THE GREAT UNKNOWN

Israel's Prime Minister said "This war will take time and it will be extremely difficult." Israel now has nearly 400,000 active reservist called up, which is close to it's total number available to serve.

What lies ahead:

While we do not know exactly how or when these events will unfold, we do know they lie ahead.  These are the known unknowns:

- There will be a ground attack in Gaza. Incredibly difficult, tedious and dangerous.  How bad will Israel's losses be? 

- Hezbollah is likely to be a factor in the war with Hamas.  Will Israel leave thousands of missiles pointed at it's population any longer?

- Iran is coordinating and supplying a proxy war against Israel. It has come to the point that Israel must deal with Iran. Will Israel finally cut off the head of the snake?

- The USA moved two nuclear carrier groups into the region.  If/when Hezbollah and Iran enter into the war, what will the USA do?

Those are the known unknowns. Then there are the unknown unknowns:

- How will Iran's allies respond? Russia, China, North Korea. Since the USA overthrew Saddam Hussain Iraq has been largely controlled by Iran.

- What will other nations in the region do? (E.g. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, etc)

- To what extent will terror cells and one off lone-wolves inside Israel, Europe and the USA reap death and destruction?   

The Big Unknowns:

- Will Israel be forced to use nuclear weapons?

- Will China exploit the focus on wars in Ukraine and Israel to move on Taiwan?

- Will Iran's missiles land on Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or other Israeli cities? 

The Great Unknown הלא ידוע הגדול

Many are looking to the bible for answers. Do Isaiah, Ezekiel and other ancient biblical prophets provide us any?  Are we in End-Times? 

What will God do? 

WATCH DAMASCUS!

"LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy."  Habakkuk 3:2

 

LOVINGKINDNESS - CHESED חֶסֶד

Psalm 117 reads:

Praise ADONAI, all you nations! Glorify Him, all you people. For great is His lovingkindness (Chesed) toward us, and ADONAI’s truth endures forever. Halleluyah! 

Torah Sages say the "The light that was created on the first day shone from one end of Creation to the other". Or, in the language of Kabbala, "In the beginning, an infinite, uncompounded light filled all of Creation." This is the light of Chesed חֶסֶד which permeates all of Creation and through which all of Creation is built."

Chesed, like many Hebrew words, does not translate precisely into English. The word means more than simply “kindness.” Often translated as “loving-kindness,” chesed means giving oneself fully, with love and compassion.

The concept of chesed appears in the Torah more than 190 times. For this reason, many Jewish thinkers hold the value of loving-kindness up as Judaism’s primary ethical virtue.

Psalms 89:3 tells us "The world was built with chesed." Chesed חֶסֶד denotes the unbounded loving-kindness with which G‑d created the worlds and with which all of creation is permeated.

Chesed is one of the ten Sephirot on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Sephirot are the 10 emanations, or powers, by which God the Creator was said to become manifest. Sages say Chesed preceds (comes before) all the other Sephirot. Characteristics of Chesed are: lovingkindness, devotion, mercy, strength, grace, purity, loyalty, tenderness, and steadfastness.

Rabbi Simlai in the Talmud claims that "The Torah begins with chesed and ends with chesed." It is a Jewish belief that "the entire Torah is characterized by chesed. It's said that the vision of the ideal life is characterized by behaviors which are merciful and compassionate. Chesed is properly described as an act that has no "cause." 

Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen says "chesed is more appropriately understood as a trait that is characterized by overflowing and lack of boundaries. One significant outgrowth of this is kindness in that chesed causes a person to want to unabashedly share with others, breaking his boundaries of selfishness."

According to Jewish mystical belief, Kabbalah "The World is Built on Kindness."

How the World is Destroyed 

If the world is built on Chesed, it is destroyed on Evil (רוע in Hebrew, pronounced Ra) and Hate (שִׂנאָה in Hebrew, pronounced Saw-nay). Hamas and Iran have made it obvious.  Like Haman from the Book of Esther and Hitler, Hamas is an animation of Evil and Hate. They illustrate, they show us, how (Eicha) Evil and Hate look, act and what they are capable of.

