Purim, Randomness and Quantum Mechanics

Purim in Tel Aviv

Einstein stated, "God does not play dice with the universe." In his clarifying letter, he wrote: "God tirelessly plays dice under laws which He has Himself prescribed.”

These days we may have an easier time understanding the double-slit experiment that demonstrates light and matter can satisfy classical definitions for both waves and particles. This ambiguity is considered evidence for the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics. Electrons fired in a single trajectory toward a screen, pass through a barrier with two slits, then interfere to produce bright and dark bands on the screen, a result that would not be expected if light consisted of classical particles.

This dual particle-wave quality demonstrates the fundamental limitation of the observer to predict experimental results, Richard Feynman called it "a phenomenon" where the observer affects the outcome.

Strangely the Jewish holiday of Purim celebrates drawing the random lot, as in a "lottery", that was played by Israel's chief villain to decide the date he would annihilate the Jews of Persia. The festival obliges Jews to reach a mind set, typically induced by excessive alcohol, where the cursed villain Haman and blessed hero, of the Jewish people, Mordechai are identical. Strangely, while inebriated, Jews must remain cognoscente that Haman was the villain. This mental juggling act can get tricky for some, especially after a few drinks and atonement on this occurs through unadulterated expression of joy. 

So why, on this most festive day of the entire calendar do Jews celebrate the miracle in the "lottery", surely there are other much more meaningful aspects of this redemption from collective disaster? 

Based on thousands of years of teachings, consistent with Torah, the Rebbe precisely describes the lofty, apparent randomness of the "lottery"! In classic Kabballah and Chassidus, the studies of Jewish mysticism and philosophy, the world and its Creator are defined, often invoking scientific analogies. For the uninitiated these are difficult to comprehend, but here in his Maamar, Al Kein Karu (highly recommended reading), on the story of Purim, the Rebbe transcends all complex spiritual barriers.

The lottery describes a lofty spiritual level like that experienced on the calendars holiest day, Yom Kippur, literally meaning a day like (ki) a "lottery" (pur). The classic meaning is a day like Purim where "like" defines Purim's lofty status over Yom Kippur. Opposite to Purim, atonement on Yom Kippur is granted for conflicting the Will of the Creator and takes place through affliction and fasting. Similarly, on Yom Kippur lots were cast to decide which of two identical goats would be sent to Azazel, the evil side and which one would be offered up on the Holy Temple Altar.

Since these items, goats, villain or hero should be either physically or spiritually identical ones intellect cannot reach a meaningful decision thus the will or desire to make an informed decision submits. Reverting to a higher order, the decision rises to the level of lot or lottery.

Masterfully The Rebbe elaborates on the Biblical sources that teach how choosing, on these high holidays, resembles the systematic order of creation. Here, 'lottery" presides above will or desire, but even more lofty, the possession of a free-choice. Therefore, in deference, The Creator, who granted free-choice to Man, Woman and the Jewish People, presides, including over particles and waves as The Master of Free-Choice. The Ultimate Observer affects infinite outcomes because every expression is probable, identical until, in our world, its momentarily not.

Haman and Babylonians knew about spiritual systems, he knew that his lot fell in the month Moses, the leader of the Jewish people died, he didn't know it was also the month of his birth. Only the lottery would afford him a random chance to destroy the Jewish people. In his arrogance he failed to recognize that free-choice granted by The Master of Free Choice affects all outcomes through His continuous expression that manifests as time and space. 

King Achashverosh (his name intimating controller over alternating modes of speaking-silence) who who had been influenced by his Jewish Queen, Esther (her name intimating her concealment), lifted his decree against the Jewish people and placed Haman's future into his Queen's hand. The gallows Haman prepared for Mordechai were instead used on Haman and the Jewish people were saved from certain annihilation.

Spooky science at a distance? Then watch this.

    

Tragic Parallel Worlds!

7.10.23

Simchat Torah 

Torah's opening verses invite deep contemplations about creation into which we can masterfully weave our modern knowledge of astrophysics and quantum science. Last Hebrew year 5783 should have been a year in which the King of Israel traditionally taught his nation the secrets and wisdoms of Torah, but a King was not forthcoming.

