Proceso de paz en Colombia

Columbus and His Hebrew Connection

“For the execution of the journey to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics, or maps. It is simply the fulfillment of what Isaiah had prophesied. All this is what I desire to write down for you in this book.”

(Christopher Columbus)

Christopher Columbus is believed to be an Italian Jew. The details of Columbus' journey expose an interesting Hebrew link between America and ancient Israel.

Christopher Columbus—the Christ Bearer

In his diaries, Christopher Columbus wrote that he was compelled to sail west by the "inspiration from the Holy Spirit." He continued, "It Was the Lord who put into my mind (I could feel his hand upon me) the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies." This was more important to Columbus than finding a trade route

to the East or finding gold.

Opinions about Columbus vary. Some think he was a hero, others believe he was a villain responsible for genocide. Some events in Columbus' life portray him poorly. However, my objective is to identify his role in God's plan for America and its Hebraic connection.

Although Christopher Columbus (Christoferens Columbo in Italian) was born in Genoa, Italy, I believe there is evidence to suggest that his lineage was of Spanish-Jewish origin. Columbus' paternal grandfather was a converso who had changed his name from Colon to Columbo. Conversos were Jews who had, by choice or necessity, converted to Christianity. Apparently, in the midst of the Spanish Inquisition, Columbus was raised a Christian, perhaps to survive Jewish annihilation. His use of the Spanish form of his name in his diaries and letters and certain oddities associated with his voyages to the New World, lend credence to the idea that he was Jewish. Colon was considered a Spanish-Jewish name. The name Columbo is synonymous with the name Jonah, which means dove. Compare Jonah's story in the Bible to the events surrounding Columbus.

Jonah was the first Hebrew prophet sent to a Gentile nation (See the book of Jonah). Columbus, having been tempted by the lust for gold, found his fleet being tossed at sea by a violent storm on his return from the New World. The storm was so strong that he recommended that the crew appease God with a sacrificial vow. One from among them was to vow to make a pilgrimage to a particular monastery if they survived.

Columbus took 39 beans and marked a cross on one of them. Using the beans, they drew lots. The first time Columbus drew the marked bean.

They drew three more times, and Columbus drew the marked bean twice more. The odds of this happening are minuscule (Source: The Light and the Glory, Peter Marshall). This experience was similar to Jonah's. God was trying to get Columbus' and Jonah's attention!

Jonah's mission was to go to Nineveh, a Gentile nation, and be a light unto them. When Jonah strayed, God intervened with a storm.

Likewise, Columbus' mission was to open the door to the New World.

This New World would house the Gentile nation that would send the message of Christ to the world.

Hebrew Clues Regarding Columbus' Heritage

America's Remarkable Prophetic History

In letters to his son Diego, Columbus put a mark in the upper left corner of the paper that resembles

the Hebrew letters bet and hei. These letters denote the Hebrew blessing b'ezrat haShem, meaning with the help of God. The use of bet hei is a blessing that Jews often place in the upper left corner of a letter to a did not want the monarchs to see this

potentially incriminating evidence regarding his Jewish heritage.

During the last years of his life, Columbus worked to put his affairs in order. Unusual symbols began to appear in his writings that suggest he was familiar with Jewish mysticism. For example, he began to sign his name in a triangular fashion, asking that his descendants continue to use this signature. This strange signature is believed to be a cryptic substitute for the Kaddish, the mourner's prayer. If Columbus was Jewish, the Spanish Inquisition would not allow his sons to say Kaddish for their father when he died. Thus Columbus supplied his sons with a signature that would serve that purpose.

"Listen o isles to me and harken ye people from far; the Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. And now saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth."

(Isaiah 49:1,5,6)

Columbus' idea of traveling west seems to have solidified in

Columbus sometimes signed his name in a peculiar triangular form. Some think this may allude to his Jewish heritage.

1484 when he worked as a cartographer. He was 33 years old. This is the year in a man's life that the Italians call anno de Christo, the year of Christ, which, according to tradition, is reserved for revelation. The name Christopher means Christ bearer. Columbus thought this was a sign, believing that God selected him for a divine purpose. Columbus felt that he had received a revelation directly from God to sail west. He felt that he was given the task of bearing Christ to the ends of the earth, fulfilling what the prophet Isaiah predicted. Interestingly, the prophecy of Isaiah referred to a "light to the Gentiles" and "restoration of Israel."

Later in his diaries Columbus likened himself to Moses, the man who led the Jews to the Promised Land. Perhaps Columbus felt that part of his mission was to assist in the restoration of the Jews to their ancient homeland.

After moving to Spain, Columbus began using his old family name Colon, according to his son and biographer Don Ferdinand Colon.

This may have been a signal to the conversos in Ferdinand and Isabella's court. There were many conversos in the royal court, including one Don Isaac Abravanel, who traced his ancestry directly to King David. Colon, the old family name, was the name with which Columbus was presented to Ferdinand and Isabella. The conversos' support helped make Columbus' expedition possible.

