Hebrew Voices #28 – The Renewed Sanhedrin

In this episode of Hebrew Voices, The Renewed Sanhedrin,  Nehemia Gordon chats with Professor Hillel Weiss, official spokesperson for the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. Their conversation is recorded near David’s tomb—the strategic meeting place of this Sanhedrin.  They begin with an historical overview of … Continue reading →

In this episode of Hebrew Voices, The Renewed Sanhedrin, Nehemia Gordon chats with Professor Hillel Weiss, official spokesperson for the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. Their conversation is recorded near David’s tomb—the strategic meeting place of this Sanhedrin. They begin with an historical overview of the Sanhedrin from each of their own perspectives as well as the perspectives of others.

Established in 2004, this modern Sanhedrin recently made news for hearing the testimony of two witnesses regarding the sighting of the new moon—something that has not occurred for 2,000 years. While not doing away with the Hillel calendar, Weiss sees the Sanhedrin’s work as a step in the process of correcting the Hebrew calendar. He also views other functions of this Sanhedrin as exercise or practice for a future time. While Gordon objects to the Sanhedrin on grounds that no human can hold the keys to the Law, he closes by standing on common ground with Weiss and looking forward to the day when biblical institutions are fully restored.

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Transcript

Hebrew Voices #28 – The Renewed Sanhedrin

You are listening to Hebrew Voices with Nehemia Gordon. Thank you for supporting Nehemia Gordon's Makor Hebrew Foundation. Learn more at NehemiasWall.com.

Gordon: Shalom. This is Nehemia Gordon with Hebrew Voices. I’m excited to bring you an exclusive interview with Professor Hillel Weiss, the official spokesman of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. According to Professor Weiss, the Sanhedrin was an institution established by Moses himself in the Book of Numbers, chapter 11. Secular historians date it back to the early 1st century BC, during the Hellenistic period. Sanhedrin is a Greek word meaning “council”. All agree that the Sanhedrin was forcefully disbanded by Roman decree around 359 AD. On October 13, 2004, a council of 70 rabbis gathered in Tiberias to re-institute the Sanhedrin. Since then it has received a mixed reception in the Jewish world. Most ignore it. Some Orthodox Jews even condemn it. Professor Weiss himself has even described it as the “Renewed and Rejected Sanhedrin”. My interview with Prof. Weiss was recorded sitting on stone benches in an ancient Jerusalem alleyway, about 50 feet from David’s Tomb, with thousands of tourists streaming by. Professor Weiss chose this location, because it is one of the main locations where the Sanhedrin meets. It also has symbolic significance for the Sanhedrin. The Catholic Church is currently trying to take over the Tomb of David and the Israeli government seems intent on letting them do so. Professor Weiss and the Sanhedrin are opposed to handing over what they consider to be a Jewish holy site to the Catholic Church and that’s why they chose this spot to hold some of their meetings. I guess they are saying if Pope Francis wants the Tomb of David, he’ll have to drive out the Sanhedrin to get it. The sound quality isn’t ideal, but listening to this brief interview will be well worth your time.

Gordon: Shalom Professor Weiss.

Weiss: Peace and Blessings.

Gordon: Professor Weiss, let’s start with who you are. You’re an Orthodox Jew and you were a professor at Bar Ilan University. You’re now a professor emeritus. What were you a professor of?

Weiss: Hebrew literature and especially classic Hebrew literature, like Shmuel Yosef Agnon, Bialik.

Gordon: I think a lot of my listeners won’t know who Shai Agnon or Bialik were, but they’re actually luminaries of modern Hebrew literature. Israelis study Shai Agnon and Bialik the way maybe Americans study Shakespeare or Mark Twain. It’s really modern Hebrew literature, that was your expertise. But now you are the spokesman for the Sanhedrin. Let’s start with something really basic. What is a Sanhedrin?

Weiss: The Sanhedrin is the supreme high court, according to Jewish law and it should hold all the authority of the law and scatter the law all over the nations.

Comments

Luke SchrimsherAugust 1, 2016 at 10:34 AM

Nehemiah, are you opposed to a Sanhedrin altogether or just a Sanhedrin that believes that it can add and take away from the Torah?

trish392016July 5, 2016 at 9:07 PM

It is well and good to read because if I had not been reading I would have know that the Sanhedrin is the Jewish court -“I now see where the world derived they court

Now why would the Catholic Church Wacted to take over David tomb

Nehemia GordonApril 18, 2016 at 1:18 AM

Orthodox Jews have one position on when to keep the Shemitah. Having checked the historical sources, my conclusion is we really have no idea when Shemitah is. Check out my study Tammuz and the Lunar Sabbath.

JaniceApril 16, 2016 at 10:14 PM

There has also in the US been mixed messages of when Israel is obeying the laws of Smittah. Are various groups doing it differently?

MaryApril 14, 2016 at 8:02 PM

This is amazing, thank you!