Immediately after creation events Torah introduces readers to the mystery of its Messianic plan.

אֵ֣לֶּה תוֹלְד֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִבָּֽרְאָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם עֲשׂ֛וֹת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְשָׁמָֽיִם׃2:4 Such are the generations of heaven and earth when they were created. When the LORD God prepared earth and heaven.

You can learn the unique elements of this verse in this previous post. Relevant here is the term  'generations' spelled in its full form only in one other verse of the 24 books of Torah - the Book of Ruth, where it refers readers to the Messianic blood line of King David.

Another verse shares an odd grammatical distribution with the Book of Ruth. The word Kaniti is the source of the name Cain. 

וְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַתַּ֙הַר֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־קַ֔יִן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃ 4:1 Now Adam knew his wife Eve, she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have acquired a person with the help of God”

Then, Cain murdered his brother Abel.

Eventually God gifted Abraham the land of Canaan as his rightful inheritance, but that presented challenges. With few relatives and a small household how would Abraham settle his land? What did Abraham do? He reached a peace-pact for the Philistine King and his people to stay in his land including in Aza, that pact was extended to future generations by Abraham's son Isaac. 

Isaac's son Jacob escaped his angry brother, left his fathers land and after 20 years began his return with his wives, 12 children and a large wealth in cattle. His estranged brother Esau encountered him and in a strained conversation about their respective aquisitions, his brother Esau claimed he had everything and didn't need Jacobs gift, Jacob urged him to take it stating he had been blessed with much.

Jacob entered the holy land where he immediately built a house, which he called Succot including shelter for his cattle. Then, his daughter Dina was raped in the nearby fields by landowner Shechem. Jacobs sons Levi and Shimon defended their land and honored their sister in a revenge that eliminated 24000 Shechemites. Jacob was concerned for their regional safety and very disturbed by their act. 

God appeared to Jacob to remind him of the covenant he had made 22 years earlier, before leaving his the land, that on his succesful return he promissed to build The House of God. Essentially saying; Have you forgotten the One who blessed you with your success? Realizing the error of his tardiness, Jacob instructed members of his household to bury the idols and treasures they posessed under a tree near their house (a common practice in ancient times). Unholy idols that Rachel had stolen from her father  and others were now buried in the holy land. 

The family made its way to Beit El, Jerusalem where Jacob attempted to fulfill his belated House of God covenant. But, tt wasn't to be! Within six months of arriving, Jacob's mother, Rebecca, died. The family left Bet El and on the way to her funeral in Hebron, near Bethlehem, Jacob's wife Rachel died giving birth to his 13th child Benjamin. The tragedies continued, Benjamins brother, Joseph was kidnapped, by his older brothers, sold into slavery and all 70 members of their family was exiled to Egypt where Jacob died.

210 years later Moses led more than two millions Israelis out of Egypt toward their land. But, not on the coastal route through Aza, land of the feared Philistines. Instead Israel diverted inland on a journey that took 40 years longer than it could have. Eventually Joshua led Israel into its holy land, immediately they conquered Jericho, but failed to conquer Beit El, Jerusalem. On each attempt the occupants reminded Joshua about the peace-pact Abraham and Isaac had entered with their Philistine descendants permitting them to stay in the land.

The rear-guard tribe, Dan was allotted the coastal land including Aza (today's Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Bat Yam). The other 11 tribes had already settled their land and failed to assist Dan conquer the powerful Philistines. Samson became the leader of Dan and also the nations senior judge. Singlehandedly he tried to draw attention to Israel's tribal apathy. He travelled to Aza where he tore off the citys' gate, carried it to the graves of Israel's Patriarchs and Matriarchs, in Hebron and pleaded their spiritual help. Sadly his demonstration did not inspire other tribes to help. Dispossessed of their land, some of Dan's tribal leaders established an idolatrous temple opposite the nations temporary sanctuary in Shilo. Samson continued to belittle the Philistines until God afforded him the opportunity to destroy their temple of idolatry and perish along with their leaders and thousands of congregants. 

