Each week, the Jewish people read a certain portion of the Torah, along with a reading from the Prophets. There have been a number of events that have had interesting correlation with the readings of the week, or with the prophecies of the End Times. Noticing these "coincidences" helps us to realize the powerful moving of the Hand of G-d, that He is truly the King of the Universe, in full control of the drama of our days. Here is a brief recap of just a few highlights in the calendar.

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Jan. 9-Feb. 4, 2006/ Tevet 29 - Shevat 6, 5766

Parshat Bo Exodus 10:1 - 13:16 Jeremiah 46:13 - 28

Sunday afternoon, more than 200,000 mourners attended the funeral of kabbalistic sage Rav Yitzhak Kadouri (ZAL) who passed way Saturday night at around 10 p.m.

Jan. 22-28, 2006/ Tevet 22-28, 5766

Parshat Vaera Exodus 6:2 - 9:35 Ezekiel 28:25 - 29:21

In Parshat Vaera, Hashem begins to push Pharaoh and the Egyptians to show what is really inside them, who they truly are. The Palestinians overwhelmingly elected Hamas to their parliment, demonstrating the true feelings of the Palestinian people toward the peace process. As Egypt was the rod in Hashem's hand, for a season, pushing Israel to prepare the people to be HIS people, we can see the Palestinians similarly.

Jan. 9, 2006/ Tevet 9, 5766

Parshat Vayechi Genesis 47:28 - 50:26 I Kings 2:1 - 12

A Special Session of the Sanhedrin: The Covenant of B'nai Noah and Their Pact
In a public meeting in Jerusalem, the first council for B'nai Noah of the world was instituted by the Sanhedrin. Those appointed to the High Council of B'nai Noah made a pledge before the Sanhedrin, disavowing idolatry. It is interesting coming in the month of Tevet, which is associated with the Hebrew letter "Ayin", whose numerical value is 70--the Biblical number associated with the nations.

Jan. 4, 2006/ Tevet 4, 5766

Parshat Vayigash Genesis 44:18-47:24 Ezekiel 37:15-28

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had a massive stroke, following a milder one. He is said to have brain damage.

Aug. 29, 2005/ Av 24, 5765

Parshat Re'eh Deuteronomy 11:26 - 16:17 Isaiah 54:11 - 55:5

Katrina hit the Gulf coast of the United States. The storm began to form in the Atlantic the day of the demolition of the last house in Gaza. It hit the US coast during the parsha entitled "Re'eh"--"see."
For the full article: Re'eh: What do we see? – Katrina, the Aftermath of Katif

Dec. 26, 2004/ 14 Tevet 5765

Parshat Shemot Exodus 1:1 - 6:1 Isaiah 27:6 - 28:13; 29:22 - 23

The Tsunami hit the Pacific rim of Asia, killing about a quarter of a million people and injuring countless more and wreaking catastophic damage.

Nov 11, 2004/ 27 Cheshvan 5765

Parshat Toldot Genesis 25:19 - 28:9 Malachi 1:1 - 2:7

Yassir Arafat died. The Palestinians wanted him buried on the Temple Mount. In the parsha, the Philestines filled the wells of Avraham with dirt. Our Sages say that the three wells represent the three Temples, and the filling them with dirt is the attempt to stop the flow of Torah. Even so, the Palestinians continue to try to stop the flow of Torah out of Zion, challenging the Jewish claim to the Temple Mount with every pretext.
Arafat fell ill in the middle of October, in the same period as the founding of the new Sanhedrin.

Oct. 13, 2004 / Tishrei 28, 5765

Parshat Noach Genesis 6:9 - 11:32 Isaiah 54:1 - 55:5

Sanhedrin Launched in Tiberias
A unique ceremony - probably only the 2nd of its kind in the past 1,600 years - took place in Tiberias today: The launching of a Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish-legal tribunal in the Land of Israel.
For the full Arutz Sheva article: Sanhedrin Launched In Tiberias

Sept. 11, 2001/ Elul 23, 5761

Parshat Nitzavim Deuteronomy 29:9-30-20 Isaiah 61:10-63:9

The World Trade Center in New York City was attacked by terrorists, crashing two planes into the towers. Simultaneously, a plane crashed into the Pentagon. Alkeida, headed by Osama Ben Laden, claimed responsibility. Over 3000 people died.

