"When the ark rested, Moses would say: Return O Lord to the myriads of Israel's families. Arise, O Lord for thy resting place, thou and thy glorious ark. May thy priests be clothed with righteousness; may thy followers shout for joy. For the sake of thy servant David, reject not thy anointed. I give you good instruction; forsake not my Torah. It is a tree of life to those who take hold of it, and happy are those who support it. Its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace. Turn us to thee, O Lord, and let us return; renew our days as of old " ― From prayer after public reading of the Torah
What is it?
It is a place in time and space.
Yached Levavenu's overall purpose is to enlist the efforts of all those awakening Israelites called to know their identity at this time to begin to build the Mikdash / sanctuary for G-d's guiding Presence, (II Chron.6: 38-42, 7:14). This is not a call to build a physical edifice at any physical place. Rather, it is a call to build the spiritual sanctuary of prayers, a virtualMishkan / Tabernacle, out of the aggregate prayers of all concerned members of the tribes of Israel. It is to serve as the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, for homeward bound Israel. G-d tells us that He is enthroned on and dwells in, i.e. inhabits the prayers of His
people (Psalm 22:5). It is hoped at Yached Levavenu that the virtual Mishkan of
prayerswill serve as its name implies, a tent of meeting and
communication between the G-d of Israel and his people seeking repentance and restoration. It is a current effort to marshal the focused, specific-content prayer of all returnees in order to aid in the return process of klal / whole Israel, even those who are not yet called home. We desire to facilitate a form of "communal" prayer despite our diverse situations, asking that HaShem guide us and unite the heart of all Israel to return to Him, the only G-d of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov. Yached Levavenu promotes the seeking of this Guidance to guide and direct us in our repentance in order to return to the Covenant we all made at Mt. Sinai. G-d's guiding Presence has guided Israel of old in their eastward
movement through the wilderness of Sin to the Land. It is hoped that His Guiding Presence will prompt us in similar, albeit more efficient trek, from "the
wilderness of sin in the West" to repentance and the Land. Ordinarily, it would be a stretch, linking the Hebrew "sin" to the English "sin." However, it is the
assertion of Yached Levavenu that a majority of prophetic Ephraim resides in the English-speaking West. (Hos. 11:10, 13:15, Isa. 49:12, 59:19, Zach.
8:7). Perhaps it is a fitting hint.
This call is going to all members of Israel of the returning Ten Tribes, and of course to those of Yehudah who feel moved to participate and lend their help. All the Tribes need G-d's active guidance for the tasks ahead. The call is patterned after Ex. 35: 21, 25, where men and women, "all those whose heart stirred them up, and were made willing, brought to the L-rd's offerings, i.e. possessions and skills, for the building of the Mishkan of the congregation. We take patterns, pointers and directives from the building of the physical Mishkan in the
wilderness. We know that every aspect of the Mishkan is a lesson in the service of G-d. Some of these will have a correspondence to the building and function of the virtual Mishkan advocated here.
Why build it?
For guidance in coming together and in returning to the Covenant.
G-d himself tells us why He had Israel build the Mishkan: "Let them make a sanctuary for me - that I may dwell among them," (Ex. 25:8). His
interfacing Presence between Himself and mankind, the Shekhinah would manifest there in a physical way, for guiding communication in the wilderness for the homeward bound tribes, (Ex. 29:38-42, Lev. 1:1). It was to be the holy place, a Beit El / a House of G-d, a kind of portable Sinai, where Israel could sense G-d's Presence in order to access G-d's guiding revelation. Isaiah is
admonishing today's returnees of Israel, to look to our father Avraham and to our mother Sarah, (Isa. 51:1-5). Avraham alone was called to the Eternal in the midst of utter idolatry. Avraham responded by interfacing with G-d,
i.e. dialoging, arguing, bargaining, and thusly became the "friend of G-d." In essence he invited the transcendent Eternal One back into a perceivable and knowable Presence in the world. The Book of Hosea, written expressly to the awakening Ten Tribes of Israel, reminds us that "our father Yaakov wept, and made supplication unto Him, he found Him at Beit El, and there He spoke with us." (Hos. 13:4). The Scriptures indicate that we will also be spoken to and answered again, in our time, when we sincerely seek Him with our whole heart on our way to Beit El, the House of G-d. For this reason we seek to build the Mishkan of Prayers. The G-d of Yaakov promises to guide us in our time of distress in the way we need to go, as He guided our father Yaakov in the way he went, (Gen.35: 3). The journeys and stops along the way of return of the many individuals who comprise the peoples of Joseph may differ from each other.
However, the commonality is that we have all broken and forsaken the Covenant, we have all conformed to the ways of the nations whom we set out to imitate. Therefore, all the routes of return will have the common thread of heading toward the goal of returning to ever-increasing faithfulness to the
Covenant. Yached Levavenu is inviting the early returnees to ask for Divine Guidance and preparation for that task ahead.
For the Ruach haKodesh to guide us to come fully back from the spiritually dead.
Upon our awakening to our identity from our spiritual death, we are finding that we have died because we offended in Baal, (Hos.13: 2). Though her children number by the millions, our mother Rachel is allegorically depicted as
weeping for them, for they are dead.... spiritually dead. (Jer. 31:15). Rachel's voice is heard at Ramah, the place associated with the prophetess and judge Devorah, as well as the prophet Samuel. Hence, Rachel's weeping is a "prophetic voice to be understood especially our time." Since their disappearance into the land of Assyria, her children were judged and sentenced to worship in the houses of foreign gods. The history of their 2700 year-old spiritual captivity in the philosophies, replacement theologies and mind-sets of "Galut Edom," / "the exile of Edom" i.e. the Greco-Roman Occidental World, has bound (Hebrew: wedded) her children to idols. They have blinded them to seeing, hearing and walking according to G-d's directives, (Psalm 115:1-9, Hos. 4:17). They will need
direct Divine intervention in their lives to recognize them and to be loosed from them.
What about the contents of the Mishkan?
The Lechem haPanim, a metaphor for those "standing in" for the rest.
Among other furnishings, the Mishkan housed the golden showbread table. It held the twelve weekly showbreads (lechem panim) that the Levites brought for each Sabbath to represent each of the Tribes, to appear in unity (Klal Israel) before the Presence. The Hebrew term Lechem panim literally means bread of / with faces, and has been translated in English as bread of the Presence. They were the interior grain offerings prepared (made into breads) by the priests, in contrast to the grain offerings for the exterior altar. Yached Levavenu uses the symbolism of the Mishkan and the lechem panim to describe the functions and labors needed today by the early contingent now arising to self consciousness and awareness of their identity and spiritual needs. These services and labors are needed to gain access to G-d's guiding Presence for all the Tribes.
