Police Storm Troopers Using CLUBS to Beat up The TORAH (Talmidim)

Thousands Protest in Yerushalayim as Police [Attack] Clash with Bnei Torah

Thousands of bnei Torah — yeshivah bochurim, avreichim, rabbanim and roshei yeshivah — gathered in the streets of Yerushalayim on Thursday to protest the ongoing government efforts to force lomdei Torah into the army. The peaceful protest, held at a major intersection in the capital, was led by the gedolei Torah of the Sefardi tzibbur and ended in a shocking display of violence by police.

The atzeres was held in response to the recent arrest of two yeshivah brothers — talmidim of Yeshivas Meoros HaTorah — and escalating attempts to detain dozens more bochurim from their homes in recent weeks. The protest was both a call to tefillah and an outcry against the gezeira.

Leading the protest were some of the most prominent Sefardi gedolim, including Rosh Yeshivas Porat Yosef Rav Moshe Tzadkah, Rav Yehuda Cohen, Rosh Yeshivas Yakirei Yerushalayim and member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, the mekubal Rav Binyamin Shmueli, Rav Yitzchak Tawil, Rav Meir Bruchah, Rav Yaakov Ades, and many others.

Chaotic scenes unfolded as Border Police officers, some mounted on horses and others wielding batons, stormed the crowd in an effort to break up the demonstration. Video footage shows one officer punching a bochur in the face and knocking his hat to the ground.

Despite the violent crackdown, the protestors did not retreat. With cries of “נעבור ולא נתגייס” — “We will die and not enlist” — the bochurim stood shoulder to shoulder, clutching signs decrying the government’s plan to uproot thousands of lomdei Torah from their batei medrashim.

Three protestors were arrested during the hafgana.

Prior to the violence, Rav Moshe Tzadka addressed the crowd with visible emotion, declaring: “It is forbidden to obey the government in this matter. We go to jail — not to the army!”

He warned that any future legislation must protect all shomrei Torah u’mitzvos — even those not currently in yeshivos. “I turn to you, precious bnei Torah: Don’t fear them, don’t back down. The Torah ha’kedoshah will be victorious!”

Rav Yehuda Cohen said: “The lomdei Torah are the protectors of Am Yisrael. These arrests and persecutions are fueling the hatred against Yidden around the world.”
He added: “Know this — taking bochurim into captivity is what’s delaying the release of the hostages in Gaza.”

The protest comes amid a broader series of demonstrations across Eretz Yisrael as the olam haTorah rises in fierce opposition to the draft decree.

NOT ONCE BUT TWO OR THREE ATTACKS BY THE LEFT HANDED GOON ON SITTING TALMID, WITH HIS PARTNER JOINING IN SEVERAL TIMES ALSO, WITH POLICE GUY STANDING AND WATCHING EVERY ATTACK. SO MUCH FOR ABUDRAHAM WITH HIS LIES ABOUT BEING INDEPENDENT OF POLITICS!

ANOTHER GOON IN THE BLACK SHIRT POUNCING ON ONE STUDENT TO BEAT HIM UP, AND OTHER STUDENTS RUNNING TO PREVENT

IN RUSSIA THEY COULDNT DO THIS, BUT BEFORE ZIONISTS THEY CAN PROTEST AND GET THEIR MESSAGE OUT THERE!

COMMENTS:

*The Zionist SS Storm Troopers and Gestapo will meet the same fate at their 1930s/40s predecessors.

*There is nothing “shocking” about police violence at peaceful hafganos by bnei torah in EY

*if you watch carefully it seems the yid who got his hat punched off was reaching for the police officers baton – which im sure wasn’t for no reason, especially the way those evil “police officers” use their batons to hit bochrim peacefully protesting sitting on the floor.  kulo k’ushun tichleh ki sa’avir memsheles zadon min ha’aretz. unbelievable that yidden can hit each other like this in Eretz Yisroel of all places

*The behavior of the police is disgusting and despicable!!! I do not think it is right to block roads for any cause, but to use batons to beat yeshiva bachurim like that???????!!!!  They never use batons against any of the many protests in Tel Aviv nor against the mizrachi when they blocked roads for their own causes! Only when it is the chareidim!!! It is perverted and disgusting!!! I really hope those police are charged for their violence and put in jail!!!  [Oh, but the anti-govt, hostage protesters can block all the main hiways they want!!]

