Lech lecha: go, march in!

The reading portion of the week is "Lech lecha\לך לך - Go, march out, reach yourself". God said these words to Abram in Bereishit 12:1-17:20. God insisted to make him leave his native land; go out from his father's house and homeland. The words clearly mean that Abram is called by God to "become a great nation, be blessed... and all the families of the earth (mishpechot haadamah\משפחות האדמה) shall bless themselves by you [in/through your name]”. This also implies that these humans, organized in families, were fashioned out of the earth - adamah\אדמה like the Adam haqadmon\אדם הקדמון, address themselves a blessing and not a cursing. They cannot restrict their benedictions to themselves but extend them to each other, nation to nation, family of the earth to any other nation of the earth.

"Lech lecha\לך לך" sounds beautiful and like a challenge in Hebrew. "Halach\הלך - to go, march in/out, go forth" has this short imperative form and the shortened "l-ל" from "el\אל, al\על, if not halach\הלך" shows something irrepressible. This is a major Shabbat and week in the Jewish cycle of the readings. In this portion, Abram accepts God's call to a move that, in his cultural and social environment could only appear to be as a frightful, dangerous, hopeless and meaningless goal.

Fear is worse than any anxious ignorance. Fear that we may discover when life can be set in a series of dangers imperiling our freedom, freewill, change our points of views or, on the contrary, widen them unexpectedly. There is much courage in Abram's response to God. Indeed, he finally left his homeland and marched out. Did he come out as an adult? He did it twice because, when he firstly tried to leave his father's house, he got so scared according to the Tradition that he ran back or maybe did not even look too far.

Abram lived in a male civilization. We know nothing about his mom. Let's even think that the man is a character composed of different personalities that lived at a certain period in the same region of Sumer. By his time, Sumer was the cradle of reflection and self-conscience and culture. He is linked to a civilization that got aware that life is not vain. Life makes sense, comes from God and turns toward God. He had a mother like anyone of us. She might have been quite a character too! Abram does not leave his father's house, his homeland. We are told that he did leave his country and home. We know that he sent Eliezer to his father's home in order to find a suitable wife for his son Isaac. Isaac's son, Jacob did the same. The third and last patriarch of Israel always chose his home tribe and parentage to prolong and develop Abraham's call to be a great nation.

The point is that Abram left his mom when he understood that he had to break the ties that existed in his father's house. When he left Ur-Kasdim and the area of Haran, he combated and overcame idolatry, destroying the mother-like natural nourishing and nurturing idols whose natural flavor he had suckled from his mother’s breasts.

It is difficult to struggle and to go beyond the reach of this very gregarious experience. Abram has always been obedient to God… and to Sarai (Sarah) to some extent; safe when he was about to “give” her to Pharaoh. He was so afraid by Pharah that he introduced his wife as being his sister. This kind of problem of fear copes with some existential anxiety that she could resolve for a while. Sarah made Abram really quit his father’s house. Their family bond anticipated serfdom in Egypt when she proposed him to get a child with her maidservant Hagar, an Egyptian. From Mesopotamia to the Nile, Abraham and Sarah dug down to the heart of the Semitic and universal call:

“Vehifreti otcha bimeod meod\והפרתי אתך במאד מאד - I shall make you exceedingly fertile – unetatecha legoyim\ונתתיך לגוים and make nations of you” (Bereishit 17:6). This fertility is meant as “bimeod meod\במאד מאד – in the very too much = totally human as Adam, using the same consonants as when God saw that His creation was “tov meod\טוב מאד – very good” (Gen. 1:31).

We have to face in our daily life the same problem of faith: is the creation really so nice? Frankly, this is a pending cultural and environmental interrogation. The animal micro- and macro-cosmos consists in a constant fight for survival and not being swallowed, forced to be killed. On the second day of Rosh HaShanah, there is the seder tashlich\סדר תשליח : "Who is a God like You, Who pardon iniquity and forgive transgression for the remnant of His heritage? ... You will cast all their sins into the depths of sea\ותשליח במצולת ים כל חטאתם " (Micah 7:18-20). Still, the sea depths are definitely not a peaceful and magnificent place. Fish eat fish, beasts capture and capture the nicest colorful fish species. There is no harm. Ever since, the "seder Tashlich\סדר תשליח " phrases correspond to the 13 Attributes of the Lord's loving-kindness (Exodus 34:6-7).

Bestiality shows everywhere in a world and human societies often based on hatred and swallowing processing dynamics. The prophetic vision of the bear living with lions, sheep and a small child is not a League of Nations dream after the collapse of the Austrian-Hungarian empire that gathered in so many Central and East European nations under the Habsburg while Kamal Ataturk took the lead of a new Turkish republic after the fall of the Ottoman empire 90 years ago. The Prophets did not envision peace amidst humans as being comparable with raw and wild animal instinct. The United Nations Organization remains a platform for some kind of strategical dialog and encounters.

The ancient ascetic [often monastic] way of living tries to match natural, ecological realm and respect environment and wildlife. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios I of Constantinople repeatedly insists on the obligation for the faithful to respect the Earth and all plants, animals, the environment. It is and has always been a dynamic move in the Eastern Church. Vegetarian food, avoid eating animal flesh and blood do correspond to the the Noahide Laws and St. James' decision at the Jerusalem synod (49-52?). The Eastern Orthodox tradition does focus on healthy food, recurrent fasting periods over the year. This is why the Christian Orthodox check the ingredients that are foun in oil, vegetables, products, beverages, meat and fish. These rules should positively be compared with the Laws governing Kosher food and cleansing methods because they are historically connected and reply upon the very similar fundamentals.

On the other hand, this does not mean at all that the creation is at peace. Ants eat termites and tigers eat eliphants! Animals are cruel: any veto makes this crude experience when trying to cure an injured or sick pet! Praying mantis are beautiful and swift: bees and praying mantis turn to man-eaters... the list is long but real. Now, human beings never really cared about how to protect their environment, except in the field of a respectful attitude taught by the Mitzvot. The Noahide law that prohibits to remove or break a limb from a living animal or the mitzvah/commandment not to kill the mother of fledglings introduce moral conscience and true ethics.

We have certainly reached a bottom line in the 20th century. Mass murders, genocides using gas that got more and more sophisticated systematized the fascination exercised upon human brains and masochist tendencies that always existed. Abram left Ur-Kasdim and the house of his father and humbled himself with Sarai to go through the ten "nissayonot\ = tests'. The last one is the Akeidat Itzchak\ - binding of Isaac" whose account is read every day during Shaharit\Morning prayer.

Abraham reached his "self-conscience point". This is very rare. It is a mental quest. It is even more difficult in our generation because we are hedonistic, very self-mirroring, individually self-centered. This often affects religious life: again, the faithful never compete. They are called to be one without judging the others. One of the big problems is that time passes, societies change but never repeat the same pattern. Development shows new situations and positioning. But we are slow to cope or accept that.