The building of the virtual Mishkan of Prayers and other prayer projects,can be conceptualized as analogous to contributions of gold, silver and other needed building materials by members of the twelve Tribes of Israel to build the original Mishkan in the wilderness, (Ex, 35-38). The twelve showbreads represented the Twelve Tribes before G-d in His intimate sanctuary for the Tribes' sustenance in
the wilderness of Sinai. They could be described as the perfect synthesis of the relations between Divine Providence and His Tribes, at once
representing physical sustenance and physical limitation: "...know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of G-d does man live." (Deut. 8:3). Man must do his share of work and know from Whom the fruits of his toil flows. Likewise, today's representatives of the Tribes from around the world can likewise "stand in" as virtual lechem panim. They can constantly renew their prayers for the Tribes' spiritual sustenance, directions and interests before G-d's Guiding Presence in the Mishkan of Prayers in today's Wilderness of Nations. Yached Levavenu invites those from all the Twelve Tribes who were called to know the identity of the Ten Tribes, to build
this virtual Mishkan of prayers for the sake of furthering more speedy personal and collective repentance among ALL the Tribes. Secondarily, Yached Levavenu musters those called to know about the identity of the returning Ten Tribes, to participate in special prayer projects (as needed), throughout the year and join the ranks of dedicated workers who"stand in" for the rest of Israel. We at Yached Levavenu hope that such endeavors will contribute toward the return of G-d's guiding Presence among and throughout all the Tribes of Israel. We look forward to Divine Guidance to promote their return to the Torah and advance their
journey toward the corporate Redemption of all Israel and subsequently of the world.
What is expected?
Taking Elijah's challenge to active participation.
Building this virtual Mishkan of prayers is a collective effort as was the original Mishkan the collective effort of the entire nation of Israel. It is voluntary, as when Moshe was told: "speak to the children of Israel and take offerings from me, from every man whose heart moves him shall you take offerings," (Ex 25; 1-2). It is to be built, supported, and fueled by those who want to go beyond just knowing the identity of the returning Lost Ten Tribes to the imperatives in the Torah and the messages to us in the books of the Prophets. The focus is not on private sectarian agendas, but exclusively on the guiding Presence to be drawn down into
our prayers to guide our return and reunification. The only agenda is fostering greater receptivity for Divine Guidance so that we may
contribute to the speedy return of the Ten Tribes to Torah observance. Though growing in numbers, at this time these "early pioneers, are few," one from a city, two from a family, (Jer. 3:14). Yached Levavenu maintains that these small lots and numbers of early returnees are mentioned in the Prophets for a specific purpose of service in the return process of the rest of Ten Tribes. Their task is operational before the great vast movements of waking
stirred up to build the Mishkan of Prayers. If so, recognize that this animating spark has come from the G-d of Israel, (Jer. 50:20). Realize that He gave you that power to use in His service. Ask Him if it is time.... your time, to act in that capacity now.
We envision that along the way to final reunification in the Land, we will come into increased compliance with the Covenant. We also look forward to coming into more individual and corporate spiritual healing, and into subsequent
fellowship with each other within our respective groups as well as with Yehudah. The diverse backgrounds and settings of our captivity in Galut
Edom-Yavan color our perceptions of what ought to be and give rise to
protracted controversies and confusions. They can all be clarified when we appeal to Divine Guidance. Yached Levavenu calls all returnees to appeal to the Keeper of Israel for that guidance. The message of Elijah challenges all of us to do that. As we converge on our individual roads to Yerushalayim, we will
recognize each other more and more and come into the unity that the Prophets depict and hopefully Yached Levavenu envisions and fosters. At this time we are just dry bones coming together. Our "dry" bones need the animating Spirit of G-d to speedily ensoul us, (Ez. 37). The G-d of our fathers is calling us to wake us up to who we are. Let us respond with ourprayers of thanks and supplication:
"With the ark of thy strength we can return and prevail."
(II Chron. 6: 41)
"Arise O L-rd into thy rest, thou and the ark of thy strength." (Psalm 132:8) Suggestions on what to do: Talk to the G-d of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov about what you have just read. Let your soul's emotions accompany the voiced words of your prayers to fully express what is being motivated in your heart about these principles and ideas. Study the references and talk to Him some more and expect answers. Let us know what answers you receive.
Some Pointers on What to Do and What to Expect
“When thou said, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, L-rd, will I seek.”
— Psalm27: 8
“Would G-d that all the L-rd’s people were prophets, and that the L-rd would put his spirit upon them.”
— Numbers 11:29
The Mishkan / Tabernacle was called the tent of meeting, because there the two-way communication between Moses, the representative of the congregation of Israel and G-d’s Guiding Presence officially took place, “And there I will meet with you and I will speak with you from above the ark covering from between the two cheruvim.” (Ex. 25:22). The communication could take place elsewhere also, wherever the Ruach haKodesh / G-d’s holy Spirit inspired those on whom it rested. As in the examples of Eldad and Bedad, it was Moses’ wish that all of G-d’s people would be lead by the Ruach haKodesh, (Num. 11:25-29). G-d spoke with Moshe in a unique “face to face” manner. We do not know what that exactly was; we know it was a unique communication “face to face,” (Ex. 33:11, Num. 12:8, Deut. 34:10). We know that it was in a conversation format, as between two individuals. From this example we know that prayer can be and often should be conducted as aconversation, speaking and listening, in order to seek intimacy with G-d. It is a mode of praying where we are actively “seeking G-d’s face.” This kind of prayer is a meditative exchange on words we say and words we receive, listening to “the still small voice, (I Kings 19:12), and responding as moved by those words from the heart. In a way, every prayer should be an attempt to “seek G-d’s face” for this purpose, (Psalm 27:7). One of the main purposes of Yached Levavenu is to foster the seeking of the G-d of Israel that He may communicate with us. Yached Levavenu hopes and prays for the
proliferation of this type of “face to face” communication to develop in
the Mishkan of prayers between the faithful remnant of Israel and the G-d of Israel. Better than we possibly can, G-d knows fully what we are and how our conscious and subconscious processes operate.
“O L-rd thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my sitting down and my rising up, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou hast measured my going and my lying down, and thou art acquainted with all my ways. For no word is yet on my tongue and lo, O L-rd, thou knowest it all.” (Psalm 139:1-4). G-d can tell us the very words that exactly express our soul’s intent and message before we even try to formulate our utterances. The only way David could have known that was to have experienced G-d reflecting and communicating his desires to David, letting David know that He was tracking with him during his prayers. To this end in the Morning Service we pray, “O Lord save us; may the King answer us before we call.” David expected to hear from G-d the very day
he made a request, often in the morning, after his initial prayers of the day, (Psalm 143:8). Go-d may answer us at any time, but often his answers come during morning prayers, when we are charged up with the motivation to give thanks to G-d for having awakened for another day of life and its blessings. Later in the morning prayers we pray, “From your presence dismiss us not empty handed.” Sometimes God may tell us at the end of our prayer, the summary of our prayer with a Biblical reference, which better expresses with a few words in a totally encompassing way what we have said with many words.
