The Temple Mount Faithful Movement Makes a Pesach Pilgrimage to the Temple Mount and an Omer Offering to the G–d of Israel at a very Critical Time in Israel

The Pesach events of the Temple Mount Faithful Movement took place at a very critical time of war in the land of Israel. Yasser Arafat and his bands of terrorists continue daily to murder Jews on the streets of Israel. The most terribly cruel attack took place on the first night of Pesach in Netanya when 27 Jews, both old and young, were murdered while they were participating in the Pesach Seder. More than 140 were wounded, many severely. It reminded us of the black times of the exile in Europe and other places when innocent Jews were attacked and murdered in the middle of a Pesach Seder and their blood covered the matzot as happened in Netanya. It was no accident that they chose this holy event to fulfil their desire to shed innocent Jewish blood. They wanted not only to destroy the physical body of Israel but also the spiritual godly existence and base of Israel. This was not the only attack during Pesach. On Sunday, the same day as the march, a suicide bomber murdered 15 Israelis in a restaurant in Haifa including two families in which the fathers and children were murdered together. In the month of March alone almost 140 innocent Israelis were murdered by Arafat's terrorists. Since the start of the current spate of terrorist attacks almost 450 Israelis have been murdered. It was terrible to see the thousands of Arabs dancing in the streets of Judea and Samaria after each murder. The feelings of this inhuman enemy was that they were very close to destroying Israel. On Monday, 1 April, the Israeli Government decided that these terrible terrorist murders could no longer continue. The Israeli Army started an offensive against the Arab terrorist bases in Judea and Samaria. The offensive was mainly directed against the headquarters of the arch-terrorist and murderer, Yasser Arafat, in Ramallah. (This is the Biblical city which was called the Hill of G–d and whose name was changed to Ramallah when the Arabs occupied the land of Israel in the seventh century.) The IDF moved into Ramallah and Arafat was confined to two rooms of his headquarters. The Israelis called on the government to bring Arafat to prison in Jerusalem. They wanted him to face charges as a war criminal as he has been responsible for the killing thousands of Jews and Israelis since he started his terrorist activities in the 1960's. However, under the pressure of the European Union, the American administration, and the United Nations, the Israeli Government decided to leave him as a prisoner in his headquarters in Ramallah. (More details about these events will follow in a later article.) As we write this report, the Israeli army is still in the middle of the offensive all over Judea and Samaria destroying the terrorist bases, the terrorists themselves, and their leadership.

It is no accident that the cruelest terrorist attack and the Israeli offensive took place during the Pesach holiday. The feeling is that history is repeating itself under the hand of the G–d of Israel. More than 3,300 years ago Pharaoh and the Egyptian persecuted the Children of Israel and murdered many of them, especially male Israelite children who were thrown into the Nile River. The G–d of Israel could no longer stand to see His children persecuted so terribly. He punished Pharaoh and the Egyptians with ten plagues. He redeemed His people from this terrible slavery and took them back to the holy land. Since those days the Pesach festival is called the holiday of freedom and redemption. The same thing has happened in these days when Arafat (who was born in Egypt) and his terrorists and all the other enemies of Israel wanted not only to take away the freedom of Israel and its people but also to destroy the people and State of Israel as Pharaoh wanted to do. As in Egypt, the G–d of Israel, together with His Israeli soldiers, has started the battle against Arafat, the pharaoh of our time, and his bands of murderers. This battle is not yet finished but the Israeli army, together with the presence of the G–d of Israel, has had major victories. This is a battle for freedom from terror and evil and the redemption of the promised land of G–d in Judea and Samaria. So far in this offensive 13 Israeli soldiers have given their lives for the G–d of Israel. These holy soldiers, together with many other thousands who have given their lives for the G–d, land and people of Israel since Abraham, are now together with G–d.

As we written previously, this war illustrates the current critical end-time situation in Israel exactly as in the time of the second redemption of Israel under Ezra and Nehemiah. During that time, one hand held the sword to fight against the enemies who came to destroy the redemption of Israel while the other hand held the building instruments. They fought against their enemies while continuing to rebuild the land and Jerusalem. So it is in our time that, on one hand Israel continues the redemption of the people and land of Israel and prepares for the rebuilding of the Temple, the house of G–d, and the coming of Mashiach ben David, while on the other hand she holds the sword to fight against the enemies who again want to destroy the State of Israel and stop the godly redemption of the people and land of Israel. Like other enemies of Israel in the past they have illusions that they can succeed and reach their goal. As with all the enemies of Israel they are already being judged by the G–d of Israel and soon they will disappear from the holy land of Israel. Satan has no chance when he tries to fight against the G–d of Israel and His people.

