.

h) The Archangel Michael is the guardian Angel of the Jewish people (see Daniel 12:1). He will carry out G-d’s will in the ultimate Redemption and save the Jews. It is his role that is referred to here.

i) The above sources were first brought to my attention about 12 years ago at the time of the Oslo (“Jericho First”) accords, by Mr. Shabtai Shiloh  of Jerusalem, may he be well, who has done much research in these matters. We did not suspect then that the reference to Dekalim was in the Gaza strip. Today, it is clear.

And so, the “blue” camp, supporters of the “Disengagement”, should not rejoice yet. The messianic redemptive vision, leading to the Messiah, the first modern true prophet, who will begin to function in the wake of the War of Gog Umagog, is alive and well, and is supported, not negated, by the events at Neveh Dekalim and its environs.
 
The “orange Orthodox” camp, resolute opponents of “Disengagement”, may take heart. We mourn the terrible injustice and privation visited upon thousands of innocent citizens whose only “sin” has been intense idealism. However, what has happened to them may well be a harbinger of wonderful times to come. May they be comforted and their pain assuaged. And may all of Israel be blessed from On High.
 
Yacov M. Tabak, Ph.D.
 
August 29, 2005

 

"For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

 

For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have helped the children of Lot. Selah.

 

Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: That men may know that thou, whose name alone is G_D, art the most high over all the earth."

 

http://www.chayas.com/Yerush.htm

 

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A FRESH LOOK AT  PSALM 83  IN THE LIGHT OF THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE PAST FEW YEARS AND CURRENT EVENTS IN DIE MIDDLE EAST:

 

Some Messianic content:

 

As we have seen in the article above written by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, things don’t just happen, they are guided by the Divine Hand of HaShem in the times and seasons He has purposed in His Eternal Torah. From the Book of Daniel 12:4 and 10 we see that the prophetic books will be sealed until the time of the end, and then knowledge will increase, so that in the end times the wise will understand the meaning of the prophetic books.

 

In the Book of Isaiah 29:22-24 we have these wonderful promises for a time such as this: “Therefore thus says HaShem, who redeemed Abraham; concerning the house of Jacob: “Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now grow pale; but when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name, and hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and fear the G-d of Israel. These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, and those who complained will learn doctrine.”

 

In the light of current world events, and the prospect of giving away Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem, let us find encouragement in the words of Psalm. 83, and study it anew. 

 

(This article was compiled by the KolHaTor Editor - Comments and inserts in blue)

 

(Rashi’s comments in red.)

 

Psalms. Tehillim 83

 

1 - A Psalm, a Song of Asaph. (Prayer to frustrate Conspiracy Against Israel.)

 

O HaShem, have no silence, do not be silent and do not be still, O HaShem.

Have no silence.  Do not give silence to our wrongs, with which our enemies harm us. (Rashi)

 

2 - For behold, Your enemies stir, and those who hate You raise their heads.

 

(These words remind us of the words in Isaiah 17:12 with reference to the future of Damascus: 

“Woe to the multitude of many people who make a noise like the roar of the seas, and to the rushing of nations that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!”  )

 

3 - Against Your people (Israel – all 12 tribes) they Plot Cunningly, and they take Counsel against Your Protected Ones. (Hidden Ones)

 

(The Hebrew phrase used here is tzefunekha and is literally translated as “your Hidden ones”.  In other versions it is translated as treasured ones. Treasure is typically hidden or concealed and thus protected.  It is the same root word that is used for the name given to Joseph by the king of Egypt. Joseph was the one HaShem hid in Egypt, - the most powerful nation at that time – so that ALL Israel might be saved.

 

4 - Who are the Treasured, Protected or Hidden ones?

 

“Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a PECULIAR TREASURE unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.” - Exodus 19:5-6

 

The parables of the Kingdom of Heaven were explained this way:

 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field.” - Matthew 13:44

 

We do not have to look very far for our answer, for a few verses earlier the Master had categorically stated:

“The field is the world." - Matthew 13:38

 

Thus our understanding is that HaShem’s treasure, His people Israel have been hidden in the field of the world.  The House of Ephraim and Judah scattered in the nations of the world.) 

 

(See also Psalms 2:1-3 related to Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom –

“Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against HaShem and against His anointed, saying, “Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.”

 

Let us also remember the words of King David in Psalm 27:5 –

“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”)

 

(The Aramaic Targum text:

“Against your people they have contrived a secret plan, and they take counsel together against things hidden in your treasuries.”)