G-d communicates with us in ways that we are most apt to hear and need to hear. These words can come from any Biblical reference. An example of this Divine communication is recorded about the sages rabbi Abbaya and rabbi Rava, who received Biblical verses as answers to their prayers. Often they come from the Psalms, which encompass the depth and breadth of human experience. As with the Biblical patriarchs, G-d sometimes communicates in dreams, where God bypasses the filtering of our conscious minds (II Chron. 7:12). His answers may come in words that strike us as we study his Word, in what we may overhear in a conversation, in words and thoughts that come into our minds as we meditate on His Word, in sudden realizations and enlightenments. These types of answers, as well as page numbers in prayer books, the Tanach and Bible-related books are also possible pointers to answers. All these forms are genuine if they have one thing in common: being consistent with His written revelation the Tanach, i.e. Torah, the Prophets and the Writings, (Isa. 8:20). G-d’s answers are always be on target, exact and totally consistent with his written word. When God answers our prayers concerning weighty matters, it is always at least two times, from different sources that we will hear the answer. This is consistent with the Torah, i.e. in the mouth of two or three witnesses was a matter decided in ancient Israel. That principle of receiving information from at least two different sources to verify a truth, has not changed. If we doubt, or do not want to heed the answer, He often answers the third time. Answers for pleas concerning repentance, spiritual
dilemmas and directions tend to be swiftly answered, for it is the most important agenda we can comply with. The whole Tanach’s directive can be summed up in Psalm 90:3: “Thou turnest man to destruction and sayest return ye children of
men.”
Though this closeness and more will eventually be available to all seekers of the G-d of Israel, it is not in the realm of
impossibility for us now. This closeness and communion through communion / yechidut is especially bound
to happen now when the gates of repentance are being opened to the House of Joseph:
“Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will
with all your heart. And I will allow myself to be found by you, says the L-rd: and I will restore you from captivity, and I will gather you from all the
nations…” (Jer. 29:13-14).
This closeness is absolutely and especially necessary for those who wish to serve in the manner of modern day lechem panim. G-d promises that before we even speak, he will answer, (Isa. 65: 24).
We are commanded to look to our father Abraham, our mother Sarah and to the Rock (G-d) whence we were hewn, (Isa.51:12). At the time of Abraham’s ultimate test, the Akedah, G-d our Eternal Rock, has provided for Abraham the sacrifice, the ram caught in a bush, (Gen. 22:13). Abraham brought Isaac, his own commanded sacrifice, and G-d has also prepared his own sacrifice for Abraham to use. Our prayers are to be like that. We are not only to use our own words to express concepts written in the prophecies that G-d taught us from his Word, but also are to listen to G-d’s reciprocation and use words received on the spot as we pray. This listening and responding is the essence of “face to face prayer.”
The words we say, and the words we receive, through study or prayer, are to be pondered, contemplated and turned over in one’s mind. They are to be
concentrated on in the context we give them and receive them. Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher, (c. 1340?, Tur, Orach Chaim 98), gives us a description of the “meditative focusing” we ought to do on the words we use in our conversation with G-d: “.. you should concentrate on the words that issue from your mouth and should think about G-d’s presence being there… Pay attention and banish any
distracting thoughts, so that your mind shall be solely on prayer… This was the practice of the pious and of the enthusiastic; they would linger and concentrate on their prayer until they transcended their physical awareness, and they would be overwhelmed by a spirit of lucidity, and they would come close to
prophecy….” This type of “contemplation / hitbonenut” during the study of G-d’s Word, before and during prayer, gives us the intellectual knowledge and the deep emotional understanding through which we fuse with G-d’s revelation. During such times we achieve that yechidut / spiritual communion that we need to prepare us for further inspiration and guidance by G-d’s holy Spirit.
G-d’s Torah teaches us that the sacrifices were to follow specific G-d-given patterns. In the same vein, like a good teacher,G-d provides and puts the very words, i.e. the calves, we are to use in our minds, in our mouths. We are to listen to and use those words for they have healing powers in our subconscious
psyches, to turn us back to the G-d of Israel. He tells us: “I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace be unto him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the L-rd, and I will heal him,” (Isa.57:19). When G-d gives us the words to use to talk to him with, it is a healing experience. It heals us where we as a lot most need it — from our 2700-year-old estrangement from Him. He is calling all of Israel to
healing; those who think they are near, and those who are far from Him. Ask Him to answer you concerning personal repentance and spiritual direction. Ask Him to show you where and of what you need to repent. He will answer you swiftly.
A caveat and an important pointer:
This article is not a primer on a flippant approach to prayer and expecting G-d to answer us about trivial, insignificant and mundane matters on which we are to exercise our human reasoning and efforts. Neither is it advocating a superstitious “magical” disposition and looking for omens and signs. Rather, it advocates soul-felt persistence in prayer about weighty matters and restoration to communication with G-d for the sake of guidance for the returning Ten Tribes and all Israel. This article is not a primer on how to pray in general. There are many good books on prayer and the Siddur/ prayer book of Yehudah. Rather it points out the kind of prayer the returning Israelites need to engage in order to receive
instruction and directions on how to get out of the ingrained patterns of our corporate and individual sins and mindsets. To this effect, Yached Levavenu strongly urges readers to pray, i.e. talk to G-d, not just at regular times, but most importantly whenever they are prompted by what they read, study, meditate / contemplate on, and when they are “emotionally moved and prompted by inner urges of one’s spirit.” These times of emotional movement in one’s inner being are the best times to communicate with G-d, since then we experience the
promptings of our subconscious minds, G-d’s Inspiration and the outpourings of our souls.
“Righteousness is thine O L-rd and confusion is ours. How can we complain? What can we say? What can we urge? How can we justify ourselves? Let us search and examine our ways and return to thee, for thy right hand is stretched out to receive those who repent.” — Tachanun Prayer
“We know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee” — (II Chron. 20:12)
Next to Moses, Elijah is traditionally viewed as possibly the most important of all the prophets. He figures prominently in many traditional tales and children’s stories. A reserved cup is set aside for him at every Seder table, for he is expected to show up at Pesach, the “feast of our freedom.” Elijah is expected to come again to herald the Redemption before the coming of the Messiah. Because Elijah was the defender of the Covenant, his chair is found at every circumcision, where
the sons of Israel take on the sign of the Covenant. What has not been mentioned much, is his most important work in connection with the rehabilitation of the apostate, seceded, exiled and "lost" Ten Tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel, (I Kings 18). It is to be noted that Elijah was from Gilead in the north; he was the only prophet from the northern kingdom of Israel. There he confronted the
leaders of Israel, king Ahab, his foreign wife Queen Jezebel, and those they sponsored, the priests of the pagan gods of the nations around them, Baal and Ashtarte.
In the book of Malachi, Elijah is mentioned in context of the last prophecy given to the House of Israel. Here, Malachi, (meaning my messenger), gives the last admonishment, the last prophecy and the last warning to all of Israel to take to heart. “Remember you the Torah of Moses, my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, both statutes and the judgments.” (Mal. 3:22-24). This is the quintessential all-encompassing directive from G-d, for ALL Israel: “Return to the whole Torah.” The G-d of Israel gives the very last prophecy through Malachi in the context of this return and rehabilitation: “Behold I will send you EliYah, the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD...” To be noted here is that in this final prophecy, the name of EliYah is not spelled in its usual way, “Eliyahu”, which means "whose God is the L-RD," but is spelled without a “vav”, as “EliYah.” Why is the prophet called by a variant of his name when his message changes from his past admonishments to this work in the future Redemption? By slightly changing the spelling, the meaning of the name becomes, “My G-d, Yah,” possibly hinting that this new phase is a "work" of G-d and is begun by G-d, rather than being “activated” by just one man and then ascribed to one man. Although the prophet is of course (traditionally) scheduled to return for the fulfillment of his prophetic message, the awakening of the exiles to their true identity happens before the arrival of the prophet. The sages teach that the work of a prophet starts before that prophet shows up. Therefore the general time, the era of these events, can be looked at as "the work of Y-h my G-d."