Nonetheless, on forthcoming Tuesday 11th of November 2008, the world will commemorate the end of the first world war. 1918 was a real deadline, an unbelievable turn in our civilization. It stopped a period of some sort of European connections, empire and conflicts, caused the fall of other grandiose leaderships. The Balfour Declaration confirmed His Majesty's positive views that backed the establishment of a Jewish home in Palestine... Russia, China, Japan, East Africa, Spain and Germany along with the raise of the American states or Canadian provinces, Argentina and Brazil, the French recovery of Alsace-Lorraine and cultural impact... Europe and the world will start its strong addiction to oil - petrol and gas. Ur-Kasdim, the Near and Middle-East became with the Indian peninsula, Pakistan and the birthplaces for profitable actions. The area got the feedback or boomerang slap of spirituality that erased the first fundamentals born in the region. This paradox continues in the shape of a burning metamorphose.

The Eastern Orthodox Church proposes the reading of the "Jesus' priestly prayer" in St. John ch. 17: "Father, I have manifested Your Name unto the men that You gave me out of the world: Yours they were and You gave them me; and they have kept Your word... I pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil... Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth".

Go, march in, forward consists in reaching this Divine Truth, i.e. not only the heart of who we are but Who "Ehyeh Asher Eyeh\אהיה אשר אהיה - I am the One I am [become the One I am in the process of becoming constantly], the Living Lord.

אהבה או לשון הרעה?או קשר טוב מאוד מאוד
Love or slander, idle gossip? [the worse sin, a real murder]

Mar Ya'akov's Day and renewal

We entered the month of (mar)Cheshvan\מר.חשון which is typically after-autumnal, sweeping old things and trash away from our environment and daily embarrassments of all sorts. The Gospel has it in the words of John the Baptist: "The ax lies now at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" (Luke 3:9; Matthew 3:10).

It is intriguing to ask if the world is dancing, packing, swirling, hoping, switching on and off North American. It sounds suspicious. On the one hand, the planet is hanging up with the tantamount impact of the results of the United States presidential elections. A turn in the historical move. We enter the third millennium's big epoch of changes. Industrial era: from coal to railways and airplanes; then shuttles, the Moon, Mars. We came from tuberculosis to flu, cholera, typhus and still cancer, AIDS and lose our brains and memories in Alzheimer and other genetic diseases.

The 20th century began with gas weapons, oil conquest and contests. Still, from 1815 (Vienna's Conference) till 1918, Europe has shown to seemingly be stable. Money value stability over one full century. Well, it developed through colonization, spiritual and mental, cultural and religious takeover activities. The 20th century has started with the ancestors of the concentration and extermination camps during the Boer war in South Africa. The 21st century is stumbling around in the so-called collapse of the American empire, the apparent death of communist ideologies and the revival of the whole creation through a long-term quench for authentic spiritual revival.

Religion is everywhere. At the present, atomic bombs have burnt the Japanese. Radiology and X-rays allow to cure and Nero does not only remind us that a savage Roman emperor flamed out Rome in songs. Today, it burns DVD's. In a few hours, the United States might wake up with a totally new look: a president that would mirror the enormous intermingling process of mixing cultures and races from black to white and white to colored and Asian yellow. The same process is at pains in South Africa with blankies/white are obliged to deal with nie-blankies/Black (non-whites) and kleurlings/coloureds... and apartheid is condemned. We are born to intermingle, against our will, combating for identity and feeling that we are the world "gathering a great multitude of all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues" (Apocalypse 7:9). Intermingling, cultural melting-pot and mixing-up process has been and remains an ongoing socio-cultural tendency over two decades. It is a clear move in every hedonistic and self-wellness searching society. At this point, Hawaii is a typical and very producing laboratory - just as Silicon Valley. Israel has it but with more fearful pangs of birth and back and forth hesitating quakes.

* * * * * * * * * *

Today, the Eastern Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, Zion the mother of all the Churches celebrates the Feast of Mar Ya'akov/Ya'akub\מר יעקב according to the Julian calendar; November 5th corresponds to Gregorian October 23rd (13 days ago). St. James is called Ya'kov hatzaddik\יעקב הצדיק - Jacob the Just. He was the first bishop of Jerusalem, i.e. the Early Church. He died in 62 or 63 AD, betrayed by a cousin of the high priest Kaiaphas who had condemned Jesus of Nazareth. He was himself known to be a high priest and was daily in the Temple, a strictly observant Jew. In Greek, he is called "adelphotheos - the brother of the Lord - αδελφοθεος " a title mentioned at the end of each Service or Liturgy in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Of course, it became the source of a lot of fancies and elaborations throughout the ages. Still, we have no CD, DVD, digital picture or video of the Holy Family of Jesus and Mary the Theotokos and Joseph. Archeology allowed to "crush" into their small house in Nazareth and Saint Peter's house in Capernaum.

The Eastern Orthodox and the Catholic disagree about who Mar Ya'akov truly was because three individuals are mentioned under this name in the Gospel. Who is James the Major and James the Lesser? Who wrote James' epistle? The Church of Jerusalem considers Jacob the Just as the first bishop of the Holy City of Jerusalem. He was a man of great piety and a true Jew, really respected by the Talmud and the Jewish tradition. He is the one who spoke as the head of the first synod of Jerusalem, sadly not included among the ecumenical councils of the Church. He declared the opening to the Gentiles and their adoption into the Covenant for those who believed in Jesus being the Messiah resurrected from the dead; thus not imposing the circumcision and the Mitzvot, safe four of the fundamental Noahide Laws. This is important to remind that such a decision was taken by the Jewish head of the early local Church (ch 15 of the Acts of the Apostles). He was known as being a man of justice, which is very pregnant in the epistle of James, the letter read for the Holy Sacrament of the Oil for the recovering of the sick in the Christian Orthodox tradition. Talmud Tractate Gittin reports favorably about the head of the first Church of Zion as also about John the Baptist and Forerunner. In his letter to the Galatians 2:9, Paul of Tarsus mentions him as the first among the disciples. St. Paul spent two weeks in Jerusalem, three years after his baptism and proclaiming of the Kingdom in Arabia, came to visit him.

The decision of the first synod to open the gates of adoption of the Gentiles into the Faith definitely copes with the whole of the authentic Jewish tradition (the spirit of Sukkot in the present). The decision cancels the circumcision and the observance of the Mitzvot for the Non-Jews. It was still decided in a strong Jewish context and when the Temple was extant. This should be taken into account.Judaism is not ethnic or national. There were 12 tribes and the call to the 70 nations is constant throughout the Scripture. This also relates to the Mishnah. It means that Judaism cannot be crippling or fencing down. Just have a real look at the Israeli society. It includes people of all kindreds, nations and tongues. "I will call heaven and earth to witness that whether it be Gentile or Israelite, man or woman, slave or handmaid, according to the deeds which he does, so will the Holy Spirit rest on him" (Tanna de-Be Elyahu, 48).

