30 The Testimony, January 2001

Babatha’s contracts did not have wax seals, cupboard called an Ark (Aron), which is usually but were stitched into a tight roll. The first part covered by an elaborately embroidered curtain, of the scroll was left free as a kind of tab, on ‘the veil’. which there were the signatures of seven wit- The scroll itself is covered or carried in a silk nesses, each written beside one of the stitches. or linen mantle. ‘Crowns’ in the form of silver Individual features of Babatha’s contracts were pomegranates are placed over the tops of the that they were written in Greek on papyrus and rollers. A group of such Torah crowns stands on that the text was written down the length of the the stone cenotaph in the so-called David’s Tomb scroll. on the southwestern hill of Jerusalem. A silver ‘breastplate’ and small bells are sometimes Some modern aspects draped on chains over the crowns and rollers. Synagogues were an outgrowth of the temple, Pomegranates, bells and the breastplate are, of and have some features reminiscent of the tem- course, reminiscent of the regalia of the high ple. Alluding to the ark mentioned in Exodus priest, the tabernacle and the temple. 40:20,21, the synagogue scrolls are kept in a small (To be continued) Gleanings from the Land Watermelons and (interestingly in view of Hebrew word for release (she- As they journeyed through the Numbers 11:5) thought to be of mittah in Young’s Concordance). hot dry wilderness, the children Egyptian origin. Today many wa- This noun and the related verb of Israel, according to Numbers termelons are grown in the Jor- occur several times in Deuter- 11:5, longed for some of the dan valley and the Arava (the onomy 15 regarding the releas- produce of Egypt, including valley running from the Dead ing of people from debts, which melons. The Hebrew word Sea down to the Gulf of Eilat) was also commanded for each abattichim (plural) occurs only using irrigation. Far superior in seventh year. The current Jew- here in Scripture and is usually flavour, however, are those ish year, which began in Sep- regarded as referring to the wa- grown in Galilee without the use tember, is a shmita year. termelon. of irrigation; they ripen slowly Neot Kedumim News, the In Britain today (and presum- and absorb less water, resulting newsletter of the Biblical Land- ably in other Western nations in a higher sugar content. Agri- scape Reserve situated at too) various kinds of melons are cultural scientists in Israel are Modi’in in Israel, says that the available all the year round, and working on new varieties, includ- Reserve is observing the shmita this sometimes includes water- ing a smaller one, suitable for a year and will not therefore be melons, distinguishable by their small family. carrying out the agricultural ac- dark green rind (or striped green tivities that are normally part of and yellow in some cases) and A sabbatical year its work of demonstrating to visi- red, juicy flesh. During the sum- One of the provisions of the Law tors what the Land was like in mer in Israel watermelons can of Moses was that the land of Biblical times. The newsletter be seen piled high on roadside Israel should have “a sabbath makes the point that this provi- stalls, and the juicy flesh is highly of rest” every seventh year, dur- sion in the Law of Moses is the prized for the refreshment it pro- ing which the land would not be first known provision for the re- vides in the baking heat. I still cultivated, and even “That which plenishment of the soil, allow- recall a self-service restaurant groweth of its own accord” ing it to provide for the needs of at Jericho where the Arab pro- should not be harvested (Lev. subsequent generations. It also prietor cut huge slices of water- 25:1-7). The Israelites had to rely helps overcome one of the prob- melon with a large knife for our on God to provide a harvest in lems of irrigation, the gradual party of thirsty coach travellers. the sixth year so bountiful that accumulation of sodium and cal- In the 1920s Jewish settlers they would have enough provi- cium, which makes the soil very on the coastal plain began to sions to last them until the har- alkaline and affects fertility. One develop improved strains of vest of the eighth year. of the major causes of the de- watermelon from a variety al- Such a year is today referred cline of ancient Mesopotamia, ready being grown locally, to as a shmita year, from the home of Babylon and Assyria, The Testimony, January 2001 31 was that irrigation gradually cycle of feasts ordained under onomy 8:8, it was one of the made the soil infertile, this, inci- the