Temple Mount. Everything you wanted to know... Temple Mount Mosques

Russian and Israeli tour operators offer a variety of excursion programs, thematically related to the history of Jerusalem, culture and holy places of the city. These excursions are very popular and invariably in demand by Russian and foreign tourists visiting the Eternal City. Jerusalem has always been of interest to people, regardless of their religious affiliation, cultural traditions and professional status.

The main Muslim shrines in Jerusalem are:

• Al-Aqsa Mosque

The mysteries and mysteries of Jerusalem are spiritual food for scholars and those who love adventure. Jerusalem and its numerous temples and monasteries are a place of annual pilgrimage to holy places not only for Christians, but also for representatives of the Jewish and Muslim religions.

Concentrated several of the most famous mosques in Jerusalem. Rising above all the city blocks and surrounded by a high wall - it is a Jewish shrine, where both Temples were erected, and, according to the Torah, the Third will also be built.

The Temple Mount is the central place from where the prayers of the Jews ascend from the Wailing Wall, bringing the coming of the Messiah closer. The Temple Mount is also known for its most important Muslim shrines - the domes of the Al-Aqsa mosques and the Dome of the Rock (Kubbat al-Sahra) rise here.

architectural features

Its architectural features, which have earned it the status of one of the most beautiful in the Old City, point to the early period of Islamic architecture (7th century AD). The rectangular platform of the Temple Mount with a central golden dome is visible from the most remote hills of Jerusalem.

One of the features of the mosque is that this building is the only one that has not been affected by time and reconstruction and appears today almost in its original form. The only change that affected the mosque during the time of the Kingdom of the Crusaders was associated with its conversion, however, not for a long period, into a Christian temple.

Saladin, who reigned in Jerusalem at the end of the 12th century, turned into mosques all church buildings in the Old City (with the exception of). As a result of a strong earthquake that occurred in the 30s of the last century, the mosque suffered some destruction.

The 2008 Jerusalem earthquake was so strong that it caused a meter deep hole in the ground next to the walls of the mosque.

One concept is that the building of the Dome of the Rock mosque in Jerusalem was built where the First and then the Second Temple was erected. The same concept allocates to the Cornerstone, which is associated with the creation of the world in the Jewish tradition, a place under the Dome of the Rock.

Muslim tradition says that this stone was a witness to the ascension to heaven of the Prophet Muhammad. Today, worship services are not held in the Dome of the Rock Mosque, and, being an architectural monument, it protects the Islamic shrine - the Foundation Stone. Only Muslims are allowed to enter the building.

Caliph Omar I, during whose reign Jerusalem was conquered by the Arabs, is historically considered the founder of the most beautiful mosque, the Dome of the Rock. By his decree, a temporary wooden building was built, which then, during the time of Caliph Abd al-Malik, was replaced by a new, solid one.

In this form, she has survived to this day. The name "Mosque of Omar", which is sometimes used when referring to the Dome of the Rock, is obviously associated with the name of Caliph Omar I.

architectural features

Above the building of the mosque, which has the shape of an octahedron, rises the majestic dome of a cylindrical structure, in 1990 covered with gold leaf, a gift from the King of Jordan. Half of the outer walls are clad in white marble, while the upper part is adorned with a bluish tiled mosaic.

Its patterns are lined with marble, gold and mother-of-pearl and are represented by geometric and floral ornaments with fragments of Arabic inscriptions. The majestic decoration of this mosque is the brightest example of Islamic art and cultural heritage.

The area of ​​the Dome of the Rock Mosque, located in the center of the Temple Mount, is surrounded by eight staircases, over which rise arches. Tradition says that on the day marked by the Great Judgment, good and evil deeds will be weighed on the scales installed in these arches. The square can accommodate up to 300,000 worshipers at a time.

Al-Aqsa Mosque

One of the oldest, the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, which is crowned with an inconspicuous gray dome, is the third most significant Islamic shrine and is located south of the central mosque of the Dome of the Rock. Its construction, which was completed by Caliph Al-Walid, dates back to the eighth century.

Upon completion of the next restoration work after the devastating earthquake of the 40s of the 1st century AD. e. she appeared in the form in which we can see her today. Devastating earthquakes have repeatedly been the reason for the restoration work carried out in the mosque.

During the Crusader Kingdom, it was used as a Christian temple. A series of recent reconstructions and repairs was carried out with the financial support of the Egyptian and Jordanian kings. The building of the mosque has a quadrangular shape, and one of its parts is supported by the Western Wall of the Temple.

