For the second time this year, the Trumat HaLishka ceremony was
performed in Jerusalem. Locked in a safe, on the second floor of
the Offices of the Chief Rabbinate of the State of Israel, rests
the procceeds of the Trumat HaLishka ceremony performed today,
Rosh Chodesh Sivan.
In the presence of Levites and Kohanim (descendants of the
Priestly family) at precisely 1 pm, Tuesday, May 26th, 1998,
Rosh Chodesh Sivan, 5758, chapter 3 of Mishnah Shekalim was read
aloud in several languages, to the accompaniment of Davidic Harp
and flute players.
At 1:30 pm, a Brinks armored truck arrived, and a team Brinks
guards, Kohanim, proceeded to the golden chest for New Shekels.
The call went out for the Levite who bears the key to the chest
to come foward, and she removed the lock from the chest.
The call went out for the Custodian of Hekdesh to come foward. He
asked all assembled: Etrom? (Shall I seperate [the Shekels]?)
The crowd responded with great enthusiasm: Trom! Trom! Trom!
(Seperate! three times). While the shofar was sounded, the
Custodian of Hekdesh removed the Half-Shekels (donated since
Rosh Chodesh Nisan) into a special wicker basket, and from there,
into a steel strongbox that was locked with a key (of which two
copies were made).
The senior Kohen amongst the Brinks guards received the locked
box containing the Hekdesh and proceeded to the armored truck
under guard with Uzis and pistols. On the way to the armored
truck we encountered a group of about 150 Givati soldiers (elite
commmando unit) sitting across our path, receiving a history
lesson on the neighborhood. As we rounded the path and came upon
the soldiers I shouted "Make way for Hekdesh on its way to the
Chief Rabbinate carried by the Kohanim of Brinks!" A cheer arose
from the entire group as the Kohanim passed through the crowd.
It was unbelievable. I mean really unbelievable.
When we arrived at the armored truck, the guards were given two
envelopes each containing a key and a letter,
personally addressed to the each of the Chief
Rabbis, and were instructed to deliver these to the secretaries
of the Chief Rabbis once the Hekdesh was already in the safe.
Everything went smoothly and we received a confirmation call from Brinks
at 2:15 pm that the Hekdesh was in the safe, that the keys were
delivered, and that the previous box of Hekdesh was still
present in the safe (we asked them to peek). Mission accomplished.
Next Trumat HaLishka ceremony will be performed Erev Rosh
Chodesh Elul, 5758 (tentatively pushed up to September 17
because the Chief Rabbinate will be closed on Sunday the 20th).
A few funny things happened on the way to the Temple . . . .
Two days after the first delivery of the Hekdesh and keys to the Chief
Rabbinate (30/3/98) we received a registered envelope from the
Chief Rabbinate and opened it to find one of the keys returned.
No letter, no identification, just the key, wrapped in a
crumpled, torn piece of envelope (obviously taken from the
trash) sent to us anonymously. As we hadn't anticipated such
cowardice, we didn't make any distinguishing marks on the key
chains, they were both identical. So we don't know who sent
back the key. We held our breath to see if the lockbox full of
Hekdesh would follow. Thank G-d it didn't. This time we put an
identifying mark on the key chains, so if it should happen
again, we'll know who's an unhappy camper.
Following the first Trumat HaLishka ceremony, a series of large
ads appeared worldwide announcing what had taken place. (Thank
you again to the donors of the ads). I had expected that there would
be fireworks when the ads hit. And there was, sort of. The day
the ads first appeared I went to the P.O. Box and amongst the
orders and mail was an envelope from an Israeli company.
[footnote: Because of our Biblical weddings and anniversaries,
someone listed us under "event planners" in their directory, and
we've been receiving all kinds of trade brochures.] I opened
the envelope and took out a catalogue of fireworks. I almost hit
the floor laughing. In fact I laughed all the way home. I got my
fireworks! Heaven has got the funniest sense of humor in this
world or the next!
The lesson was not lost on me. We are so
accustomed to expect fireworks on that "Great and Awesome Day"
when the great magician waves a magic wand and the Temple floats
down out of the sky fully built, and everyone will all of a
sudden have Techelet in their Tzitzith and everything will be
rectified with a WHOOSH and a ZAP and WAMMO. Not.
What the first Trumat HaLishka ceremony taught us was the true
nature and pace of Redemption. The first Trumat HaLishka was
followed by a second, and that will be followed by a third. Its
almost boring. In fact if you read the previous Update, and then
read today's, you'll find it repetitive, almost boring.
Herzl, when he published Der Jundenstaat (The Jewish State),
expected fireworks. Everyone just ignored it. The resistance to
Redemption, however, is passive. No one will match us hour for hour to
prevent any of this from taking place. Those who cherish their
Exile, will simply not participate, and "wait for it to fall from
the sky". They'll catch on eventually.
We have been replacing the white Tzitzith of Exile with the
Techelet of Redemption for over 15 years now. And we have bearly
made a scratch. Having personally tied thousands of sets of
Tzitzith, I have learned what is involved in getting everyone
back into the blue. And its not going happen by itself. It will
take tens of thousands of hours of tying to get there. Likewise
every other aspect of preparing the way for the Complete and
Final Redemption. When every one of us is doing it, it will be
done. No magic. No fireworks. Okay, maybe fireworks.
Let's go! Get those Half-Shekels in!
Good Purim! Great Purim!