 

5 - They said, "Come, let us destroy them from [being] a nation, and the name of Israel will no longer be remembered."

 

(HaShem has chosen to fulfill His agenda for Creation by working through flesh and blood and specifically through His people called Israel.  He said, “Israel is My son, My firstborn” in Exodus 4:22.  As we know, the firstborn is entitled to the birthright and blessing of the Father. This blessing was to be carried from Abraham, through ISAAC and JACOB, who was to become ISRAEL.

 

Let us be reminded that HaShem has given us a promise regarding the renewed Covenant that He will make with the house of  Israel and the house of Judah and their eternal existence in Jeremiah 31:35-36

 

“Thus says HaShem, Who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, Who disturbs the sea and its waves roar (HaShem of hosts is His name): “If those ordinances depart from before Me, says HaShem, then the seed of Israel shall also case from being a nation before Me forever.”  Since the earliest times the descendants of Esau and Ishmael have been conspiring to take this birthright blessing away from Israel, which was the desire and eternal plan and promise HaShem gave to Abraham by covenant, confirmed to Isaac, and again confirmed to Jacob. It should be noted that Esau was profane (Hebrews 12:16) and despised the birthright (Gen. 25:34)

 

Furthermore Esau goes to Ishmael and takes a third wife from among Ishmael’s daughters, to form a greater alliance against Jacob and his descendants.)

 

6 - For they have taken Counsel with One Accord; against You they Form a Pact.

 

Against You they form a pact - This pact is only against You, to cause Your name to be forgotten, for You are called the G-d of Israel, and since Israel will not be remembered, even Your great name is not remembered. I found this.

 

(The Aramaic Targum text:

“For they take counsel together against you with all their heart, and make a covenant on your account.”)

 

The plan is an end-time scenario against the State of Israel formed in 1948.  All the present day descendants were involved in the 1948 and 1967 preplanned assaults upon Israel.

 

7 - The Tents of Edom (Descendants of Esau) and the Ishmaelites, (Descendants of Ishmael)

 

Tents of Edom - These first two are synonymous today with the entire Arab-Muslin world. This is because both people groups are thought to have migrated further south into the Arabian Peninsula – the seat of Islam.

 

Ishmael - Moreover, Ishmael is a significant figure in Islamic theology.  So in modern terms, these names could be referring to Saudi Arabia, which backed front-line Arab forces in 1948 and 1967, and/or to the entire Arab-Muslim world that stretches from Morocco to Oman.)

 

Moab - (Descendants of Lot) and the

 

Hagrites - (The children of Hagar through her son Ishmael. Mohammad is considered to be a descendant of Ishmael’s son Kedar.)

 

8 - The Nations Surrounding Israel

 

Gebal, (Modern Jubeil, 26 miles north of Beirut according to nationmaster.com/encyclopedia.  

 

Ammon, (Descendants of Lot in the capital of Jordan spelled “Amman” in English today.  Jordan played a pivotal role in both the 1948 and 1967 wars.) and

 

Amalek, (Descendants of Esau’s son Amalek of whom Haman in the times of King Esther was a descendant – who also wanted to wipe out the memory of the nation of Israel)

 

Philistia (An area resurrected by the Romans, who applied that name to the Promised Land in an attempt to obliterate the Jewish connection to Zion.  This occurred after the Roman legions destroyed Judea in AD 70. These are the Palestinians with Gaza as the current seat of the Palestinian autonomy government. We need not have to look further than Hezbollah and Hamas for confirmation.)  with the;

 

Inhabitants of Tyre. (Tyre, is now part of southern Lebanon, who is threatening to fight alongside Hezbollah.)

 

9 - Also Assyria (Syria) joined them; they were the Arm of the Children of Lot forever.

 

(The Biblical Hebrew states that Assyria became an extension of Lot’s descendants and covered the enormous territory of several modern countries, ranging from western Iran, to parts of Turkey, most of Syria, and even down to portions of Egypt’s Nile River.  Although it is known today as Iraq, the capital of Assyria was Nineveh.  Iraq played a very active role in both the 1948 and 1967 Middle East wars, by backing up Jordan and Syria.  Syria and Iran are actively working to destroy Israel right now.

 

Also Assyria -  Even Assyria, which until that day was careful of other foolish counsels and would not join evildoers, as it says (Gen. 10: 11): “From that land Asshur went forth,” that he left the counsel of the generation of dispersion [which built the tower], joined them here and assisted them for evil. (In other commentaries I found this:)

 

Also Assyria joined them, etc. - Also this one, who initially loved good deeds for he separated from Nimrod’s counsel, as it is said: “From that land Asshur went forth” he too reverted to wickedness. Therefore, he participated in destroying Your temple. Genesis Rabbah 37:4.