Often, the Dome of the Rock mosque is of paramount importance, although this is not true, since one of the most significant shrines of the Muslim religion is the Al-Aqsa Mosque, located a little south of the center of the Temple Mount. But we must pay tribute, both mosques are united by a single architectural complex.

Inexperienced tourists make a mistake when they attribute the name of the Jerusalem mosque of Omar to these two shrines. In Jerusalem, it is located not on the Temple Mount, but in the Christian Quarter.

From the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, this Mosque with a 15-meter minaret is clearly visible. The location of the mosque is famous for the fact that Caliph Omar prayed here after Jerusalem was taken by his army.

The Mosque of Omar was built by Sultan Saladin in the 12th century, with the minaret completed at a later date and restored by Sultan Abdul Hamid in the 19th century.

Tourist Jerusalem

In subsequent years, the trend of popularity of travel to the shrines of the Eternal City will increase. The main Jewish, Christian and Muslim Temples of Jerusalem are not only cult religious objects, but also a cultural heritage of world significance.

The program of excursions to the sights of Jerusalem involves not only visiting the Old City. In modern Jerusalem, the capital of Israel and the largest city in the country, many tourist sites are represented by modern public and government institutions, cultural centers.

The buildings of many government and other state institutions are concentrated in the capital of Israel, such as the complex of buildings of the Knesset or the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Remarkable opportunities, in addition, are provided, for example, by those tours to Egypt, the program of which includes a visit to Jerusalem.

Room rates in Tel Aviv hotels range from 41 to 166 $ per person per day.

Famous for their impeccable service and comfortable location close to the beach.

They provide tourists with a wide selection of hotel rooms costing an average of $60-80 per person per day.

Story

Between the 10th century BC. e. and 1st century A.D. e. on the Temple Mount stood the Jerusalem temple, which served as the only permitted place of sacrifice to the One God, and was also the center of the religious life of the Jewish people and an object of pilgrimage for all Jews three times a year (on Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot).

The Temple Mount is the holiest place for Jews: religious Jews around the world face Israel during prayers, Jews in Israel face Jerusalem, and Jews in Jerusalem face the Temple Mount.

According to the promises of the Jewish prophets, after the arrival of the Messiah, the last, Third Temple will be rebuilt on the Temple Mount, which will become the spiritual center for the Jewish people and all mankind. Also connected with the Temple Mount is the expectation of the so-called Last Judgment.

During the Temple period, there were differences in holiness between different parts of the Temple Mount. Only the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies of the Temple, and only on Yom Kippur for worship. Only kohanim could enter the Temple. Those who were ritually unclean were forbidden to enter the grounds of Temple Square, and according to a more strict view, they were forbidden to enter the Temple Mount at all. It was also forbidden to climb the Temple Mount for other than religious purposes or in an obscene manner.

According to most halachic authorities, Maimonides in particular, the sanctity of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount remain in force even after the destruction of the Temple. Today it is believed that all Jews are ritually unclean, and therefore no one can ascend the Temple Mount. However, there is a point of view according to which this prohibition applies only to the ascent to the territory where the Temple stood, while the entrance to the rest of the Temple Mount is allowed. The problem is that biblical sources do not allow us to accurately identify the permitted zone.

Location of the Temple

Others believe that the Altar of Burnt Offering was placed on this stone in the Temple Court. In this case, the Temple was located to the west of this stone. This opinion is more probable, since it corresponds to the spatial relations on Temple Square and allows for a fairly large flat area. .

There are other options for the localization of the Temple. Nearly two decades ago, Israeli physicist Asher Kaufman suggested that both the First and Second Temples were located 110 meters north of the Rock Mosque. According to his calculations, the Holy of Holies and the Foundation Stone are located under the current "Dome of Spirits" - a small Muslim medieval building.

The opposite, "southern" (in relation to the Dome of the Rock) localization of the Temple has been developed by the famous Israeli architect Tuvia Sagiv over the past five years. He places it on the site of the modern Al-Qas fountain.

Significance of the Temple Mount in Christianity

The Temple Mount is mentioned many times in the Pentateuch, which is the basis of the Old Testament, so this place is sacred to both Jews and Christians. In addition, the New Testament states that Jesus is a direct descendant of King David (Matt. 1:17), whose son, Solomon, founded the First Temple on this mountain.

However, among the many holy places of Christianity in Jerusalem, the Temple Mount was not given much importance.

