Is Temple Mount In Our Hands?
I had one of those rak-ba’aretz (only-in-Israel) moments this morning, Yom Yerushalaim (Jerusalem Day), as a friend wound down his car window (if such an expression still exists?) outside the local school, as we both dropped off our kids.
He had a thought-for-the-day, which he shouted through the window to share with me, and which I share with you.
The famous historical announcement in 1967, that “Temple Mount is in our hands!” – contains both the excitement and miraculous glory of the Israeli victory in the 6 Day War – and the jaundiced skepticism born of 20-20 foresight.
Yes, Israeli troops successfully reunited Jerusalem under Jewish sovereignty, for the first time in two millennia – in a victory which had military historians gasping, and unsuccessfully seeking precedents. Six days; Jordan, Egypt and Syria’s armies were crushingly defeated. Only the Bible provided precedent. God was clearly fighting for Israel.
But within hours of the Israeli victory, the Temple Mount itself was handed over by the Israeli political authorities, to the Moslem Wakf.
And forty-three years later, our chances of rebuilding the Temple on Temple Mount seem as remote as ever.
My friend shouted to me: “Don’t read “Har Bayit Beyadainu” – “Temple Mount is in our hands” – but “Har Bayit BeYADEINU” – “the potential for rebuilding the Temple is in OUR hands”.
In other words, the military victory, which God handed to Israel, in full Biblical tradition – was to enable us to rebuild the Temple, should we choose, and should we be worthy.
For forty-three years, the whole world knows Israel has the military power to start rebuilding – but do we have the political will and the spiritual strength?
Rebuilding the Temple, a Third Temple, is Beyadainu – is indeed in our hands.
Rebuilding the Temple, a Third Temple, is Beyadainu – is indeed in our hands.
AMEN! David, I hope your readers and other Jews will donate to the Temple Institute www.templeinstitute.org/ to bring it SPEEDILY in OUR days!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to take a contrary approach.
ReplyDeleteLook at all the social strife across Israel between the religion and the non-religious, between the different groups of religious Jews.
Now look at Yerushalayim where the strife is that much more intense, against within and without.
Could you imagine what would happen if we really have the Temple Mount, if by some miracle the mosques there would have collapsed and we could start to build the Third Temple?
Do you think we'd find two poskim who'd agree on where to put what? And oy! I can only imagine the mud slinging and loshon horo when it came time to pick a kohen godol (Lubavitch would have their own no matter what)!
B"H we are spared all these controversies until the Holy One Blessed Be He reappears to settle it.
The Third Temple will not fall miraculously, complete, from the skies.
ReplyDeleteThe Third Temple will be built by the Ministry of Tourism, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture;
it will be run by the Ministry of Religion, with Machon Hamikdash;
it will be funded by right wing American Jews and Evangelical Xians;
Demonstrators outside will be: Eida Chareidis, PLO and Animal Rights Activists.
Moshiach will surely come soon.
But we can still have a Third Beit Mikdash, should he tarry.