The Philistines took revenge, they raided Israel's strongest tribes and targeted their holy temple in Shilo. Daringly and brazenly they stole the nations most holy possession, handed down by Moses - The Ark of Israel's Covenant with God! A thousand years after Abraham and Isaac the Philistine peace-pact was shattered! But, Dan and Israel were dispossessed of their land and never returned to conquer Aza. 

After King David arose in Hebron he conquered Jerusalem where he lived alongside the conquered Jebusite King. He recovered the Ark that had been abandonned by the Philistines, unified Israel's tribes and dreamed to fulfil Jacob's mission to build the House of God, but it wasn't to be. Instead, his son Solomon committed Israel to virtual slavery, for 7 years, to fulfill Jacob's House of God mission. Critically, Solomon was more lavish with his ornate palace that it took 12 years to build!

The House of God was finally inaugurated and King Solomon took to the public square to teach his nation the wisdoms of Torah. During Succoth, the most positive, joyous festival, Solomon taught from his book of Ecclesiastes, Kohelet, he opened: Meaningless, meaningless everything in life is meaningless... the acquisitions are meaningless true meaning can only be found when fulfilling the commandments of God's holy Torah. Solomon's House of God and the final Herodian Jewish Temple, in Syria-Palestina, as the Romans had named Israel, were ultimately destroyed.

This year 2023, being 2848 years after Solomon's House of God inauguration, Israel experienced its most rambunctious political and social divisions. People violently protested, vehemently defended their points of view, openly and widely publicized their disdain for each other. The Supreme court ruled against traditional religious practices in public spaces, which gave impetus for some protestors to denigrate Israel's holiest day of the year. On the day following Succot, during the joyous Simchat Torah festival of 5784, (7.10.23), 3 KM east of Aza, hundreds of party revelers naively danced before a giant Buddha juxtaposed were those who elsewhere danced with the nations traditional Torah.

In these tragic hours God closed the final spiritual gates of all Israel's sophisticated defense, border, police, air, ground, sea surveillance systems and the human forces that operate these and protect Israel. He blocked the ears and eyes of the public and caused all of Israel to fall. At the same time the spiritual gates for Hamas operatives to enter and carry out their barbarian savagery were left wide opened. In the right time these events will be disected and analyzed in fine and gory detail. However, for most people that Hamas was not spotted, or thwarted on the fence, in the sky or on ground in the 3KM gap, will remain mysterious, probably inexplicable. Regardless, Israel's resolve and response will usher in a new positive reality for Gaza, Israel and the world. 

We are mostly ignorant of Torah's spiritual realms and mortals dare not tie any to the harsh reality before us. But, our national lows often parallel past events and this horror cannot escape us as we look to the spiritual realms to find meaning and purpose. Please God, soon a King will arise to expound the mysteries and wisdoms of Torah that will motivate us to change our sensitivities, considerations and priorities toward each other and God. Then, Israel will finally be ready to build a befitting House of God for all people. 

 

  

Humble Expectations On Jerusalem's Mount Moriah

In his quest for meaning Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z'l speaks:

Now, I want to ask you a simple question. King Solomon built a Temple. Is that a good thing or not? Well, it must have been a good thing. It was the greatest thing ever, right? But were there some downsides to it? Were there some downsides to building the Temple? Okay, have a look at the beginning of the story of the building of the Temple. Can you see what it says? [I Kings 5:27-30]

King Solomon conscripted labourers from all Israel, 30,000 men. He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of 10,000 a month. So they spent one month in Lebanon, two months at home... Solomon had 70,000 carriers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hills, as well as 3,300 foreman who supervised... How many people did he have building the Temple? Can you do your arithmetic? (Congregation member speaks) A lot, exactly so. Precisely so, 183,000 and some, okay? That remind you of anything? When was the last time you heard about the Israelites being turned into a labour force? (Congregation member speaks - Egypt) Correct. Hang on, we were supposed to leave Egypt, right? Solomon seems to have taken the people back into slavery.

Now, have a look here at [I Kings 9:20-23]. All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites who were not of the people of Israel, these Solomon drafted to be slaves, and so they are to this day. But the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves. Can you read that? The Torah has to tell us, King Solomon didn't make the Israelites slaves. That's quite striking, is it not? Tell me, how long did it take Solomon to build the Temple? Anyone know?