*This fight has been going on since 1948. Issues like the yemeinite kids being dragged away to pork eating kibbutzim. Force autopsies on anyone dying. Digging of ancient graves. Public violations of Shabbos. Toeiva parades. Etc etc. 

https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/israel-news/2435357/we-will-die-and-not-enlist-thousands-protest-in-yerushalayim-as-police-clash-with-bnei-torah.html

A Torah Question: What is the length of the "amah"?

 What is the length of the "amah"?

Do two archaeological discoveries possibly prove Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l’s position on the "amah"?

Hopefully, Moshiach is around the corner, and we need to learn the halakhot that are necessary for when that time comes. The Chofetz Chaim wrote that we may not rely on Eliyahu HaNavi making determinations for us. We need to study these issues and we need to study them now.

And for generations, a profound mystery challenged Talmidei Chachomim and historians alike regarding the precise measurements of the Torah and of halakha. This question has profound halakhic implications for numerous mitzvos including sukkah dimensions, tefillin sizes, tallis size, maakeh sizes and many other areas of Halakha. In other words should parents and grandparents stop buying their 13 year old an 18 inch four cornered fringed garment, talis kotton, and start buying 21 inch ones?

The Great Debate Among the Poskim

There are generally three positions among the leading halakhic authorities of the last century (poskim) who established different measurements based on their analysis of the various Talmudic sources. Rav Chaim Na'eh zts”l determined the amah to be 18 inches with a corresponding tefach of 3.15 inches. The Chazon Ish zts”l held the amah was 23.4 inches with a tefach of 3.78 inches. Rav Moshe Feinstein zts”l concluded the amah measured 21 inches with a tefach of 3.54 inches.

This author has observed that Torah observant Jews living in Eretz Yisroel generally observe one of three approaches:

1] following Rav Chaim Na'eh's measurements,

2] following the Chazon Ish's measurements, or

3] employing a combination using whichever is more stringent for each halakhic topic.

Very few Torah observant Jews living in Eretz Yisroel give significant weight to the view of Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, unless they were his Talmidim.

Conversely, many Torah observant Jews living in America considered Rav Moshe Feinstein as the Posek of America and gave more weight to his measurements, often employing combinations that included his view.

First Archaeological Discovery: The Temple Mount Square

A few years ago, a possible breakthrough developed that would seem to vindicate both the precision of the Mishna in Masechet Middo and possibly strengthen Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l's position on the amah (plural "amot")

The Mishna clearly states that the square upon which the Mikdash stood measures 500 amot by 500 amot, forming a perfect square. Yet when researchers attempted to explore the actual terrain of the Temple Mount, they encountered seemingly insurmountable difficulties as the dimensions simply did not align with what could be observed and measured.

This discrepancy led to various theories among scholars and Rabbis alike. Some suggested that the Mishna's language was merely an approximation rather than a precise measurement. However, the meticulous archaeological work of Leen Ritmeyer, who served as an assistant to the renowned archaeologist Benjamin Mazar (even though now his granddaughter Eilat a”h is a bit more famous then he), may have provided a solution.

Ritmeyer's methodological innovation proved crucial. Previous researchers had approached the problem from the wrong direction, beginning with their assumptions about where the Beit HaMikdash itself had stood and then attempting to construct the platform boundaries around that presumed location. Ritmeyer reversed this methodology entirely. Instead of starting with theories about the Beit HaMikdash's location, he first gathered archaeological evidence to identify the original square platform described in the Mishna. Only after establishing these boundaries did he proceed to determine where the Beit HaMikdash itself had been situated.

his approach allowed the archaeological evidence to speak for itself, free from preconceived notions about the Temple's location. Ritmeyer's methodology led him to identify three critical pieces of evidence that would possibly confirm both the Mishna's precise accuracy and vindicate Rav Feinstein's position.

