THE TREE OF LIFE

The tribes of Israel left Egypt and came to Elim, where there were 12 springs and 70 date palms (Exodus 15 : 27). When they left they were called an "adat" (Exodus 16 : 1). Adat indicates witness and all of the children of Israel were called witnesses. The experience of the 12 springs and 70 date palms was short-lived.

The date is a perfect fruit. It can be eaten without being peeled, it has the seed inside and it will last for thousands of years. It is also beneficial for men especially. 70 stands for the 70 nations. The result of the 70 nations drawing water from the 12 springs is that they reach their potential and attain their optimal state of perfection. The 12 springs represent the perfection of the 12 tribes of Israel. And the water in these springs represent the Torah, God's truth and Israel's genuine and eternal Covenant.

The result of Israel's spiritual revolution will actualize the nation's potential because the nation will be fully compliant with her Covenant. This will in turn result in Israel being the recipient of the blessings God promises as the benefits package that accompanies her inheritance, the Torah. The nations of the world will see the outstanding quality of life in Israel and emulate Israel - now Jeshurun - to attain their own prophetic level of evolution which is alluded to by the 70 date palm trees.

Israel now risen to the level of Jeshurun which is the nation's higher octave, i.e., a state of enlightenment and now represents the tree of life. The allusions to the end of death, resurrection and eternal life in the writings of Isaiah and Ezekiel indicate the possibility that Israel will become the exemplar or avatar of eternal life. This would be the result of the people's radiating the Spirit of God which they have finally learned to imbibe. When the nations of the world see that Israel is animated by God's Spirit, they too will endeavor to experience their own spiritual revolution.

There is an interesting relationship between the Hebrew words for tree and eternity: Eternity is "netzach" and "etz" is tree which is contained in "netzach". God is referred to as Netzach Yisrael. When Israel embodies God, God and Israel will become the tree of life for all of mankind who willingly undertake to avail themselves of the benefits of complying with the Covenant of Sinai or God's Covenant. This will be the new Covenant to which Jeremiah refers.

Make no mistake, this little jaunt into the wonders of the Covenant will require a great effort of will and much WORK. It will be a major revolution for humanity.

Israel has drunk of the rabbinic waters for over 2000 years . As a result, the sons and daughters of Jacob still struggle through an existential desert as Talmudic Jews awaiting their awakening into the spiritual dimension which awaits them when they become Torah Jews.

Today, we are once again restored to our land, but exist in a deplorable and endangered state because no one knows how to bring the sacred waters of God's Torah to the lips of the people. The 'tree' has become misrepresented, fouled, broken, warped and burned. Its roots have drawn the bitter water of the nations of the world which is toxic for all, but especially hazardous to Israel. And the sons and daughters of Jacob no longer believe in the Tree, the Truth, the Torah and in the Source of all of this self-perpetuating spiritual/natural order presented by the Divine.

Israel takes stock of her worldly achievements and figures, they're doing better than average by the world's standards. The world may be like a raft on a river heading for the falls plunging into oblivion, but the checks are in the mail, the credit cards work, the pumps deliver gas to their cars and Uncle Sam is still friendly despite the occasional severe , beatings and outbursts which Israelis take like a good battered wife.

Evolution implies an element of time which is no longer part of the existential equation. Israel and mankind have proven that they will not evolve to the higher level of humanity's potential. Technology still needs to be married with spirituality, but we are going to make the great leap forward in spite of ourselves. The key to this revolution is always in God's Hand. And He is shaping the global dynamics as the Bible prophesies. It is astounding that most of mankind, drugged as we are by equally drugged and blind news pundits and clerics, are in the dark about what ground swells are going to rise up and turn the world up side down.

Again as always, the wise who care to survive to enjoy a better day will remember to read the Torah of Moses and the writings of the Hebrew Bible. And they will begin to apply these teaching, commandments and principles a.s.a.p.