Sanhedrin Project Unveiled With Humility
10:12 Nov 04, '05 / 2 Cheshvan 5766
By Ezra HaLevi

Since it was launched in Tiberias last year, the Court of 71 rabbis
has strived to fulfill the halakhic (Jewish legal) requirements for
renewing authentic semicha (rabbinic ordination passed down from
Moses) and for reestablishing the Great Court, which was disbanded
1,600 years ago. At SundayAEs conference, distinguished members of the
Court, led by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz), presented a humble,
yet exhilarating plan to widen the scope and acceptance of the Court
to truly move toward becoming the restored Sanhedrin of old.

Along with the increasingly modest references to the current
institution of a Court or Sanhedrin project came new high-caliber
participants in the project. Rabbi Even-Israel publicly accepted the
position of Nassi, President of the Sanhedrin, and Rabbi Re'em HaCohen
- head of the Otniel Hesder Yeshiva - delivered the first address of
the morning. Kiryat Arba Chief Rabbi and Dayan (Rabbinical Court
Judge) Dov Lior spoke both at the conference and later at the festive
meal.

[...]

The Sanhedrin project is a vehicle toward unity, and unity is what
will be the vehicle that will restore the Divine Glory to the
Sanhedrin.

Rabbi HaCohen also expressed the opinion that the project should refer
to itself as a Court more often than a Sanhedrin, in order to allow
the recognized Gedolim, Torah Greats, to join the effort.

The prevailing opinion of most of the senior members of the Sanhedrin
is that the Sanhedrin has not yet achieved full halakhic (Jewish
legal) status on par with its status before it was disbanded 1,600
years ago, but that its restoration is truly underway.

[...]

Members of the Court delivered reports outlining how the nascent
Sanhedrin is already working toward fulfilling some of the primary
functions that the ultimate Sanhedrin must fulfill u the role of
societal leadership. In ancient times there was the Nassi, the legal
head, and there was the Av Beit HaDin, Father of the Court, who served
more on a societal level. The Sanhedrin was the ultimate authority of
Jewish law one the one hand, and a body of leadership for Jewish
society on the other hand.

Among the projects currently being worked on are the Beit Din Bein
HaAm v'HaMedina, the Court Dealing With the Relationship Between the
Nation and the State. This Court, which is subordinate to the
Sanhedrin, recently grabbed headlines in the daily Maariv newspaper.
The paper reported on an arrested disengagement protestor, who was
allowed by an Israeli secular court to obtain a ruling from the
Sanhedrin regarding whether or not to agree to restricted conditions
in exchange for release from prison.

[...]

* Rabbi Yehuda Edri summarized the various opinions regarding the
precise location of the Holy Temple, a topic examined in depth by 
the Sanhedrin this year.

* Rabbi Gideon Charlap, a master architect, summarized conclusions 
of the Sanhedrin's committee regarding the site of the Holy Temple 
- though the Sanhedrin has not yet ruled on accepting the committee's
conclusions at this time.

* Rabbi Michael Shlomo Bar-Ron spoke about the Sanhedrin's mission 
to the B'nei Noach, non-Jews who observe the seven laws of Noah. He
emphasized the high caliber and self-sacrifice of the Noahides he met
on behalf of the Sanhedrin who are coming to Israel in Tevet (January)
to be ordained as a high council for the B'nei Noach.

[...]

Full article at "Arutz Sheva" Israel National News
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=92348


Cheers, Steve..

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