Indeed, Jews are those who were divinely bone&flesh-woven in the womb of a Jewish mother. I call that in my teaching and book an "in utero call". It is not connected to race or DNA. It is linked to incarnation and passing from non-time to time till death call a Jew to the world-to-come. In between, the Spirit does overshadow every soul and living being. This is the "shlichut\שליחות - task, mission [apostolic work] of Judaism.

This is why the "Church" or "churching of the nations of the world" should take into account the first schism [proto-schism] that drifted Jews away from the Gentile Church and the Gentile Church from Judaism after the destruction of the Second Temple. In his recent biography and theological work "Surprised by Christ", Fr. James Bernstein (Conciliar Press) noted with much insightful simplicity that the first "Christian" believers did not read the Gospel, but the Covenant of the Bible (TaNaKh), then the epistles of some apostles and the "accounts" of Jesus of Nazareth as truly man and divine, resurrected from the dead. This is history and this is just real. History sowed to be very cruel in Jerusalem: the Judeo-Christian group which existed with James the Just at Mount Zion was separated rom the Gentile Church for a long period after the destruction of the Temple, till the 4th-5th century. The Jewish bishops of Jerusalem were killed or persecuted till 135 AD. This proto-schism was due to quarrels among the disciples and got encouraged by the fencing of pagan rulers.

The real challenge for the Church is to reconnect with the reality of oneness as set up by the Most High on the first and seventh day of the creation. Christianity drifted away from the House of Israel by a repeatedly series of intriguing process of rejections. It was often very difficult to confirm these breaches. Mar Ya'akov did not break anything. He wrote about the decision of the early synod of Jerusalem. It was an inclusive, definitely not an exclusive move.

It is far too early for the Eastern Churches newly freed from communism and underscoring the ethnical aspect of their Christian faith to recognize to the full such martyrs as Christians and Jews or of Jewish descent. Still, there is one more problem. The “Church” corresponds to the “Qahal\קהל רב - מקרא קודש – the Great Assembly” as a one and unique body. Is this so visible and can we feel, taste that as the fulfillment of the commandment of love, in the mutual relationships of Jews and Gentiles? There might be a problem… The epistle of Paul of Tarsus to the Ephesians 2:14-21 firmly states that “from the two = Israel and the Nations, there is one body”. The whole of history has consisted in showing mutual drifting-away, estrangement, replacement attitudes based on so-called theology. It consistently excludes, rejects, denies, erases, wipes out the process of “oneness” and unity of humankind in the face of God and His likeness.

It is thus a spellbinding and mesmerizing challenge to study how Europe is at pains in trying to define in its legal Constitution the Christian roots of its existence. These fundamentals are not based on any power. The roots are like the trees, transplanted into various contexts that have nowhere been ethnically pure, clean, “DNA or blood test born again in the spirit”. The magnetism, exercised by this process of an ancient spiritual European Christian essential core, proceeds from faith, their capacities to say “amen” to God. Somehow, this corresponds to the “emunah shlemah\אמונה שלמה – perfect faith” in Judaism. If we consider the individual and collective spiritual changes, Christianity took different aspects in Europe that is widely broken down into small denominations in the New World, weakening the essential meaning of “oneness”.

With regards to the Jews in the Churches, they mirror this estranging broken-down process of divergences, disunion and often abrupt ruptures. These breaches do exist in Judaism. Many current discussions about how to respect the Mitzvot are rooted in the difficulty for a lot of Jews to resolve their own temptation of idolatry. This occurs in cultural contexts that do not refer to any principle of faith. Indeed, many Jews became members of historically separated Churches. This is an overwhelming cultural phenomenon. It also constitutes a paradox for the authentic unity of the Church.

The emergence of Israel does not allow multiplying the multi-faceted reasons that would allow some Christian denominations to back or reject Jewishness for whatever tactical reasons of convenience. Let's say that political options are wrong and deceitful on both sides. The heart of the problem is to be found in an efficient and trustworthy knowledge of how to combat idolatry. Curiously, idolatry shows both in the progressive decrease of faith. I also appears in the constant tendencies to ritual stiffness. This wrongly allows to avoid too much updating.

This induces that we are on the move, en route to God and that true, respectful love, esteem and recognition will one day become a possible reality between Jews and the Christian Church. At the present, this remains a great and fundamental task to carry on and develop overt the coming decades. This has shown to be close to an “impossible challenge”. Israeli Jews of all tendencies as well as the heads of Israeli cities and regions must understand that every single piece of soil in the country tracks back to Christian history. This cannot be denied. On the other hand, the Jewish organizations cannot bring forth their sole explanations about the presence of all Christian denominations. It will take time, but the local Churches have to share their own points of views. In return, the Churches should respectfully connect with the Jewish traditions. This is more difficult because of their historical denial of the positive existence of the Jews and presence in the State of Israel. The recent Synods at the Phanar and in Rome pave the way for more authentic contacts. Trust remains highly problematic.

Zelun bishlomo\ܨܠܘܢ ܒܫܠܡܐ! זלון בשלמא - tsetchem beshalom - צאתכם בשלום - с миром изидем - ΕΝ ΕΙΡΗΝΗ ΠΡΟΕΛΘΩΜΕΝ! Go out in peace!

av Aleksandr [Winogradsky Frenkel]

November 5th/October 23rd, 2008 - 7 de chshvan 5769 - ז' דחשון תשס"ט

Oh, oy or hey Jerusalem?

Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytskyi - מטרופוליטן אנדריי שפטיצקי

Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytskyi / Слуга Б. митр. Андрей Шептицький of L'viv-L'vov/Львiв=Льов-Łwów-Lemberg\לביב-לעמבערג of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church passed away 64 years ago on November 1st [Greg. cal.]/Oct. 19 [Julian cal.] , 1944 - Heshvan 15, 5705 - ט"ו דחשון תש"ה. He was born in Prylbychi to an old Ukrainian family that then belonged to the Polish Roman Catholic noblesse. He decided to return to the Oriental rite, reinvigorated the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, revived the Basilian Studite Byzantine tradition, wrote and preached in Ukrainian. He was made a bishop in 1899 (Stanyslaviv). Assigned metropolitan of Lviv in 1900.

A Polish Ukrainian-born in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire then under Ukrainan self-ruled short period of independence, heading his Church over Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Belorussia, Romania and the related diasporas, he was in jail under the tsarist regime (1914-1917), he had to face the Ukrainian civil war during the Bolshevik and Soviet period, then the first German occupation, the Nazi invasion, the Soviet rule.

During the Russian revolution, he heartedly welcomed in his monastery of Lviv his former jailer-keeper, Archbishop Eulogyi [and Abp. Vladimir] appointed by the Moscow Orthodox Patriarch St. Tikhon (murdered in 1927). He obtained the required documents for these two envoys of Patriarch Tikhon, which allowed them taking spiritual care of the Russian Orthodox refugees in Western Europe. Before World War I, he visited the Holy Land with groups of pilgrims. He also organized the Ukrainian Church in North and South America. He surely helped the Orthodox Church to get organized at the beginning of the 20th century, when for the first time after centuries, East and West rediscovered their heritage and roots. This slowly shows up at the present in the long series of encounters and missed rendezvous. He gave the example of conveying a constant dialogue with others, which is so important at the moment. He was a man inspirited by eternity.