This work is one of the greatest works of the G-d of Israel: the rehabilitation of the long dead northern kingdom, the so-called Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. Though of course “the work of EliYah” will also touch Yehudah, the notable event that will draw attention to His work, will be the regathering of the Lost Ten Tribes from utter idolatry. The process itself of this awakening will be a messenger to Israel and Yehudah that the time of Redemption is underway. A prophetic
understanding of the work of Elijah preceding the coming of the Messianic Age, is to know the purpose of Elijah's work: “he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers,” (Malachi
4:6). Becausethe heart is in the singular, it is indicative of the one heart, i.e. the
process, that causes an inner awakening of the collective soul of Israel. This statement is not just a homiletic metaphor of family harmony as it has been
popularly used. This is a prophecy of the legacy of the fathers of Israel who made a covenant with G-d, becoming activated at the end of days. Because G-d gave his promise to them, their heart's message reaches across time and space and touches the divided and split heart of their wayward children in the last days, (Hos. 10:2). The children will then resonate and reciprocate to that call and return to theirnatural "one" way, the faith and faithfulness of their fathers, Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov in the "One" Creator God. Today, many
so-called “gentiles” are beginning to describe their G-d as "the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Yaakov." The phenomenon is indicative that the work of EliYah has already begun. It is awakening the dormant spirit of the fathers in the hearts of the children. As such it is a "work" of resurrecting the dead," i.e. the spiritually dead of the Ten Tribes of Israel from the Valley of Dry Bones of Ez. 37. This only makes sense for Elijah was credited in his historical career with resurrecting the dead, (I Kings 17). The expectation of the eschatological resurrection of the Tribes in the apocryphal book of Sirach / Ecclesiasticus 48:10-11 is clearly connected to him:
"It is recorded that you are ready for the designated times, to calm anger before it turns to wrath, to turn the heart of a father to his son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
Happy are those who saw you and who have fallen asleep n your love, for we will surely live as well."
(Sirach 48:10-11, CEB)
Many significant events in the history of Israel have a dual fulfillment. As the guided trek to the Land started with the command to build for G-d a Mishkan / sanctuary, where He could “dwell among them,” likewise we will have to be led by similar guidance on our trek back to the Land. As this Mishkan[Tabernacle] is built of the inspired collective efforts and prayers of the faithful,
His Shekhinah /Ruach HaKodesh / holy Spirit will indwell and ensoul us. It will serve as the inner guidance for returnees to follow in the footsteps of our fathers, Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov. Following in the footsteps of the fathers is the natural way of Israel to which we are to return. Malachi closes the last prophetic utterance to Israel with a warning: “...lest I come and smite the land [earth] with a curse.” This is a dire warning that if there is no reciprocation, the earth will
surely suffer great catastrophes to wake up its inhabitants to the meaning of the Covenant with Israel, (Mal. 3:24, Amos 4:12, 5:6). The warning is also a cue for those of Israel and Yehudah, who know the meaning of the prophecy to return to their "natural" status and function of the firstborn: to stand in as intercessors for the rest of Israel and the world. If we do not rise up and take our rightful and
natural place place on our own accord, the G-d of Israel will force us to do so. Then the wake-up calls for all of Israel will be catastrophic, where internal and external negative forces specified in the Covenant we all agreed to at Mt. Sinai, will afflict us with the most severe curses (Deut. 28, Mal. 3:24).
The premise of this website is the fact that events in the history of Israel are often dual, having a former and a latter day fulfillment, (Jer16: 14). We can take hints for what the era of EliY-h will be like, from clues in the original work of Elijah in the Northern kingdom of Israel, (I Kings 18). Elijah charges Ahab, the third king of Israel after the Kingdom of Israel split from Yehudah, with leading Israel in the forsaking of the commandments of the L-RD and in following Baalim, additional false gods, (I Kings 18:18). The work of Elijah did not take a lassez faire attitude toward idolatry, but was confrontational in nature. It challenged the prophets, priests, ministers, ecumenists, apologists and activists of Baal, and those of the main goddess of those days, the queen of heaven, Ashtarte. These gods were additions to the G-d of Israel. The Israelites believed they could have it both ways, with their service divided between Baal and Ashtarte, and the G-d of Israel. Baal “the lord,” was the “shepherd god” and Ashtarte, the goddess, was an embodiment of the seducing, beguiling, guiding spirit of false religions. “She” was and is still around as the dark counterfeit of the Shekhinah, the guiding
aspect of G-d’s interface with humanity, often ascribed as the “feminine” attribute of Godliness. The most important clue to identifying the confusing morass of the idolatry then and its parallel now, is Elijah’s challenge: “How long will you go limping between two opinions?” (I Kings 18:21). At the end of the chapter, we find Elijah running to Yizre'el giving us in the latter days another clue as for whom this message was recorded. The name Yizre'el, meaning I will sow, points to a connection to the Northern House of Israel, whom G-d has sown and sifted among the nations of the world, (Hos. 1: 5, Amos 9:9).
