A Tour of the Beis Hamikdash

On Wednesday night, the monthly Chassidut Project of Jerusalem was again privileged to host the acclaimed Rabbi Adin Even-Yisrael Steinsaltz to address English speakers in Jerusalem at the Sheraton Plaza Hotel, following a brief introduction from Rabbi Aaron Horowitz.

This month, the lecture was concerning matters of the Beis HaMikdash (Holy Temple), in accordance with the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s emphasis on learning about the Beis Hamikdash during the 3 weeks of mourning before Tisha B’Av.

As is known, in the generations following the destruction of the Temple, tefilah (prayer) and study (concerning the Temple and its regular service) are the closest equivalents we have to attempt to compensate for the absence of the Korbanot and the hundreds of other Mitzvot we can’t observe today, by virtue of the fact that they only apply to Temple and its regular service. It’s explained that when a Jew prays, he or she is bringing a sacrifice before G-d
In accordance with this, Rabbi Steinsaltz gave guests insights into the different parts of the Temple, their spiritual composition, and how these different parts corresponded to our daily order of the shacharit (morning) prayer service. Listeners had the opportunity to walk, step-by-step, through the Beit HaMikdash from the stairs to the Kodesh Kodashim (Holy of Holies). And, as mentioned above, when we learn about the Beit Hamikdash it’s considered as if we ourselves had re-built it.

The event attracted, among some 200 guests, a few Christians who were staying in the hotel and were interested in learning about the Beit HaMikdash.

With them was a man who was adopted by Christians when he was a child and had found out a few years earlier that he was, in fact, a Jew. After sitting in and enjoying the lecture, he was prompted to ask questions concerning his identity as a Jew and had promised to wrap tefillin for the first time, the following morning by the Kotel.

The next lecture will take place, G-d willing, on August 26th, the 6th of Elul. To make reservations, contact Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ruderman at “[email protected]”or at 972-54-777-0769.