– Parashah 39: Chukat (Regulations) –
(Complete Jewish Bible)
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– Parashah 38: Korach (Korah) –
(Complete Jewish Bible)
Copyright exists in all the material on this website and is owned by Messianic Education Australia Ltd. unless otherwise explicitly stated. This copyright extends to the images, logos, layout and presentation styles as well as the text material.
Avir is still wandering about in the Garden of Gethsemane amongst the many flower bushes and shrubs on this delightful Spring day. The rows of full blown roses create a festive look with dazzling colours and scents. Like ancient sentinels, the old olive trees with their hollow and twisted trunks stand guard over this whole area; some are more than three metres in diameter and recent studies have revealed that they are still in excellent health.
Noted historian Flavius Josephus reported that all the trees around Jerusalem were cut down by the Romans for their siege equipment before they captured the city in AD70. Even so, the Garden of Gethsemane has three of the eight ancient trees dating back to the middle of the 12th century, and all eight originated as cuttings from a single parent tree.
The Garden Grove is situated at the foot of Mt of Olives. This is the place where Yeshua prayed with His disciples on the night before he was crucified: Matthew 26:36 says, “Then Yeshua went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane and said to them, “Stay here while I go and pray over there.” ”
Garden of Gethsemane (Pic-1)
Today, Avir, who is behind the camera, is visiting the Garden of Gethsemane. These two beautiful photos are taken from within the Garden. The season is springtime following Passover and in the left picture one sees part of the garden with its well-kept paths, old and some ancient olive trees, rows of rose bushes and other native flora. The Garden has been an important feature in Jerusalem’s landscape and several key events in the life of Yeshua took place here. Avir takes in the view of the ancient walls and the famous double-arched Golden Gates that have existed for over 2000 years and through which Yeshua probably gained access to the city after visiting friends in the village of Bethany on the Mount of Olives and through which He most likely entered on ‘Palm Sunday’.
At that time these gates which are called Sha’ar Harachamim in Hebrew, allowed easy access to Herod’s Temple. However, Jerusalem was all but destroyed in 70 A.D. leaving nothing but ruins and desolation until the walls were re-built in about 520 A.D. and the Golden Gate once again open. But, about 300 years later, they were closed again in 810; reopened in 1102 by the Crusaders but closed again by Saladin after he retook Jerusalem in 1187. Then, in 1541 an Ottoman sultan rebuilt the city walls and purposely sealed up the Golden Gates and which have remained sealed.
According to tradition, the Messiah will enter Jerusalem from the East. The Complete Jewish Bible says in Ezekiel 44:1-3: “Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looks toward the east; and it was shut. Then said Adonai unto me; this gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Adonai, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Adonai; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.”
Avir at the Shuk
Avir has found his way to the famous Mahane Yehuda Markets Jerusalem, also known as the Shuk. The Shuk is an important shopping centre in the hustle and bustle of everyday life for this multi-cultural city and unique in its own special way. The many streets within the markets are filled with vendor’s stalls, offering food, drinks, clothes, hardware, electrical goods, fruit and vegetables, restaurants and bars. The air is filled with authentic Middle-Eastern aromas of coffee, spices, teas, nuts, dried fruits, baking products, sweets and candies, halva (a sesame and tahini sweet) and the fresh products of fish, fruit and vegetables and cheeses.
The Shuk contains 250 plus stalls and these are permanently housed in an open street area or in the covered section. Today, Avir is standing beside the many spices and leaf teas displayed in this stall—so many to see and and choose from. It is commonly said that one should come hungry to the Markets, and slowly eat your way through from one end to the other, and take in the amazing diversity of people and cultures”. When in Jerusalem next, remember to visit this very interesting centre of cultural life.