Have a look, [I Kings 6:37-38]. In the fourth year the foundation of the House of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. And in the 11th year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it. It took him seven years to build the Temple, okay? Now look at the very next verse in Tanach. Can you see it?

[I Kings 7:1] Solomon was building his own house for thirteen years. Is that telling you something? He spent almost twice as long building his own palace as he spent building a House for God. So the Temple was a wonderful, wonderful thing, the greatest thing ever, but it practically reduced the whole of the Israelites to slavery. So that the Torah has to tell us, well he didn't actually make them into slaves, because at the end of seven years they could go free. And he spent twice as long building a house for himself as he spent building a House for God. That is a bit of a critique, right?

Now, do you remember what God said to David, when David said, "I've got to build a Temple for God." Anyone know what God said? Have a look, David says to the Prophet Nathan, "I want to build a house for God." Nathan says, that's a great idea, go ahead and do it. But, then we read... [II Samuel 7:4-7] But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord, would you build Me a house to dwell in? I haven't lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Egypt to this day. I've been moving about in a Tent for My dwelling. In all the places I've moved with the people of Israel, did I speak a word about any of the Judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, "Why haven't you built Me a house of cedar?"

I don't want a House. I'm happy with a Tent. So, we see that there is an undercurrent here. It's not the primary meaning, the Beit HaMikdash was the holiest thing ever, but there's an undercurrent that God didn't want this kind of palace. That it would turn the Israelites into a corvée, a nation of slave labourers. That it would be like every other nation in the ancient world, the modern world and everything in between. You want to announce, I'm great? You build monumental buildings. Everyone did it. Every, single nation there ever was. And God is saying to David, do you think I'm like that? Did I ever ask for such a thing? I was happy with a Tent. What was the name of that tent, by the way? It was called the Mishkan. Incidentally, how do English Bibles translate the word “Mishkan”. Anyone know? (congregation member answers: Tabernacle) “Tabernacle”. Does that remind you of something. (congregation members: Succot – the Festival of Tabernacles - Succah's) Are you with me? So, as house is to succah, so mikdash is to Mishkan as Temple is to Tabernacle. Right?

Now, I asked you a simple question. Who lived in a succah in the Torah? The Israelites, never! But what is the root of the word succah? Anyone know? What do we call the roof of a succah? S’chach. The root of succah is s’chach. Does that word appear anywhere in the Torah? The answer is yes, it appears twice. In which context, does anyone know? In the Mishkan, right?

There it is [Shemot 25:20-22] Vehayu hakeruvim, The cherubs, above the Aron [the Ark] right? The cherubs, porsay chnafayim lemalah, they spread their hands over them, sochechim bechanfayhem al-hakaporet. They comfort him. They were overshadowing, they were protecting, they were shadowing the kaporet. Al hakaporet uf’nayhem ish el-achiv el hakaporet. And the cherubs were facing one another. And that is in parshat Terumah, in which we have the command to build the Mishkan and the same words appear in parshat Vayakhel when they actually made the succah.

The only context in which s’chach appears in the Torah is in relation to the Mishkan, the tent. There is a place where, I'm not sure if it's the Temple, I'm not sure if it's the Temple, none of the commentators are sure it's the Temple, but does anyone know what harachamon we say in benching (grace after meals) on Chol HaMoed Succot? (congregation members answer) Harachamon hu yakim lanu et succat David Hannofalet. Right. You will see that that is a quote from Amos. [Amos 9:11] Bayom hahu akim et-succat David hanofellet. I will restore the succah of David that has fallen down. And remember what God said to David. I prefer living in a tent than a palace, than a House of cedar.

Now I'm going to ask you a very simple question. Which of the patriarchs lived in a house? Did Abraham live in a house? No, he lived in a tent. Did Isaac live in a house? No, he lived in a tent. You know who lived in houses? Have a look. Two angels come to Lot in Sodom. [Bereishit 19:2] Vayomer hineh na-adonay suru na el-bat avadechem... Lot lives in a house. Abraham lives in a tent. You know who else lives in a house? Look at source 28. [Bereishit 24:23] Vayomer bat-mi at hagidi na li hayesh beit avich makom lanu lalin. Abraham’s servant has come to find a wife for Isaac, who lives in a house? Laban lives in a house, Lot lives in house. Is that a good advertisement for a house? Not really, okay? Abraham lives in a tent, Isaac lives in a tent. Who is the first patriarch who lives in a house? Here is the verse, can you see it?