The Two Differences

At the northwest corner of the current Muslim platform, Ritmeyer observed two crucial and strange differences in the bottom step of an ancient staircase on Har HaBayit. These blocks were constructed from pre-Herodian materials, indicating they predated the later expansions that Herod had made to the Temple Mount. More significantly, this step ran parallel not to the current Muslim platform but to the eastern wall of the Temple Mount itself.

Ritmeyer hypothesized that this step was actually a remnant of an original wall from the Temple Mount described in the Mishna. When he drew a line eastward from the northern edge of these ancient blocks, it passed along a rock ledge before meeting the eastern wall. The total length of this line measured exactly 861 feet.

At what Ritmeyer proposed as the northeast corner of the original Temple Mount, he discovered another telling piece of evidence. The lowest visible course of stones in this area stuck out beyond the very different masonry that stood above it. This protruding course stopped at a specific point, which Ritmeyer marked as an offset north of his proposed northeastern corner.

The third indication came from the southern end of the eastern wall, where a slight bend had been recorded by the famous 19th-century Jerusalem explorer Charles Warren. When Ritmeyer measured this bend, he made another discovery: it began exactly 861 feet south of where his proposed northern wall intersected the eastern wall. By drawing a perpendicular line westward from the beginning of this bend and a line directly south from the ancient step, Ritmeyer created two sides of a square, each measuring exactly 861 feet in length.

The crucial revelation came when Ritmeyer calculated the measurement of the cubit used in these ancient constructions. The 861-foot measurement from the northwestern corner to the eastern wall, when divided by 500 (the number of cubits specified in the Mishna), yielded a cubit length of 20.67 inches. This archaeological evidence provides possibly quite stunning confirmation of Rav Moshe Feinstein zatzal's position of an amah being approximately 21 inches - which he says is slightly stringent, machmir.

While not identical to the precise measurement, the archaeological evidence fell remarkably close to Rav Feinstein's calculation and was notably distant from both Rabbi Chaim Na'eh's 18-inch measurement and the Chazon Ish's 23.4-inch determination.

Second Archaeological Discovery: First Temple Period Storage Vessels

Another remarkable archaeological discovery possibly supports Rav Feinstein zt”l's measurements from an entirely different angle. This evidence comes from ceramic containers dating to the time of Dovid HaMelech and carries significant halakhic implications regarding the laws of ritual purity, tumah and taharah.

We may reasonably assume that the general population of Jews living in the time of the first Beit HaMikdash observed halakha, and certainly in terms of tumah and taharah. We may also assume that they, like people in all generations, liked to save money and protect their investments. Just as we put away the milk container back into the refrigerator after making coffee to avoid bacterial contamination, ancient Jews would have been concerned about protecting their stored goods from spiritual contamination.

The halakhic principle involved is well-established. Although there are debates between the Rambam and the Rash (Rash not Rosh) regarding the nature of Tumah (ritual impurity) when dealing with an opening less than a tefach, the vast majority of commentaries, in this author’s view, understand that when the opening of a storage vessel is less than a tefach in width and length, the impurity is either prevented or limited in some way. Conversely, if the opening of the containers were larger than that of a tefach, it would subject the contents of the containers to the dangers of becoming tameh.

A number of years ago, archaeologists measured the circumference of various ceramic containers during the time of King David, Dovid HaMelech. They discovered that all of them, without exception, had openings between 3.48 and 3.53496 inches. This discovery is uncanny, as the top figure is exactly that which Rav Moshe Feinstein determined for the tefach measurement.

