A Little History

THE JEWISH PEOPLE, THE LAND OF ISRAEL, JERUSALEM AND THE HOLY TEMPLE

Matriarchs: Sarah, Rebeccah, Rachel and Leah.

As recorded in the Torah (Genesis 15:13, 18) G-d made a covenant with Abraham that after being “strangers in a land not theirs” for 400 years and being enslaved, his descendants will return and inherit the land in which he lived, i.e. the land of Israel. G-d reiterated and promised Abraham’s son Isaac and his son Jacob the same.

Jacob, who is also named Israel, fathered twelve sons, from whom the Jewish people have descended. Hence, the name “Children of Israel” or “Israelites.”

Jacob and his family immigrated to Egypt. For decades they kept their names and their distinct identity. Beginning in the year 2332 (1429 BCE) they were enslaved and forced into hard labor of bricks and mortar. Jacob and his descendants lived in Egypt for a total of 210 years.

At the point of 400 years since Abraham’s vision, of “living in a land not theirs”, the Jewish people miraculously exited Egypt in the year 2448 (1313 BCE). Fifty days later they received the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Forty years after departing from Egypt, led by Joshua, Moses’ successor, the Jewish people arrived into the Promised Land, in the year 2488 (1273 BCE).

After Joshua’s passing, for four decades the Jewish people were led by the Judges. Eventually Saul was appointed king in the year 2882 (879 BCE); soon to be followed by King David who reigned in Jerusalem, “The City of David,” followed by his son, King Solomon. Since then Jerusalem was the capital of Israel.

Five hundred and eighty years after the Jewish people entered the land of Israel in the year 2935 (827 BCE) King Solomon completed the building of the permanent Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple (in Hebrew - Bais Hamikdosh) stood for 410 years.

On the ninth of Av in the year 3338 (423 BCE), the First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians who conquered Jerusalem and the Land of Israel; the Jewish people were exiled to built the second Temple which stood for 420 years. This Temple too was destroyed, by the Romans, on the ninth of Av, in the year 3829 (69 CE) and the Jewish people were again driven out of their land.

This entire period – from the days of Moses and up until the building of the Second Temple - is recorded in the biblical account of when the Jewish judges, prophets and kings reigned.

After the destruction of the Second Temple, the Jewish people established themselves in numerous countries, only to be exiled to other countries again and again, to be dispersed to “all corners of the world”.

Throughout its history, without a government, army or economy, the Jewish people kept their Jewish identity –holding on to the study of Torah and living a life of observance of Mitzvot - the essence of the Jewish people and which held them together as “one nation on earth”.

The Jewish people never gave up hope of returning to our land - as promised by G-d in His Torah and later through his prophets; Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah and others, that He will never forsake the Jewish people and He will redeem and return them to their homeland.

This longing and hope, to return one day, has impelled individuals and groups of Jews throughout the ages to move to and live in the land of Israel.

In 1948 the State of Israel was established, giving Jews a safe haven and military protection from their enemies. In the context of the ultimate promise of the Jewish people having their own true independent reign, living in everlasting peace and a life governed by the Torah - it is yet a stage, part of the long journey, until the expected arrival of Moshiach, speedily in our days.

To read more about this, read “Are We Really Independent” on page 11.