He had been given special rights by the Popes from the very beginning of his ministry. They were confirmed by Pope Pius XII in order to resolve on his own the unbelievable confusing situation during World War II in his territory. During WWII, being lame in a wheel-chair, he conducted a permanent Synod sending "pastoral messages and letters" that were read in his eparchy/diocese of Ukraine. In his "труди - [Works]", he fought all the then ongoing spiritual, moral, ethical, societal conflicts of a profoundly affected region. His famous pastoral letter "не убий - [Thou shalt not kill- לא תרצח "] " condemned anti-Semitism and the deportation of the Jews.

Metropolitan Andrei fluently spoke many languages, i.a. French, German, English, Russian, read and spoke Hebrew and Yiddish (as late Moscow Patriarch Tikhon also did and showed when he was the Metropolitan of Vilnius). He had frequent meetings with Chief Rabbi Lewyn of Lviv who was murdered by the Nazis. He saved the son of the Rabbi and thousands of Jewish people. After the Shoah, the son of the Chief Rabbi, Kurt Lewyn, described his remarkable attitude in a book "A Journey through Illusions". He is the only head of the Church who directly protested to Himmler and then Hitler [telexes] against the deportation, mass murder and extermination of the Jews. In the meanwhile he also had to face the Nazis and the Communists, being totally isolated though assisted by his brother Fr. Klement and a wide network of assistants. He was a man of prestige and unusual spiritual insights that influenced far beyond the framework of his own Church. He was a man of knowledge, a theologian, "a man beyond all standards/norms" as stated Prof. Gutman (specialist of the Shoah) in a meeting I attended some years ago in Jerusalem. There were few people of good will, a survivor and a specialist of his exceptional biography.

His brother Klement has been canonized by the Roman Catholic Church and recognized as a "Righteous among the Nations" by the Israeli Institute of Yad VaShem. The cause for the recognition of the unique attitude of the late Metropolitan was opened in the Roman Church on December 5, 1958. It is still pending: he has been denied by all parts although the prestige of his actions and positions are widely known. His personality was much respected: he died on November 1st, 1944. Stalin did not dare touch him or do take any action till the end of the 40 days of mourning. It appears that the Soviets deported the clergy and decided to erase his memory.

For years, I have been in contact with those in charge of his recognition. Metropolitan Andrei was considered by his flock as "the national [Ukrainian] Moses - рідним Мойсеєм"; he was definitely not a narrow-minded or stubborn nationalist. In the most hideous times of confused sequences of horrible periods, he became a true and outstanding witness. This deals with our own problems. Firstly in Israel: a rare man of knowledge and insightful prophetic views about the existence of the Jewish people in his area. His views about social care and welfare, dignity and ethics, economy and politics. He undoubtedly knew and experienced the in-depth meaning of true Christianity submitted to real vital faith and an incredible fighter for the life of every human being.

It will take a lot of time to understand such a character who confronted all sorts of paradoxes and messy events that continue to affect the development of the world today. He spoke with the words of his generation. He remains tremendously astounding in the present. We often think that we are open-minded and "universal" but we get afraid; then we frame, fence and block ourselves in all possible ways in our quest for identity, revenge or ignorance. Metropolitan Sheptytskyi never forced to foreign or alien creeds. He respected the souls and protected numerous peoples, in particular the Jews during the period of a full idolatry period of apostasy.

His writings and social activities should be a plus for Israel that encompasses the whole of the diversified multi-faceted aspects of humans that came from the Ukraine as survivors of the "Holodomor - голодомор" (mass murder through hunger in the Ukraine 1932-35). The Supreme Soviet intentionally assassinated through famine all the nations in Ukraine, to begin with the locals and Jews, Czechs, Gypsies and other peoples.

This is why the peaceful construction of a Jewish State will someday - in due time, when it will be a bit accessible for our faculties to reach out to the uniqueness of such a rare personality and man of faith. At this point, we are all, striving against the shading devils that have split our unity as human beings. It is not a time of opacity or blindness. We are marching in the future in the pangs of a long-term birthing process.

64 years ago, a man passed the borderline that connects the world of beneath and the world of above by witnessing in silence to the hope of his faith. There are borders and lines that constantly seem to postpone full understanding of out-the-way souls in exceptional situations. This happens with regards to Andrei Sheptytskyi. Still, his repose leads us onto a journey that will overcome one day the many illusions that continue to harm and hurt our generation. Contradiction is often a sign of positive struggle for life.

av aleksandr [winogradsky frenkel]

November 1/October 19, 2008 - ג דחשון תשס"ט


Photographs:
Metropolitan Andrei in L'viv 1937 מטרופוליטן אנדרי בלמברג
Noah's ark saving the humans - תבת נח

Itim-Z'manim: time brings up every generation

In these days of harvesting, we would prefer to assemble and rejoice, feel together and forget for a short while that daily life and events show how split and distant. It depends on the place where we were brought up, educated, the places we live in right now and with whom we socialize at a certain time, period of our own individual and collective development. This obliges us to take times and delays into consideration.

There is an interesting root in Talmudic Hebrew: "Qat/QaTa\קט-קטא" that means "to pluck" and "be a fragment, chip". It is linked to "Qataf\קטף - to harvest". It is written: "If he plucks, thus gains anything, the plucks a piece of coal - if he loses, he loses a pearl" (Terumot 8, 45d). This saying means that a man risks his life for a trifle. A small chip that firstly appears as meaningless, senseless and vain. Let's put it in other words. In Pessikta Rabba deRabbi Kahana 21, it is said: "that student is a chip from the rock of Mount Sinai”. It means that he is "changed into a rare precious stone of knowledge spared from the rocky wilderness of the Sinai and the Giving of the Luchot\לוחות (Tablets) (cf. Sanhedrin 4, 22a “qetoa\קטוע”).

This is what is great in Jewishness and all the Jewish traditions: from gambling and trifling we are basically called to hear God’s voice Who assembles chips and cuts or diminish our pride or selfishness to shape things “fine” – “qatat\קטט” as stated: “the one who beats (“meqatqet\מקטקט – makes even by beating”) to make the web close or to make the woof even” (Shabbat 12, 13c). Curiously, John the Baptist said something rather similar: “The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase but I must decrease. The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all (John 3:29-31).