The implications of this discovery are profound. If we accept these archaeological findings, it seems clear that the most precise measurement for the tefach is that of Rav Moshe Feinstein. This would mean, for example, that if someone wanted to sleep in a sukkah under a table, the table height should be under 35 inches. The Rav Chaim Na'eh measurement would be too stringent, and the Chazon Ish measurement would be halakhically invalid for this purpose.

Conclusion

These two independent archaeological discoveries, each dealing with entirely different aspects of Jewish life, possibly provide remarkable confirmation of Rav Moshe Feinstein zts"l's position on halakhic measurements. The first discovery, involving the precise dimensions of the Temple Mount square, suggests his amah measurement of approximately 21 inches. The second discovery, involving storage vessels from the First Temple period, suggests his tefach measurement of approximately 3.54 inches - which is one sixth of the Amah

While some may argue that archaeology has no place in the determination of halakha, others, including some major poskim of the last generation, have disagreed with this position. The convergence of these archaeological findings with Rav Feinstein's calculations raises important questions about how we should approach these fundamental measurements in halacha.

When this author spoke to a number of American poskim to ask whether we should emphasize Rav Moshe's shiur tefach in America, since he was considered by so many as America's foremost posek, most responded affirmatively. Perhaps, in light of these archaeological discoveries, we should consider giving greater weight to his measurements more broadly.

These findings do not definitively resolve the debate among the great poskim, but they do provide compelling archaeological evidence that possibly supports the precision and accuracy of Rav Moshe Feinstein zts"l's approach to halakhic measurements.

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/412786

The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com

Eliezer Meir Saidel: Looking Back … and Forward – Vaetchanan

 Looking Back … and Forward – Vaetchanan

 

וַיִּתְעַבֵּר ה' בִּי לְמַעַנְכֶם וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלָי וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי רַב לָךְ אַל תּוֹסֶף דַּבֵּר אֵלַי עוֹד בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה. (דברים ג, כו)

 

What is the reason that HKB"H did not allow Moshe to lead Am Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael? We all know this was punishment for Mei Meriva and Moshe striking the rock instead of speaking to it. By all standards this appears to be an "over the top" punishment for such a seemingly minor sin and the Mefarshim clarify this by saying that הקב"ה מְדַקְדֵּק עִם צַדִּיקִים כְּחוּט הַשְּׂעָרָה.

 

The Malbim, however, giregelves a completely different reason why HKB"H did not allow Moshe into Eretz Yisrael. According to the Malbim (on our passuk above), if Moshe would have led Am Yisrael into Eretz Yisrael, he would not have "dilly dallied" and would have immediately set about building the Beit HaMikdash. 

If he would have done so, that Beit HaMikdash structure would have lasted forever and never been destroyed (all the components from the Mishkan created by Moshe, which were later stored in the catacombs under the Mikdash, such as the Aron, the coverings of the Ohel Moed, the beams and the sockets etc., survive to this day, they never physically deteriorated). 

If so, when Am Yisrael later sinned against HKB"H, it would not have been possible for HKB"H to take His fury out on the "sticks and stones" of the Beit HaMikdash and instead He would have had to take it out on Am Yisrael. The reason Am Yisrael survived the destruction of the two Batei Mikdash is precisely that, HKB"H destroyed the "buildings" and not the "people".

 

I would like to share with you my experiences and feelings over the last tumultuous few days, which relate to the subject matter above.

 

People often ask me what it is like to live a life that is totally focused on the Beit HaMikdash, researching the Lechem HaPanim in every free moment of the day, teaching the Menachot to people from all corners of the world, day in and day out?

 

The answer is that for me personally, it is almost like the Geulah has already arrived, that the Beit HaMikdash has already been built and is alive and functioning. It totally alters your lifestyle and places it in a different perspective. Before I became involved in the Lechem HaPanim research, my life revolved around – life. Now my life is lived through the prism of the reality of the Beit HaMikdash.