 

They were the Arm - All these gave strength and aid to Moab and Ammon, our neighbors, to come upon us.

 

(The Aramaic Targum text:

“Also Sennacherib, king of Assyria, allied himself with them; they became a support for the sons of Lot forever.”)

 

(Note that the list of nations are the ones who are presently conspiring to destroy Israel. Bible scholars tell us that there is no evidence that such a regional war, uniting TEN ENEMIES to the north, east, south, and southeast of Israel, ever occurred in ancient times!  The “Revised New Bible Commentary” (Eerdmans, 1970) states: “No such widespread alliance of adjacent states, as is described in verses 6-8 of Psalm 83 is mentioned in the Old Testament.”  It appears that this psalm is talking of a military alliance against Israel in the latter days. We can conclude from this that history is unfolding according to Biblical prophecy.  In summary, the nations where the ten ancient people groups and tribes mentioned in Psalm 83 live today, are Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the Palestinian territories within Israel.)

 

10 - Do to them as [to] Midian

(Referring to Numb. 31:7

“And they warred against the Midianites, just as HaShem commanded Moses, and they killed all the males.” And also referring to Judges 7:22 “When the three hundred blew the trumpets, HaShem set every man’s (Midianites’) sword against his companion throughout the whole camp; and the army fled …”) as [to] Sisera, (Refering to Judges 4 and 5 in the time of Deborah, when HaShem fought for them from heaven in the plains of Megiddo)  as [to] Jabin in the brook Kishon.

 

(Referring to Judges 4: 7

“And against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?”)

 

Do to them as [to] Midian through Gideon.

as [to] Sisera through Barak.

 

11 - They were Destroyed in En-Dor; they were [as] Dung on the Ground.

 

They were destroyed in En-Dor I do not know which of the wars took place in En-Dor, that of Gideon or that of Barak.

 

Dung Heb. דמן, scattered dung, as translated by Jonathan.

 

12 - Make them, their Nobles, as Oreb and as Zeeb, and as Zebah and as Zalmuna all their princes

 

(Referring to Judges 7:25

“And they (Gideon’s messengers) captured two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb.  They killed Oreb and Zeeb.  They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the winepress of Zeeb.  They pursued Midian and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan.”

 

And also Judges 8:21b

“So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments” -emphasis mine- “that were on their camels’ necks.” )

 

13 - Who said, "Let us Inherit for Ourselves the Dwellings of HaShem."

 

Who said These nations mentioned above: Edom, Ishmael, and all their allies.

“Let us inherit for ourselves the dwellings of G-d” The dwelling of the house of G-d.

 

(Today this is exactly what is happening as the prophet Joel foretold:

 

Joel 3:1-17 “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land.  They have cast lots for My people, …..

 

“Indeed, what have you to do with Me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coasts of Philistia?  Will you retaliate against Me?  But if you retaliate against Me, swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head; because you have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My prized possessions.  Also the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem you have sold to the Greeks, that you may remove them far from their borders.

 

(See the connection here to Zechariah 9:13

“For I have bent Judah, My bow, fitted the bow with Ephraim, and raised up your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and made you like the sword of a mighty man.” – note both houses of Israel are involved here.) “Behold, I will raise them out of the place to which you have sold them, and will return your retaliation upon your own head.  I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans (traders of Arabia), to a people far off; for HaShem has spoken. 

 

Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’” Assemble and come, all you nations, and gather together all around. Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O HaShem. “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow – For their wickedness is great.” Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! – (as the nations cast their votes concerning the division of Eretz Yisra’el and we the people of the House of Israel repent and come back to Torah and covenants that HaShem made with Israel.) 

 

For the day of HaShem is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness. HaShem will roar from Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; but HaShem will be a shelter for His people, and the strength of the children of Israel. “So you shall know that I am HaShem your God. Dwelling in Zion My holy mountain.  Then Jerusalem shall be holy, and no aliens shall ever pass through her again.”  

 

(The Aramaic Targum text:

“Who had said, “We will inherit for ourselves all the fields of the god Elohim.”)

