The Fifth of Iyar has Not Replaced the Ninth of Av

Dr.Israel Eldad z"l
ZFA
Published in Sullam
5710 (1950)

The unfortunate fact embodied in the title symbolizes more than anything that the historical occurrence begun on the eve of the Ninth of Av, that which we call Exile, has not yet come to its conclusion. And not necessarily because Jews still remain in the Diaspora, for even before the destruction of the Temple Jews were living in Diaspora countries.

Of course the in-gathering of the exiles is the goal of Zionism. Of course the conquest of the land is the goal of the liberation movement, but redemption, that primary and deepest and most encompassing concept of the Hebrew language, this Redemption cannot be without the abrogation of Tisha B’Av, which means the actualization of that symbol whose destruction began the Diaspora, though there were Romans in this country even before then and there were Jews dispersed in the world before then, and though there was a Jewish majority in this country even hundreds of years afterwards. And just as there is no substitute for Eretz Israel so can there be no substitute for that singular site.

The Building of the Third Temple is not the goal of Redemption, it will be the expression of Redemption. The Redemption of the nation and of its G-d. And this focal point will radiate power.

If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.
.

The Temple in Jerusalem: Our Raison d'etre

The Jewish Leadership Weekly Newsletter
3 Nissan, 5770 (March 18)
Issue 7025

At this week's dedication ceremony for the newly re-built Hurva Synagogue, Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger made the following disturbing statement:

Chief Rabbi: Talk about new temple a lie
"Pay no attention to malicious slander. All we are doing is resurrecting the 'Hurva,' which was destroyed 60 years ago. We have no intention of rebuilding the temple, not this week – unless the Almighty God descends it from the heavens," said the chief rabbi during the inauguration ceremony. (Ynet: March 15, '10)

All of Rabbi Metzger's prayers, blessings and Torah learning revolve around the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Are they all lies? The Chief Rabbi - and all the rabbis who work in an official state capacity on the condition that they leave the Torah in its current state of exile – will not tell the truth.

The truth is that we have every intention of building the Temple! The debate as to the actual construction of the Temple – if it will be built by humans or if it will descend from Heaven or if it will be a synthesis of both – has nothing to do with the basic desire of every Jew to build the Temple.

"And they shall make a Temple for Me," G-d directs us in Exodus 25:8.
He does not instruct us to simply dream about a Temple. He does not instruct us to merely pray for a Temple. G-d commands us to build the Temple.

The Nation of Israel exists to make a dwelling place for G-d on earth. That is why the State of Israel exists, as well. Our mission as Jews is to perfect the world in the Kingdom of Heaven - to crown G-d as King of the world. The geographical location where this mission will manifest is the Temple, on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

The world knows the truth. That is why the forces of evil do battle with our grasp on the Land of Israel and on Jerusalem. They are fighting against the universal conscience that threatens to triumph. "The Jew is the conscience of the world and thus must be destroyed" (Hitler, may his name be blotted out). That, in a nutshell, is the battle that Ahmadinijad, Obama and the Europeans are waging against the Nation of Israel. They wish to destroy the Jew and his reshaping of reality into G-dliness – the reality that is grounded in the Land of Israel, via Jerusalem and that necessarily leads to the Temple that Rabbi Metzger insists on relegating to the realm of dreams.

The struggle against the building freeze in Judea and Samaria and the stranglehold closing in on Jerusalem all stem from the same, fundamental question: Will the Jewish People fulfill their mission and live or will we distance ourselves from it and become extraneous, G-d forbid?

All the Torah portions of the previous weeks provide us with the technical specifications for the Temple, bringing it closer to reality. Only the Chief Rabbi and his ilk alienate themselves from the precious charge deposited in our hands, explaining that it is all a lie.

Our weekly Torah portion, though, gives us hope for the future. The entire portion revolves around the service of G-d in the Holy Temple. Near the end, the Torah expounds on repentance. Because in the end, all the Jews will return to G-d. The leftists, the official rabbis, everyone. There are moments, like after the Six Day War, when the Jewish heart opens and longs for the Temple. May we merit to build it soon. All the Jews, together.

Shabbat Shalom.........Moshe Feiglin
.

The Third Temple: Third World War or Eternal World Peace?

"The secret of universal peace is the Temple in Jerusalem, when humanity will sense that the King has returned to His home."


Moshe Feiglin
Manhigut
18 February '10

And G-d gave Solomon wisdom, as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and the two made a pact together. (From this week's reading of Prophets, Kings I, 5:26)

This week's Torah portion, Terumah, reads like a user's manual for Sanctuary and Temple construction. Everything in the portion seems to be technical, even "dry:" Pillars, boards and all the other elements of building.

"Let's just make sure that the Temple will not be rebuilt," I once heard a radio broadcaster say. In truth, I understand where he was coming from. If a person looks at the Temple from the purely technical side, if he cannot overcome the dry details, he can easily reach the same conclusion.

But the first verse in this week's Prophets portion is talking about something else; something that Israel's radio broadcasters talk about all the time. Peace. "And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and the two made a pact together."

Strange. The leftists keep telling us that the third Temple will ignite the Third World War. What is peace doing in this verse? Let us examine the verses leading up to this verse:

And, behold, I propose to build a house for the name of the LORD my G-d, as the LORD spoke unto David my father, saying: Your son, whom I will set upon your throne in your room, he shall build the house for My Name. Therefore command that they hew me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with your servants; and I will give you hire for your servants according to all that you shall say; for you know that there is not among us any that has skill to hew timber like the Sidonians.'

And when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said: 'Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given unto David a wise son over this great people.' And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: 'I have heard that which you have sent to me; I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of cypress. My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea unto the place that you shall appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them; and you shall accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.' So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of cypress according to all his desire. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil; thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. (Kings I, 5: 19-25)

The culture of the Sidonians - Phoenicians - was rich. They engaged in extensive international trade and the ports that they built on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea developed into mighty kingdoms. Hiram was no small time monarch. He had the wealth of America, the culture of England and the artwork of France all wrapped up in Tyre and Sidon. When Hiram hears that Solomon is building a Temple to G-d, he does not respond with war. He is happy that he has the merit to participate in the Divine undertaking.

(Read full post)
.