 

It is a heightened sense of awareness that affects even the most mundane things. Making a concerted effort to keep yourself in a state of טָהֳרָה, being extra makpid, even obsessive, on doing netilat yadayim, especially before entering shul or studying Torah. An incrementally increased level of kavanah during the tefilot, being makpid to say the words correctly and with the right kavanot. 

Reciting the korbanot as if you are actually offering the korban - not just mouthing the words but actually understanding the words you are saying (e.g. that the שִׁבֹּלֶת נֵרְדְּ in the Ketoret is derived from the Nardostachys family of plants). It is a compelling thirst to truly understand what you are saying, and this drives you to research every word you are doubtful of (like שִׁבֹּלֶת נֵרְדְּ above). 

Your presence in shul is transformed into a different plane, a feeling as if you are physically in the Beit HaMikdash, requiring a different level of behavior, respect and awe.

 

Shabbat takes on an entirely different dimension, even dressing in Shabbat clothes on Friday is performed as if you were donning bigdei Kehuna. When you light the candles, it is like lighting the Menorah. Making Hamotzi on the challahs is like switching the two stacks of Lechem HaPanim on the Shulchan. 

Every second of Shabbat becomes precious and effort is made to not waste a single moment, to stuff as much as you can into the 24 hours, davening, learning, doing mitzvot, singing, eating etc. as this will influence everything you do in the coming week.

 

The chagim for me are no longer the same. Before I began researching the Lechem HaPanim, I never truly understood the meaning of waving the lulav and etrog, I understood why those four species together, but what is the meaning of waving in those 6 directions? I never noticed before how many references there were to the Beit HaMikdash in the Hoshanot. 

I never really understood the structure of the Pesach seder, that it is modelled on the Korban Toda. I never understood the intricate connection between the shofar blown on Rosh Hashana and the "kranot" of the Lechem HaPanim, to me they were just "out-juttings" on top of the bread.

 

The manner in which I conduct my business during the week now bears no resemblance to before I began researching the Menachot. My whole attitude to parnasa has changed 180 degrees.

 

To say that my entire existence has been totally transformed, is a gross understatement. And actually, that is what the Beit HaMikdash essentially is. It is a "battery recharger" that charges your inner battery/Mikdash ande affects your entire life. That is what the עֲלִיָּה לָרֶגֶל is.

 

This feeling was accentuated last week when I participated in the Mikdash Conference in the Old City in Yerushalayim, in Machon HaMikdash. This conference takes place once every few years and showcases all the latest, ground breaking research into the numerous aspects of the Mikdash.

 

Before I even got to Machon HaMikdash, as I entered the Old City, waves of Geulah washed over me. On my left, one of the yeshivas sent the bochurim out into the courtyard to sing and daven for the soldiers and the hostages. The melodic "Acheinu kol beit Yisrael" reverberated off the stone walls, in beautiful harmonious waves – hundreds of bochurim singing as with one voice, it reminded me (lehavdil) of the Red Army choir – powerful and compelling. I am pretty sure that is almost what the Levi'im choir must have sounded like. Add to that some musical instruments (the bochurim were singing acapella because it was the nine days) and I don't know how anyone could withstand the intensity of it.

 

I was delivering one of the lectures in the conference (on the Shtei HaLechem) and for that purpose I brought along some paraphernalia – a few utensils, bags of solet and two huge loaves of Shtei HaLechem. 

While I was winding my way by foot through the alleyways toward Machon HaMikdash, straining under the load, a pizza delivery guy on a scooter stopped alongside me and said "Hand those over, I will help you to transport it to wherever you are going!" 

Seeing my reluctance to teeteringly balance the precious loaves on the back of his scooter, he whipped out an empty pizza box and some box tape and proceeded to affix the package to the back of the scooter so that it would not budge an inch or fall. He then drove alongside me at walking pace for the next 10 minutes as we meandered our way to Machon HaMikdash. 

