Millions to Gather for Once-in-a-Generation Solar Event

In one month from now, on April 8, millions of Jews from all types of backgrounds and communities across the world will take to the streets to participate in a rare prayer service performed once every 28 years.

According to tradition, the blessing of the sun marks the point in time when the sun returns to the exact point in the sky it occupied on the same day of the week during the creation of the world.

Take Sara Goldstein, the 26-year-old Canterbury-based co-director of Chabad-Lubavitch of New Zealand. Reached last week, the mother-of-three was brimming with excitement over the opportunity to be among the first people this year who will bless the rising sun first thing in the morning.

Goldstein predicted that hundreds of people, from Israeli backpackers to members of the local community, will join in the Chabad House’s service.

Known in Hebrew as Birkat Hachama, the service consists of selections of Psalms and other biblical texts and centers around a blessing thanking G-d for “renewing the works of creation.” Another blessing thanks G-d for granting the opportunity to participate in the celebratory occasion.

Although the service is relatively short in its liturgy, the rarity and novelty of the event is expected to draw crowds of worshippers.

The last time the blessing of the sun took place, in 1981, thousands of people filled Eastern Parkway outside of Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn, N.Y., to join the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, in the prayer service, which was interspersed with meditative song and lasted close to an hour. (To view footage of the event, click here.) Three days later, the Rebbe elaborated on the significance of the solar cycle and pointed out that the sun presented an unending source of energy. If the United States in particular, he said, developed solar technology, it could be self-sufficient in its energy production.

A full directory of events worldwide, as well as explanations and a step-by-step guide, can be found on Chabad.org.

Incredibly Rare This year, Jewish communities from Asia and Australia to Israel, Europe and the Americas will be examining the history of the service in a series of classes that trace the sun blessing from a reference in the Talmud to its last observance 28 years ago. Jewish Educational Media released a special DVD featuring footage of the 1981 Brooklyn service to aid communities in learning about the occasion.

The Kehot Publication Society also printed two editions of the order of service, featuring an English translation and transliteration of the prayers and a compilation of Chabad customs.

Compounding the significance of the event, the time to recite the blessing over the sun this year coincides with all of the customs relating to the day before Passover, including the traditional burning and selling of leavened food products.

“This is such a privilege,” said Benny Gamlieli, a professional tour guide in the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat. “It is definitely a very rare phenomenon.”

Gamlieli, 59, who didn’t know about the blessing in 1981, will be attending a class on the subject at the local Chabad House to become fully acquainted with the service.

Rabbi Shimon Eisenbach, the co-director of Chabad of Shakhmon Eilat who will be giving the class, noted that schools and synagogues all over the city are asking for information on the blessing. The municipality has even included Eisenbach’s service in its calendar of events celebrating Eilat’s 60 years of incorporation.

Chabad-Lubavitch of Venice, Italy, meanwhile, is planning a large event in the middle of the city’s old Jewish ghetto. It expects crowds to be on hand for the early morning ceremony set against the backdrop of a reflected sunrise on the water of the canals.

The proximity to water is also figuring into plans of the Jewish community along France’s Cote d’Azur to bless the sun. In the sun-drenched city of Nice, where some 20,000 Jews live, Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Yossef Yitzchok Pinson said that, although he and his staff were still making final arrangements, he was leaning towards a large gathering on the boardwalk first thing in the morning.

“We’re making this real big,” said Pinson. “That it happens on the day before Passover makes it tight, but we’re thinking sunrise along the beach.”

Back in New Zealand, local resident Jessica Dolamore was awed at the practice, which she found out about from a Jewish calendar the Chabad House mailed to the community before Rosh Hashanah last year.

“It’s absolutely beautiful that it corresponds directly with Creation,” she said. “Isn’t it amazing?”

The Dolamores plan to be at the bottom of South Island, which will be first in the world to witness the sunrise. They were last there just before the last Passover, when they delivered kosher supplies to a Jewish inmate at the local prison that had reached out to the Chabad House.

Gamlieli said that he plans to attend the Eilate service with his wife. His two sons will likely recite the blessing seven hours later.

“My sons are in Manhattan,” he said. “They are just as excited about this opportunity as I am.”

“THE BIRCHAT HA CHAMA OR ‘BLESSING OF THE SUN’”

On April 8, 2009, the Birchat HaChama or Blessing on the Sun will be recited; rabbis have instituted this blessing to be said every twenty eight years. It is prayed in gratitude as the sun rises to the exact position it occupied relative to the earth at the moment of original creation on the fourth day, Genesis 1:14-19.

When the ‘Blessing of the Sun’ occurs on the 14th of Nissan, not only does the sun return to its original position, but in addition, the moon is full and in the same position it also occupied at creation!

The last time the Birchat HaChama was recited was on Erev Pesach 1925, 84 years ago. The Birchat HaChama falling on the day before erev of Pesach IS A RARE EVENT having occurred but TEN other times since creation.

IN THE YEAR OF JUBILEE

Another interesting aspect of this date is that it is said that the Yeshua the Messiah, ben David, will arrive on the Jubilee cycle. The year 5768 was a shmitta (sabbatical) year, 5769, this year, is the year in which we recite Birkat HaChama that WILL ALWAYS FALL ON THE YEAR AFTER a sabbatical year. So this year has to indeed be a Jubilee year that began on Yom Kippur, 10 Tishri or October 9, 2008.

The GRA writes in his sefer Safra D’Tzinusa: “ ... one year during which redemption can come, and that is the year after the Shmita year (5768), for that is when the Chesed is revealed in the ‘mouth’ of Yesod, and that is when Mashiach comes .”

MIRACLES AND REDEMPTION PRECEDED TWO BIRCHAT HA CHAMA’S

The first time the blessing of the sun return happened was on the Eve of Passover (14 Nisan) was when Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt and all their enemies perished as they were freed from slavery and guided miraculously across the parted sea!!

The second time, recorded in the book of Esther “and that night, the king’s sleep was disturbed”, Esther 6:1 it is known that the blessing of the sun occurred on a Wednesday, 14 Nisan was when the decree to kill the Jews was annulled, and all their enemies perished.

It was after this great miracle that King Darius of Persia (Daryavesh, zs’l, son of Esther HaMalka, a’h) helped the Jews return to the land of Israel to build the second Temple in 454BC.

This next Birkat HaChamah on 8 April 2009 – which will be the 11th time in Biblical History and Kadosh Elyon said it will the 3rd most significant one. Will we have a nice surprise...on this Eve of Passover? So let us put our attention on this gateway of opportunity.

Is this “gateway of opportunity” THAT BRINGS the ‘Sun of Righteousness”, Yeshua, with healing in His wings? Malachai 4:2-3

The Admor, the Kadosh Elyon also wrote that since the first 2 occurrences preceded miracles and redemption that in the year 5769 the same would occur, noting that, this will be the last time in history the Birchat Ha Chamah can fall on the day before Passover and shortly afterwards Nisan 14 the redemption MUST COME!

As a side note the number 11 is considered a number of judgment.

COSMIC EVENTS

COSMIC EVENTS have preceded the two previous redemptions in the history of the world and April 8, 2009 may not be any different, with Jeremiah 23:19-20 and Jeremiah 30:23-24 holding the promise while Isaiah 28:1-4 gives us the details!

Whoever believes that the Moslem or Western nations are strong are deceived, they are but sprigs and branches which will soon be blown away by the mighty ‘Tempest of the Lord’, that Jeremiah 23:19-20 promises and Isaiah 28:1-4 delivers what God is preparing.

REPENT the kingdom of God is at hand, giving Him the glory an Ezekiel 33:6 watching one, make your election SURE.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.