Right now in Israel we are witnessing how evil and hate destroy the world. It is painfully obvious to see -- in what Hamas did to little children living on Kibbutzim in Israel.

Make no mistake, the evil and hate we are witnessing began with words spoken and taught to the children.  We see the same evil and hate displayed at the rallies in support of Hamas around the world at which are chanted the same words heard at Nazi rallies -- "Kill the Jews." They have the same objective as Haman.  But God ... and we know how Purim ends for Haman!

The Source of Hate

I see the number of the shortest Psalm about Chesed, 117, as a clue of the darkness hidden in the light. According to the Tzava'at Harivash, the anthology on the deep mystical meanings of the Tenach, 117, relates to the Yetzer Hara. Yetza Hara described as mankind's "inclination or impulse to evil," otherwise known as the "evil inclination" in mankind and the world. It is said that the Yetzer Hara seeks mankind to "cease." 

Psalms 36:4 tells us "The words of his mouth are evil and deceit; he has ceased to be wise, to do good.” The Yetzer Hara seeks to do evil through “The words of his mouth.” 

In the Christian bible it says in James 3-6 that "The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell."

In the Beginning 

Before the 4th day of Creation when God creates the Sun, Moon and Stars, Genesis 1:1-4 TLV reads:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was chaos and waste, darkness was on the surface of the deep, and the Ruach Elohim was hovering upon the surface of the water. Then God said, “Let there be light!” and there was light. God saw that the light was good. So God distinguished the light from the darkness. 

The Sage says"The light that was created on the first day shone from one end of Creation to the other."

Light and Darkness have been in the world since Day One, but "Chaos and waste, darkness" existed before God said "Let their be Light."  This was the Light of creation. God saw that the Light is Tov, good, but not the darkness, so God separated them.  I believe the Light creates. Without the Light we go back to chaos and waste again. 

The Light of Creation is in us, but Darkness is as well. We are "in the image of God." We can distinguish good from evil. God gave us free will to choose. The Ruach Elohim, God’s Holy Spirit, is hovering over us to offer us discernment and understanding. 

We can speak good or evil into the world. If we choose good it manifests through Chesed, lovingkindness. If we give in to the Yetza Hara, the evil inclination, our tongue is destructive. 

Proverbs 18:21 TLV says:

"Death and life are in the control of the tongue. Those who indulge in it will eat its fruit." 

It is said we will be known by our fruits. 

CHOOSE THE LIGHT! BE THE LIGHT!

P.S. Click here for some additional explanation of the "Chesed Personality" by an Orthodox Jewish Yeshiva source.

Epilogue: 

i blogged about the opposite force to Chesed (Hebrew: חֶסֶד) on Jacobs Ladder.  Here is a link to my blog post about Gevurah.  

PROOF THAT THE BIBLE IS THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

Approximately 3,300 years ago God gave Moses the Tablets with the Ten Commandments. Or so the bible says. The Book of Daniel and other apocalyptic scriptures were written from 3200 to 2100 years ago. According to the Talmud, much of the Tanakh was compiled by 450 BCE, and it has remained unchanged ever since.

Historical books such as the Books of Maccabees that are not in the Tanakh (the Hebrew bible), and yet is the basis of Jewish holiday Hanukkah, concerned significant events that are less than 200 years before the destruction of the 2nd Temple. 

The Christian Gospels were written by Jews starting not long after Yeshua's (Jesus's) crucifixion. Obviously these were written in the Common Era. The book of Acts covers the early Church in the 1st Century after Yeshua. 

The most amazing quality of the biblical scripture is that for past 3300+ years every generation and every nationality have believed that the bible was addressing them. Jews and Christians alike believe the Bible is speaking to them personally. Regardless of generation, time period, whether one is black or white, male or female, rich or poor, joyful or fearful, any believer can find a deeply personally meaning.  

