וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ה' אֱ-לֹקִים מִגַּן עֵדֶן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם (בראשית ג, כג).
After Adam and Chava sinned with the עֵץ הַדַּעַת, HKB"H banished them from Gan Eden. The Malbim asks, "Which route did Adam and Chava take out of Gan Eden?" and explains that the four rivers פִּישׁוֹן, גִּיחוֹן, חִדֶּקֶל, פְרָת (שם ב, יא-ד) all lead out of Gan Eden. The first three have negative connotations, but the fourth, נְהַר פְּרָת, which surrounds Eretz Yisrael, is good and HKB"H cast them out of Gan Eden via נְהַר פְּרָת, to Eretz Yisrael.
According to the Midrash (בראשית רבה יד, ח) the earth that HKB"H gathered to create Adam HaRishon was gathered from the location of the אֶבֶן שְׁתִיָּה and Mizbeach on Har HaMoriah. HKB"H sent Adam back to his point of origin to do כַּפָּרָה for the sin.
How would Adam achieve כַּפָּרָה? The passuk says - לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם. The Mefarshim ask "What does לַעֲבֹד mean?" The Alsheich says it was to bring a korban. Adam HaRishon sacrificed a special korban of a one horned ox, described in the Gemara, שׁוֹר שֶׁהִקְרִיב אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן קַרְנוֹתָיו קָדְמוּ לְפַרְסוֹתָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מַקְרִין מַפְרִיס (חולין ס, ע"א). The Kli Yakar has a similar perush, explaining that since the source of the sin was the earth, Adam had to atone by building a Mizbeach from earth to bring a korban.
Although I have not managed to find other sources for this, I would like to propose in this shiur that the כַּפָּרָה in question was not limited to the one, specific korban brought by Adam HaRishon to atone for his sin. It has more far-reaching implications for mankind, way beyond that single korban. The כַּפָּרָה in question means - building a Beit HaMikdash on Har HaMoriah.
We learn this out from תּוֹרַת הָרֶמֶז, from hints - in our passuk above. The gematria of וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ה' אֱ-לֹקִים מִגַּן עֵדֶן is "אַפִּרְיוֹן אַפִּרְיוֹן", i.e twice the word אַפִּרְיוֹן. Two אַפִּרְיוֹן's.
What does the word אַפִּרְיוֹן mean? The literal meaning of אַפִּרְיוֹן is a "litter", "sedan chair" or "palanquin" – a type of luxury outfitted "box-seat" in which a dignitary, someone of importance, sits and using poles on both sides, servants raise the box in the air and carry the person to their destination.
The first and only time the word אַפִּרְיוֹן appears in the Tanach is in Shir HaShirim אַפִּרְיוֹן עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן (שיר השירים ג, ט) referring to Shlomo HaMelech building the first Beit HaMikdash. Here the word אַפִּרְיוֹן is allegorical and not literal, indicating that Shlomo built a כִּסֵּא כָּבוֹד here on earth for HKB"H, which is the Beit HaMikdash. And now for something incredible. The gematria of לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם, from our passuk above is … "אַפִּרְיוֹן עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן".
This is a clear and definitive רֶמֶז that our passuk is referring to the Beit HaMikdash and if you want even more proof - the gematria of the entire passuk וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ה' אֱ-לֹקִים מִגַּן עֵדֶן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם is the same as "סֻלָּם מֻצָּב אַרְצָה וְרֹאשׁוֹ מַגִּיעַ הַשָּׁמָיְמָה וְהִנֵּה מַלְאֲכֵי אֱ-לֹקִים עֹלִים וְיֹרְדִים בּוֹ", the dream of Yaakov Avinu, which R' Bachyei and the Kli Yakar (בראשית כח, יב) say was a vision of - the Beit HaMikdash.
We have established a sound basis that the כַּפָּרָה in question is referring to building the Beit HaMikdash, but why only twice? אַפִּרְיוֹן אַפִּרְיוֹן (referring to Bayit Rishon and Bayit Sheini)? What about the third Beit HaMikdash that will be built in the time of Mashiach? From this, it appears that Adam HaRishon (and his descendants) are only required to build two Batei Mikdash, not three?
To understand this, we need to explore a machloket regarding - "who" is going to build the third and final Beit HaMikdash. It is predominantly a machloket of the Rishonim (Rashi and the Rambam). In later generations, with the Acharonim (R' Friedman of Karlin, R' Kook, etc.) this machloket has been "complicated" to some degree by "political" affiliations, relating to whether one believes that the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 is רֵאשִׁית צְמִיחַת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ, or not.
The machloket is deep and complex and I will only "scratch the surface" of it here, to remain within the confines of the length of this shiur. You may refer to the sources and explore it in more depth if you wish.