The Expedition and the 9^th of Av on the Hebrew Calendar

When Columbus was given an audience with the Spanish monarchs, a trade route to the Indies and riches may not have been his only goal. Near the end of his life, Columbus wrote, "Gold is most excellent, a valuable thing and whoever possesses it does whatever he wants with it in the world... Jerusalem and Mount Zion will be rebuilt by a Christian." It is possible that Columbus wanted to find a trade route to finance an expedition to the Holy Land and expel the Muslims. It is also possible that he saw the need for gold in order to finance the reconstruction of the city and possibly the Temple itself.

In his studies, Columbus calculated the age of the world to be 5241 years by using the Hebrew calendar (1480-81). He wrote, "From the destruction of the second house according to the Jews to the present day ... are 1413 years." This meant that Columbus' date for the destruction of the Temple was 68 A.D., a date often cited by Jews, as opposed to 70 A.D., the date used by Christians. Furthermore, Jews

America's Remarkable Prophetic History

often refer to the Temple as the second house. Columbus apparently saw some significance in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and felt that he would play a part in the restoration of the holy city.

On March 30, 1492, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella signed a decree to expel the Jews from Spain. Until that time, Spain had been one of the few safe havens for Jews. As mentioned earlier, many Jewish converts were in the royal court, including Luis de Santangel, Ferdinand's Budget Minister. Now, there seemed to be no place for the Jews to go. Oddly, this date coincided with key events in Israel's history.

According to tradition, when Cyrus the king of Persia was crowned, his coronation made it possible for Jewish exiles to return to Israel and rebuild the city of Jerusalem for the Holy Temple. Exactly one year later, Ezra left Babylon intending to assist with the reconstruction. Was it coincidence that the Jews found themselves wandering once more, longing for a homeland without torment? If Columbus was Jewish, it must certainly have crossed his mind. I think that the same

"coincidence" surely crossed the mind of God.

On April 30, 1492, one month after the edict of expulsion was signed, it was read publicly. The same day, Columbus received the order to prepare for his expedition. Initially, Columbus' request to sail westward had been declined. Had it not been for the persuasion and financial support of Santangel and Abravanel, Columbus' voyage would not have originated in Spain. Ironically, the expedition these Jews helped make possible took place the same day they were ordered to leave the country they had served.

The year 1491-92 corresponds to the Hebrew year 5252, written as bnrh. The Hebrew numbers can translate to the phrase har nov, meaning mount of fruit. According to Strong's Concordance, har is a shortened form of harar, which is from an unused root meaning to loom up. Nov(fruit) is from noov, meaning to germinate, flourish, to bring forth. (Matthew 21:43). It seems that this year signified a time to rise up and bring forth fruit. America, the nation that would bring forth fruit, was about to be established!

On August 2, 1492, thousands of Jews departed from Spain. One of their ports of departure was Palos, the same port from which Columbus had intended to depart. Columbus originally planned to set sail on August 2, 1492. Faced with throngs of despairing, heartbroken people at Palos that day, Columbus decided to delay his voyage by one

day. Were the Jewish refugees the only reason Columbus decided to wait?

Jews gathered at the ports, clutching whatever possessions they had been allowed to keep along with dirt from the earth. That day, the 9^th of Av, commemorated the destruction of both Temples. For centuries, this day had been observed as a day of mourning. On August 2, 1492, the 9^th of Av took on a whole new meaning. According to Jewish tradition, to undertake any enterprise on the 9^th of Av is considered bad luck. Consider some of the following events that transpired in Hebrew history on the 9^th of Av:

• The twelve scouts sent out by Moses returned with a bad report.

• The Exodus generation was condemned to die.

• Nebuchadnezzar set fire to the first Temple.

• Romans destroyed the second Temple.

• Romans plowed up the Temple Mount to convert it to a Roman colony.

• The last independent outpost of the Bar Kokhba rebellion fell to the Romans.

• King Edward of England expelled all Jews in 1290 A.D.

• The last group of Jews left Vienna in 1670 after expulsion from Austria.

• The Turkish government banned the immigration of Russian and Romanian Jews into Palestine in 1882.

• World War I began, precipitated by the assassination ofArchduke Francis Ferdinand.

• A decree to expel Jews from parts of Hungary was issued in 1941.

August 2, 1492 symbolized that Jews were not welcome in the world. As Christopher Columbus gazed upon his despairing countrymen, perhaps in his heart he had a secret desire to find a safe haven for them.

For whatever reason, Columbus decided to delay his voyage until the next day.

The Voyage and the Hebrew Feast

On August 3, 1492, Columbus received communion and set sail aboard his flagship, the Santa Maria. Martin Vicente and Francisco

America's Remarkable Prophetic History

Pinzon commanded the Nina and the Pinta, the two ships that accompanied the Santa Maria. Columbus began his diary with: "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Later in the diary, he noted that his departure coincided with the expulsion of the Jews. The date of his departure was the 10^th of Av on the Hebrew calendar. Historically, on this date both Temples were burned.

Columbus planned his voyage very carefully. He included some Jews in his crew. The most famous of these was Luis de Torres.

