Tishri Newsletter 5786

This newsletter is dedicated to the souls of the fallen and the murdered Israelis, along with the safe return of all the Israeli citizens held in captivity.

For two thousand years we have been walking together on the path to the fulfillment of the dream – the construction of the Temple and the renewal of the full bond with God.

In a fascinating video, Rebbetzin Idit Bartov explains the wonderful parallel existing between the holidays of Tishrei and the wedding process between a couple – and how all of this reveals to us the path to the new generation that is being built, a generation of bonding, of holiness and of closeness.

Activities

After 2,000 years, the route pilgrims walked to the Temple is revealed in all its glory – from the Pool of Siloah to the Temple Mount. Excavations have uncovered a bustling ancient street, coins, stalls, and even a hiding trench dating from the Great Revolt times.

New research points to a surprising connection between Pontius Pilate and the paving of the road. The inauguration ceremony in the City of David was attended by the Prime Minister, senior US officials and other representatives. Prime Minister Netanyahu's words: "2,000 years after the destruction of the Second Temple, we are rediscovering our past, Jerusalem is ours and will never be divided again." US Ambassador Mike Huckabee added: "The stones scream the truth - the Jewish people have belonged to this place for 4,000 years."

In 2025, 42,308 Israeli Jews and 31,594 tourists ascended the Temple Mount.
What about you?

(Credit: Journal Makor Rishon)

The Sukkot holiday is known as "the season of our joy" since it uniquely brings together both physical and spiritual happiness.

Physical joy stems from gathering the field's crops and the land's bounty, as a person thanks God for all the material blessings granted to him. Spiritual joy comes from the purification and refinement that follow the Days of Atonement and Yom Kippur—the heart is filled with a sense of relief, a renewed closeness to God, and a deep feeling of merit for one's service.

The Sages pointed out that the Torah mentions three different expressions of joy specifically for Sukkot:
"And you shall rejoice in your festival"
"And you shall be nothing but joyful"
"And you shall rejoice before the lord your God for seven days"

In contrast, no mention of joy is made vis a vis Passover, and for Shavuot, it is indicated only once.

Hence, on Sukkot, three central reasons for joy come together:
• The blessing of the grain harvest
• The gathering of fruits
• The spiritual redemption that follows Yom Kippur

This joy is also expressed through practical actions in the Temple and Jerusalem: the offering of "joy-offerings" that are eaten with family and the poor, the taking of the Lulav for seven days, and the "Simchat Beit HaSho'eva" (The Water-Drawing Ceremony), which is the climax of the festival's joy. These mitsvot emphasize the values of sharing, giving, and fellowship, and they amplify both personal and public joy.

Joy is also required in daily life—in eating, drinking, wearing fine clothes, and sharing goodness with others. This is how true happiness is created, connecting the physical and spiritual realms and expressing deep gratitude for God's blessings. It is no wonder that the Sages said, "Whoever has not seen the Water-Drawing Ceremony has never seen joy in their life."

The month of Tishrei, which is the seventh month, is not just a chronological count but a month of abundance—an abundance of mitsvot (Shofar, Yom Kippur, Sukkah, Aravah) and an abundance of physical blessings (grain, grapes, and all the goodness of the land).

Ultimately, the source of all abundance—both spiritual and physical—derives from the Temple, from which blessings and happiness flow to the entire world. May we soon merit to observe the Tishrei festivals in their fullness in the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, and experience worldwide abundance and joy.

(From Rabbi Oded Kitov and Rabbi Israel Ariel)

"Trust in the LORD with all thy heart, and lean not upon thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths."
(Proverbs 3:5-6)