The importance of resolving this conflict cannot be understated! It has profound and imperative practical ramifications for our generation - defining the unique purpose of our generation in the prism of Jewish history.
Let's begin with the origin of the machloket. There are two psukkim in the Torah referring to building the Beit HaMikdash. The first one is in Shirat Hayam. After Am Yisrael crossed over the Red Sea, we sang a song of praise to thank HKB"H for our salvation from the Egyptians. This song is formulated in the future tense, אָז יָשִׁיר, referring to the future, the Geulah.
The passuk there says תְּבִאֵמוֹ וְתִטָּעֵמוֹ בְּהַר נַחֲלָתְךָ מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ ה' מִקְּדָשׁ ה' כּוֹנְנוּ יָדֶיךָ (שמות טו, יז). According to this passuk, who will build the third Beit HaMikdash? מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ ה' מִקְּדָשׁ ה' כּוֹנְנוּ יָדֶיךָ – the third Beit HaMikdash will be built by HKB"H Himself. This is clearly the pshat of the passuk.
The Gemara (Sukkah 41a) tells us that R' Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted a number of decrees in memory of the destroyed Second Beit HaMikdash. For example, when the Beit HaMikdash existed, the Arba'at Ha'Minim were waved all seven days of Sukkot in the Mikdash, but only on the first day in the rest of Eretz Yisrael. R' Yochanan ben Zakkai decreed that now the Mikdash no longer exists, we wave the Arba'at Ha'Minim all seven days, everywhere in Eretz Yisrael (and galut) in memory of the Beit HaMikdash. Another of these decrees related to the Korban Ha'Omer.
When the Beit HaMikdash existed, the Korban Ha'Omer was offered on the morning of the 16th of Nisan (the second day of Pesach). The previous night (motzei Pesach rishon), barley sheaves were harvested from the fields and processed into solet for the Korban Ha'Omer the following day.
Until the Korban Ha'Omer was offered in the Mikdash on the morning of the 16th of Nisan, it was not permitted to eat from the new grain crop. Everyone in the time of the Mikdash knew that the Omer was offered in the morning (even those not physically present in the Mikdash) and that from midday on the 16th the new grain crop could be eaten.
R' Yochanan ben Zakkai decreed that it is forbidden to eat the new grain crop on the entire day of the 16th of Nisan and that it is only permitted from the 17th of Nisan onwards.
What is the reason for this decree? R' Yochanan ben Zakkai lived with constant צִפִּיָּה לִגְאֻלָּה and believed that the Third Beit HaMikdah could be rebuilt at any time. If the Third Beit HaMikdash would be rebuilt on motzei Pesach rishon, on the night before the 16th of Nisan, there would be no time that night to harvest the barley grains from the fields. This could cause a delay in offering the actual Korban Ha'Omer in the new Third Beit HaMikdash the following day, the 16th of Nisan. Therefore, he decreed that the new crop was only permitted from the 17th of Nisan, to take this delay into account.
Rashi, on this Gemara, asks "What do you mean the Third Beit HaMikdash will suddenly be rebuilt on the night before the 16th of Nisan? How is it possible to complete construction of a Beit Mikdash in such a short time?" And Rashi answers - מִקְדַּשׁ הֶעָתִיד שֶׁאָנוּ מַצְפִּין בָּנוּי וּמְשֻׁכְלָל הוּא יְגַלֶּה וְיָבֹא מִשָּׁמַיִם שנאמר מִקְּדָשׁ ה' כּוֹנְנוּ יָדֶיךָ.
In other words, according to Rashi, we are not talking about the First and Second Batei Mikdash, which were built by man (it is impossible for man to build a Mikdash in one night). We are talking about the Third Beit HaMikdash, which will be built by HKB"H and will descend ready-made from Heaven. In such a case, a Mikdash can be established on the night before the 16th. Rashi quotes our first source above, from Shirat Hayam.
Therefore, according to Rashi, who will build the Third Mikdash? – HKB"H will build it and it will descend ready-built from Heaven.
That's the first passuk. There is, however, a second passuk in the Torah וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם (שמות כה, ח), referring to building the Mishkan. The Or HaChayim asks "If the passuk is referring to building the Mishkan, why does it not use the word Mishkan? Why does it use the word Mikdash?" The Or HaChayim answers that this commandment is not only referring to the Mishkan, it is also referring to future generations and the building of the Mikdash.
The Rambam, based on this passuk, says that one of the 613 mitzvot in the Torah that Am Yisrael are commanded to observe is – to build a Beit HaMikdash (ספר המצוות, עשה, כ; הל' בית הבחירה א, א).
The pshat of this passuk is also clear וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ – They (Am Yisrael) will build for Me (HKB"H) a Mikdash".