Columbus hired him to be an interpreter because he expected to find a remnant of the lost tribes of Israel at his destination. The physician, the mapmaker, and the officer in charge of nautical instruments were also Jewish.

"Save now this nation, once firm as a rampart, and clear as the sun; she is exiled, a wandering one" (Jewish prayer for the Intermediate Days of Sukkoth).

Trouble plagued the journey and many of the crew wanted to turn back. Columbus faced failure and on Tuesday, October 9, the Pinzon brothers met with him to discuss turning back before a mutiny.

Columbus agreed that if land was not sighted within three days, they would turn around. This date on the Hebrew calendar was 18 Tishri 5253. This critical meeting took place in the middle of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot. This feast commemorates Israel's wandering through the wilderness with no place to call home. God instructed Israel to dwell in booths during this feast to remember the nights that they slept under the stars. Under the night stars, Columbus and his men wandered through the waters of destiny during Sukkot even as Israel wandered through the wilderness.

"As thou didst save together God and nation, the people singled out for God's salvation, so save thou us... They passed between the deep divided sea and with them for their guide, the light from thee so save thou us! Establish us as thy chosen vineyard and make us as a tree planted by the streams of water ... plant us we pray upon a faithful sod" (Portions of prayers recited on Hoshanah Rabbah).

Around 2:00 a.m. on Friday, October 12, as the three days were nearly over, Rodrigo de Triana (possibly a Jew) sighted land. What happened at that point is very interesting. In the book Columbus 'Jewish

Roots, it is said that, when he spotted land, he spoke to another Jew in Hebrew saying, "I,I" (island, island). The other Jewish sailor replied,

"V'annah?" (and where?). Triana replied, "Hineh" (there).

On Hoshanah Rabbah

This day began the 71^st day of the voyage. In the Bible, seventy represents restoration. Israel was in Babylon 70 years and returned to the Holy Land in the beginning of the 71^st year. It was also 21 Tishri on the Hebrew calendar, the day of Hoshanah Rabbah. Hoshanah, a Hebrew phrase means please save now and Rabbah means many. The Hebrew liturgy for this day was composed of prayers that plead with God to be saved. In the ancient Temple, as well as in synagogues today, worshipers took the four species and marched around the court of the Temple seven times reciting Psalms 118. On this day, the Divine judgment of man, which began on Rosh Hashana and climaxed on Yom Kippur, concluded. Thus, Hoshanah Rabba is a minor Yom Kippur (a Day of Atonement).

Wearing a scarlet doublet, Columbus went ashore with several others. As Columbus stepped onto the shore, he knelt on the sand and prayed:

"Oh Lord Almighty and everlasting God, by Thy Holy Word thou hast created the heaven and the earth and the sea blessed and glorified be Thy name and praised by Thy majesty which hath designed to use us, thy humble servants that Thy Holy Name may be proclaimed in this second part of the earth."

His prayer concluded by christening the island San Salvador. San Salvador means Holy Savior.

The Thread of Shemini Atzeret

The day after the discovery of the New World would have been Shemini Atzeret, or the eighth day of Convocation (22 Tishri).

Traditionally, this day is accepted as the day that Solomon dismissed the people from the Temple dedication celebration. This is recorded in 1 Kings 8:66. Coincidence or not, the discovery of the New World corresponds to a significant event in Jewish history. Perhaps a new Temple was being symbolically dedicated!

In Israel, this day is also called Simchat Torah, or rejoicing in the

America's Remarkable Prophetic History

Torah. At this time there is much celebration as the Torah scroll is rolled back to the beginning of Genesis. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Is it possible that Columbus could have had this day in mind when he prayed on the shores of San Salvador?

The timing of the discovery was incredible. God was beginning to create a new world. As a point of interest, the very first letter in the book of Genesis is the Hebrew letter beit. The symbol for this letter is a house. The word beit (house) is often used to refer to the Jewish Temple.

I think it was possible that God, on this important Jewish date, was beginning construction on a new house, a new Temple, a new dwelling among a new chosen people. The above-mentioned Hoshanah Rabbah liturgy supports the idea that the prayer is for God to plant the Jews on a fruitful sod and to establish them as His chosen vineyard.

There is a tradition on Hoshanah Rabbah (21 Tishri) of baking bread with a hand on top of it. The hand symbolizes that God sealed His decision made for that time. The hand is also said to represent the document or the verdict of that decision. "And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left ... from the islands of the sea. And He shall set up an ensign (a flag) for the foreign nations and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth" (Isaiah 11:11, 12). It seems that, on Hoshanah Rabbah in 1492, God indeed made a decision and set His hand to recover his people.

Part of that decision included a Jewish man from Italy sailing west into the unknown to discover a new land. This new land would, in the end-times, become the world's economic, military, and political superpower. More importantly, it would become a nation that would carry the Word of God to the world and offer a safe haven for the Jews.

As you will see, America's connection to Israel and the Jewish people is

As you will see, America's connection to Israel and the Jewish people is