Tag Archives: Holy Land

Bees vs. Hornets: On Settlers in Judea and Samaria

This week’s parasha, Ekev, begins with God’s promise to Israel that if we serve Him diligently, He will bless us with abundance and strength. He will allow us to conquer and settle the Holy Land, despite the numerous nations that oppose us. The Torah says that we will inevitably think to ourselves: “These nations are more numerous than I; how will I be able to drive them out?” But Hashem assures us:

You shall not fear them. You shall surely remember what the Lord, your God, did to Pharaoh and to all of Egypt. The great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm with which the Lord, your God, brought you out. So will the Lord, Your God, do to all the peoples you fear. And also the tzira’ah, the Lord, your God, will incite against them, until the survivors and those who hide from you perish.

You shall not be terrified of them, for the Lord, your God, Who is in your midst, is a great and awesome God. And the Lord, your God, will drive out those nations from before you, little by little. You will not be able to destroy them quickly, lest the beasts of the field outnumber you. But the Lord, your God, will deliver them to you, and He will confound them with great confusion, until they are destroyed. (Deuteronomy 7:18-23)

There is no reason to fear the numerous multitudes of enemies. Yes, they dwell in the land, but “little by little” God will drive them out. He will confound them and they will destroy each other. This passage is of tremendous significance to keep in mind as we continue to see the intense drama in the State of Israel unfold before our eyes. Continue reading →

Judaism vs. Islam

Why did Islam emerge in 7th-century Arabia and what role did Jews play in its early history? How does Judaism view Islam today? And what are the similarities and differences between the two religions? Find out in this class where we also explore the Jewish wives and advisors of Muhammad, if a Jew is allowed to pray in a mosque, and an incredible prophecy about the role of Ishmael at the End of Days.

For the class on ‘Judaism vs. Christianity’, please see here.

Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict in 5 Easy Points (also includes a video about the true location of Al-Aqsa).

On the Arab-Jewish kings Abu Kariba and Dhu Nawas.

On Rayhana and Safiyya, the Jewish wives of Muhammad.

Please see also ‘How the Torah Alluded to Christianity and Islam’ in Garments of Light, Volume Two, which also has an in-depth exploration of the proper pronunciations of the Hebrew alphabet.

Regarding black and blue colours in ancient texts, see here.

For the paper on ‘Muhammad, the Jews, and the Composition of the Qur’an: Sacred History and Counter-History’ see here.

Why Did Muslims Rule the Holy Land for 1300 Years?

The Islamic Caliphate conquered Jerusalem and the Holy Land in 638 CE. With minor exceptions, various Muslim powers continued to dominate the land for the next 1300 years, until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. What is the deeper spiritual reason for this? Why did Muslims, the descendants of the Biblical Ishmael, merit to hold onto God’s Land for 13 centuries? Hear the Zohar’s surprising prophetic answer in this short video:

This video is an excerpt from ‘Did the Talmud Predict Today’s Crisis in Israel?’

For ‘Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict in 5 Easy Points’, see here.