The pilgrimage to the Temple Mount by the Temple Mount Faithful Movement took place in the midst of all these critical events. Despite the fact that the gates of the Temple Mount are still closed and the Israeli Government decided not to open them for the pilgrimage because of the situation, the Temple Mount Faithful decided to march to the Temple Mount, at least to its gates as close as possible to the Holy of Holies, to thank the G–d of Israel for the miracles that He performed for His people and to fulfil His commandments. "Thrice in the year shall all your males appear before the L-rd G-d, the G-d of Israel. For I will cast out the nations before you, and enlarge your borders; nor shall any one desire your land, when you shall go up to appear before the L-rd your G-d thrice in the year. You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; nor shall the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover be left to the morning. The first of the first fruits of your land you shall bring to the house of the L-rd your G-d." (Exodus34:23-26)

The Pesach event started on Wednesday 27 March when, together with other groups, the Temple Mount Faithful Movement met in front of the office Ariel Sharon, the Prime Minister of Israel. We called on him to immediately open the gates of the Temple Mount to the children of Israel to allow them to fulfil the commandments of G–d to make the pilgrimage. We reminded him of what G–d had said to our people, that no one will desire our land when we shall go up to appear before the L-rd our G–d three times a year. We wanted to fulfil the Word of G–d that should be done now that Israel again lives in the promised land as a free nation and the Temple Mount and Jerusalem are again in our hands. So we prepared everything for the Pesach sacrifice. We brought with us lambs, and stones to build the altar on the Temple Mount in the right place, and the priest dressed in his garments. [Click here for pictures from a previous sacrifice.] In a long line of cars we started the pilgrimage to the Temple Mount to conduct the Pesach sacrifice. We drove in front of the closed gates of the Temple Mount as this was as far as we could go. It was an exciting event and we felt the presence of the G–d of Israel among the pilgrims. The feeling was that time is short and soon the gates of the Temple Mount will be opened to the children of G–d to fulfil one of G–d's most holy commandments — the Pesach sacrifice — which symbolises and expresses the redemption of Israel and their becoming the people of G–d. Nothing can stop the march of the G–d and people of Israel back to the most holy hill of G–d and to the rebuilt house of G–d.

The other Pesach event of the Temple Mount Faithful Movement was held on Sunday 31 March when we marched and made the pilgrimage with the Omer to the Temple Mount. Again we did this despite the fact that the gates of the Temple Mount were still closed. We wanted to fulfil the commandments of G–d relating to Pesach and to show the enemies of G–d that the spirit of Israel is strong. We wanted to show that we came to our most holy place to pray to the G–d of Israel to redeem His holy mountain, to rebuild his house, and to save His people Israel from all their enemies. It was a real Biblical site to see the Faithful carrying the Omer to the Western gate of the Temple Mount and praying the Pesach prayers. We prayed the Hallel chapters of Psalms (Psalms 113-118) together with the Israeli soldiers who were at the Western gate of the Temple Mount. The Hallel starts off with the following exciting Psalms:

Psalm 113
Hallelujah! Praise, O you servants of the L-rd, praise the name of the L-rd. Blessed be the name of the L-rd from this time forth and for evermore. From sunrise to sunset the L-rd's name is to be praised. The L-rd is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like the L-rd our G-d, who dwells on high, Who looks far down to behold the things that are on heaven, and on the earth! He raises up the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, That he may set him with nobles, with the nobles of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, and makes her a joyful mother of children. Hallelujah!

Psalm 114
When Israel went from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language; Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion. The sea saw it, and fled; the Jordan was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you are driven back? O mountains, that you skip like rams? And you O hills, like lambs? Tremble, earth, at the presence of the L-rd, at the presence of the G-d of Jacob; Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