Therefore, according to the Rambam, who will build the Third Mikdash? – Am Yisrael will build it.
This is the famous machloket Rishonim between Rashi and the Rambam. There are multiple levels of complexity beyond the above description, for example regarding the shita of the Rambam, if building the Third Beit HaMikdash precedes appointing a king (government?) or not. We will not get into that here in this shiur.
There are other "compromise" opinions which say that both are right.
The Or HaChayim says that we initiate the building and HKB"H completes it, similar to the way the First Beit HaMikdash was built. Shlomo did the physical construction and then HKB"H's Shechina descended from Heaven and completed it.
The Ramchal (משכני עליון, הקדמה) says the opposite. First the Third Beit HaMikdash will descend from Heaven and then we will complete it.
The question one needs to ask is what does "descend from Heaven" mean? Does it mean ready-built, with no need for human intervention at all, or does it mean that the Ruach HaKodesh (knowledge) to build the Beit HaMikdash comes down from Heaven and then we physically build it?
How do the Acharonim pasken regarding this machloket? Here we see a distinct divergence, depending on leanings towards Zionism and the State of Israel.
R' David Friedman of Karlin (1828-1915), interpreting the shitot of the ראב"ד and R' Akiva Eiger, paskens (שְׁאֵילַת דָּוִד, חלק א, יד, קונטרס דרישת ציון וירושלים, פתיחה) that we are obligated to build the Third Mikdash, however he adds that "Right now, we are exempt, פְּטוּרִים", for various reasons.
R' Kook (1865-1935), also paskens (משפט כהן, סימן פט) that we are obligated to build the Third Beit HaMikdash, however, unlike the שְׁאֵילַת דָּוִד above, R' Kook says we are not exempt from this mitzva - even now we are obligated to build it.
Regardless of "political" leanings, the vast majority of the Acharonim pasken that the mitzva of building the Third Beit HaMikdash is incumbent on us and we are not to wait for it to descend from Heaven. The only discrepancy between them is when the right time is to begin building it.
I would like to present an approach that supports R' Kook's psak, based on clear hints in the passuk from our parsha above. This approach demands a HUGE amount of cheshbon nefesh to be done by Am Yisrael for missed opportunities that were given us, which we did not grab with both hands and thus incurred a terrible קִטְרוּג בַּשָּׁמַיִם. It also indicates we have a "second chance" to fix this wrong.
The approach is based on the premise that the two אַפִּרְיוֹן's referred to above represent not Bayit Rishon and Bayit Sheini, but rather Bayit Rishon and Bayit Shlishi, the only two Batei Mikdash in which the Shechina was (and will be) present. In Bayit Sheini the Shechina was not present – it had the potential to be, Bayit Sheini had the potential to be the second and everlasting אַפִּרְיוֹן but it was thwarted by שִׂנְאַת חִנָּם.
After the destruction of the Second Beit HaMikdash in 70CE, 1897 years passed until the next realistic opportunity to rebuild the Third Beit HaMikdash – in 1967.
During the Six Day War, Be'Siyata Di'Shmaya, the IDF succeeded in conquering Har HaBayit from Jordanian rule and returning it to its rightful owners Am Yisrael. David HaMelech legally purchased this plot of land from Aravna HaYevusi (דברי הימים א, כא, כד-כה) for the purpose of building the First Beit HaMikdash on it.
The report of this historic event in 1967 was forever carved in history when the IDF commander of the liberating force elatedly declared הַר הַבַּיִת בְּיָדֵנוּ! Why that specific choice of words? Why did he not say instead כָּבַשְׁנוּ אֶת הַר הַבַּיִת? Or something similar? The answer is simply, because it was preordained that he would utter those words, they were part of a prophecy encoded into the Torah. The gematria of וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ה' אֱ-לֹקִים מִגַּן עֵדֶן is "אַפִּרְיוֹן אַפִּרְיוֹן" and also the gematria of הַר הַבַּיִת בְּיָדֵנוּ.
We had the unique opportunity in 1967 to capitalize on our unequivocal victory, the unprecedented world support for Am Yisrael and the acceptance of defeat by the Arab nations. It was a moment of enlightenment. The Arab world was fully expecting Israel to take control over Har HaBayit and rebuild the Beit HaMikdash there. Had we done so, there would have been practically no resistance from anyone, not the world, not the Arabs.
Unfortunately, Am Yisrael were not ready for it. The Torah world - predominantly the Charedi world, did not grasp the enormity of the event. The Religious Zionist world, under the leadership of HaRav Goren ז"ל, were eager to rebuild it, but without unanimous Torah-world support, they lacked the leverage over the secular government who certainly could not grasp the historic enormity of the event. Moshe Dayan, an archeologist, who should have understood the historic significance of this event, in a despicable act of lack of faith, handed the keys of Har HaBayit over to the Jordanian Waqf from whom we conquered it. The Arabs were stunned and unbelieving. This act of betrayal will forever be remembered in infamy.