The bible has a stories and characters that speak in profoundly personal ways to everyone who dives deeply into it. Many of the characters in the bible correspond to people who actually lived and effected the very history that relate to the books in the Bible. 

As of 2023 the Hebrew Bible has been translated into 736 languages and the Christian Bible, which includes the Hebrew Bible, has been translated into 1,658 languages. 

According to Guinness World Records as of 1995, the Bible is the best selling book of all time with an estimated 5 billion copies distributed.  For comparison sake, that is 625 times the Quran.

The Bible is perceived to be both fact and fiction, historical and non-historical.  It is about the past, present and future. It tells the future from the past and the past in ways that speak to present.  It contains prophecies fulfilled and prophecies yet to be fulfilled. 

Some percieve the Bible's message to be a blessing while others feel it to be a curse. Some believe the Words in the Bible offer Salvation and lead the way to Heaven, while others believe the bible is powerless. 

The bible offers a moral code, a foundation for living, a basis for healing, a path to peace and a promise of resurrection, all on a completely voluntary basis. And yet, many of society's actual laws and customs are rooted in the bible. Incalculable numbers of other stories, books and movies have been created which borrow from the bible. 

The bible contains great mysteries. There are astounding patterns and codes. There are names that have relevant deep meaning and collectively compose stories. There is math and science before that particular math and science was even "discovered." There are events on earth that align with things that happened with the sun, moon and stars. Archeological and geological findings substantiate or at least match up with the bible. 

There are ancient rituals, ceremonies and prayers drawn from the Bible that are still practiced to this day. There are 10's of millions of people who read the Bible every day. There are weekly portions assigned to set weeks for the entire year that manage to apply to the events in our lives in ways that reliably astonish us.

In literary ways the Bible is the greatest story ever told. It offers great wisdom. It can make us feel safe and secure. It can comfort us and give us reasons to be fearful. It is the story of creation and the purpose of mankind. 

Last but not least there is the tiny Land of Israel and the miniscule world population of Jews. Just 0.001875 who have managed to defy all the odds. And one particular Jew who had a lot to say. 

It can legitimately be said that the Bible is for times such as these. Whether you are a believer in the Bible or not, I think it is undoubtedly the most amazing book ever produced by God or Man. The bible is too coincidental to be a coincidence.  

So many are looking for proof. What more proof do you need? Are you looking for a sign? God hears that a lot.  Besides, it has been said, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." 

Speaking of HOPE...

ISRAEL HAS ONE WEEK TO FULFILL ITS PROMISE

Newly discovered top secret Hamas documents by Israel show that Hamas TARGETED children's schools including nursery schools. In my video I explained that is a tactic of Hamas's mission to DRAW Israel into Gaza in as large a way it could! 

I maintain that Iran privately WANTS Israel to move militarily into Gaza and kill Palestinians. Iran wants to use images of Palestinian deaths as justification for Iran ordering Hezbollah to launch far more lethal attacks on Israel from Lebanon and Syria. 

We can expect that as these attacks are launched, terror cells and lone-wolf radical actors inside Israel will launch terror attacks in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. (Israelies must stay home and out of public places, especially where there is larger groupings such as markets, restaurants,  etc) 

Ultimately, this war WILL reach Iran's own country soil, regardless of where the first strike comes from. Iran is making sure that Israel is under as much war pressure from all sides and internally before it launches its attack with missiles. 

The KEY to Iran's goal to destroy Israel is its strategy to exhaust Israel's Iron Dome capacity and missiles!  Iran wants as many of its ballistic missiles to land on Israel's cities as possible and that requires Iran to reduce Israel's missile defenses. Iran is using Hamas rockets and next Hezbollah to draw down Israel's supply of Iron Dome missiles. 

The USA just announced that we are sending Israel Iron Dome missiles "at the speed of war." Only God knows whether these supplies will come fast enough. 

All this means that the war is currently going according to Iran's plan. Israel and USA need to gain the upper hand strategically. 