After these prayers we held up the Omer and dedicated it to the G–d of Israel exactly as our forefathers did in the Temple. Later we swore faithfulness to the G–d of Israel, to His holy mountain, to Jerusalem, to the land of Israel, to the Word of G–d, and to the mission that He gave us. In the name of all the Faithful Movement and the people of Israel Gershon stated that the Temple Mount and Jerusalem — the heart of the Israeli nation — will never fall again. Then, for the first time since the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, a priest blew on a silver trumpet. The Movement had the trumpet reconstructed for the Third Temple according to the Biblical law. This is what our forefathers did in the Temple on the holy days and on Rosh Hodesh. It was an exciting moment when the godly sound which came from the trumpet was heard so close to the Holy of Holies and when the Word of G–d was prayed by the priest" "Make two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shall you make them; that you may use them for calling the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble to you at the door of the Tent of Meeting.... And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance forever throughout your generations. And if you go to war in your land against an enemy who oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before the L-rd your G-d, and you shall be saved from your enemies. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your G-d; I am the L-rd your G-d." (Numbers 10:2,3,8-10)

During all this time, the model of the Temple, which stood in front of the Western gate, was surrounded by the Faithful and many others who had been praying at the Western Wall and who were attracted by the large model. They were so excited to see a model of the Temple for the first time so close to the location of the historical Temple. All of them, together with the Faithful, prayed from the bottom of their hearts with great excitement for the rebuilding of the Temple. "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." The feeling and exciting atmosphere really confirmed that this is soon to happen.

One of the most exciting moments of the event was the renewal of the eternal covenant between the G–d and people of Israel and the promised land. It had such a deep significance, especially in the times in which we are now living.

When we sang the following exciting Psalm, all the pilgrims and the crowd started to dance around the model with great excitement. The danced for a long time. "A Song of Ascents. When the L-rd brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like men who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing; then they said among the nations, The L-rd has done great things for them. The L-rd has done great things for us; we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O L-rd, like the streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come back with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him." (Psalm 126)

From the Western gate of the Temple Mount, the crowd marched around the gates of the Temple Mount exactly as our forefathers on the holy days when the Temple existed. In front of each of the gates we prayed and sang from the Psalms and from the comforting prophecies of Isaiah and we blew with the silver trumpets. It was heard in almost all of the Old City and brought joy to the hearts of the Israelis at this critical time of redemption when it is so needed. The blowing of a shofar during the priestly blessing by hundreds of priests at the Western Wall was followed with the prayer that the walls of hatred against the G–d and people of Israel will fall exactly as the walls of Jericho fell with the blowing of the shofars of Joshua ben Nun. The pilgrims demanded that the Israeli Government immediately open the gates of the Temple Mount without fear of the enemies of Israel and the great powers all over the world but to trust in the Almighty G–d of Israel alone. We called on the government to immediately open the Eastern (Golden) gate of the Temple Mount to open the way for the coming of Mashiach ben David. We called on them to purify the Temple Mount from the pagan presence and worship, to immediately rebuild the Temple, and to fly the flag of the G–d and people of Israel over it. We swore that we shall never again leave this most holy place.

This historic and exciting event ended with the singing of the national anthem of Israel, "Ha Tikva": "As long as a Jewish heart beats and as long as Jewish eyes look Eastward, then our two-thousand year hope to be a free nation in Zion and Jerusalem is not lost." We swore that the eyes and hearts of the Jewish People will always be directed eastward to the Temple Mount where the G–d of Israel and the universe dwells.

It is so special and exciting that members and dear friends of the Movement from the United States, Norway and Italy joined us and took an important part in the pilgrimage and march. Everyone showered them with love and appreciation. The feeling was that the end-time Word of G–d in Isaiah and Micah has started to be fulfilled as a preparation and first step for these prophecies. "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the L-rd shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow to it. And many nations shall come, and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the L-rd, and to the house of the G-d of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for Torah shall go forth from Zion, and the word of the L-rd from Jerusalem. And he shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide concerning far away strong nations; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the L-rd of hosts has spoken it. For let all people walk everyone in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the L-rd our G-d for ever and ever.'" (Micah 4:1-5; see also Isaiah 2:1-5)

This historical event which took place at a very critical and exciting time in the history of Israel and all mankind was a major step in the campaign of The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement for the rebuilding of the Temple, for the fulfilment of G–d's prophetic end-time plans, and for again making the Israeli nation a Biblical nation with a Biblical mission for their seed and for all mankind. It was an important step for our prophetic goal to bring back the G–d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to His rebuilt house on the Temple Mount on the same location as the First and Second Temples. As we knew throughout the march and still know, the fulfilment of this major goal in the life of Israel and all mankind will bring the godly end-time revolution and plant His Word, morals, and principles in the midst of the life of Israel and all mankind. The godly atmosphere during this historical pilgrimage and march shared with us the Word of G–d that everything is soon to come about.

In G–d and His Word we trust!