Oct. 29- Nov. 4, 2000/ Tishri 30-Cheshvan 6, 5761

Parshat Noach Genesis 6:9-11:32 Isaiah 54:1-55:5

Israel is at war with the Palestinians. Yassir Arafat is asking the UN to become involved. Appeals have been made at the meetings and conventions of the various UN groups. The attitude of the majority of the Nations tends to be pro-Palestinian, in favor of the "underdog", as dictated by the Arab states in their ongoing desire to destroy Israel altogether. The Oslo Peace Process was initiated by people of the UN to bring the region into line with the agenda of the New World Order. This week Shimon Peres, who secretly began the negotiations for the Oslo agreement, met with Yassir Arafat to try to calm the situation and restore the negotiations.

October 22-28, 2000 / Tishri 26-29, 5761

Parshat Breshit Genesis 1:1-6:8 Isaiah 42:5-43:10

G-d condemns His servant Israel as being unfaithful in taking His Teaching to heart and calls the Nation "blind" and "deaf". Hashem says that He would pour His wrath out, His anger and the fury of war. Yet, toward the end of the prophecy we read:
But now thus said the L-rd--
Who created you, O Jacob,
Who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I will redeem you;
I have singled you out by name,
You are Mine.
When you pass through the water,
I will be with you;
Through streams,
They shall not overwhelm you.
When you walk through fire,
You shall not be scorched;
Through flame,
It shall not burn you.
For I the L-rd am your G-d,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior." -- Is. 43:1-2

G-d is saying that even while Israel goes through the punishments that He Himself ordained, He will go through them with us. His love is more perfect than any a human can conceive or understand in any way. His love is brings correction, but it also protects and shields. It is the perfect balance of justice without harshness and mercy without leniency. It is judgement and mercy at the same time.

Verse 5 picks up the theme of G-d's love and purpose for Israel:
"Fear not, for I am with you:
I will bring your folk from the East,
Will gather you out of the West;
I will say to the North, "Give back!"
And to the South, "Do not withhold!
Bring My sons from afar,
And My daughters from the end of the earth--
All who are linked to My name,
Whem I have created,
Formed, and make for My glory--
Setting free that people,
Blind though it has eyes
And deaf though it has ears."
All the nation assemble as one,
The peoples gather.
Who among them declared this,
Foretold to us the things that have happened?
Let them produce their witnesses and be vindicated,
That men, hearing them, may say, "It is true!"
MY WITNESSES ARE YOU
--declares the L-rd--
My servant, whom I have chosen.
To the end that you may take thought,
And believe in Me,
And understand that I am He:
Before Me no god was formed,
And after Me none shall exist-- Is. 43:5-10

Notice this passage says: 'I will say to the North, "Give back!"'. Above, in 42:22 He says:
"They (Israel) are given over to plunder, with none to rescue them;
To despoilment, with none to say "Give back!"
Yet here G-d is saying He Himself will demand "Give back!" He Himself will do what no one else will. The situation isn't hopeless, for He is the hope of Israel. And in Israel's hope, there's hope for the entire world. The justice that G-d brings about is the end of injustice in the earth and will ultimately usher in the Redemption. The ingathering of the exiles back to Israel is the beautiful promise of G-d's eternal love, that never He forgets His promises to, nor His covenant with, Israel. Too, we are seeing more and more Arab aggression claiming everything Jewish, literally trying to obliterate any evidence of Jewish presence from the Land. We are now in the time of the fury of war. We're seeing a playing out of the claims of the enemy, whose plans are the despoilment of Israel, with no one to say: "Give back!" But we can know that if this part of the prophecy is coming into fulfillment, that G-d is faithful to bring the rest to fruition. He will never leave us nor forsake us -- no matter how bad things appear to be developing. He goes through the fire with us to bring us through the other side. We can look to the future with hope. Israel has a destiny, according to the word of the Master of the Universe:
MY WITNESSES ARE YOU
--declares the L-rd.

Sept. 24-30, 2000/ Elul 24, 5760 - Tishri 1, 5761

Parshat Ha'azinu Deut. 32:1-52 II Sam. 22:1-51

On Rosh Hashana 5761 (September 29, 2000) Palestinian riots began, in which many died and were hurt. The reading during the week before Yom Kippur, Ha'azinu, is referred to as a song or a poem: "Moses spoke... the words of this song..." (Deut. 31:30). Although this song begins with words of G-d's continuing love, it ends with warning to Israel of the consequences of violation of the Torah.