Enter the USA. There is a possibility that Iran underestimated the US reaction. I do not see how the USA can avoid entering this war!  We have the largest naval/air power power in the world off the shores of Israel. I have little doubt that we have submarines off Iran in the Arabian sea. For multiple important stratrgic reasons to the USA as well as Israel, the US cannot sit idle in these locations while Iran is launching ballistic missiles at Israel!!  

Israel should attack Iran proactively prior to waiting for Hezbollah to attack Israel.  Israel needs to supercede Iran's plans and cut off the head of the snake!  The body of the snake without its head is aimless and defenseless!

THE FUSE IS LIT:

Keep in mind that according to experts, Iran needs 12 days to enrich uranium to make a nuclear bomb. It is very likely that clock started just prior to the launch of the attack on Gaza. Therefore, Israel has LESS THAN ONE WEEK to do what it has PROMISED it will do for over a decade -- STOP IRAN FROM GETTING A NUCLEAR WEAPON!! 

I REPEAT: IT IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DID THE FIRST EVER TEST OF OUR NEW EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM 5 DAYS BEFORE IRAN ENTERED GAZA AT 220PM. 

YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THIS>>

To the radical Islamist executing women and babies as well as the AYATOLLAH'S, THIS IS A HOLY WAR. The enemy delights in martyrdom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THE KNOWN UNKNOWN: Only God knows at this very moment whether Russia or any other country will enter this conflict. 

"The harsh prophecy concerning Damascus; Behold Damascus shall be removed from [being] a city, and it shall be a depth of ruins." Isaiah 17.1 

WATCH DAMASCUS!

P.S. I find it encouraging that the next two Jewish holidays coming up, Hanukkah and Purim, both celebrate miraculous victories by Israel over powers that ruled over Syria and Persia (Iran).

P.P.S. In the words of the Mishnaic sages:

One should thank G‑d for the bad, just as he blesses G‑d for the good, as the verse says, “You shall love the L‑rd, your G‑d, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all of your means.”

"Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the Universe, the true judge." Baruch dayan emet

Epilogue:

It could just be a coincidence that today on Shabbat, beginning at 12:08 pm, there is a rare "Ring of Fire" solar eclipse. Here is God's time table.

THE HOPE

For thou art my hope [tikvah], O Lord God; thou art my trust from my youth. Psalm 71:5

Hope can only be as strong as what we believe. Hope indeed often hinges on the strength and depth of our beliefs, giving us resilience and direction in challenging times. It aligns well with many themes in Proverbs and Psalms, which often emphasize the power of faith and belief.

The word for hope in Hebrew is Tikvah (תִקְוָה). HaTikvah (הַתִּקְוָה), "The Hope" is the national anthem of the State of Israel. (Click to listen Hatikvah)

Kol od ba’le’vav p’nima,Nefesh yehudi ho’miyah.

U’lefa-atei mizrach kadimah,

Ayin le’Tziyyon tzofiyah.

Od lo avda tikva-teinu,

Ha’tikvah bat sh’not al-payim

Lih-yot am chofshi b’ar-tzeinu

Eretz Tziyyon v’Yerushalayim.

 

Translation:

As long as within our hearts

The Jewish soul sings,

As long as forward to the East

Our hope is not yet lost,

It is two thousand years old,

To be a free people in our land

The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

Some may percieve "hope" to lack certainty. But in Hebrew, the word for "hope" is more concrete. 

Hope is rooted in expectation and Tikvah comes from the Hebrew root "kavah" meaning "to bind together, collect -- thus a tikvak can be a cord or thread. Tikvak can also mean to expect: tarry, wait (for, on, upon)." 

The first occurrence of the word tikvah in the Bible is in the biblical Book of Joshua during the account of Joshua and the Israelites conquering the city of Jericho after entering Eretz Israel.  Two Israelite spies encounter a famous biblical woman named Rahab. She is a prostitute -- an interesting choice for God to use.  The spies make an arrangement with Rahab whereby she is to tie a scarlet cord from her window to identify and save her and her family. 

Joshua 2:17-18

The men said to her, “We shall be free from this oath to you which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread  (a tikvah) in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household.