I have never met this non-religious?/non-kippah-wearing guy in my life and he does not know me from Adam. He simply stopped out of pure chessed and wasted ten minutes of his precious time on me. If I had been in Tel Aviv or Kfar Sava, such a thing would not have happened. With all the sinat chinam being slung about in Am Yisrael right now (Rachmana litzlan), in the Old City of Yerushalayim - good old ahavat chinam is alive and well.

 

The Kenes HaMikdash itself was an eye opener for me, it is the first time I have participated in one. Three straight hours (with no break) of back-to-back 30-minute lectures, from the leading researchers of the various aspects of the Mikdash. The level of the material would not have been out of place in a Harvard PHD thesis presentation.  The advanced academic level of the research was startling and refreshing. 

These are all people who have devoted their entire lives to their subject and it shows. It is impossible to fully encompass any of the subjects in 30 minutes and at the end of each, it left you with a feeling that you could have listened for another hour at least on each subject. If anyone would even have suggested a coffee break in the middle they would have been shouted down. If anyone wants to see a recording of the Kenes they may do so at this link.

 

At the end, the master of ceremonies, HaRav Menachem Burstein שליט"א from Machon Puah (who does miraculous work with fertility treatment, helping childless couples in Am Yisrael to have children) declared "After hearing all the lectures, I do not see a need to fast this Sunday (Tisha Be'Av), because the Mikdash is already here!" I then realized that living a reality of the Mikdash has also transformed many other lives besides mine.

 

I walked back to my car with a much lighter load (the participants in the conference all helped to slice up and eat the Shtei HaLechem that I had brought). It was 10pm at night and the Old City was bustling – thousands upon thousands of people of all ages thronging in the streets, chatting, laughing, hurrying to tefilot at the Kotel, to the סֵדֶר לַיְלָה at their yeshivas. 

It was mamash culmination of the prophecy עֹד יֵשְׁבוּ זְקֵנִים וּזְקֵנוֹת בִּרְחֹבוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (זכריה ח,ד). Most of the week prior to that I had been doing Lechem HaPanim workshops in other cities around the country in the late afternoon/evening and at 8pm in all these places - there was not a soul on the streets. They were like "ghost towns", cities that are usually tourist and even Charedi "hotspots" and bustling.

 

My return trip to Karnei Shomron was almost like floating on a cloud. I could not possibly imagine how I could bring myself to mourn on Tisha Be'Av. HKB"H in His mercy solved the problem by sending me a flu virus on Friday, that allowed me to commemorate Tisha Be'Av with the appropriate "dampened spirits" frame of mind. If not for that chessed I would not have been able to fulfil the halacha of the day.

 

And here we are again, on the tail end of another Tisha Be'Av. I ask myself "How is it possible that this dichotomy exists?!" The stark contrast between the existence of a few solitary individuals and geographic locations who live a reality of Geulah, while most of Am Yisrael have not yet had the privilege of experiencing this true joy of Geulah in their lives?

 

 The answer is that it is a failing of the few who do live lives of Geulah! We have not succeeded in sufficiently shining that light outward to the rest of Am Yisrael and infecting them with this joy and elation.

 

It is easy to find excuses. That we lack resources and are too caught up in living our own personal lives and making a parnasa. That we are not in the consensus and are considered by many to be extremists or "messianics" (HaRav Burstein in the conference said that many times he tried to urge HaRav Yisrael Ariel שליט"א, head of Machon HaMikdash to try be more in the consensus, to which HaRav Ariel replied "I have tried, but I just cannot! It is not me.") Regardless of the excuses, the fact on the ground is that the "light" exists, it is just not reaching the masses.

 

We need to make a more concerted effort to find sources of sponsorship and funding, from wealthy donors and sponsors who are interested in rebuilding the 3^rd Beit HaMikdash. They surely exist - we just need the shlichim to make the shidduch. If you know of or have connections with any such people, you have an obligation to do your hishtadlut by making such a shidduch. The degree of exposure and influence is directly proportional to the financial resources. One of the major reasons that this light is not reaching its audience is because the "custodians of the light" are operating on shoestring budgets.