It is to be noted that the false gods were added to the G-d of Israel. It was thought that the G-d of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov was not enough and needed assistance and correction. This was in direct and blatant violation of the same commandment mentioned several times in the Tanach:
"You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the L-rd your G-d which I command
you." (Deut. 4:2)
“These words the L-rd spoke to all your assembly, in the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and He added no more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and delivered them to me." (Deut. 5:22)
“Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor diminish from it. (Deut. 12:32)
"Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a
liar." (Proverbs 30:6)
"I know that whatever G-d does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it and G-d does it, that men should fear before
Him." (Ecc. 3:14)
This purported “improvement upon G-d” is the original sin of the universe, the
idolatry of one’s self. All other sins are derivatives of it. In primordial times
before the creation of this universe, a great spirit being, one of the councilors of G-d, in his pride, thought that G-d was not enough. This great spirit being, one of the covering cherubim, thought in his pride he could improve upon G-d, (Isa.14, Ez. 28). He had a better idea on how to run the universe. This paradigm “of the idolatry and exaltation of the self” is also Ephraim’s sin, (Isa. 9:9, 28:3, Hos. 13;1,6, Ez. 14:1-6). It has been replicating itself ever since, resulting in
inordinate pride of self importance, i.e. idolatry of the self, [the spirit of Esau], as well as in false gods and demigods of our own and the gentiles’ creation, (Hos. 13:2). These false gods, added to the G-d of Israel, are still with us today in theologies, covenants, testaments, mindsets and assemblies. Our hearts have been split and divided over these for over two millennia, (Hos.10: 2). The old gods were adorned with silver, gold, and precious stones. The modern gods we have created are made to upstage the G-d of Israel. They are adorned with “more fairness, grace, loving-kindness / chesed, mercy and justice” than the supposedly, harsh, eye-for-an-eye G-d of Yaakov. Yet G-d allows them to be with us to provide us the school of free choice in which we may learn to choose between Good and evil, Life and death, (Deut. 28). Ephraim then, as he is doing now, held on to the G-d of Israel in some ways. He also held on to the "religious ideas" of these gods, the "more progressive" social doctrines of the
gentiles. They charged G-d's ideas with not being "fair," but G-d counters these charges:
"Yet ye say, The way of the L-rd is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways." (Ezekiel 33:20)
Till the time of a great public confrontation of today’s religious mixtures come, we, the early returnees of the House of Israel, are challenged by the cry of Elijah in the work of EliYah that is already underway. The challenge goes forth to all, to beseech the G-d of Israel to intervene in a miraculous way in our very
mindsets about our inherited religions, philosophies and dispositions from which and among which we are waking up. This Divine intervention is absolutely necessary since Ephraim is bound to his idols and he cannot see straight or free himself from the force of these theological / spiritual manacles and mental straight jackets of 2700 years’ standing, (Isa. 42:22). The Hebrew
word habar, translated as joined / bound in fact means wedded, coupled, as is used in describing a marriage relationship, (Hos. 4:17). Curiously, it matches the
theological position of the religion that Ephraim has adopted from the gentiles. Elijah’s challenge is truly timeless. EliY-h challenges the awakening children of Ephraim: If the L-rd [the G-d of Israel] be G-d, follow him, but if the Baal [the lord of today] be G-d, then follow him, (I Kings 18:21). There are no other choices or modifications to the choices in this lesson. Isaiah reiterates this quintessential lesson for Israel and he gives us the answer:
“Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the House of Israel, which are born by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb... to whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me that we may be like? Remember this and show yourselves men, bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors! Remember the former things of old; for I am G-d and there is none else, I am G-d and there is none like me.” (Isa. 46:3-9)
Jeremiah addresses the peculiar work that we need to do once G-d has awakened us and started to bring us back. We are to continue that "work" by "unmixing" the deceptive mixture of truths, half truths and outright lies in which we find ourselves. We are to leave behind the lies we have inherited from our fathers (Jer. 16:19) and never return to them, if we are to truly "return" to G-d:
"Therefore thus saith the LORD: if thou return, and I bring thee back, thou shalt stand before Me; and if thou bring forth the precious out of the vile, thou shalt be as My mouth; let them return unto thee, but thou shalt not return unto them." (Jer. 15:19)
The work of EliY-h calls all Israelites presently waking up from the congregation of the [spiritually] dead to put these easily seen idols and their more insidious mindsets completely away. There is no room in any shape, manner or theological inventions and machinations for any gods to be added to the G-d of Israel. Isaiah tells us to not add other gods and saviors to the G-d of Israel. This was the
original trap into which Israel fell: “the addition of other deities,” to “complete” and improve upon G-d’s plan and setup,” (Isa. 43:11, 44:6,8, 45:5, 47:8, 10). Hosea pinpoints this “dual allegiance:” “Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty…” (Hos. 10:2). The word "halaq" translated "divided" has the
connotation of being "deceitful and flattering in order to secure a carved out separate portion for one's self." Going their "separate way" has been the mantra of Ephraim for millennia.
Israel was to be a “peculiar,” holy nation, (Deut. 7:6). She was to stay pure, uncontaminated and guarded against this “mixing” of religions. It is the reason why she was not to mix certain things, e.g. seeds, fibers for clothing, animals, etc. She was to keep God’s commandments unaltered and unmixed. She was to learn the lesson that mixing the good with evil, or with that which seems good and harmless, is the way of the insidious lie. Though the mixtures often seemed just, right and good, or even necessary, the mixing of the ways of God with the ways of the nations was the way of self-deception. It led to the destruction of
their national identity as the firstborn of God. This paradigm still holds and makes up the [wedding] band that ties Israel to her idols. EliY-h’s call leaves no room for the theological Baalim or idols of “isms” and philosophies that see a different future for Israel than that in the Torah. Neither does EliY-h’s call leave room for the insidiously hidden and parasitic Baalim of unbelief that accompany humans to various degrees. In the guise of “progressive modernism” they
“inspire,” i.e. spiritually guide the intellects of the liberal, “the modern and
the spiritually savvy,” with the notion that the G-d of Israel will not perform what He has promised in the Covenant. This has been the cause of replacement
theologies, belief systems and political machinations, which sell out the land and people of Israel. Israel was not to make any covenant with the pagans or their gods in the Land, lest they be a snare to Israel, (Ex. 23:32-33). They were to drive them out and destroy their altars, images, philosophies and theologies, (Deut. 7:5). They were not to contaminate their intellects and emotions with the philosophies of the gentiles, but become a “holy nation,” (Ex. 19:6). For Israel that directive of the eternal Covenant still holds. We are not to add to it or diminish from it. In the work of EliY-h we are called and challenged to root out and destroy these Baalim of wrong belief and unbelief from our psyches, from our inner selves. Only then will the modern 21st Century Tribes of Israel be completely healed. Till then we will be blind and deaf to our commissioned task as G-d’s servants in the Torah, (Isa. 42:18). That healing comes only
with prayers that G-d wants us to offer and is ready to hear now. He is allowing and calling us to come near, NOW, (Isa. 55:6).
The course of events in I Kings 18 shows that the repairing of the altar, i.e. the restoration of the spiritual connection to G-d, goes hand in hand with the
restoration of the identityof Israel, (Kings 18:30-32). Elijah repaired the altar of the L-RD then, (I Kings 18:30). As Elijah of old called to him the confused seekers after God, today the G-d of Israel, in the manner of the work of Elijah, is calling the returnees of Israel to come near Him now. That means that today the children’s children are coming near, because they have been studying the tenets of the Covenant made with the fathers, (Isa. 34:16, Jer. 23:20, 30:24, Psalm 78:6). The hearts of these children are being moved to resonate to the message of the fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, (Hos. 2:4). Today the children of Israel are to watch the restoration work of EliY-h in order for Israel to be oriented to Him (Kings 18:30). We are to pay special attention to the significance of the altar, signifying the place / opportunity in time that G-d is making for hearing the prayersof those called to the work of EliY-h. That means that the opportunity to entreat G-d, through the gates of teshuvah / repentance has arrived with the era of the Work of EliY-h, (Hos. 10:12).
Elijah asked G-d to turn the people’s heart back again. The twelve stones that comprise the altar, symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel. Together, they upheld
the [near] evening sacrifice to be accepted by G-d. The narrator emphasizes the point that God himself renamed their father Yaakov. His children are to
remember that they bear Israel’s name, which has G-d’s name incorporated into it. Having heard the call to know the restoration of their identity as G-d’s people, they are to remember who they are, the people of Yizre'el, (in Hebrew meaning “I will sow,” has only one sound difference from Yisra'el), sifted through the nations, now beginning to be being renamed and restored to their true identity as Yisrael, the sons of the living G-d, (Amos, 9:9, Hos 1:10). Hosea writes to the House of Joseph: “Yisrael, return unto the L-RD, for you have stumbled in your iniquity, take with you words, and turn unto the LORD; say to Him, Forgive all iniquity, and receive us graciously. So will we offer the words of our lips for calves...” (Hos. 14:2).