Rahab responded: 

Josuah. 2:21:

She said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord (a tikvah) in the window.

The bible tells us to be hopeful, with an expectant assurance and Rahab waited expectantly.

One of the most difficult things to remember is that hope is rooted in waiting. There too, in the Book of Joshua, is a reminder. The tikvah, the cord was Rahab’s only guarantee that her household would be spared by the Israelites. Rahad tied a physical cord to her window to ensure her family's safety, but Rahab still had to wait for the realization of the spies’ promise.

Within the list of faith champions in Hebrews Chapter 11 of the New Testament, Rahab is mentioned right after Moses, and instead of Joshua. Wow! The only other woman mentioned on the list is Sarah, Abraham’s wife and mother of Isaac. It is a high honor to be included in this group of believers.

Hebrews 11:31

It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. 

Rahab is one of five women mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus; they are Tamar the wife of Judah, Rahab the wife of Salmon, Ruth the wife of Boaz, Bathsheba the wife of King David (after being the wife of Uriah), and Mary the Mother of Jesus. Other then Mary, Rahab is the only one mentioned again in the New Testament.

Keeping the Faith Equates to Keeping the Hope:

A verse in Hatikvah is "Our hope is not yet lost," which is a way of saying "never to lose hope." In the Jerusalem Talmud Berachot 2:4, Jewish sages say that even on the worst day, the 9th day of Av (Tisha B'Av), when the Temple was destroyed by the Romans, hope is not lost because a "Redeemer has been born."

There is a well-known legend found in Jewish tradition, reflecting the belief that even in the darkest moments, there is a glimmer of hope and redemption.

"On the day that the Holy Temple was destroyed, a Jew was plowing his field when his cow suddenly called out. An Arab was passing by and heard the low of the cow. Said the Arab: 'Jew, Jew! Unyoke your cow, free the stake of your plow, for your Holy Temple has now been destroyed.' The cow then lowed a second time. Said the Arab: 'Jew, Jew! Yoke your cow, reset the stake of your plow, for the Redeemer has now been born...'"

This tale captures a profound moment of loss and the simultaneous promise of renewal. This narrative emphasizes the idea that from great sorrow can come great hope, and it encourages faith in divine providence and the eventual redemption.

The rabbis teach that though the meaning is ostensibly the destruction was a consequence of the Jews' sins, there was a deeper reason for it all. From the ashes of the destroyed temples will arise an infinitely greater Temple, one constructed by God Himself, one that will stand for all eternity.

THE HOPE -- OUR REDEEMER:

As scriptures tell us, in times of our deepest despair our Redeemer gives us hope. 

The "Hope of Israel" is a multifaceted concept in Jewish and Christian traditions. In Judaism, it often refers to the messianic hope—the anticipation of a future Messiah who will bring peace, justice, and restoration to Israel and the world. This hope is deeply rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly in the prophetic books. 

Moses received the Torah the around 1250 BCE, which is approximately 3250 years ago. Hatikvah specifically tells us that our hope "is two thousand years old." 

Acts 28:20 — The New International Version (NIV)

20 For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”

In Christianity, the "Hope of Israel" is seen as fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is believed to be the promised Messiah. Christians believe that through Jesus, the promises of God to Israel are realized, bringing salvation not only to Israel but to all humanity. This hope is emphasized in the New Testament, especially in the teachings of Paul, who often speaks of the fulfillment of the promises made to the patriarchs of Israel through Jesus.

Now, here is an interesting "coincidence" as it relates to the timing in the National anthem.  Hatikvah is based on a poem by Naftali Herz Imber, a Jewish poet from Złoczów, Austrian Galicia. Imber wrote the first version of this poem in 1877. However, the song Hatikvah wasn't officially declared the National Athem of Israel until 2004. The song says the Hope of Israel is 2000 years old. 2004 minus 2000 is the year 4. Now consider this.