 

We need to make a more concerted effort to mingle with Am Yisrael. To leave the "comfort zone" of our institutes enveloped in light and hit the road, like Shmuel HaNavi who loaded up his donkey and traversed the length and breadth of Am Yisrael. Waiting for Am Yisrael to come to us is historically ineffective!

 

We need to make a more concerted effort to allow the light to radiate, to speak to people on their own level, a level they can understand. There is no point in holding a Kenes Mikdash, like the above, in Tel Aviv – it is light years ahead of their reality. Instead, we need to create events on multiple levels that attract all strata of Am Yisrael. Academic conferences of the type above are essential – for the academics, for the rest of Am Yisrael we need formats that are more accessible and user friendly.

 

We need to recruit disciples and ambassadors that can make the movement grow exponentially and virally, experts in all "media" platforms that can translate the "light" into an accessible format for the masses.  

 

We need to reach out to the leaders of the different strata of Am Yisrael and get them on board. In order to do so, we need to become consensus and steer totally clear of political alignment.

 

This the challenge that faces the עוֹסְקִים בַּמְּלָאכָה. But what about the simple Jew on the street, someone who is not an active part of or leader of this grassroots movement?

 

The Gemara (Taanit 29a) says that when Am Yisrael sinned with the meraglim, HKB"H said אַתֶּם בְּכִיתֶם בְּכִיָּה שֶׁל חִנָּם וַאֲנִי קוֹבֵעַ לָכֶם בְּכִיָּה לְדוֹרוֹת. What is בְּכִיָּה שֶׁל חִנָּם? It is the crying of despair, the crying of looking backwards instead of forwards. When someone cries in that way it becomes perpetuated for generations. 

If, however, someone not only looks backwards, but also forwards – that is a cry of hope, a cry that reaches up to the כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד and causes HKB"H to have mercy on us and bring the Geulah! It is the essence of the difference between the response of R' Elazar ben Azaria/R' Yehoshua and R' Akiva when they all saw the fox running in the ruins of Har HaBayit.

 

Too many people are still living a reality of despair and not hope. Too much of our Yiddishkeit has become polarized on the crying of - looking backwards.

 

In our homes we leave a spot on the wall (1 amah X 1 amah, 50cm X 50cm) unplastered/unfinished as a זֵכֶר לַחֻרְבָּן. Anyone who does so is to be commended for fulfilling the halacha (שלחן ערוך סימן תקס סעיף א), but this is insufficient. We need to go לִפְנִים מִשּׁוּרַת הַדִּין and in addition to that symbol of "looking back", we also need to add a symbol of "looking forward". We all need to have at least one picture of the fully built Beit HaMikdash in a prominent place in our home for all to see. This perhaps is the ultimate מוּסַר הַשְׂכֵּל from the current war with our enemies. Soldiers fighting in Gaza have returned with a chilling message "There is not a single home in Gaza that does not have a picture of El-Aksa Mosque in the living room!" 

Our enemies shame us! (that is the purpose of galut Yishmael). How can it possibly be that they have more connection to Har HaBayit than we do? This is why they have been so successful in their propaganda against us, because we have failed in this regard! We have lost our conscious umbilical connection with Har HaBayit and the Beit HaMikdash. 

How is it possible to convince the world of our biblical connection to the holy place when we don't even make the effort to have a picture of it in our homes? It is possible to find and purchase hundreds of variations of prints of the Beit HaMikdash in every artistic style that will add to the décor in your living room and send a strong message to the world – and yourself – who we really are. 

This is something that is mind altering and immediately possible to implement.