The קִטְרוּג on Am Yisrael was enormous. In decades following, Am Yisrael have be paying the price for that betrayal of HKB"H, in blood and unnecessary suffering.
And now, Baruch Hashem, we have reached another moment of enlightenment, another nexus of opportunity to right the wrong of 1967. Just like 1967 was prophesied and encoded into our passuk above, so too this new opportunity. The gematria of לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם, from our passuk above is אַפִּרְיוֹן עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה מֵעֲצֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן and also תשפ"ו שְׁנַת גְּאוּלָּה. In this coming year we have the opportunity to experience HKB"H's bracha like never before. There are just three things to take care of first and this will happen.
The first one is hinted to in our passuk above. The gematria of וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ה' אֱ-לֹקִים מִגַּן עֵדֶן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם is the same as וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר לוֹ מֹשֶׁה לְהִלָּחֵם בַּעֲמָלֵק (שמות יז, י). We have to defeat Amalek. This one is on us, HKB"H is not going to do it for us.
We have a unique opportunity now to eradicate the evil genocidal plan Amalek has for Am Yisrael - for once and for all. Beginning in Gaza, continuing with Iran, Qatar and extending to all the tentacles spread all over the world through blood money, in campuses and in the media. We must accept nothing less, regardless of the fantasies and utopian promises being bandied about. If we do not stand firm in ensuring the eradication of this evil, we will repeat the debacle of 1967.
The second is also in our passuk. The gematria of וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ה' אֱ-לֹקִים מִגַּן עֵדֶן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם is the same as רָאשֶׁיהָ בְּשֹׁחַד יִשְׁפֹּטוּ וְכֹהֲנֶיהָ בִּמְחִיר יוֹרוּ וּנְבִיאֶיהָ בְּכֶסֶף יִקְסֹמוּ (מיכה ג, יא). Am Yisrael needs to restore justice to our society. Elimination of corruption in our executive and judicial leadership. Social justice, equality in sharing the load of this nation – all parts of it. All Twelve Tribes working for the benefit of the other tribes rather than just their own tribe.
The third is in our passuk as well. The gematria of וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ ה' אֱ-לֹקִים מִגַּן עֵדֶן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם is the same as לָמֹד אֶת יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם לִרְאוֹת כַּמָּה רָחְבָּהּ וְכַמָּה אָרְכָּהּ (זכריה ב, ו). We need to start working actively and intensively on rebuilding the Beit HaMikdash. This is our debt of gratitude to HKB"H and the tikkun for the sin of Adam HaRishon. Every day we delay increases the קִטְרוּג against us.
It doesn't matter which opinion above you follow, whether you believe we must physically build it, or whether HKB"H is going to send it down from Heaven ready-built. What we need is to WANT IT! If you want something badly enough, you will not tire until you have achieved it. This is what is missing in Am Yisrael right now, it doesn't matter whether you are Charedi, Secular or Religious Zionist – the Beit HaMikdash does not feature prominently on anyone's radar!
This is my job and the job of people like me, who have devoted their lives to researching and studying the Beit HaMikdash. To disseminate the message to Am Yisrael, conveying the exquisite beauty, necessity and indispensability of the Beit HaMikdash and prove why rebuilding it - will solve all the problems in the world and in Am Yisrael! It is your job to do your hishtadlut, by helping us do our job, by funding our activities in a Zevulun-Yissachar partnership and by learning yourself more about all the aspects of the Beit HaMikdash.
This coming year b"H holds the promise of peace, the prerequisite to building the Third Beit HaMikdash, just as it was in the time of Shlomo HaMelech.
We have just merited חַסְדֵי שָׁמַיִם in the return of the remaining live hostages back to their families. Our hearts are with all the families whose loved ones perished in Gaza at the hands of Amalek and those who sacrificed their lives trying to rescue them. It is an עֵת רָצוֹן within Am Yisrael that we will b"H leverage to restoring peace within our nation and merit the גְּאוּלָּה this year, בבי"א.
Shabbat Shalom
Eliezer Meir Saidel
Machon Lechem Hapanim
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Shir HaShirim Verse 3:9 reads as follows:
אַפִּרְיוֹן, עָשָׂה לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹה--מֵעֲצֵי, הַלְּבָנוֹן
"King Shlomo made him an apiryon of wood from Levanon"
What is this apiryon? It appears only here, and is generally translated as a palanquin, a closed bed with poles, carried on the shoulders of four bearers.
Many scholars believe that the word apiryon was borrowed from Greek.
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