Now, listen, this has to be one of the strangest verses in the whole Torah. Listen carefully, [Bereishit 33:17] VaYaacov nassa succotah, and Jacob travelled to Succot, vayiven lo bayit, and he made for himself a house, the first patriarch to make for himself a house, ulemiknayhu assah succot, but for his cattle, he made succot. And he is about to celebrate the fact that he's the first patriarch to build a house. What do you think he's going to call the place? Beit something or other, right? Beit-El? Beit-Lechem? You name it. What does he call the place? Al kain kara shem hamakim Succot! Succot! There you are, you just bought a house in Hampstead Garden and you name it after your garage. I mean, have you ever seen anything more extraordinary? And what is Jacob telling us, the whole time? Jews don't have to live in houses to feel secure. I'm happy to live in succot, my animals live in succot, I'm happy to live there.

What does God say in parshas Behar? When you come to the land, the Land, you will never own it in perpetuity. Why? Ki li ha’aretz ki geirim vetoshavim atem imadi [Vayikra 25:23] “You are mere strangers and temporary residents, as far as I'm concerned.”

In other words, even though you live safely in the Land of Israel, never forget where you came from. Never settle down that you become complacent. Veram veshavevcha veshachachta, So that your heart is upraised and you forget where you came from and who you owe this to. Never forget. In the immortal words of the Beatles’ last recording, get back to where you once belonged.

So just as, in Israel, they were supposed to remember the forty years of wandering in the desert, now you begin to see this extraordinary thing, that just as, even though they are worshipping in the Temple Solomon built, don't forget how you first once had God living in your midst, in a succah, called the Mishkan, called the Tabernacle. You do not need great buildings of cedar and stone to find God. You can live in a little Mishkan or a portacabin, courtesy of Ikea, I have to tell you. And still God will be there. If, of course, you're keruvim [cherubs] whose face was ish el re’eihu. You turn face to face to your human being. That is where the Shechinah, the presssence of God lives. You remember where the Keruvim were facing in Solomon's Temple? They were not facing one another, they were facing peneihem el haBayit. They were facing the House, they were not looking at each other.

The Gemara in Bava Batra, [daf 99a] says, when Israel do the will of God, the cherubs face each other. When they don't do the will of God, they face the Bayit (House). That is an extraordinary Gemara. It's telling us that the Mishkan was closer to what Hashem wanted than Solomon's Temple. And what Succot is telling us is: Succot is when the Israelites went to the Temple and celebrated the produce of the fields and they thanked HaKadosh Baruch Hu, but they never forgot where they came from. Because every time a nation forgets its youth, its childhood, the hard times they had when they were struggling to make a go, they become decadent and they eventually decline and fall. But Jews never are allowed to do that because it's enough that you’re gerim and toshavim, that you’re temporary residence, and you're always asking Me [i.e. God] for another year of life. And it's enough, don't think you've got a great, big Temple, as good as the Egyptians, and the Mesopotamians. I tell you, I'm good enough with a Mishkan. Because that is the succah, that's the s’chach, that memory of the Mishkan is good enough for Me.

And we now understand exactly the argument of Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Eliezer. What is a succah? Rabbi Akiva is right. A succah was a succah mamash. Not a hut the Israelites lived in but the Mishkan, the portable, temporary dwelling that God dwelled in. And Rabbi Eliezer was right when he said annanei kavod. Because where were the annanei kavod? (Congregation member answers) Do you think they covered the people? If you look in the Torah, you will see they covered the Mishkan.

As long as they were in camp, the Cloud was over the Mishkan. When it moved beyond the Mishkan, then it was time to travel on. The Mishkan was a temporary dwelling.

But the odd thing is that the Temple was a permanent dwelling and yet it was destroyed twice, and we don't have it anymore. But the Mishkan, which could move anywhere, because God is everywhere, became the symbol of the shul that you can build in Jerusalem, but also, not bad, in Hampstead Garden Suburb. That became the permanent symbol. The temporary became permanent and the permanent turned out only to be temporary.

