Posted on 12/09/2004 1:36:47 AM PST by M. Espinola
23:26 Dec 08, '04 / 25 Kislev 5765
In a dramatic but unpublicized move Monday, members of the newly established Sanhedrin ascended the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site.
Close to fifty recently ordained “samuchim,” members of the Sanhedrin, lined up at the foot of the Temple Mount Monday morning. The men, many ascending the Temple Mount for the first time, had immersed in mikvaot (ritual baths) that morning and planned to ascend as a group. Despite prior approval from the Israeli police who oversee entry to the Mount, the officers barred the group from entering the Mount together, saying they could only ascend in groups of ten.
The Sanhedrin, a religious assembly of 71 sages that sat from the time of the Holy Temple through 425 CE, was the highest Jewish legal-judicial tribunal in the Land of Israel. The great court used to convene in one of the Temple’s chambers in Jerusalem. On October 14, the Sanhedrin was reestablished for the first time in 1,600 years, at the site of its last meeting in Tiberius.
“There is a special mitzvah, not connected to time, but tied to our presence in Israel, to establish a Sanhedrin,” Rabbi Meir HaLevi (no relation), one of the 71 members of the new Sanhedrin, told Israel National Radio’s Weekend Edition. “The Rambam [12th century Torah scholar Maimonides] describes the process exactly in [his seminal work codifying Jewish Law] the Mishna Torah. When he wrote it there was no Sanhedrin, and he therefore outlines the steps necessary to establish one. When there is a majority of rabbis, in Israel, who authorize one person to be a ‘samuch,’ an authority, he can then reestablish the Sanhedrin.”
Those behind the revival of the Sanhedrin stress that the revival of the legal body is not optional, but mandated by the Torah. “We don’t have a choice,” says Rabbi Richman, “it is a religious mandate for us to establish a Sanhedrin.”
The Sanhedrin was reestablished through the ordination of a rabbi agreed-upon by the majority of prominent rabbis in Israel and approved as “fitting to serve” by former Chief Sefardi Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and leading Ashkenazi Rabbi Shalom Elyashiv. That rabbi, who is then considered to have received authentic ordination as handed down from Moses, was then able to give ordination to 70 others, making up the quorum of 71 necessary for the Sanhedrin.
“Even Mordechai HaYehudi, from the Purim story, was only accepted, as it is written, ‘by the majority of his brethren,’ not by everybody, because anyone who deals with public issues can not be unanimously accepted,” HaLevi explained.
The rabbis behind the Sanhedrin’s reconstitution claim that, like the State of Israel, the old-new Sanhedrin is a work-in-progress. They see it as a vessel that, once established, will reach the stature and authority that it once had.
The first members requested that their names not be published, so as to allow it to grow without public criticism of individuals,” HaLevi said. “We want to give it time to develop and strengthen the institution, giving a chance for more rabbis to join.” He added that each of the current members of the Sanhedrin has agreed to be a conditional member until a more knowledgeable rabbi joins, taking his place.
Rabbi Richman, also a member of the Sanhedrin, hopes the body will bring about a revolution in Jewish jurisprudence. Declining to discuss exactly what issues are on the Sanhedrin’s agenda, Richman said that one of the main long-term goals of the Sanhedrin, which includes members of Ashkenazi, Sefardi, Hasidic, National-Religious and Haredi communities, is to reunify Jewish observance in Israel.
“We Jews went into exiles all over the world,” HaLevi told INR’s Weekend Edition. “Every community established its own court. We are talking about more than 50 different legal systems developing apart from one another. Part of our return to Israel is the reunification of our Jewish practices.”
There is a tradition (Tractate Megillah 17b, Rashi) that the Sanhedrin will be restored after a partial ingathering of the Jewish exiles, but before Jerusalem is completely rebuilt and restored. There is also a Talmudic tradition (Eruvin 43b; Maharatz Chajas ad loc; Rashash , Sanhedrin 13b) that Elijah the Prophet will present himself before a duly-ordained Sanhedrin when he announces the coming of the Messiah, meaning that – despite common misconceptions - a Sanhedrin is a pre-, not post-messianic institution.
Rebuilding of the temple/return of Christ bump.
Good thing I did a search. I was about to post this myself!
I believe the late Lubavitcher Rebbe (zt"l; zy"`a) opposed such a move fifty years ago. Any comments, Alouette?
This will be in interesting thread. Thanks for the ping!
First time I have heard of this Sanhedrin or that the Rebbe was opposed to it. I will have to find out more before I can comment.
FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel ping list.
WARNING: This is a high volume ping list
Finally!!!
Lets build the 3rd Temple!!!
Uhm altlough this will require to demolish the cursed El-Aktza mosque and will require to fight 1.4 billion muslims.
(-Wonder if we have enough nukes and planes...)
My fellow Jews, lets wait for the Messiah before building the Temple again :]
Thank you
Gonna get real interesting in the next few years.
Solomon made a similar mistake. So much for these boys will change.
Ops4 God Bless America!
...approved as “fitting to serve” by former Chief Sefardi Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef and leading Ashkenazi Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv...
If it is true that these two Torah giants are endorsing this 'Sanhedrin', it would indeed be electrifying news. BUT many things have been reported in their names that have turned out NOT to be the case.
It has been pointed out the the initial appearance of this 'Sanhedrin' was not covered at all in the Hebrew press. When Rav Elyashiv and Rav Yosef publish letters in Yated Ne'eman and Dei'ah veDibur, I'll be convinced. Until then, all I can say is 'halevai'!
A number of notes about the Rebbe and the re-institution of the Sanhedrin are at
http://www.chabadtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4731&highlight=sanhedrin
yeah!
Baruch Hashem.
I'll reserve judgment on this too, until I learn more. But if it's true that it has the kind of support it claims, and is not just another fringe movement, then this is big news indeed.
Some experts have measured and researched and are convinced that the Holy of Holies was not over the rock under the Dome of the Rock. AND, that there's plenty of room on the Mount for the Temple without removing any of the mosques.
However, to me, it would be very offensive to have those mosques still up there. I have a hard time imagining God Almighty tolerating them, either.
We shall see!
I certainly don't have the wherewithal to make a judgment. But Rabbi Kahana''s brother? Drool!
NOT A PING LIST--JUST A ONE TIME COLLECTION OF NAMES--I thought you might be interested in the following thread:
PROPHETIC SIGNS WE ARE IN THE END TIMES . . .
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/1274030/posts?page=940
Thanks for this thread!
Blessings,
I think that mosque on that Holy site is an abomination.
I heard not long ago that there is a fault (as in earthquake) directly under the mosque. Have you heard this? It certainly would be handy.
Does anyone know anything about the red heifer (sp?) that is being prepared? I heard something about this awhile back, but can't remember exacly what.
Perhaps you know of a website I could read up on this. Thanks.
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