 

In the daily tefilot, too much of the focus is on looking backwards. In the Korbanot we say things like –

 

שֶׁתְּהֵא אֲמִירָה זוּ חֲשׁוּבָה וּמְקֻבֶּלֶת וּמְרֻצָּה לְפָנֶיךָ, כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרַבְנוּ קָרְבַּן הַתָּמִיד בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ, וּבִמְקוֹמוֹ וּכְהִלְכָתוֹ

אַתָּה הוּא ה' אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ שֶׁהִקְטִירוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְפָנֶיךָ אֶת קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיָה קַיָּם כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָ אוֹתָם עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה נְבִיאֶךָ.

 

We should be saying –

שֶׁתְּהֵא אֲמִירָה זוּ חֲשׁוּבָה וּמְקֻבֶּלֶת וּמְרֻצָּה לְפָנֶיךָ, כְּאִלּוּ הִקְרַבְנוּ קָרְבַּן הַתָּמִיד בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ, וּבִמְקוֹמוֹ וּכְהִלְכָתוֹ. וְשֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ וְשָׁם נַקְרִיב קָרְבָּן הַתָּמִיד בְּמוֹעֲדוֹ, וּבִמְקוֹמוֹ וּכְהִלְכָתוֹ.

אַתָּה הוּא ה' אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ שֶׁהִקְטִירוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְפָנֶיךָ אֶת קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים בִּזְמַן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הָיָה קַיָּם וְשֶׁאָנוּ עֲתִידִים לְהַקְטִיר בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי בִּמְהֵרָה בְּיָמֵינוּ, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתָ אוֹתָנוּ עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה נְבִיאֶךָ .

 

In the Shir Shel Yom we say –

הַיּוֹם יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן בַּשַּׁבָּת שֶׁבּוֹ הָיוּ הַלְוִיִּם אוֹמְרִים בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ.

 

We should be saying –

הַיּוֹם יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן בַּשַּׁבָּת שֶׁבּוֹ הָיוּ הַלְוִיִּם אוֹמְרִים וְשֶׁאָנוּ עֲתִידִים לוֹמַר בְּבֵית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ.

 

That transforms the tefilla into something actual that actively involves us and does not relegate it to some ancient, historical event thousands of years ago.

 

Before we enter the Beit Knesset, we should do netilat yadayim – twice on each hand, just like the Kohen did with the Kiyor in the Mikdash.

 

All the above are small, trivial things that are easy to do with very little effort, but their effect on our psyche is astronomical. They turn something "forgotten" into something alive and kicking!

 

Finally, each and every one of us should choose our own "pet subject" relating to the Beit HaMikdash.

 

The Beit HaMikdash is an entire world with literally thousands of different components and aspects. From baking bread to barbequing meat, from singing to playing the harp, 

from priestly garments to precious stones on the Eifod, from red heifers to sheep, 

from making wine to pressing oil, from mixing incense for the Ketoret to hewing wood for the Mizbeach, 

from handling blood to carving up the different cuts of sirloin, from purity to impurity, from skinning animals to shearing wool, 

from breeding pigeons and doves to weaving curtains, from judiciary matters to accounting, 

from writing sifrei Torah and scrolls to plastering and painting the walls of the Mizbeach, 

from rappelling into the Kodesh HaKodashim to make repairs to climbing the lamps to replace the wicks, 

from designing mechanical gizmos to submerge the Kiyor to keeping birds off the roof, etc. etc. 

There is sure to be some aspect of the Beit HaMikdash that catches your eye and your fancy. Once you have latched on to that specific subject, begin to study it further, even become an expert in it. It doesn't matter if someone else is already focusing on that same thing, the more the merrier.

 

We all need to make the Beit HaMikdash a feature in our lives. It begins with the smallest things and takes on a life of its own until it totally transforms our existence. That is called the Geulah. It starts with one person, then another and then another until it is all of Am Yisrael. And then what HaRav Burstein said will be true – we will not have to fast on Tisha BeAv.

 

 

Shabbat Shalom

Eliezer Meir Saidel

Machon Lechem Hapanim

www.machonlechemhapanim.org