Besides asking for mercy and forgiveness, it is most important for those
awakened early to declare now to G-d what all of Ephraim shall eventually say: “What have I to do any more with idols,” (Hos. 14:8). Elijah’s restoration was about the quintessential lesson Israel had and still has to learn: “that this people may know that thou art the L-RD G-d..." (I Kings 18:37). Today the early returnees of the remnant are called to finally learn now the very
same quintessential lesson of Eli-Y-h: “...and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no savior besides me.” (Hos. 13:4). Today Hosea calls our attention to the same lesson our father Yaakov learned and wanted with all his heart his children to learn, (Hos. 12:4-5). To this end Yaakov built an altar for a
remembrance for his time and “the time to come” for his children. It has to do
with the great eternal lesson he learned and wanted to teach to his children, (Gen. 35:1-12). That actual stone Yaakov set up as a reminding monument, “in that place” may not be accessible for all his millions of children. However, Hosea tells us“the L-rd is his memorial,” i.e. the concept and revelation of the One G-d, is Yaakov’s legacy, (Hos. 12:5). Truly, in our days, due to G-d’s promises, the legacy in the hearts of the fathers is reaching across time and space, touching the hearts of their awakening children, calling them to listen. Isaiah tells us that if we are to seek after righteousness, we should look to a greater "Stone," our Rock, the G-d of Abraham, from which we were spiritually hewn, (Isa. 51:1-2). He tells us; “Hear ye and give ear; be not proud for the L-rd has spoken,” (Jer. 13:15). Yaakov’s lesson has many of the same elements as Elijah’s lesson. Elijah prayed that G-d turn the people’s heart back again to the fathers, (I Kings18: 37). Jacob’s heart is calling his “household” again “to remember” and cease from the idolatry of the gentiles, (Mal. 4:4-6, H 3: 22-24). He commands them: “Put away the strange gods that are among you!”On the way to Beit El / the House of G-d, he does not want to them to bring along and add the gods of their past to the G-d of Israel. Yaakov commanded his household to surrender their acquired or self-made gods and bury them. He does this by Shechem, where Joseph’s bones were
to be buried (Gen. 35:4). This location points to the House of Joseph to note what Joseph’s descendants will also have to do when they, [Joseph’s bones] come out of their graves. Next we see that God changed Yaakov’s name to Yisrael, (Gen. 35:10). This name change parallels the time when Elijah restored the names of the people of the Northern House of Israel, (Kings 18:31). No doubt, that the Midrash that tells us "when Elijah shall appear, he will restore the tribal identifications to all the people of Israel," is based on this earlier version of Elijah's restoration work. He will have to do this because the Ten Tribes have incurred the curse in Deut. 32:26: "I said, I would scatter them afar, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men." This process of restoration to identity has already begun; the work of EliY-h is already
underway. It is the nexus of the great "return," a seminal part of the redemptive process itself. It is a decontamination of our identity as "Israel." The Stone edition of The Chumash gives the perfect translation of this process:
"Then I shall scatter you among the nations and disperse you among the lands and remove all your contamination from you. Then you shall be caused to re-inherit yourself in the sight of the nations, and you shall know that I am HaShem." ― Ez. 22;16
Our interest in researching the identity of the Ten Tribes is the beginning of the fulfillment of that prophecy, (Jer.23: 20, 30:24). When king Solomon built the Temple, God told him and all Israel that the promise to dwell among the children of Israel was contingent on their keeping the commandments. The same timeless directive and promise applies to us. “If you follow my decrees, perform my statutes and observe my commandments to follow them, then I shall uphold my word with you which I spoke with David your father. I shall dwell among the children of Israel and I shall not forsake the people of Israel.” (I Kings 6:12-13). Israel was to become a “goy kadosh,” a holy nation. They were to be sanctified with keeping the Torah’s commandments. Since we left the God of Israel and his Torah and Covenant, the sanctification of our nationhood was taken away, and we just became plain goyim, just one of the nations, spiritually speaking. We need to realize that we inherited lies from our fathers in the exile, (Jer. 16:19, Isa. 29:9-13). To regain the holiness, our special status and function that goes with being G-d’s firstborn, we must live according to the commandments. Isaiah admonishes the returnees of Israel who seek after righteousness to look to our father Avraham and our mother Sarah. God called him alone, to be the first to acknowledge the reality of the transcendent Eternal, One G-d, (Isa. 51:1-5). If you are among those who are called early to wake up from the spiritual graves of Israel, realize that it is incumbent upon all to leave the bindings of “two opinions” and return to the Torah in all its ramifications. Yaakov was renamed Israel only after he “prevailed” in the G-dly appointed struggle. That means he persisted in arguing and wrestling with the G-d-given issues and tests. Yaakov
wrestled all night with the powerful spirit of Esau. He was even injured in his ability to walk and remained limping (!) all night till the morning when he realized what this struggle and injury was all about. As the day came at dawn, Yaakov was enlightened to the divine purpose in the night’s event and realized he has seen the unmistakable Divine purpose and teaching in it, i.e. “face” of G-d, and named the place Penuel /Face of God. In the Era of EliY-ah, when our understanding to the prophetic books is opened, we can “see” that “we,” the House of Israel, were present in that fateful struggle between our forefather and the self-centered, [self]-idolatrous spirit of Esau. Prophetically, the quintessential lesson was learned in this test. During the night, i.e. “for a small moment,” (Isa. 55:7-8), we were injured and made to limp between two opinions. Yaakov
received his name change to Israel after he wrestled with the ideas / spirit of Esau and prevailed with G-d. Likewise, in the Work of EliY-h, we will have earned our name change only after we have wrestled with and have won over the spirit of Esau. In the era of he work of EliY-h, the dawn of redemption, i.e. the “sun of righteousness” rises upon us, and brings healing to us. Its wings, i.e. rays, bring us G-d’s light to end “the long dark night of the soul,” (Mal. 3:20, Isa. 60:1-2, Hos. 6:3). Yached Levavenu, in the spirit of Elijah, challenges all readers, returnees and potential returnees, to accept the challenge of Elijah and argue with G-d if need be, as our father Yaakov wrestled, about any part of the message of Elijah presented here. He will swiftly answer and resolve doubts in our minds, (Isa. 41:14, 44:3, 58:9-12). Great shall be the day (!) of Jezreel! (Hos1: 11). Yached Levavenu also calls attention to Yaakov ordering us to clean up our lives in general and come clean of the effects of idol worship of our past: “Be clean and change your garments.” Our father Yaakov’s example tells us that he wept, struggled with and supplicated G-d and G-d answered him in his distress, (Gen. 35:3). Hosea gives us encouragement that his children will also be answered when they are in similar distress. In fact, Hosea gives a detail not in the Genesis account about Yaakov’s struggle. Because Israel is said to be of “one soul,” in a mystical and potential way, we were all with Moses at Sinai, (Deut. 29:15). Likewise we were with our father Yaakov at this struggle with the spirit of Esau, (Hos. 12:4). There, the G-d of our fathers spoke with us. He told us then what to do now concerning the nature and gods of Esau. He will give us power over the powerful, seductive spiritual / angelic forcesthat have prevailed over us, i.e. made us lame, (!) for the last 2700 years.