Ki besuccot hoshavti et Bnei Yisrael - when I brought them out of Egypt [Vayikra 23:42] It wasn't the Israelites who lived in a succah, it was God who lived in a succah. And the succah is telling us something absolutely unbelievable. That you don't need to have megabucks to buy a home for God. All you need is a garden shed and a bit of faith. And you have your schach and they overshadow you the way the cherubs overshadowed the Ark. And between the Keruvim is the Clouds of Glory.

The simplest, poorest Jew, who turns his face to his brother or sister, and builds a little succah is bathed in Clouds of Glory. And he has built his own, private equivalent of the Mishkan.

Jerusalem's Middle Bronze Yeshiva

    

Reconciling the Biblical record with archaeology is complex. Sometimes it exposes ambiguities in  interpretations of various commentaries. In contrast to mainstream commentators, Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba clarified Genesis 25:17 that Jacob spent 14 years in the school of Shem and Ever after leaving his father Isaac, but before arriving at his uncle Laban, who lived in Haran (northern Syria). This distinction helped align the archaeology on the eastern slope of ancient Jerusalem. 

An event described by the word "va-yi[Ph][G]ah" explained that Jacob "stumbled" upon a certain "place". The place is unanimously considered to be on Mount Moriah, the mountain on which ancient Jerusalem was built. It was also named Beit-El (House of God), which became common and caused mainstream commentators to bestow a super-rational explanation on the "va-yi[Ph][G]ah" place.

All commentators associate the "va-yi[Ph][G]ah" place with the landmark that Adam, Noah, Malchi-Tzedek (Shem), Abraham, Isaac and Jacob identified with the holy mountain. The Bible calls it SaLem (completion), and Abraham called it Yi-Reh (vision), in combination YiReh-SaLem became Jerusalem meaning 'complete vision'. Today we may loosely infer it as that flash of insight that crystalizes a 20-20 vision on the subject in the recipients mind. 

Jacob stumbled on the place, then experienced a powerful dream, a vision that he memorialized using a standing-stone as his permanent covenant to build and dedicate the House of God. Right after that he hid for 14 years in the school of his ancient relatives Shem and his great-grandson Ever learning the folklore and ancient mystical secrets before he departed for Haran. 

Jacob's standing-stone also known as a matzevah?

It follows the events that caused him to react; "How awesome is this place!" also attracted and compelled him to stay on the holy mountain where the school of Shem and Ever may have been located. Recent excavations in the cavernous bedrock of the east facing slope of Mount Moriah have revealed Middle Bronze Age facilities that may very well have accommodated residents and students who may have frequented the area.    

In Finding Zion, I provide a detailed account of the discoveries in the immediate vicinity of the "va-yi[Ph][G]ah" place, adjacent to the Gihon Spring where much of the Biblical account is being clarified through archaeological discoveries and insightful interpretations.

The Place Jacob Stumbled and Became Israel

Of 79,847 words in old testament Hebrew Bible, "va-yi[Ph][G]ah" is used once to describe the manner in which Jacob came upon a certain "place" [Ba MaKom] Genesis 28:11. It is also used once in the Book of Samuel and three times in the first book of Kings. In the latter books it expounds the murder of priests and retribution against a traitor. So, how does the murder of priests by Do'eg, who was a conniving, ruthless teacher of King David and retribution by Ben'ayahu ben Yehoiada, for the King relate to Jacob's experience at the place?

The verb "[Ph]-[G]ah" means to encounter, meet or reach, perhaps encounter (as in strike can relate to killing or murder. However, because a softer verb was not used commentators interpret this long memory, encoded into the Bible's Hebrew words as if to his surprise Jacob, fell upon, collided with, or stumbled onto the place.

Regular readers of this blog know that the standing stone or matzevah in ancient Jerusalem's temple zero complex (see image below) may be the one Jacob erected the morning after his "va-yi[Ph][G]ah" experience which was followed, that night by his famous 'stairway-to-heaven' dream.