This echoes Shabbat Bereishit\בראשית with the account of the Creation in the Book of Genesis. We read and hear again the shaping, making of the worlds, with all the air, natural plants, small and bigger animals and human beings living on this earth. It makes sense that humans wrote and accounted the story for humans. From the very beginning, it shows that all creatures are profoundly of their "solitude" in the immensity of swirling galaxies - aratzot\ארצות . Let's imagine that HaAretz - the Earth has some brains... Skies, moon, sun and the stars do accompany our planet. Adam is the only "soul" to understand that he has no companion. God saved him by shaping Eve\Chavah, the mother of all the living (humans). Thus she also allowed humankind to be aware of time. She has the eternal positive task to give birth and get conscious that human beings and evolving over generations. This is why Hebrew uses "toledot\ = history, birthings".

In the course of the 20th century, women finally got to their natural right and ability to understand how they function. They reached tremendous and unprecedented scientific knowledge of who they are as females. Sadly enough, males continue to think they have a right to control or rule over women. The point is that beyond the terrible infringements that often affect them in most parts of the world (rapes, torture, sexual abuse, lack of basic rights), women are more and more active in politics, sciences, techniques, literature, army as we have in Israel. Judaism is based on women creativity. The existence of the State of Israel may obliges a society to update their social relationships. It will take generations. It is not problem of men getting a bit "feminized". There is a crisis of fatherhood.

For the first time since the days of creation, women can birth from 14 till 60 years. It is possible to clone human beings and to change their genetic data and development, even in the womb of the bearing women and/or before insemination and fertilization. This raises a wide range of true moral questions. The Jews have the answer in the Talmud that encompasses all that is extant. The problem is to act with wisdom and reach healthy flexible answers.

On the other hand, women and men alike often feel abandoned to loneliness. This constitutes a spiritual and humane nonsense with regards to the good deed realized by the Creator. God blessed lonely Adam with the fashioning of an insightful ezer kenegdo\עזר כנגדו = a companion, helper, "aide-de-camp". Israel has a long tradition of a need for caring moms: Golda Meir, Daliah Itzik today. Tsipi Livni and numerous women acting in various contexts challenge this situation of loneliness. The Most High showed compassion for the whole of humanity by shaping Eve to "accompany" Adam (anisa in Semitic languages; oriignal root for ishah\אשה = woman". He was no more left alone. There is an in-depth solitude of each individual. But each human being is allowed, has the right to find the right half body (companion; chetzi guf\חצי גוף ).

The Churches have always felt - whatever their internal ethics in force - that unity fundamentally depends on the way womanhood is appreciated. Mary, the Mother of Jesus Immanuel, is the "image of the Church" worn as a panagia, a small icon that is the sign of being a bishop, a Church overseer.

* * * * * * * *

The reader is called the “Chatan Bereishit\חתן בראשית – the bridegroom of Genesis”. He testifies that God shaped the world and not the humans; and humankind did not wake up by some sophisticated or unreasonable project. All beings come into the world in order to pass over - depart. The major effect is that we grow old from the very first day we come out of our mother’s womb but we cannot grow old. On the contrary, a believer, might progressively get to the point, eventually preceded by terrible pains and sufferings, that s/he quits timeless eternity to live through an age that terribly extended from the original big bang. Thus, we are young “chaps” as regards the bridegrooms who are cut in time to get creative as family, job and learning partners. This is a reversed envisioning of our life, our duration.

There is a problem of lack of confidence: we would like to build, but are quick to destroy. It is so strange to spend some time in a Danish city garden. The children can fight like anywhere else, but if they get the material, they will always start to build something and avoid any destroying. This might explain why the Danes created the “Lego” or construction games. It is amazing to look at these little boys and girls naturally playing peacefully with a spirit of building something.

As always in the Semitic realm, “QaTaTa\קטטא = quarrel, dispute, discord (music, sounds)” with a preference to one sole and unique example: “beyno l’veynah\בינו לבינה – relations between (man and woman, spouses). “Qatatah” is the exact opposite to “shalom\שלום – peace”.

“if husband and wife have a strong dispute before his death (of the husband), they are vain” (Yevamot 15, 1). The root developed into an engrossing word: “sheqet\שקט – silence”. Considering the Talmudic references mentioned above that enroot the basic meaning of the word, things are not so simple in the TaNaKh and the Oral Law. “Shaqat haolam\שקט העולם – the world remained undisturbed” (Avodah Zarah 3a, Yalkut Habakuk 563) reflects a statement found both in Genesis and the Book of Job: “VeHu yishqit be’olamo\והוא ישקיט בעולמו = He (the Lord) is and remains unconcerned about His world (Gen. Rabbah 36; cf. Job 36:29).

This suggests that God might be careless (“shalev\שלו”) or feel too much “at ease” with His creation. A Russian saying states: “Every uttered word is a lie and silence covers a lot of sins (Saint Seraphim of Sarov). The problem is that “the ease of the wicked / resha’im is bad for themselves as for the world” (Sanhedrin 8, 5).

* * * * * * *

It should be noted that true silence is positive in the Jewish tradition. Silence may resemble a destruction: for example, in Hebrew, the sheva consists in removing a vowel and change it into some sort of “silent” /e/ sound: “shalom > sh’lom ha’ish\שלום האיש – peace > the peace of the man”. Indeed, “sheva” corresponds to “shoah\שואה – destruction”. Nonetheless, “silence” shows “quietness, be even, balanced, at ease”. Silence may introduce some fear (death) or narcissistic self-mirroring that opens up the dreams of some suffering souls. “Shakut\שקוט = a forehead that recedes abruptly”, which can be good for donning the tefillin (Berachot 43b).

On the other hand, silence is a mere reality. Absolute dumbness, total absence of decibels is not possible. Even gesture and the language of the deaf and dumb include their uttering some moaning, groaning or raw sounds produced by the throat.

How shall we positively respond this year to God's call to decency? The Hoshanah Rabbah sequence “Mevasser mevasser veomer\מבשר מבשר ואומר – He comes to embody and announce the good news” is one of the most wonderful piyutim / chants that can give some hope to share. Job’s final exclamation: “I repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6) echoes the original Abraham’s words to God for the sake of Sodom: “I am but dust and ashes” (Bereishit 18:27).