I appreciate your frankness and your stand at the end of the interview. The interview was direct and followed well. Again thank you

Shalom

Nehemia GordonApril 10, 2016 at 4:03 AM

The standard Jewish answer is “prayer in place of sacrifices” based on Hosea 14:2-4 and Psalms 51.

Art IstedApril 9, 2016 at 5:46 PM

Shabbat Shalom Nehemia, thank you for this interview, I found it very informative. I am learning to follow the Torah, but as I read Leviticus Chapter 1 thru 5 regarding sin offerings, I am wondering how the Sanhedrin and all believers in Torah, without Yahoshua, have received forgiveness of sin since the destruction of the second temple. Could you explain this?

MatityahuApril 7, 2016 at 9:46 AM

Very interesting interview!

Mika'el ben DavidApril 7, 2016 at 9:42 AM

Shalom Nehmeia, Great interview.

My only comment would be that unless I missed it, I wished you had thought to ask Professor Hillel Weiss his insight into how the Chief Rabbinate of Israel views the Sanhedrin. From what I understand they do not look on the Sanhedrin too kindly, but a few comments by him would have been interesting to hear. Otherwise, he was a very interesting guy and came across as sincere without an “ax to grind”.

mikhaelApril 7, 2016 at 3:35 AM

but then the messiah can’t come till the temple is restored and sacrifices resumed.this will no doubt anger the worlds animal rights groups and the anti messiah will step in to stop all sacrifices and declare himself god in the temple. he will be a man of torah-less ness… pro homosexual,anti semite/israel,time then to run,don’t look back like lots’ wife .
time to seek the real messiah now…time to seek if yshua is the real mshiach

mikhaelApril 7, 2016 at 3:14 AM

adding to and subtracting from the torah…isnt that what yshua was against them for?

JaniceApril 6, 2016 at 9:00 PM

Thak you very much for this informative interview. I think it was very gracious of you to allow the Prof to speak for themselves; and to remove rumors; whether we agree with them or not. I believe HaShem can use them, and mold them more into His thinking in the process of time to be very helpful in welcoming the Messiah. I certainly need the Almighty to be willing to work with me and mold me more to His liking than my own. I am thankfu I am in the learning curve.

Erin HunterApril 6, 2016 at 5:20 PM

I thank YHVH for your ability Nehemiah truly!!!

YHVH lives forever and He changes not! [Mal. 3] Neither does He give any man, woman or child the WHOLE of life.

Personal practicing the observance is my application. For almost ten years of reading, studying Scripture I find no place that says to seek man’s ways, calculate a monthly calendar…

As I observe the 6 days of creation I find on the 4th day is the sliver [lesser light] created. so on the seventh day Sabbath rest a command at the creation observed is key to serving Him!
Let’s have some reasoning here, in a 29-30 day cycle of a moon, 7 doesn’t equal a pattern like we all see in the human calendar does it??? [Friday every month/moon]
Divide 7 into 30 it doesn’t show a truth of any kind!

Also noted YHVH’s appointed times never states for any Israelite to set up a calendar, all of us are called to repentance [our way] to His!

YvonneApril 6, 2016 at 11:38 AM

Nehemia: Forgot to thank you for all your work. Love you. It was great insight for me. Would like your comments.

YvonneApril 6, 2016 at 11:21 AM

Nehemia: You’re the expert. You asked for thoughts on this interview. Here is what I got out of it. They’ve got this false calculated calendar made in 359. It is not Biblical, but they will keep it. B/c they feel that they will have to adapt another interpretation of time if they don’t keep the calculated one. And they are not willing to give it up. I hear him saying that Jews are hiding from wanting their identity to be known. They are afraid as in days of old. I hear him saying that they want to educate the Jews back into these ancient Temple sacrificial rituals to make them proud again to be recognized as Jews. He says the entire worldly laws were designated to the Jews to instruct the entire world on how the world should conduct themselves.

His caveat includes saying there are laws for Jews and laws for gentiles.
I have known about the Noahide laws that I am told are actively being established in Israel as well as in America. Their goal is to have
it recognized throughout the entire earth. They’re not using that the Noahide term.The Torah is for the Jews only as is the Sabbath. They have made 7 Noahide laws for the gentiles which outlaws Christianity due to idolatry of a false god which they see Yeshua as being. The penalty is death by beheading.

The Messiah will establish the Kingdom of God which they feel is their duty. If the Temple is reestablished – the Sanhedrin they say – will bring it about. That means all the apostles and NT and book of Revelation will be invalidated. I don’t think this is going to happen. Respectfully, but dare I say, I think their interpretation is bogus.