The L-rd saw and was vexed and spurned His sons and His daughters. He said: "I will hide My countenance from them, and see how they fare in the end. for they are a treacherous breed, children with no loyalty in them. They incensed Me with no-gods, vexed Me with their futilities; I'll incense them with a no-folk, vex them with a nation of fools." -- Deuteronomy 32:19-21

Feb. 2-8, 1997/ Sh'vat 26 - Adar 3, 5757

Parshat Yithro Exodus 18:1-20:26 Isaiah 6:1-7:6 ; 9:5,6

On Tuesday night, Feb. 4, 1997 (Sh'vat 28, 5757) two helicopters collided at 7:00 pm over She'ar Yeshuv, a moshav on the northern border. Seventy-three soldiers died in the crash. Ammunition exploded and flares shot into the air from the midst of the fire. The next day was declared a day of mourning, the following day one of fasting. She'ar Yeshuv has 73 families. The Haphtorah of the preceding Shabbat, for the parsha reading of Yithro, was Isaiah 6-7. In chapter 7, Isaiah is told to take his son, She'ar Yeshuv, with him (vs. 3). Verse 4: "Keep calm, and be quiet; fear not, neither let thy heart be faint, because of these two tails of smoking firebrands..." The helicopter tails collided and shot flares into the air. Hezbollah celebrated the crash as the "hand of G-d". Sunday ended Ramadan with Ein Id Fiter--the "sacrifice of Ishmael". The reaction of the Arabs was like the nations crying: "Where is your G-d?" The gist of the Haphtorah passage in Israel is the blindness of Israel. "She'ar Yeshuv" means "a remnant shall return". Isaiah named his son prophetically for the people of Israel's return from the Babylonian exile.

On Passover on 1996, there was a full lunar eclipse. If not for the change to daylight savings time, it would have occurred at midnight. The Midrash tells us that on the first Passover, as the death angel passed over, the moon was eclipsed at midnight. During the week of Passover, the skirmish between Israel and Hizbollah in Lebanon began.

March 3-9, 1996/ Adar 21-27, 5756

Parshat Ki Tisa Exodus 30:11-34:35 I Kings 18:1-39

The Haphtorah tells of the pagan king of Israel, Ahab, calling Eliyahu the Prophet, "troubler of Israel." The following Monday was a hearing for Rabbi Yitzhak Ginsburgh, who heads yeshivot at Joseph's Tomb, the Jericho synagogue, and in Hebron, who had been arrested on the orders of then Prime Minister Shimon Peres.

Dec. 10-16,1995/ Kislev 17-23, 5756

Parshat Vayeishev Genesis 37:1-40:23 Amos 2:6-3:8

The night of Dec. 12, 1995/ Kislev 19, 5756 Shechem (Nablus) was given over to Palestinian rule. The weekly parsha was Vayeishev, in which is the story of the selling of Joseph by his brothers. On Sunday of that week, Israeli soldiers fought with students at the Yeshiva of Joseph's Tomb.

Christmas of 1995 was celebrated in Bethlehem under Palestinian rule. Arafat's picture donned the top of the tree. In his Christmas speech, Arafat lauded the birth of the "Palestinian Jesus." Former chief Rabbi Avraham Shapiro called for Jews to rent their clothes in mourning, reminding the nation of the Talmudic halacha of mourning for the destroyed cities of Judea.

Oct. 29 - Nov. 4, 1995/ Cheshvan 5-11, 5756

Parshat Lech Lecha Genesis 12:1-17:27 Isaiah 40:27-41:16

Nov. 4, 1995 (moetze Shabbat) Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated. That Shabbat the Jews of the world had read the parsha Lech Lecha. Within the verse concerning the Covenant of the passing of the fire between the pieces, is the phrase: "Aish, aish, ra, rabin"-literally "fire, fire, bad, Rabin". The first report was that there were two shots fired. Also interesting is the fact that Rabin, who had made the statement: "The Bible is not a book of deeds", was shot after the nation had just finished reading the deed in the Abrahamic Covenant.

On November 22, 1995/ Cheshvan 29, 5756, there was an earthquake in Israel, which was felt from Syria to Egypt. Several people died in the quake, and there was considerable damage. On the same day, the first international observers for the Palestinian elections arrived in Jenin.. In Ezekiel 38:18-19 a large earthquake is prophesied with Gog's first setting foot upon the Land.

Oct. 22-28, 1995/ Tishri 28-Cheshvan 4, 5756

Parshat Noach Genesis 6:9-11:32 Isaiah 54:1-55:5

The week (Oct. 27, 1995/Cheshvan 3, 5756) the world celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the UN, the Torah parsha Noah was read by the Jewish people. This portion includes the story of the Tower of Babel, whose theme was the determination of the nations for self determination and sufficiency, ironically, in defiance of G-d. Their symbol of unity was a tower, oddly similar to the UN building in New York.

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