It is not a repeatedly nihilistic statement. The good tidings also propose to to foresee far beyond all the kinds of turbulence and nonsense that seemingly overcome us. "Chipped, split, broken souls" are constantly called to renewal and repair.

av Aleksandr [Winogradsky Frenkel]

October 24/11, 2008 - 21 deTishri 5769 - כ"א דתשרי תשס"ט

יצירת אשה - the fashioning of woman
תמונה רוסית - Russian picture

בתולת-ים שבקופנהגן
Little mermaid in Copenhagen [dk]

נשים כעוזרי [ות] נגד גברים
women regulate men

Mar Yaakov day on 10/23 - 11/05

James the Greater (died in 61) was the first bishop of Jerusalem, heading the Early Church. Yaakov\יעקב [Hebrew: "heel"]- Иаков - Iakobos adelphotheos - Ιακωβος ο αδελφοθεος (brother of G-d) was seemingly a high priest, highly respected by the Jews and he was going to the Temple everyday. He took the first synod decision at Jerusalem allowing the Gentile to be "adopted" without having to be circumcised, but having to respectfully fulfill the Noahide laws. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem [my home and Church where I serve] commemorates his day on November 4th/5th following the Julian old style calendar. In the West, it will be on Oct. 23rd, always starting with the evening prayers = on 10/22nd. He was indeed considered as a צדיק - Just (tsaddik), having an ascetic way of living. His decision is most important because it enabled the Gentiles/Nations to enter the Covenant to the full.

av aleksandr

Photograph:
מר יעקב א בהעיה"ק - Mar/Mor Yaakov - Bishop A of Jerusalem

Hakafot: Rejoicing in going around

"Shemini Atzeret/Simhat Torah - "שמיני עצרת\שמחת תורה" have started in Israel and consist of two feasts in one eve, one night and day, two days in the diasporas. The main wors are interesting with regards to two different festivals: Atzeret marks the end of Sukkot as a final touch to the Hoshanot/Prayers for pardon and salvation. At night, all the Sifrei Torah - ספרי תורה/Scrolls of the Torah are carried in joyous circles around the "bima-almenor - במה - אלמנור/pulpit" and recall the seven goings around Jericho, later around the Mount of Olives, then the Mikdash/Temple. These are "hakafot - הקפות", which has very special and intriguing meanings, some of them being much significant in our present swinging economic system. E.g.: root "naqaf / נקף = to surround" > "They surrounded the camp with utensils and saddles (Erubin I,8[15b]) and ropes for marking the Shabbat (Erubin 9b)" - "to surround a place" = <...gardens or orchards to make them inaccessible> (Erubin 53b). "To cause to go around: <"I shall make them go around 40 yers in the desert" (Mekhilta Beshalach 1)... until he (the Nazirite) has hair grown around his hair" (Sanhedrin 8,1)>; thus the same verbal root also refers to "cutting all round or the corners of the head as of the field (hair locks/pe'ot/peiyes-ותפא) (Nazir 57b).

Interestingly - at least for the present turbulence affecting the economic swinging system, "naqaf" also means "to sell on terms", i.e. for a special period of time, a cycle/tekufah- תקופה): "the shopkeeper allowed credit" in Avot 3:16 = . BECAUSE : "eyn nakkifin / אין נקיפין... > there is no loan allowed on time = compared with Mark 3:29: "insult against the Spirit will never be pardoned".

The initial root was "quf - קוף/ turn, make circle", which does not seem to be connected with "kof - קוף/ ape" often mentioned in the Mishnah. ON THE OTHER HAND, "hakafah / הקפה " firstly refers to holiness and the circles around the altar > "hakafot hamizbeach - הקפות המזבח/the going around the altar with the bouquet = Lulav\לולב" (the move may be compared with the going around with the incense-burner in most Oriental Churches, also the Roman Church at times). The word mainly means "a going around that lead to a new cycle of time". The seven goings around show that the year is over and reached its fulfillment.

This aspect is not very clear for the believers and need some clear call to meditation and cosideration of what happens during the several annual "circling cycles, periods, turns of the sun, solstices" > "tekufat - - - equinoxes/solstices < תקופת ניסן\תמוז\תשרי\טבת" (Rosh Hashanah 8a). The famous saying "time is money" suddenly makes sense these days. Well, it is an old reflection grounded on a meditation expressed with the root linked to the "hakafot". Indeed, "tekufah - תקופה" also refer to "debts for merchandise that ought to be paid at certain seasons (Sanhedrin 68b)/ "tekufat chanut - תקופת חנות" are the shop debts which are not submitted to the limitation provided during the Sabbatical year (She'ebiit 10,1). The Scrolls are thus a sign of time and sanctity for the Jews who are sealed for a new year. The Scrolls are "sacred things" and therefore, it is not possible to touch the text with the finger. Subsequently, dancing with the Scrolls allows to climaxing rejoicing. It should be respected by non-Jews, not to supersede this privilege also linked to the Birkat Kohanim = ברכת כהנים, the priestly blessing, the unique remaining act from the time when the Temple was extant. Holding the Scrolls in the arms could someway be compared to au "Eucharistic" enthusiastic gesture, a special participation in the Divine Presence. Indeed, it is the "service of Israel" to show such a Presence to the world and to gather in all the "mishpechot goyim - משפחות גוים" (Psalm 22:28) because of a special privilege that cannot be denied or taken over as stated by Paul of Tarsus: "... Children of Israel, to whom pertains... the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promise" (Romans 9:4). The Scrolls substantiate, embody the Presence of the Bore HaKol Yakhol - בורא הכל יכול, the Creation of All-things. The Feast of Simhat Torah appeared later. At the present there are seven "aliyot - אליות = ascents to the bema to do a reading". The year is closed with the portion "VeZot Haberachah\וזאת הברכה" in Devarim/Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12, about the blessings given by Moses. The new cycle starts by the reading of Genesis done by the chatan Bereishit\חתן בראשית - the bridegroom of "In head > in commencement, firstly".

At this point, each denomination is called to gather by the time of Sukkot, "hechag - The Feast" par excellence. This is the time that the Jewish community celebrates on the eighth day of the Assembly/atzeret- . This feast is parallel to the account of Jesus, standing in the Temple on the last day of the great Feast (the Booths) (John 7:37). The new cycle of reading Genesis is specific to the Jewish congregations. It should be noted that during the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), the faithful Muslims also turn around the Ka'aba, circumbulating around the the big cube that shelters the ancient Black Stone tracking back to Abraham-Ibrahim and even to Adam and Eve (cf. Rosh Hashanah is the anniversation of the creation for the Jews). In the Holy Sepulcher, the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox use to make three goings around the Tomb of Jesus.

We are in a period of slow moves towards assembling different spiritual identities. Such attempts resemble the pangs of birth in view to reach more connection and unity.

av Aleksandr

October 22/9, 2008 - 23 deTishri 5769 - כ"ג דתשרי תשס"ט

Photographs:
ספר תורה על הבמה - Scroll of the Torah
הר הבית - Temple Mount
קבר ישוע אמנאל הנצרי - Edicule of the tomb of Jesus in the Holy Sepulcher - Anastasis