G-d tells us to assemble ourselves together, and draw near together to study and discuss what we are told in the prophets for our day, (Isa. 45:20). We are to study the Torah, the prophets, and the fact that there is no one else besides the G-d of Israel, especially “other saviors” and intermediaries, (Isa. 29: 18, 48:12, Hos. 13:4). This is the quintessential lesson we are to learn. We need to realize that we have to talk to G-d directly, collectively and
individually, confessing our individual and collective sins and pleading for mercy for our people. We need to see and acknowledge the fact that we have
to supplicate, i.e. pray earnestly and repeatedly for G-d’s guidance for ourselves and all of Israel, and thusly build "the Mishkan / Sanctuary of Prayers" in the theological / ideological wilderness of the nations. We absolutely need this virtual edifice of informed, focused and collective prayers of all returnees to secure G-d's Guidance for our returning tribes. Hosea tells us: “Therefore turn you to your G-d: keep troth [the original marriage vow of the Torah we all made at Mt. Sinai, Deut. 29:15] and justice, and wait on your G-d continually,” (Hos. 12:7). These actions / “doings” will begin to restore us to our holy identity
as Yisrael, to the Torah, to G-d, to our unity with Yehudah, and eventually to the Land. For now, “It is time to seek the L-rd,” (Hos. 10:12). If we do so, the G-d of Israel will reciprocate with a strong hand to deliver us soon.
Suggestions on what to do:
If you seek after righteousness, take Elijah’s challenge: Give yourself the benefit of doubt, and ask the G-d of Israel to let you know if any part of the message of Elijah applies to you.
Be sure to study the pointers on the "Confession Prayer" and do it.
Take a directive from Habakkuk and ask the G-d of Abraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov: "O Lord revive thy work, in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy." (Hab. 3:2).
He will surely send an answer for the path we should follow in our return.
One of the general purposes of Yached Levavenu is to marshal and consolidate the prayer power of those who are in the beginning stages of the awakening from spiritual exile of the northern House of Israel. In particular, Yached Levavenu is to serve as the working vanguard, united in prayer efforts to intercede with the Holy One of Israel on behalf of Klal /whole Israel’s welfare on her road of the prophesied regathering and redemption. As such, it targets needs reflected in current events and how they impact “the dispersed of Israel, [the Lost Ten
Tribes] and the scattered of Yehudah, (Isa11: 12), and the State of Israel. Special attention is focused on the awakening of the Northern House of Israel to their identity, their repentance and return to Torah observance and to camaraderie
and fellowship with their brethren from Yehudah. The envisioned overall purpose is to build latter-day Israel’s Mishkan of prayers to secure God’s guiding
Presence, the Shekhinah, to guide us toward the attainment of these goals. This is to mirror the Shekhinah’s leading guidance of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness of Sinai. This time again we will need the guidance of the Shekhinah to guide us homeward through the wilderness of isms, philosophies, mindsets and religious backgrounds we have adapted from the nations and in which we find ourselves upon our awakening.
The site is founded on the principle of “the remnant.” The “faithful remnant” is here defined as “the few who stand faithful with God’s mandates in the Torah and who stand infor the many, and ask G-d for intervention in an otherwise disastrous or bogged-down negative trend. This type of interceding action is a recurring theme in the Tanach and is often mirrored in secular affairs as well, where the actions of a dedicated few have formed the turning point of history. Further, the exhortation to engage in these prayer projects is founded on the Divine injunction, expressed throughout the Tanach, for the people of Israel “to return and pray with all their heart and all their soul in the land/s of their captivity” for the healing of their land, and for deliverance from enemies, (II Chronicles 6:38 and 7:14, etc.). Words for the prayers and accompanying meditations are based on relevant texts in the Tanach and Yehudah’s Divinely inspired prayers in the Siddur [prayer book] and Divine Inspiration.
We at Yached Levavenu believe that the phenomenon of Israel’s awakening out of the long exile of spiritual death is depicted in Ezekiel 37. It is a divinely conducted gradual coming alive, spiritual resurrection process, occurring presently worldwide wherever the Ten Tribes have been exiled. As such, it manifests on many fronts, in many places and in many peculiarities that address the influences of diverse individual spiritual journeys and regional histories. To be partakers of these prayer projects or other prayer-related efforts of Yached Levavenu, it is not required to believe in a particular version of Israelite identity. We recognize that access to G-d at the beginning of return to G-d is available to all on whatever level of truth one may be on. It is not necessarily contingent on any particular or full understanding of Israel’s identity in the awakening process. Rather it is contingent on God’s grace and one’s free choice to respond to God’s calling to repentance, (Jeremiah 24:7, 29:13). Though we are expected to study and correct our misconceptions, according to the sages of Israel, G-d works with us in spite of our intellectual misunderstanding at the beginning of our
awakening. He looks upon the heart, i.e. our attitudes and dispositions, and expects us to seek Him out with prayers of thanks and repentance at His promptings and whenever we discover His hand in our lives. It is hoped and encouraged that sincere seeking of ever-more purification and correction is sought by all through the direction and leading of the Ruach haKodesh / holy
Spirit on their individual and corporate return to the straight paths of the Torah, (Isa.42: 16). Since answer to prayer is contingent on seeking this Straight Path for the sake of repentance/return, the site will feature articles that promote that end. This site subscribes to Brit Am’s Declaration of Principles. It is our hope that by recognizing and adhering to those guiding principles, we can further this site’s common purpose to Unite Our Heart/s in prayer efforts on behalf of all the tribes of Israel and thusly come more speedily into the reunification of all the tribes of Israel as the God of Jacob intends for us to do.
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the L-RD of Hosts.” — Zech. 4:6
The name Shekhinah is related to the word shaken / neighbor or inhabitant. The latter meaning is implied in in Hos. 10:5, "The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear." As neighbor, shaken may designate those that are fri endly (Ex. 3:22; Ruth 4:17) or unfriendly (Ps. 44:13, [H 14]; 79:4,12). As such, we can see that this word relates to a "presence" implying nearness andcloseness, that is tied to a nearby locality, e.g. among his people, (Ex. 25:8), on Mt. Zion, (Ps. 74:2), His name dwells in Jerusalem, (Deut. 12;11), and will dwell in Jerusalem, (Zech. 8:3). The word Shekhinah, does not appear in the Bible, but was coined based on related words which describe G-d's Presence in the Bible. The word Shekhinah is a noun, and is based on the Biblical verb "shakan," (shin, chaf, nun), and other related verbal forms that can mean "abide, abide, dwell in, stay among, cause to dwell, live among." It can pertain to the physical manifestations of G-d dwelling in the land, e.g. Ex. 24:16, 40:35, Psalm 85:9, [H 10] or dwelling in the cloud, e.g. Num. 9:17-18, 22, 10:12, Job 3:5. (See TWOT articles 7837, 7837a). The related word mishkan, often less accurately translated as "tabernacle" is better translated more literally as "dwelling place" or "abode."
Through the centuries the sages of Yehudah tried to formulate the complex concept of the Shekhinah into succinct definitions. In the Encyclopedia Judaica we are informed, "According to Saadiah Gaon [882-942 C.E.], the Shekhinah is identical with kevod ha-Shem (the glory of G-d), which served as an intermediary between God and man. He suggests that the "glory of G-d" is the Biblical term, and Shekhinah the Talmudic term for the created splendor of light which acts as an intermediary between God and man, and which sometimes takes on human form. Thus when Moses asked to see the glory of God, he was shown the Shekhinah, and when the prophets in their visions saw G -d in human likeness, what they actually saw was not G-d Himself, but the Shekhinah (see Saadiah's interpretation of Ezekiel 1:26, I Kings 22:19, and Daniel 7:9 in Book of Beliefs and Opinions 2:10)."
