Wine Fulfills
Prophecy!
The Fall Feasts
of the Lord begin September 10th through September 30th
this year. Wine plays a part in these feasts especially during Sukkot. I am
posting this interesting article on wine from “Breaking News Israel.”
Wine is mentioned by the
prophets as a sign of the Jews' return to the Land of Israel. One Israeli
vintner is experiencing this prophecy fulfilled.
Eyal Tsair, a vintner at
the Golan Heights Winery, combines three of his greatest passions in his job:
wine, Torah, and the Land of Israel. For Tsair, wine has certainly played an
important, if not prophetic role in his aliyah (immigration to Israel).
Arriving in 1991 from Germany, he began working at the Golan Heights Winery in
1993 upon completion of his service in the Israel Defense Force.
For Tsair, it is clear
that making wine is far more than creating a beverage. He believes that,
contained in his bottles, is the most powerful proof that the Jewish people
have returned to their Biblical homeland.
"Several prophets
speak specifically about grape vines as a part of the Jews' return to the Land
of Israel," Tsair said to Breaking Israel News. "What is so special
about grapes? Why didn't the prophets speak about wheat or herds of cattle?
When the prophets describe a return to Israel that included grape vines, they
were describing a specific type of return; one that will be permanent.
"Contained in a
bottle of wine is the proof that the Jews have returned to Israel in a
meaningful and permanent manner," Tsair continued. "It takes many
years of work until you enjoy the wine. After you plant a grape vine, you have
to wait four years for orla." Orla (literally 'uncircumcised') refers to
the prohibition of eating the fruit from a tree planted in Israel for the first
three years. When the Temple exists, the fruit of the fourth year may be eaten
in Jerusalem.
When you enter the land
and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three
years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten. In the fourth year all
its fruit shall be set aside for jubilation before Hashem. Leviticus 19:23
"Even after we
harvest the grapes, aged red wine sits in the cask for two years," Tsair
explained. "Planting grape vines is a long-term investment. It is only for
those who are truly connected to the land and who plan on being here for many
years to come."
For Golan Heights
Winery, this process was been even longer and more tenuous. Planting their
first vines in 1976 was a leap of faith. Israel's northern Golan Heights were
conquered in the 1967 Six-Day War but the region was not annexed by the Israeli
government until 1981.
The yet-to-be-harvested
vineyards were nearly lost when Syria overran the region in the 1973 Yom Kippur
War. The first Golan wine was produced in 1983, immediately receiving
international accolades.
The winery has invested
heavily in the Golan, based on the belief that the prophetic return of the Jews
to the region is permanent. They currently harvest more than 1,200 acres of
vineyards. Their yield of 5.5 million bottles of wine annually is relatively
low since they emphasize quality over quantity. Tsair contrasted this long-term
investment to the manner in which others have related to the Land.
"It is true that
the Arabs were here. But, they passed through with their flocks, consuming
everything in their path and then moved on," Tsair said. "Goats rip
out the roots and leave the Land barren. That is not how the true owner of the
Land acts. There is no personal investment."
Tsair compared this to
King Solomon's judgement between two women claiming one baby as their own.
Solomon offered to cut the baby in half, giving one half to each claimant. The
true mother refused as her love for her child made it unbearable to bring any
harm to her baby.
"Everywhere you go
in Israel, you can see the love the Jewish people have for the Land,"
Tsair said. "The Arabs claim it is theirs. But, when there is a dispute
like there is in the south of Israel right now, they don't hesitate to burn
everything."
Tsair emphasized that
wine production was always thriving whenever there was a Jewish presence in
Israel. "Grapes are one of the seven species that receive a special blessing
in the Bible," he noted: A
land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive
trees and honey. Deuteronomy 8:8
"This special blessing
was evident in Roman times when wine from Israel was highly prized as the best
in the world," Tsair explained. "Wine has always been part of the
Jewish presence in Israel, especially here in the Golan."
Tsair presented to
Breaking Israel News a map dotted with ancient wine-presses that archaeologists
discovered in the Golan. "Unfortunately, we no longer have the original
species of grape vines," he said. "For 1,300 years of Muslim
dominance in the region, wine production was prohibited."
Tsair has a passion for
wine and even has a small winery at his home in Migdal on the shores of the
Galilee. He is still waiting for the ultimate expression of his wine-making
skills. "I am here for the entire journey," Tsair said. "It is
my dream that one day, I can bring my best wine to the Temple."
Originally published at Breaking Israel News - reposted with
permission.
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