Uzhpizin : Unity among praying guests

The feast of Sukkot/Booths allows enjoying a break, even in this period of international turmoil and revolving redeeming days of renewal. How comes that currencies, bonds, stock exchanges feverishly try to find a right level while Israel is keeping rather quietly her way. Our way is to cross the wilderness, the jungle/der helfker [דער הפקר] as we said in Yiddish. It is one of my favorite poem: "Don't think the world has been created to make your way by fighting with fists and and nails - mayn nit di velt iz a hefker bashaf'n mach'n a veg mit foyst'n un neg'l - מיין ניט די וועלט איז א הפקר באשאפן מאכן א וועג מיט פויסטן און נייגל. "There is a time for throwing away the stones and a time to assemble them together" (Qohelet 3:5). Kohelet is the Book for the feast of the Tabernacles. Human nature is lifted up from odd vapor (no vanity) to the plenitude of the Great Assembly. Unity? This is last "tzig - ציג" that may reinforce our abilities to overcome any tempest. in Yiddish, a "tzig" is a "sudden parasitic irrational idea or breaking-in thought that cannot be controlled; it drives out to wandering deeds full of nonsense". We had it with Stock exchange markets last week. It should continue for quite a long period. It makes no sense but it is a compelling situation that does not really exist. Irrationality is a major spiritual feature in times of hardship. They are signs of renewing changes. People may not stand them. Faith makes them "usual stuff". Indeed, power is a matter of wisdom, equilibrium, wit, insights and terrible temptation to get beyond corruption. This affects economics, historic events and synagogal or ecclesiastical leaders together as ordinary people. There is a moment when rulers, despots - i.e. also the humans they are supposedly governing - drown altogether: they have to face that they are none or nil. They are poor and even poorer than the needy they should help. At this point, human beings are all the same, except that monotheistic religions have a very special system "to push from collapsing to rising". This move opens the way for "ONE-ness - at-ONE-ment". Unity is the consequence of a process that resembles the reality of the original "Big Bang". There are many ways in contemplating the unity of Oneness of God and uniqueness of connection between creation, human beings - One Holy Congregation - and the Creator. This is one of the major but rather ignored aspects of Tehillim/Psalm 102:1: "A prayer of the "afflicted/poor" [and when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord]\תפילה לעני = tefillah le'ani" (Introduction). In Jewish tradition, the Omnipresent shows His likeness with the human beings: they complain to Him as He complains to them and they are both in need of building up one indivisible body. This is at the heart of the "Tikkun Hoshana Rabba\תיקון הושענא רבה - the chants for Hoshana Rabba" recited on Monday this year, before Shemini Atzeret/שמני עצרת, the full joyous gladness to celebrate the unity of the holy congregation on the last day of Sukkot. Unity implies begging God: He ought to show His Gifts: the prayer for His blessing through rain for Eretz Israel is a cry for a new and blessed portion of time that will endure over a full year. There is no shame to ask, to cry out in order to get, to knock and wait: even technical devices that can cause rain to fall, will not do it the way the Almighty will. He intends to give us more than we expect. Most monotheistic religions are trying to gather in their believers, counting their "manpower" fellowships. The Jews have the traditional "Sound the great shofar for our freedom; and raise a banner [show a sign, a miracle/wonder - ושא נס] to gather our exiled and bring us together-one from the four corner of the earth into our land = = לקבץ גליותינו וקבצנו יחד מארבע כנפות הארץ לארצנו" (18 Benedictions/Amidah). Sukkot - a commemoration that disappeared from Christian feasts - is going through a strong reviving process in Judaism. Each year, a lot of Christian believers, mainly from the Protestant countries, join the Jewish congregations in Jerusalem. Chassidic groups reinforce the teaching of the Seven Noahide Laws for the "Gentes/Gentiles". The burden of history is so heavy that Christianity is not recognized as coherent. They are proposed to accept the full Noahide rules at Sukkot. This part of a real spiritual move remains unknown to the Christians that are not denied as "local ethnic/political groups". Intriguingly enough, these "chukim - קוחים/laws" are proposed in one way to those who are or become Christians through baptism. On the other hand, Jewish groups systematically teach them to the non-Jews. Rashi's decision that the Christians are no more "idolaters/ ovdey zarah - עובדי זרה" is basically not recognized by the Orthodox Jews. These rules are therefore a key-point for the present dialogue between Jews and Christians. At the present, the tremendous changes that happened throughout Europe some 20 years ago allow the emerging of hidden Churches in the former communist countries and Greece. The Albanian Church rose up again. The Serbian Church goes through pressures born of the splits that affect the former Yugoslavian republic. North Cypriote Churches are closed. St. Paul's 2000th anniversary allows the Orthodox Churches to gather and re-consider how to face modernity while keeping the teachings of the Fathers and the Scripture. Some patriarchates or "self-ruled autonomous / autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Churches" would be tempted to seize back some properties. They would like to get back some faithful that got astray for political reasons. Other Churches are tempted by a new kind of ethnic nationalism [phyletism]. All the Churches are submitted to a new formatting process. At this point, the real teaching of the Church and true sharing of Eucharist should allow avoiding us to commit with splits or underground/open captures. Everything is stretching out to "a cosmic Liturgy" that should be taught as the marvels of God's creation: "Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together, before the Lord - for He comes to judge the earth; with righteousness shall He judge the world and the people with equity (Psalm 98:7-9). This is our actual situation of turbulences. Things will be settled, but at what price. This is the challenge for more unity! At a time of firing the workers, wasting stocks and money, food and fashion, sea and sex pollution and absence of basic morals. People are thirsty not to be left alone. It is seems difficult to be connected for a long time. Still, on the seventh day the Lord always been involved in the gigantic task of wedding people and matching creative ideas. In Hebrew, the Aramaic word "ushpaz\ אושפז = the guest [who is welcome]" either in an inn or at the hospital ("ishpuz/ אישפוז"). The "ushpizin - אושפיזין" are the special guests that come as praying guests to gather in the Jewish people under the tents. "Ushppeyz אושפיז = a night's lodging" and it is stated: "The man has a lodging place in Palestine (= he is an occasional resident), which means that he is not at home, in a permanent house ("beyta/ ביתא") (Gittin 44b). Another statement: "The Divine fire took up its abode now here and now there" (Zevachim 61b). Guests and hosts are considered as enigmatic, uncertain characters. Well, the booths remind the wanderings through the wilderness, a time of great insecurity and lack of stability. This is what we are most often at the present with multi-faceted personalities or unrecognized identities, both in real and virtual life. "it is customary to leave here and there empty jars and hides of slaughtered animals in an inn = ushpiza/ אושפזא-אי" (Yoma 12a). Each day of Sukkot, the Ushpizin come at night by turn: Abraham Avinu, Isaac, Jacob/Israel, Moses/Moshe