 |
Last night (1 Adar, 5762 - 12 February 2002), the first day of Rosh Hodesh Adar, the Faithful and a thousand Israeli men and women marched to the gates and around the walls of the Temple Mount through the streets of the Old City. This was the march for Rosh Hodesh Adar (the beginning of the new month, which is a Biblical holiday). The marchers stopped at each of the ancient gates of the Temple Mount and prayed the Rosh Hodesh prayers which are connected to the Temple and the worship in the Temple. It was an exciting renewal of a very old Biblical tradition when the Israelites came to the Temple to celebrate the Rosh Hodesh holiday and to make the special sacrifice of Rosh Hodesh according to the Word of G-d (Numbers 10.10, 28.11-15).
The Hebrew calendar follows a lunar cycle which is kept in synchronisation with the solar cycle. When the Temple was in existence, after two witnesses came to testify that they had seen the new moon, the priests stood on the wall of the Temple Mount and blew the trumpets to inform all the people that a new month had started. A special blessing of the new month was prayed to the G-d of Israel by the priests and all the Israelites. This is the reason that two members of the Temple Mount Faithful Movement blew trumpets last night in front of all the gates of the Temple Mount. The Movement had recently reconstructed the silver trumpets according to the Word of G-d. It was a special moment which deeply excited all the marchers. The feeling was like in the biblical time. The biblical spirit and atmosphere came back to life in the godly event in front of the gates of the Temple Mount. The presence of the G-d of Israel was so strong among the among the marchers and all over the hill of G-d and the Old City despite the fact that the gates of the Temple Mount are sill closed to the people of G-d.
The participants prayed and cried to the G-d of Israel for the soon rebuilding of the Temple in our lifetime: "Let it be acceptable before thee, O L-rd, our G-d, and the G-d of our fathers, that the holy Temple may be speedily rebuilt in our days; and let our portion be in thy Law. And there we will serve thee in reverence, as in ancient days, and in former years. And may the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the L-rd, as in ancient days, and in former years." This and all the other prayers and songs broke through the closed gates and walls and gave encouragement, strength and hope to all the marchers that the prophetic promise of G-d which everyone could feel so strongly will soon be fulfilled and the rebuilding on the purified hill of G-d will soon start and become a reality. This was the first time that Ehud Olmert, the Mayor of Jerusalem, has participated in the march to the gates and around the walls of the Temple Mount. He spoke to the marchers and encouraged them to continue with their campaign without fear. He stated that the Temple Mount is the heart and soul and the most holy place of Israel and the Jewish People. He also said that soon the gates of the Temple Mount will be opened for Jews and other non-Moslems exactly as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had promised. Members of the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) also participated in the march together with heads of regional councils and mayors from Judea, Samaria, and Gaza along with the former head of the Yesha Council, Uri Ariel. All these people are representative of the great progress of the campaign of The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement and the fact that its godly idea occupies the hearts of the Israel nation. Thanks be to G-d. In G-d we trust. Gershon Salomon called on the marchers to prepare themselves for the Pesach sacrifice and the major Pesach event and pilgrimage to the Temple Mount together with the Omer, the first of the barley harvest from the fields of Israel which will be brought as an offering to the G-d of Israel on the Temple Mount. Everyone from Israel and all over the world is welcome to participate in this exciting godly event. |
|
The marchers in front of the Shalshelet (Chain) Gate of the Temple Mount showing great excitement on their faces and calling for the immediate rebuilding of the Temple.