Law of Moses. The cycle three fruits brought back by the dentally, helping to bring about culminates in the Feast of Tab- spies to show how productive the desolation of Babylon fore- ernacles, referred to by Jews as the Land was (Num. 13:23), and told in Scripture. Sukkot, from the Hebrew word the six references to it in the As with all the Law of Moses, for ‘booth’ (sukkah in Young’s Song of Solomon indicate that it the sabbatical year provision Concordance), used in Leviticus flourished all over the Land. Its was subject to much interpreta- 23:42,43 of the temporary struc- bright red blossom must have tion and amplification by the rab- tures that Israel were to dwell in been very noticeable in the bis. This became irrelevant at this time. spring. According to a recent during the Jewish dispersion to Neot Kedumim News (see article in the Jerusalem Post it other lands as the law was only above) points out that the Isra- was, however, an important applied by the rabbis to the Land elites were specifically com- plant in rabbinical times, when of Israel itself and the few Jews manded to rejoice during Sukkot the Talmud was put together, who lived there down the ages (v. 40; Deut. 16:14,15), whereas and receives frequent mention were city dwellers. Now that the there was no such command therein. Jews are back in the Land, and associated with Passover. In Pomegranates were appar- cultivating it extensively, the terms of the agricultural cycle of ently grown all over the country, shmita provisions are regarded Israel, Passover was not a time but the best grew in the valley as applying. of rejoicing but of apprehension, bottoms. Various sorts were So does this mean that the for it took place at a time when grown, some sweet to the taste Land of Israel will not be culti- the growing crops could easily and some bitter. We rarely seem vated this year and we shall not be destroyed by bad weather. to eat them today, though a be able to buy Israeli produce in In contrast, Sukkot marked the childhood memory for me is of the shops? By no means. In the end of the harvest, when all was picking out the many juicy seeds fashion which is typical of Juda- safely gathered in, and it was of a pomegranate with a pin in ism, and was condemned by appropriate for the Israelites to order to eat them. The main Jesus, the first Chief Rabbi of have this week of rejoicing that centre of production today is Israel ruled that Israeli farmers the bountiful hand of God had California. What use the Israel- could get round the law by go- once more provided abundantly ites of old made of them we do ing through a form of selling their for their needs during the com- not know, though one can im- land to Gentiles just for the ing months. agine that pomegranate juice shmita year. The land then be- The Israelite cycle of feasts would be a very refreshing drink comes technically non-Jewish forms for us a parable of God’s in hot weather. land and therefore not subject redemptive purpose, with Sukkot The use of representations of to the law. Consequently the speaking of the blessings of the the pomegranate on both the agricultural land of Israel is suf- Kingdom, when the harvest of high priest’s garments (see Exo- fering from the same problems believers is gathered in and dus 28:33,34; 39:24-26) and in of overuse as does such land in when the immortal saints will join Solomon’s temple (see 1 Kings other parts of the world, and we together in praise and rejoicing 7:18,20,42; 2 Chronicles 3:16; can only look to the Kingdom at the wonderful salvation they 4:13; Jeremiah 52:22,23) leads for the time when the wise pro- have received. The fact that this us to look for a spiritual signifi- visions of God for the care of feast is the only one with a com- cance for this fruit, and the many the land will be observed by all, mand to rejoice has its signifi- seeds in one fruit make one think and the prophecy of Amos will cance for us, therefore, for there of the multitudinous seed of Ab- be fulfilled: “the plowman shall can be no lasting joy till that raham within the one seed, overtake the reaper, and the which it represents comes to Christ. Jewish tradition says that treader of grapes him that sow- pass. a typical pomegranate has 613 eth seed” (9:13). seeds, the same number as the Pomegranate facts total number of commandments Rejoicing at the Feast of The pomegranate is not today which they have identified as Tabernacles an important food plant, yet it is being contained in the Law of The first month of the Jewish one of the seven products of Moses. new year brings to an end the the Land spoken of in Deuter- Tony Benson