Rabbenu, Aaron the High Priest, Joseph son of Jacob who saved the small family in Egypt and David who is considered as a messiah. It is highly important in Israel that women groups could, partly for the moment, add the "mother ushpizot/ אושפיזות" : Sarah, Myriam, Deborah, Hannah, Huldah, Abigail and Esther. By the time of Sukkot, all human beigns are called to welcome these special guests and be hosted whether Jews and non-Jews alike. It is an open inn, a real hospitality center (!) as Abraham did when he was welcoming anyone under his open tent in the heat of the day. At night, God provides a shelter and protects the inmates. Still, the identity of the living looks like a quiz: "ish-pi-z-na/איש-פי-ז-נא = our inn, what's its character?" echoes to Eruvin 53b. Unknown individuals or groups are still welcome by the Lord of the universe. The Israeli film "Ushpizin" insisted on the redeeming part of the "etrog\ אתרוג - citrus" for a poor family that was saved after the way suggested by the Breslover Rebbe. The Christian tradition has this senseo f hospitality for the man saved by the good Samaritan "who was journeying here and there and paid for the lodging of the injured who spent the night at the local inn (Luke 10:33). * * * * * * * This is why it is so captivating, this year, to define in which way we are a “whole, full” human and spiritual community, clarifying the existence of different congregations, synagogues or churches, denominations. of our faith to “those near and those afar” (Eph. 2:17). To begin with, there were some Semits herding in the wilderness. Ropes or lines were used to defined a sacred area on the soil. Or small tents “ohel”: sheet covers in caravans (Talmud Erubin I, 19d). The ancient Semitic root suggests a comparison with “ahala\אהלא” or healing substance as “aloe” in Tractate Shabbat 90a: a place for resting, dwell, feel comfortable. Note that, at the present, there are in the Negev, some “ohaley shalomאוה\לי שלום” (tents of peace) inciting tourists or travelers to refresh and meditate under these open tents. Basically, before and after the Temples, the point does not focus on buildings, but on the ingathering of human beings. “Kahal\קהל”: God’s Voice is heard to ingather and call public assembly to teach (Talmud Avodah Zarah 18a). This is a call to get assembled: “the tribes are called Kahal”(Tractate Horayot 46a). Thus, “I will praiseYou in the assembly/betoch qahal ahal’lecha\בתוך אהללך” (Psalm 22:23). Indeed, “Kanas\כנס” (to gather, store) developed into “Knesset\כנסת”: “assembly of worshippers, synagogue” (Berachot 6a, especially the synagogue of Alexandria with its glorious columns, Tractate Sukka 51b). “Hikhnis\הכניס” = “to introduce”; “k’nas\כנס”: to receive, enter, marry (Erubin III,21b). This means that, before embodying any building, the congregation exists as an“assembly” because of a call from God, accepted and received. In Avot (Mishna) 4:11, “k’nessiyah\כנסיה” means “gathering - union for sacred purposes (the word means “church” in Modern Hebrew and Arabic). Indeed, it is very important to showing respect for the identity of each individual. Every person has their specificities. Subsequently,the nomad tribes settled down. They could build the Temple as “Beyt HaMikdash\בית המקדש”. Ingathering is based on soils, simple realities, body limbs as shown by comparing the various Semitic roots, which makes sens in the Mishnaic tradition: “beyt midrash\בית מדרש” (house of prayer and learning), “shtub/shtib’l\שטוב-שטיבל in Yiddish (a hassidic small room for prayers and teachings). Interestingly, “bayit\בית” (house) seems to come from “bith, bo\בית- בא”: to enter, lodge in, pass the night (cf. Daniel 6:19, Tractate Sanhedrin. It also means “wife” (Yoma I,1: “(a) wife is (a) house”). “Beyt Israel\בית ישראל” is less common at the present. It underscores the physical cohesion of a community. They function like the tents that may shelter any other people. Prophet Jeremiah (39:9) spoke of the ingathering of the Children of Israel in a ”beyt HaAm\בית העם” (house of the people) which strictly referred to a synagogue in Talmud Shabbat 32a. “Am\עם” is connected with “im\עם” (with, to link together. Actually, the word sounds more “nationalistic” in Israel, although Prophet Isaiah’s appeal (40:1): “Nahmu, nahmu ami\נחמו נחמו עמי – comfort, o comfort my people, says God” may be read “Nahmu immi” = “comfort with Me”. Prayers work as an interactive callings from God to the congregation and vice versa. There is another way to consider “the convocation of the faithful”: “mikra\מקרא” comes from “qara” (to call, convoke, read). It is another glance at the “holy convocation – mikra qodesh\מקרא קודש” (Talmud Taanit IV,68a) which depicts the congregation as “reading the Scriptures, legible as the readings of the Scriptures congregates the assembly”. Arabic “Qur’an” relates to “call, reading, recitation, book”. We may not be aware that each believer is a full part of the Scriptures and becomes visible, legible in some special way. Ancient Greek “ekklesia-εκκλησια” meant a “convocation of individuals” called to resolve some problems, usually in a legal sense. In the Greek [as Jewish] traditions, there is a very strong connection between “law and judgment” –“individual and society” – “group/team and teachings”. It did not refer to some building but to a group. Thus, it naturally passed into Early Christianity to determine the “assembly of the believers in Jesus of Nazareth”. In the Gospel, the word retained the same meaning of a widely open, universal call expressed by “kahal/knesset - קהל\כנסת” that is mainly present in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the TaNaKh, realized by the 70 Jewish elders of Alexandria. The first synagogues appeared in Eretz Israel wherever a minyan (quorum of ten males) gathered for the prayer. In Greek, the word is “syn-/συν- = together; agein/αγειν = to call” and fully corresponds to “ekklesia-εκκλησια”. In Jerusalem, the Beyt-Hamikdash or Temple (Greek “naos- ναος/ hieron-ιερον”) focused on the presence of the Shekhinah\שכינה and everyone could enter, Jews and Gentiles alike, as stated: “Everyday the disciples devoted themselves to meeting together in the Temple” (Acts of the Apostles 2:46; cf. I Kings 8:29-53 and Solomon’s prayer). After the destruction of the Mikdash or “Mishkan\משכן”(Temple or Dwelling, cf. Tractate Erubin 2a), “synagogue-συναγογε” developed along with “ecclesia-εκκλησια” (Fr. église, Sp. ingresia, It. chiesa) and became “temple” (stretched out building for worship) by 1598 in Europe. English “church” comes from Greek “Kyriakon” (of the Lord /house/κυριακον) and influenced most German and Slavic cultures (Icelandic: kirkja, Norw. kirke, Germ.: Kirche, Dutch: kerk, Russian/Ukr.: tserkov’ - tserkva/церковь - церква). Since the destruction of the Second Temple, each festive lightning of the lamps testifies that, unexpectedly, the “House of Israel” resemble/assembles the living Temple represented by gathering in each flesh and soul. There is a famous (rather late) Jewish morning prayer recited everyday: “Modeh ani\מודה אני, I gratefully thank you, o living and eternal King, for you have returned my soul within me with compassion and abundant trust”. It echoes the Divine Presence as shown in the imposing Byzantine tradition that embodies the “Church”: “Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of truth, Omnipresent and accomplishing all things, come and dwell in us, cleanse us from all our sins and save, o Good, our souls”. Photographs: הכותל המערבי בירושלים The Western Wall, Jerusalem טחנת-רוח לכל הרוחות Mills in times of turmoil ועדה בין-אורתודוכסית בפנר 2008 Inter-Orthodox Synod at the Phanar, 2008. Left to right: Patriarchs Theophilos (Jerusalem), Theodoros (Alexandria), Bartholomaios (Constantinople), Ignatius (Antioch), Aleksei (Moscow).