Outside the Door ... Inches From the Holy of Holies

I was on a thrilling mini-tour today. We traversed the outside walls of the Temple Mount, walked down into the Kidron Valley, and then into the Muslim Quarter via the Lions Gate.

We heard about the woman siting on the steps at the Southern Gateway to the Temple, who "held Court" with Holy Books in hand, gave Torah and words of mussar to those who entered. Huldah's Gates.



A futuristic restoration of Huldah's Gates


We visited the monument built by and to "remember" Avshalom, Dovid HaMelech's handsome rebellious son, and heard how Alexander the Great when he saw the defiant (against his father, Dovid HaMelech) hand atop the monument, took a sword and chopped it down.



Because?

Because he too knew some of the Ten Commandments, and remembered "Honor Your Father and Mother." Avshalom was a kid on the fringe who displayed disrespect, rebellion and anger toward his father. But Dovid HaMelech continued to daven for his son, even after he was killed.

Just a few steps from here is the Tomb of Zechariah. A recent archaeological discovery leads some to believe they have found the biblical tomb of Zechariah: "An empty underground tomb was also discovered at the site, which some scholars, among them archaeologists Dr. Uzi Dahari and Prof. Yoram Tzafrir, believe was venerated in the Byzantine period as the tomb of Zechariah the prophet, based on an inscription on the Madaba Map. The latter was a map of the Holy Land that was part of the mosaic floor of a sixth-century church in Jordan. It contains many names of sites and has been proven accurate in many cases." More at Haaretz




We stopped by each of the Shuls in the Muslim Quarter.
We visited the Zilberstein Family home who live in the midst of the Muslim Quarter.

In the Muslim Quarter, we stood at the bottom of many steps leading up to a huge door, guarded by Israeli Police, and inside that door, just inches away, was the area believed to be the Holy of Holies of our Temple. So close yet so far.




We said prayers at the Kotel HaKatan, just to the left of this Green Door.

It was a spiritually nourishing experience.

Everyone Should Have Access to Temple Mount

Arutz Sheva: MKs Uri Ariel and Aryeh Eldad ... to ascend to the Temple Mount with a group of Temple loyalists through the Moughrabi Gate Tuesday at 8:00am. They will demand the Temple Mount accommodate Jewish worshippers, through one gate or another. The PM has decided to refurbish the Moughrabi gate bridge, so it will meet safety specifications. The MKs demand Temple Mount access during the repairs.

Update: MK Danny Danon (Likud) said on Monday that he plans to work towards ensuring equal access to the Temple Mount for Jews and Christians, just as Muslims have access to the area. Danon made the comments after Jews who arrived at the Temple Mount on Sunday were blocked by police, who told them that they cannot enter because the bridge to the Rambam Gate (also known as the Mughrabi Gate) has been declared unsafe and must undergo renovation. At the same time, Jews are not allowed to use another entrance to enter the compound.

I agree, all peoples should be allowed to visit our Temple. But first, we should be able to do some housekeeping, and make it presentable to all. I feel that we are inching our way to the day when we will once again have our Temple, with myriad peoples streaming in and out, giving thanks to HaShem.