During the prophetic experience, i.e. from the time of Moses till the times of the Prophets, it was the physical manifestation of the Presence of G-d in our time-space continuum. As such, we can conceptualize it as the means of the visible manifestation of God's Presence in our three -dimensional world. For us moderns, we could call it a Divinely created "interface" with humans. Maimonides, (1135-1204), taught that the Shekhinah is "the light of the glory of G-d." Some say the term Shekhinah signifies "the perceivable majestic presence of G-d among mankind and expresses the principle of G-d’s indwelling omni-presence in all creation." In this regard it is important for us to note that the Shekhinah is the "physical" manifestation of God's Presence, and is not to be confused with the
spiritual, infinite, heavenly Presence of God, that we cannot possibly conceive. Solomon referred to this heavenly, omniscient Presence that no earthly construction can contain:
But will God in very truth dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less this house that I have builded! — I Kings 8:27 (JPS)
Mystics have viewed her as the channel through which Divine light passes into the world. It is also associated with the agency of inspiration and prophecy. It is the inspiring power manifesting in one's conscience as the Bat Kol / DaughterVoice. Overall, the late Aggadata statement in the Talmud is the essential summary of all these points and of what we now need to note: “Come and see how beloved Israel is before G-d, for wherever Israel went into exile, the Shekhinah went with them.” This statement is based on Ez. 11:16, which is written for us to show us that though it was less perceivable, our very survival and guidance throughout history was through the agency of the Shekhinah:
"Therefore say: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Although I have removed them far of f among the nations, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet have I been to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they are come;"
Ezekiel witnessed this departure of the Glory / Kavod of the Lord from the holy Temple (Ez. 10:18-19). The Kavod never returned to the Second Temple in that full manifestation. Though it was present to a lesser degree in the there, it left from there too and to this day "she" mutually shares in our exile. This in itself is something serious and disturbing we need to contemplate. Today the holy Spirit though not manifesting publicly in a spectacular way as in the days of old, is always accessible by us and is always available for us, though in a more muted way. God never shuts Himself off completely from those who seek Him. Indeed, the Midrash’s romantic-sounding statement tells us that the Divine Guidance, with all its aforementioned attributes always was and even now is available to Israel. As her name implies closeness and nearness, she is with us now, but has to be sought out. The Shekhinah has also been defined as the "hidden Divine Providence." Early sages basing their conclusions on Lev 16:16, said the Shekhinah, though concealed or muted in its manifestation, was to dwell among the exiled children of Israel even in their impurity (Yoma 56b, Megillah 29a). We can see here through such love for Israel, G-d’s hand, though hidden, was to shape Israel's fate and guide them to their destiny, throughout their entire history, (Amos 9:9).
Both rabbinic reflection and mystical literature agree that there is an intimate connection between the Shekhinah and the people of Israel. Though they are different perspectives, they both refer to G-d’s active presence being present everywhere in creation, (Bava Bathra 25a). In rabbinic conception, the Shekhinah is the manifestation of G-d’s presence, i.e. it is "the holy Spirit of G-d by which man can feel and see G-G-d’s presence." This definition is based on the Bible, where we first encounter the "Shekhinah" when the Israelites set out from Succoth in their escape from Egypt. There it appeared as a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire by night:
And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness. And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; that they might go by day and by night: the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people. — Exodus 13:20-22 (JPS).
Rabbinic teachings maintain that "Whenever the children of Israel gather for worship, where ever judges sit at court, even when one man studies the Torah, the Shekhinah is said to be present," (Berakhot 6a). Often the terms Shekhinah andRuach haKodesh [holy Spirit] are used interchangeably to denote the Divine Presence in the form of revelation and inspiration. In the Zohar, the Shekhinah is defined dynamically as "G-d’s face turned toward
creation." It is that aspect of G-d's Light that dictates to everything of what form it is supposed to be in the physical universe. It is the "life force" that animates and underlies the very laws of nature. Based in this principle, popular culture has morphed this force in nature as "Mother Nature." However, the Shekhinah is not a person, e.g. the Angel of God's Presence, but is defined as G-d’s manifest power which has a feminine polarity, an aspect of the Divine life force with which G-d interfaces with humanity. “She,” so to speak, comprises all the functions and dynamics of this Divine power for our benefit. In the sephirotic tree, the blueprint of the flowchart of energies in the cosmos, it is the sephirah [conduit] of Malkuth (Kingdom), through which the flow of Divine light touches th e world in general and Israel in particular. For this reason in visions and dreams it may be depicted as a "stream of flowing liquid light." This portal has also been called Knesset [congregation of] Israel. Because of this identification, the people of Israel are understood to eventually become the mystical embodiment of the Divine Presence in the world. Because the Shekhinah’s polarity is female, this is a female embodiment, and is one reason why Israel is referred to by feminine personifications in the Tanach. Our mother Rachel has been traditionally viewed as the type and symbol of the Shekhinah who is searching for her children, (Jer. 31:15). Ideally and ultimately, Israel is to be ensouled by the Shekhinah, Israel’s sanctified collective soul. This is why this feminine principle of Divine Providence is called Em Habanim, Mother of Children, "the Mother of Souls of Israel." Because of this female polarity the Holy of Holies was called the bridal chamber, for the Shekhinah, the manifest Presence of G-d, dwelt there.
Israel was commanded to build a sanctuary for G-d, that He might dwell in / among them, (Ex. 25:8). The Mishkan was to be a working model, physical symbol and direct immediate expression of that directive. It was to be a microcosm of the world we live in, affording us to clearly feel the Divine Presence. However, the command was not limited to the portable Mishkan, the initial working model and ceremonial center. Over time, the nation of Israel was to be built and fashioned intothe Mishkan of G-d’s presence in the world. That readying process has been going on for thousands of years. That purification process for this eventuality is the history of Israel. Her training and preparation for the priesthood as the firstborn of G-d are the hard lessons for Israel to learn throughout the millennia. That training period will culminate in the repentance of Israel, her regathering and return to her Husband and her reacceptance of the Covenant, i.e. the Torah, [the marriage contract]. This time it will b e incorporated into her very being, i.e. written on the tables of her rectified and truly repentant heart, (Jer. 24:7, 31:33, 32:40). It is then that the quintessential lesson for Israel will have been learned: “And you shall know that I am the L-RD,” (Hos. 2:20, Jer. 31:34). It is then and only then the idols in our hearts will be removed and displaced by what ultimately belongs there, the holy Spirit of God, (Ez. 14:1-11).
Just as the Mishkan was built in the wilderness, Israel is to build the Mishkan of prayers in the wilderness of the nations today. As the Divine Presence came to dwell in the Mishkan, / Tabernacle, likewise it is to come into, i.e. ensoul those Israelites, of both Yehudah and Ephraim, who prepare, and purify themselves for the indwelling Ruach / Spirit. Just as the Shekhinah guided Israel from Egypt to Mt. Sinai, likewise it is to guide the latter day return process and the regathering of all the Tribes of Israel (Meg. 29a). Today, "she" is also to guide the early returnees