 

(Note also that the three places that the Patriarchs and King David purchased in Eretz Israel, namely

 

1      Abraham’s purchase of the field and the cave of Machpelah (Gen. 24:17)

2      Jacob’s purchase of Shechem, where Joseph and the other 11 sons of Jacob are buried  (Gen. 33:19) 

3      The piece of land King David bought from Ornan the Jebusite, which became the place where the Temple was erected (1 Chron. 21:24-26) have all been annexed by the Palestinians.)

 

14 - HaShem, make them like Thistles (dust), like Stubble (chaff) before the Wind.

 

My G-d, make them like thistles, like stubble which are driven away by the wind. Now what is גלגל ? It is the tips of the thorns of the field, which are called chardons in French, thistles. When winter arrives, they are plucked out and disintegrate, and little by little they fly [away]. The part that is plucked out of them resembles the wheels of a wagon, and the wind carries them.

 

(This correlates with the Aramaic Targum text: “O my G-d, make them like a wheel that keeps on rolling and does not stop, down a slope, and like straw before a storm.”)

 

(Refer to Isaiah 17:13 in the proclamation against Syria

 

“The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; But HaShem will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.” 

 

Psalm 35:5 in David’s plea for HaShem to be the Avenger of His people: “Let them be like chaff before the wind, and let the angel of HaShem chase them.”

 

Isaiah 29:5 “Moreover the multitude of your foes shall be like fine dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones like chaff that passes away; Yes, it shall be in an instant, suddenly” – the whole context of Isaiah 29 is relevant to what has been happening to the remnant of both Houses of Israel who’s eyes and ears are being opened and given understanding, learning the error of our ways, learning right doctrine according to Torah amidst the controversy of Zion and HaShem’s vengeance on Israel’s enemies!

 

Isaiah 24:24 “Scarcely shall they be planted, scarcely shall they be sown, scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, when He will also blow on them, and they will wither, and the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.”  This whole chapter of Isaiah is the amazing comfort spoken to the whole house of Israel in this generation and for a time such as this!)

 

15 - As a Fire that Burns in a Forest and as a Flame that Burns Mountains.

 

“The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame; but the house of Esau shall be stubble; they shall kindle them and devour them, and no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,” for HaShem has spoken.” (Refer to the same imagery used in Obadiah 18 “)

 

Also see Zachariah 12:2-3 - “In that day, I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place – Jerusalem.”

 

Refer to Isaiah 10:17 - “So the Light of Israel will be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame; it will burn and devour his thorns and his briers in one day.”  Read the whole chapter for the latter day context, and also the return of the remnant of Jacob.  In Isaiah 10:25 we again have a reference to the incident mentioned in Psalm 83:10 namely “And HaShem of hosts will stir up a scourge for him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; …”)

 

16 - So will You Pursue them with Your Tempest, and with Your Whirlwind You will Terrify them.

 

And with Your whirlwind Tourbillon in French, whirlwind.

 

(Refer to Isaiah 21:1

“The burden against the Wilderness of the Sea (nations). As whirlwinds in the South pass through, so it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.” The context is again a latter day fulfillment of the fall of Babylon, and the judgment on Edom and Arabia.”

 

Zachariah 9:14 “Then HaShem will be seen over them, and His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Master HaShem will blow the trumpet, and go with whirlwinds from the south.”

 

Matthew 24:27 “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

 

Matthew 24:31 “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”) 

 

17 - Fill their Faces with Shame, and they will seek Your Countenance, O HaShem.

 

18 - Let them be Ashamed and Terrified forever; let them be Disgraced and Perish.

 

19 - Let them Know that You-Your Name alone is HaShem, Most High over all the earth.

 

Let us close with the promise of the Eternal One’s words to the prophet Amos 9:11-12

 

“On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old; that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,” says HaShem who does this thing.”

 

 

Information used for the compilation of this study:

 

Revisiting Psalm 83 by J.R. Church

http://focusonjerusalem.com/revisitingpsalms83.html

 

Psalm 83 with Rashi’s Commentary

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/16304/showrashi/true/jewish/Chapter-83.htm

 

Modern Geographical Prophecies for the Middle East

http://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p010401.htm

 

English Translation of the Aramaic Targum Psalms by Edward M. Cook

 

_________________________________________________________

 

Generation AliYah!

Judah and Ephraim are coming home!

Until next week from the Kol HaTor team!

SHALOM  UVRACHOT

PEACE AND BLESSINGS

 

Editors:

Compiling editor:  Agatha van der Merwe

Content control:  OvadYah Avrahami

Participating editors:  Dr Robert Mock, Geoffrey Messervy-Norman, Stephen Spykerman

Torah Guidance:  Rabbi Avraham Feld

 

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