Four room temple complex on Upper Ridge above the Gihon Spring

Of the four rooms discovered in the temple complex, on the eastern face of Mount Moriah the bedrock at the western end of room 2 drops to a low point around 1 meter above the ground. This apparently natural feature outlined in red and immediately further west in green (in the images below) illustrates the fall of bedrock toward the ground level bedrock. The standing stone (also in the images below) is not depicted in room 2 (above) to illustrate that it was erected on top of the ground level bedrock well after this temple complex had already been constructed.

Looking west into Room 2 

Only the raised bedrock platform at the rear (west) end of room 3 was purposely left in place when the original constructors shaped the bedrock into these four rooms. The image (below) of room 3 bedrock floor contrasts the liquids channel (left of image) carved into the bedrock floor from retained (top rear) raised altar platform. This serves to emphasize the purpose of the construction as a temple complex from the outset.

Room 3 altar platform left in place when rooms bedrock was removed to shape rooms

The man-made-wall in the background, west of the green outlined bedrock (below) was dated to the time of King Hezekiah by various archaeologists. Around 1000 years earlier, toward the end of the middle Bronze Age the man-made-wall did not exist, but the bedrock features of rooms 1,2,3 and 4 did. We know that because pottery artifacts discovered in passages immediately east and north of these rooms are dated to the middle bronze age and chisel markings are indicative of that time. 

Matzevah or standing stone at the rear, west end of room 2

Further west of the man-made-wall bedrock continues under the wall, as seen in the image below. In the middle Bronze Age, before the man-made-wall was built bedrock access to and from the west of the temple complex would have been a more gentle access route. The grade of the east facing slope seen in the following image supports the idea of gradual access.

The man-made-wall  (City Wall in image below) approximately demonstrates the relative position of the four room temple complex on the Upper ridge in context to the City Wall at the site of the excavations. It also illustrates the proximity of the Upper Ridge temple complex to the water of the Gihon Spring in the Kidron Valley below.

For those who are familiar with the Bible story of Jacob: On the run from his brother, Jacob made his way to (Genesis 28:11) the holy place of his ancestors (Mount Moriah) where his father was once offered as a sacrifice by his grandfather whose homeland Jacob was about to leave behind. When the sun set he stumbled upon the bedrock and fell into room 2 of the temple complex. That night he packed stones around his head, which he took from (the ramp of the altar in) room 3 and exhausted he fell asleep. In the morning when he awoke, he erected the stone and anointed it (Genesis 28:18) and after twenty years in exile he returned back to it (Genesis 35:14). I maintain that this is the place Jacob was seeking and this is the place Israel is still seeking, perhaps one day we will all find it!

Bethel - Cause of Israel's Greatest Disaster?

Red routes through Benjamin's land connected west-east,
north-south and defines the "quarters" in Joshua 18:14-15

Benjamin's tribal land included the northern section of Mount Moriah. The southern part, marked near the Gihon Spring was Judah's territory and it included Luz or BeitEl (Bethel) (2Kings23:4). At the time Israel's tribal land boundaries were allotted by Moses and Joshua, Mount Moriah was occupied by Jebusites. Benjamin's territory served as a major traffic junction for people traversing the Judean ridge. The geophysical details are clearly described in the video below:

The precise location of Bethel (Luz according to Genesis 28:19, Joshua 18:13) and El Bethel (Genesis 35:7) remains a major point of contention among academics and Biblical scholars. Luz being synonymous with Bethel may not seem that significant, but it has caused and continues to cause Israel's greatest disasters. The problem is relevant because modern Bethel, north of Jerusalem, on Benjamin's northern border with Ephraim, distorts our understanding of places in Torah when it substitutes for Luz-Bethel, in ancient Jerusalem, on Benjamin's southern and Judah's northern boundary. In the map (above) replace the name "Jerusalem" with "Bethel" and you will immediately see the confusion these dueling Bethel locations could have caused by two of Israel's most politically competitive tribes.

What's the big deal you may ask?  During Israel's ~250 year exile in Egypt and sojourn in the dessert, the true location of Jacob's covenant at Bethel was buried under falling ground cover on Mount Moriah and its location forgotten by Israel. Around 250 years before the tribes of Israel were allotted land under Joshua, Jacob had returned to Luz-Bethel-Ancient Jerusalem where he had made a covenant and took the name Israel (Genesis 35:10). 

