Israel Speaks
Observant Jews around the world use certain items to practise religion.
The most important is the Torah which consists of the 5 books of Moses.
Religious Jews read, study and inter- pret the Torah their entire lives.
Bet El is located in the Samarian mountains some 30 km
North of Jerusalem.
There is a factory which is spe- cialized in writing Torah scrolls
and manufacturing Jewish ritual artifacts.
Abraham Itzhak Babad is the factory's spokesperson.
The Bible, Torah, is the tradition of the people of Israel.
You can make many versions of the Bible, change the words, -
edit the text and, as a result, get a completely different book.
In writing the texts for the Torah, Tefilin and Mezuza, -
we aspire to extreme precision.
Even a small change in the form of a letter can cause
confusion, for example, between letters "resh" and "dalet".
There are very strict rules in order to prevent this.
Traditionally the scribe writes the Torah text by hand
on a parchment with ink and a quill pen.
The rules are very strictly followed.
After 2000 years of diaspora, -
if we compare Torah texts, all the five books of Moses, -
with their numerous characters, we can see that, except for a few dots, -
the texts have remained unchanged.
The strength of the nation of Israel is in preserving the tradition.
There is a game called the "broken phone" where you have to transfer
a message from one to another.
When the message reaches the last person, the words have changed.
Knowing this God has given us, through our sages, -
these rules in order to preserve the tradition.
After 2000 years Jews returned to the land of Israel; -
some from Marocco others from America.
They didn't even have a common language yet
but when a sign of prayer sounded in the synagogue, -
everyone joined in the same prayer from the same place
after 2000 years.
The Torah parchments are a very impor- tant part of preserving our tradition.
What is the importance of the Torah for the people of Israel?
It is the foundation stone of the nation of Israel.
It joins the entire nation all around the world -
whether it's in Israel or Europe, Australia or Africa -
irrespective of skin colour, age or sex.
We are all connected to the Torah.
The Torah is not just a text, it is the will and revelation of God
through holy letters.
It's not about ink or quill pens, but about something unfathomable -
about the essence of God.
It is His crystal clear will and high wisdom which has nothing like it.
God created the world based on the Torah and continues His creation.
If people don't study the Torah, -
the world will be destroyed.
The Torah is not imporant only for me or the nation of Israel, -
but for the entire world.
The studying of the Torah supports the whole world.
What do you know about the Torah?
When Jakob...when they were born Esau caught Jakob's feet
and...and...when...when...
Esau wanted to kill Jakob, because he took the rights of the first-born.
Then Jakob fled to where Laban lived.
He lived there and got married
and had children. All his children are the tribes -
the 12 tribes of Israel.
How much do you read the Torah?
As much as I can. I am at the Western Wall every day
except shabat, for 4-5 hours.
Earlier I would just flip through it and go watch a football game.
I didn't care about the Torah.
Today I need the Torah and, gradually, get deeper into it.
I feel so small, serene and quiet.
Even if people fight and push me on the streets, -
I can forgive. Earlier I was not like that.
If someone pushed me I would do the same for him.
Where did the Torah come from?
From God. - How exactly?
Moses climbed on the mountain at night -
and...and...and..I don't know.
Do you know where the Torah came from? - No.
Where does the Torah come from?
From God. - How exactly.
Moses climbed to heaven for 40 days and nights
and wrote the Torah which God gave him, and then he
brought it to the people of Israel.
Is the Torah important? - Yes.
Why is it important?
Because God said it is holy and we need to believe in it.
God gave the Torah to the people of Israel.
When the Torah was given, it was offered to the Ishmaelites.
They asked what was written there. They didn't want to follow the law.
The Jews promised to follow the law and so they received the Torah.
The Torah came from God through Moses.
He wrote the 5 books of the Torah.
The book has not changed in 3000 years since its giving
on Mount Sinai, even though we were dispersed to all nations.
There are many opinions. Some say it came from Sinai.
That's not as important as reading it diligently.
The Torah was given to Moses in Sinai
and it passed on from generation to generation.
This is our tradition.
The whole nation of Israel stood on Mount Sinai; -
around 600 000 people heard the ten commandments
and received the Torah.
All these 600 000 heard the same version.
This can be proven with logic even though faith is the most important -
and based on experience.
There were 600 000 witnesses on Mount Sinai.
It was not only one person who claimed hearing it, -
but 600 000 heard it word for word and this gives basis for the tradition
which has passed on to us.
Another important traditional ritual item is tefilin -
leather boxes used in prayer, which contain verses from the Torah.
Their usage is based on the verses in Deuteronomy: -
"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts."
"Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads."
"Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."
Daniel Avia has manufactured tefilin boxes for over 10 years.
We live in a materialistic world and it's natural for man to fall
into material things.
God gave us the law to lift us up and remind us and
to connect us with Him.
In his morning prayers every Jew is instructed
to bind the tefilin and, thus, bind himself to God.
Let them be a sign and a reminder on your arm and forehead.
On the forehead, because we want to lift up all our thoughts, -
and on the arm, because we want to lift our strength.
We want to lift up everything for the service of God.
Do you use tefilin?
- Yes, every day - except for shabat and holidays.
What is the meaning of tefilin?
Tefilin is a sign between us and God just like a ring in marriage.
It is a daily connection with God.
Matters are usually confirmed through two witnesses.
We believe we need two witnesses.
We have two witnesses every day: Tefilin and circumcision.
On shabat we don't use tefilin, because shabat is a covenant itself;
Hence, we have circumcision and shabat.
Tefilin is a sign.
There are three signs for the covenant between God and the nation of Israel
and one of them is tefilin.
Tefilin shows that we are connected to God
and we receive His kingdom and His laws.
From Gemara we can read that God also has tefilin.
In it it is written that God loves His people Israel.
In the tefilin we write about our love towards God.
I don't use tefilin.
It's for men.
Do you use tefilin?
- Of course, what kind of a question is that?!
What does it mean for you?
It's a habit for me. I don't know about the meaning.
I saw it at home and took on the habit.
I am not expecting any prize for it.
It's part of my routine.
On the right side of the doorpost of every Jewish house
there is a small box which contains a mezuzah with the related
Torah commandment written in it.
Upon stepping into a house many Jews kiss the mezuza box.
When praying or reading the Torah religious Jews cover themselves
with a prayer shawl - Talith.
This is also based on the Torah verse in Numbers: -
"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: Throughout the generations
to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, -
with a blue cord on each tassel. You will have these tassels to look at
and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD."
The Torah is like water. Just as a fish cannot live without water
the nation of Israel cannot live without the Torah.
Sometimes the proof comes from outside.
When the Greeks and the Romans came to destroy Israel, -
they didn't come to destroy it physically one person after another.
They came to take the Torah away from them.
Following the laws of the Torah was forbidden by decrees.
They understood that if they take the law away from Israel, -
Israel will not exist.
The nation of Israel, God and the Torah are one.
The Torah was given to the people of Israel, -
but they were not prideful nor did they consider themselves
the chosen people, but rather they wanted to fix and lift up the world.
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, -
but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, -
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, -
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither -
whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:1-3
Translation: Sonja Mattayev