The Holiest in the World

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                  

Earth is unique in that as far as we know, it's the only planet in the universe that is conducive for life as we know it, so it is very holy.  Remember, it's the 3rd from the sun, in just the right spot for life.    We have plants and animals and us humans.  On earth is the crossroads of civilization and a tiny part of it has been fought over since the beginning of time with the Jews saying that for them it is holy, and that is Israel.  In Israel is the holiest city for 3 religions; Jews, Christians and Muslims, Jerusalem.    In Jerusalem was the holiest site for Jews, which was the Temple.  In the Temple was the holiest spot which was called the holy of holies.
                                                                           

There are 70 groups of people in the world and among these holy people ( for a holy planet the inhabitants are also holy)  are the people of Israel.  The holiest of these people of Israel was the tribe of Levi.  In the tribe of Levi, the holiest were the priests.  Among the priests the holiest was the high priest.  He prayed in the holy of holies on special holidays.  Abraham went into Canaan from Ur with his family which numbered 70.
                                                                         

On the Jewish calendar, there are 354 days in the year.  Among these the holidays are holy.  The Sabbath is higher in holiness than the holidays.  Among the Sabbaths the holiest is the Day of Atonement, the Sabbath of Sabbaths, or Yom Kippur.

There are 70 languages in the world.  Among these holy languages is the holy language of Hebrew.  Holier than all else in this language is the holy Torah (5 books of Moses).  In the Torah the holiest part is the 10 Commandments.  In the 10 Commandments the holiest of all words is the Name of G-d.

Once a year at a certain hour, these 4 supreme sanctities of the world were joined with one another.  That was on the Day of Atonement, when the high priest would enter the holy of holies and there utter the Name of G-d.  Because this hour was beyond measure holy and awesome;   it was the time of utmost peril not only for the high priest but for the whole of Israel.  All Jews fast on Yom Kippur asking for forgiveness from G-d.
For if, at this hour, there had, G-d forbid, entered the mind of the high priest a false or sinful thought, the entire world would have been destroyed., and on October 6, 1973 Israel was attacked on Yom Kippur by our neighbors, a coalition of Arab forces,  but won that war.

Every spot where a man raises his eyes to heaven is a holy of holies.  Every man, having been created by G-d in His own image and likeness, is a high priest.  Every day of a man's life is a Day of Atonement and every word that a man speaks with sincerity is the Name of the Lord.

Remember who you are and where you are; on a very special place in the universe.  We need to take care of this special place as well as our own bodies before we lose both.
                                                                           

A little Gematria will show how special our life is.  This is where our Hebrew alphabet stands for not only letters to read with but numbers as well.
Aleph=1
Bet=2
Gimel=3
Dalet=4
Hay=5
Vuv=6
Zion=7  (also the name of Jerusalem, and that there was 7 days in a week with the 7th being Shabbat
Khet=8
Tet=9
Yud=10
Kaph=20
Lamed=30
Mem=40
Nun =50
Samekh=60
Ayin=70
Pay=80
Tzadi=90
Kaf=100
Raish=200
Shin=300
Tav=400

When reading and writing, the word is read from right to left.
The name for G-d  in the creation story is Eloheem:  , (mem , yud, hay, lamed, aleph) The numerical value is the same as the Hebrew word Hatabah:  Nature., which is spelled with (ayin, bet, tet, hay).  They both add up to 86.

Resource:  The Jewish Catalog, , folk tale adapted from a version in The Dybbuk by Saul An-Ski
http://www.biblesearchers.com/temples/jeremiah10.shtml  High priest clothing
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3621090,00.html  Yom Kippur War