In the Gospel of Luke, there is a famous reference to a census that took place around that time. This census is linked to the period when Quirinius was the governor of Syria and is notable for its connection to the nativity story of Jesus. In other words, "The Hope" of Israel can be dated back to just about the year Yeshua was born. 

 

WAITING EXPECTANTLY FOR THE HOPE:

Jeremiah 29:11

For I am mindful of the plans I have made concerning you—declares the LORD—plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a hopeful future. 

"Waiting" is associated with patience. The Hebrew word for patience is savlanut (סבלנות). The root, s-v-l (ס-ב-ל), literally means “to bear” or “to suffer.”  

To the believer, patience is a way of saying "long-suffering." Tikva (hope) helps us endure long-suffering. 

Jewish suffereing is literally biblical. Jews have suffered throughout history and to this day. Every time Hatikvah, the national anthem, is sung it lifts the spirits of Jews, especially Israelies, and gives us the hope to bear the suffering of the Jewish people with expectancy.  The Hope (Hatikvah) of Israel, the Messiah (Hamashiach - המשיח), the anointed One, maintains the Jew and the Christian.

"I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.'" 

Isaiah 46:10 (NIV)

In conclusion, I see a message in Hatikvah that is relevant to Jews and Christians alike.

Lord, may HaTikvah (The Hope) in my heart bear fruit. 🙏

Hatikvah in English 

IT'S A TRAP

Israel is about to march into a trap set by Hamas and Iran which is meant to cause the maximum death and destruction possible on both sides. Hamas is NOT an existential threat to Israel's existence, but Iran is and they have strategic reasons for executing this war as they are!

I fully support the complete elimination of every Hamas supporter in Israel and on this planet. But Israel should do it on its timetable and in ways that minimize Israeli losses.  In a war of attrition Israel can decimate Hamas in Gaza from the air and with snipers. Drawing Israeli troops into booby-trapped streets and buildings it's precisely what Iran and Hamas aimed for from the very beginning of their attack.

I believe the mission of Hamas was to capture as many hostages possible in order to draw Israel into Gaza and then Iran will use Israel's Gaza exercise as their justification to launch into northern Israel and inside Israel. Might Iran launches its ballistic missiles on the "great Satan" -- American ships in the Mediterranean and throughout Israel?

Israel must defend itself AT the Gaza BORDER and continue to make surgical airstrikes. This is terribly difficult for hostage families who want their loved ones rescued and where possible we should make attempts. 

Where we need to be proactive is with Hezbollah to the north, Syria and Iran. That is the inevitable battle. Marching into Gaza is exactly what Iran wants us to do. 

WATCH DAMASCUS! 

Previous video on how I see it. 

ISRAEL AND IRAN ARE AT A CROSS ROAD

Chamberlain and Hitler making peace deal

All night long my IDF "Notifications" went off. All the sirens were in southern Israel, thus Gaza/Hamas related. Their was a "false alarm" last night about a large drone attack in the north from Lebanon and Syria.  

Will this war be isolated to southern Israel and Gaza/Hamas? Or is there "another shoe to drop." What do you think? 

Iran can have a nuclear bomb in 12 days. They have vowed to destroy Israel.  Jews in Israel are suffering their worst trauma since the Holocaust. Netanyahu vowed to never let Iran have a nuclear bomb. He also called every Hamas man a ' 'Deadman.'

The war started. The question now is where, when and how it ends. I don't believe this war ends until Iran's nuclear program is severely damaged and there is no way Hezbollah and Syria sit idle through that. Not if Iran has any say, which they do.

During pre-WW11 the appeasement years set the stage for the Holocaust. The result of negotiating with the evil Nazi's wasn't a path to peace -- it was the the path to a terrible war.  So too with Obama and Biden -- their appeasement years has resulted in the current war. 

HERE WE SIT,  LIKE JUST BEFORE JUNE 6, 1944 -- D-DAY. 

The Germans knew we were going to land. The Allies knew we were going to attack.  We could feel the tension and anticipation. The path to peace is terrible.

DEJAVU - from IN BEGINNING (Genesis)