Importantly Mount Moriah, the mountain on which Luz-Bethel-Ancient Jerusalem was located would ultimately become the site of Israel's holy altar and temple. As such it would be a prestigious and economically lucrative location. However, from the time Israel returned to its land it was not clear whether Jacob's Bethel was on the southern (with Judah) or northern (with Ephraim) boundary of Benjamin. This exacerbated rivalry between the tribes, Ephraim (from Joseph) and Judah.

The Book of Joshua recorded the land demarcation. After Joshua, despite the temporary tabernacle initially being established in Ephraim's territory, at Shiloh, contentions grew over the site of the future permanent temple. While the tribes were at first preoccupied, defending and settling their land, they could not penetrate the Gihon Spring fortress that the Jebusites had built at Luz and the location of Jacob's Bethel remained hidden. It would be another 300 years before the fortress was captured by King David. During this long period, without a national consciousness about the location of Jacob's Luz-Bethel-Ancient Jerusalem, Bethel on Benjamin's northern boundary with Ephraim became established. Further, Bethel in the north was on the naturally busy route between Bethlehem, ancient Jerusalem (Jebus) and Shiloh, where the tabernacle was located for almost 300 years. 

The site of Jacob's covenant was buried and the national memory of its location lost. Now, after a decade of research the information is crystalizing and the mystery is being solved. Its clear to me the Jebusites, aided by Amorites, Hittites, Moabites and possibly Egyptians were motivated to built the huge fortress over the Gihon Spring. Most likely they were motivated to secure and industrialize water supply and prevent Israel returning to Ancient Jerusalem under Moses or Joshua. Their plan was successful and lasted ~400 years. We now know King David did not re-discover Jacob's Bethel-Luz location, however archaeological evidence indicates the entire area (shown in the high-ridge plan below) was buried with soft soil to preserve it. In excavations sand was taken from above the bedrock and sifted. In it a bullae was discovered from the Kings period and several from periods prior including bronze age artifacts. It has now become clear that the area on the bedrock was first re-discovered by King Uziah before the stone cut channel from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam and the eastern defensive wall were built. At that time it was decided to re-bury the area and protect it from the much anticipated Assyrian invasion.  

Recent discoveries at Ancient Jerusalem's City of David could be southern Bethel-Luz. They include:

High ridge plan[3] at the Gihon Spring in City of David
ancient Jerusalem. Oil and grain press, altar, covenant stone

Matzevah or the covenant stone was anointed with oil,
perhaps the location of Jacob's assumption of his name Israel

After King Solomon, Northern Bethel, on the boundary of Ephraim and Benjamin was exploited by Jeroboam who used it to demarcate and split the northern tribes of Israel. To do so he played with the historical confusion. He aligned with Egypt, built his palace in Shechem north of Shiloh, built Penuel (and most likely several other sites) and his idolatrous temple and altar in Bethel on Benjamin's northern boundary. Then, he specifically prevented Israel's northern tribes proceeding south to the temple in Jerusalem where his rival, Solomon's son Rehoboam presided (1Kings 12:25). 

Jerusalem's Holy Basis [In chronological order] - [1] Gihon Spring, cave dwelling, Salem (Genesis 7:1) high ridge with altar, oil and grain press. [2] Abraham pitched his tent East of Bethel, West of Ai. (Genesis 12:8) [3] Luz-Bethel high ridge addition of matzevah, upper Gihon pool, fortress and city walls. [4a] Ai destroyed. [4b] Joshua's ambush party (Joshua 8:14) remained in Kidron Valley. [4c] Joshua's troops attack over valley to Ai [5] Palace of King David

The image above describes the features that resolve the ambiguity of Jacob's Bethel. It may turn out that the matzevah (massebah), or standing pillar above the Gihon Spring is truly Jacob's and that the location was indeed obfuscated. If true, it would significantly re-orient scholars to re-consider all they know about the geography that has caused so much confusion. Finally we would restore Jacob to his rightful place, where he originally took the name Israel, where his father was bound by his grandfather who was the link to Israel's ancestral inheritance.

THE VIDEO BELOW IS IS THE LATEST UPDATE AS AT DECEMBER 2024.