3 things establish: God’s creation of universe, Israel’s claim to the land of Israel, the sanctification of the new moon. Tuvia Tenenbom’s book, “Catch the Jew” is astonishing information on how the different facets of so called Israeli Jews that deny their heritage b/c they don’t want to be associated with “robbers” of the land. They are playing nice nice, but reality seems to suggest that they are frightened persons who are trying to escape from the pressures of the world who obviously demonstrate hatred toward
them. But the world gives no valid reason why Jews should be hated as Tuvia brings out in his thesis. But it is quite a problem. It seems the Jews are playing a game of “if you can’t beat them, join them.” to save themselves individually and nationally. I see it as the Sanhedrin – by adapting these tradition/policies – is trying to give the Jews sets of rituals, laws from these Jewish men’s interpretation,that will give them a sense of belonging to something that was lost so very long ago.

marionApril 6, 2016 at 10:54 AM

amen to the last paragraph.

kerenApril 6, 2016 at 10:21 AM

shalom Nehemia.
Ironic is it not, that we who have chosen to adhere to following the Calendar of the Torah, by EXERCISING the SIGNS of sighting the moon and counting up the days to aviv, are discounted because the Sanhedrin did not proclaim the sightings that we can clearly see? I also disagree that there is need for our Hashem to require us a Sanhedrin to decree HIS LAWS.
But, I also have to acknowledge that ISRAEL is definitely not adhering to Hashems LAWS or defending the HOLY LAND that they were Blessed with either. And no man or group is defending our birthright in Israel to the WORLD’s courts!
If it be HIS will:
Will it be by IRONY that the Sanhedrin will be the originating impetus for us to SHEMA!

Walter SchwenkApril 3, 2016 at 11:59 AM

One of my favorite concepts, that it is easier to take the jews out of the exile, than to take the exile out of the jews. The entire world is plagued with corruption in gov’t, but it is particularly frustrating to see corruption and lack of torah compliance and enforcement in the community of what should be Yah’s people.

That being said, a “sanhedrin” is only one of several historic possibilities for gov’t in Israel. We read of times when “every man did what was right in his own eyes”, a concept that precludes the existance of a sanhedrin at that time. Yah raised up judges, presumably in response to the softened heart of sufficient people. May he do so again soon, and we rejoice to see it.

Expelling the sodomites and enforcing shabbath would go far to solving Israel’s security problems, in my humble opinion. Good place for a righteous judge to start?

Leesa NeeleyApril 3, 2016 at 7:36 AM

Thank you Nehemia. This was a wonderful interview.
I love the fact that they rebuke the idea that to sight new moon to keep the feasts is burdensome (I’m not quoting word for word, I know. But the idea is the same, yes?).
Anyway, I love that!! I wish they would do away with the Jewish calendar and reestablish YHVH’s true calendar.
Maybe one day, who knows.
Hey! I vote for Nehemia to be on the Sanhedrin and get that ball rolling ?
Once again thank you!
Leesa

Joe LesejaneApril 3, 2016 at 6:43 AM

Thank you very much Nehemia for the interview. Torah law is important and i agree with similar sentiments. i also agree with restoration of the things that were suppressed due to exile and oppression of the Jews. I guess the challenge for the Sandherin will be Rabbinic law VS the written Torah law(as given to Moshe).

very interesting interview and well done Nehemia

James HaymanApril 2, 2016 at 10:48 PM

Truly amazing Nehemia. This will be an historic and prophetic event when it comes to pass. I hope and pray it will be done in accordance with Yehovah’s will and not mans will. It reminds me of the Chinese symbol for opportunity also being the symbol for danger. I don’t think our Creator will allow it to be anything but wonderful. Shalom all Y’all

James WilsonApril 2, 2016 at 4:18 PM

Nehemia, this is indeed exciting.
They have been very bold standing up for what they believe is correct. (Like you.)
I would be interested to know what you think the re-composition of the Sanhedrin would look like according to Torah as it appears to be in existence in Ezekiel. I will posit that there needs eventually to be elders from all 13 tribes when they have returned and perhaps a representative or two from the nations outside of “Israel”.
Does the king or Meshioch appoint them or do the tribes as it appears that they must be leaders approved by the people of each tribe?
How would a King or Meshioch function with a Sanhedrin and a secular government?
Great stuff! Thanks for sharing this one.

Matt ChristainApril 2, 2016 at 2:46 PM

A timely and exciting interview that provided a vibrant depth to these events. I could have listened for hours. I also had read about the two witnesses in front of the Sanhedrin this last new moon and I was dumbfounded. What amazing times these are indeed!

My hat is off to your editor/sound technician for the excellent job of filtering out the incessant tourist/tour group noise.

Christopher GordonApril 2, 2016 at 2:34 PM

I fully agree with your assessment of what they’re doing Nehemia. Despite objections to rabbinic authority, I think it would be a huge and important step forward for a Torah-governed Israel if their Sanhedrin was re-established as authoritative. I only hope that they would change the law to allow someone like me to make aliyah… but I doubt it.

Luci LandauerApril 2, 2016 at 1:04 PM

Wow! Thank you for this interview excerpt. I also had read the news article last month on this and I am excited to hear the rest of the interview. It’s an exciting time we are living in! Things are starting to come together! I pray I get to be a part of it!

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