In order to resume Temple worship, many preparations must be made. While the birth of a Red Heifer in Israel, a breed of cow thought to have been extinct, may give the priesthood the ability to prepare the necessary 'waters of separation', first there must be a priesthood. Priests could only come from the tribe of Levi and only from the sons of Moses' brother Aaron. The carefully archived records of the genealogies of the priests has been lost for millennia. Recently, though, a most unexpected and unusual sign has appeared.
Through a genetic study of modern-day cohanim (priests), scientists now have evidence proving that the descendants of the first high priest, Aaron, have an identifiable DNA structure that is peculiar to them alone. This will allow the establishment of a legitimate priesthood in preparation for the resumption of Temple worship.
Another momentous sign was the return of the Chilazon that disappeared from the Mediterranean waters for almost 2000 years. It is the sea creature that secretes a lavender/blue liquid used to produce the dye for the garments of the high priest. It has once again appeared, allowing the garments to be prepared for Temple service. The lavender/blue is also used to dye the thread that is woven into the tzitzit (Numbers 15:38) of the prayer shawl. Most prayer shawls today do not have the blue thread due to the absence of the dye. It is said that the color blue represents the presence of G-d. The return of the Chilazon is a sign that the presence of G-d is returning to Israel!
The Scriptures prophecy the restoration of the fortunes of the Jewish people. In fulfillment of that prophecy, the Swiss have agreed to return $1.25 billion to the Jews in settlement of the claims of Holocaust victims; Romania has committed to restoring Jewish property in that country; Italy has agreed to pay $100 million; thirty-nine countries have launched a campaign to make restitution for art stolen from Holocaust victims by the Germans; Austria will be voting on a bill to return Nazi-looted artworks in that country to their rightful owners; Volkswagen, who employed 15,000 slave laborers in the final years of WWII, has agreed to pay Jewish workers who survived Auschwitz and enslavement at the Wolfsburg facility. While these steps toward restitution signal the fulfillment of prophecy, the religious community is seeking restitution from the looting of Israel from a far more distant enemythe Roman Empire.
It has been reported that Israel's Religious Affairs Minister met with Pope John II in Rome to ask the Vatican's cooperation in locating the 60 kg. gold menorah from the Second Temple that was brought to Rome by Titus in 70 CE. Research at the University of Florence indicated that the menorah could be among the treasures in the catacombs of the Vatican.
Modern-Day miracles seem to surface daily in connection with Israel's spiritual restoration. A young Jewish couple that made aliyah to Israel discovered a 3500 year old drawing of a small harp in a cave located at Megiddo. From this drawing, the husband, Micah, a guitar maker, fashioned a lap harp for his wife. A journalist neighbor, who decided to research the harp, discovered that it was the Biblical harp known as the Nevel and had not been made for almost 2000 years. To musicologists, historians, and Bible scholars, the return of the harp is interpreted as a miracle.
Sources reveal that the Nevel had anywhere from 3 to 22 strings. Micah decided to make his with 22 strings. Later, he learned that the 22-string Nevel is said to be the heavenly harp that makes the most perfect music in the world. It also has further spiritual significance: The rabbis teach that G-d created the world by pronouncing the 22-letter Hebrew alphabet and that G-d sang the creation accompanied by the Nevel.
Micah also constructed a second harp known as the Kinnor. The Kinnor is the lyre of David that had 3 to 12 strings. He chose 10 strings for his. An elderly rabbi who heard of Micah's interesting trade paid him a visit. When he saw the Kinnor, the rabbi told Micah of an ancient portion of the Talmud that states: "The harp of the ten strings is reserved for the day when the world that is to come is united in one harmonious whole." Its reappearance signifies the soon coming of the Messiah and the redemption of Israel.
The harp was played three ways. Most commonly, the musician played a pre-known tune. Secondly, a musician could play the harp as G-d directed, such as when the ancient prophets would play until they felt the hand of G-d on their shoulder. Then the music and prophecy would come from G-d. Yet, the most awesome method of playing the harp is revealed in an ancient midrash which tells of David hanging his Kinnor in a tree at night as he lay down. At midnight, the north wind would blow and the harp would begin to play, awakening David to study Torah. The harp is the only known instrument that can be played by the wind, Hebrew for the Ruach or Holy Spirit of G-d.