Significance of the Temple Mount in Islam

Rock Mosque

Jerusalem and the shrines located on the Temple Mount are recognized by Muslims as the third most important after Mecca and Medina. Kubbat as-Sahra was built in the very center of the Temple Mount, and inside it is a stone protruding from the ground - this is the top of the mountain, its only part that rises above a flat plateau. According to the Koran, this stone is the rock from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended into the sky on a winged horse.

The Political Significance of the Temple Mount

During the periods of Mamluk, Ottoman and British rule of Palestine, Jews were not allowed on the Temple Mount. The British Mandatory Administration introduced a special guardianship body over the holy places of Islam on the Temple Mount - WAQF, the so-called Islamic Council (Muslim Council), which received de facto authority over the entire territory of the Temple Mount.

At the end of the Israeli War of Independence in 1948, the Temple Mount, along with all of East Jerusalem, came under Jordanian control. Until 1967, Jews were not allowed not only on the Temple Mount, but also on the Wailing Wall, which was a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement.

During the Six Day War, during the battles for Jerusalem, Israeli paratroopers also took control of the Temple Mount by planting an Israeli flag over it, and the commander of the operation, Mota Gur, announced over army radio: "The Temple Mount is in our hands!". However, soon, by order of the Minister of Defense Moshe Dayan, the flag was lowered, and the powers of the WAKF were again officially confirmed.

Since 1967, access to the Temple Mount has been open to everyone on the allotted days and hours.

In , after the signing of the Oslo agreements, the administration of the WAKF passed from Jordan to the Palestinian Authority. The employees of this organization are accused of systematically destroying archaeological values ​​- traces of the Jewish presence on the Temple Mount, under the guise of repair and construction work. At the same time, Muslim preachers freely engage in anti-Israeli propaganda, incitement to violence and generally refuse to acknowledge the very existence of

It is clear that King David, who knew about this, would have preferred to talk with the Lord here. But the Temple Mount then belonged to a foreigner, the Jebusite Orne. The king had to collect money for ransom from all the tribes of Israel in order to be able to build an altar on this land.

His son Shlomo, the wise and extremely loving ruler of the Jewish people, decided to please the Lord even more. This is how the First Temple appeared, which stood for 403 years and served not only as a place of prayer, although services were held there daily. It was the spiritual center, the heart of the people: laws were proclaimed here, the supreme court was held, all Jewish men came here for holidays three times a year.

The First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar, and Jewish history began an extremely dark period known as the Babylonian Captivity. Upon returning from captivity, the Jews, under the leadership of Zerubbavel ben Shaltiel, with the support of the high priest, first of all rebuilt a new Temple for themselves.

Then the area of ​​the Temple Mount was approximately 250 by 250 m. Herod the Great started the rebuilding of the Temple, changing the face of the mountain itself - he leveled it, expanding the area, demolishing the hills and strengthening the lowlands with arches and walls. The remains of these walls and the Eastern Gates, located below the Golden ones, have "survived" to this day.

This beautiful building will stand until the capture of Judea by Rome. Even before its destruction by Titus Flavius ​​Vespasian, the Temple would be unwittingly defiled by the Roman commander Pompey the Great, who entered the Tabernacle. Either he simply did not know what he was doing, or he openly despised other people's beliefs. And then the Temple will be robbed by another Roman commander - Mark Crassus, pathologically greedy for other people's goods.

Roman Metamorphoses of the Temple Mount

Emperor Hadrian gave another name to the Holy City destroyed by Rome - Aelia Capitolina, after his own family name. And on the site of the Second Temple grew the temple of the main Roman deity - Capitoline Jupiter. And in place of the Tabernacle, the “modest” Publius Aelius Hadrian erected his own statue on horseback. Obviously, so that the Jews do not forget who is now the master of their fate. The Jews could not bear such abuse. The Bar Kokhba rebellion broke out, leading to an unreliable victory and even the creation of a "temporary" temple - people need to pray somewhere. After the collapse of the rebellion in the summer of 135, the Jews lost more than the fruits of their short-lived victory. Hadrian simply forbade them to enter the city.

This continued until 361, when an extremely peculiar person, Flavius ​​Claudius Julian, became the Roman emperor, who promised the Jews the restoration of the Temple. No, he did not want the good of the Jewish people at all: in this way he implemented his own religious program. Julian was a staunch enemy of Christianity. He dreamed of restoring the ancient, pagan faith in Rome, and was a fan of the old deities - Jupiter, Mars, Venus. By building the Temple, he hoped to undermine the authority of Christ with his prophecy that a pile of stones would remain from it. And he really started construction, found funds, brought materials. But in May 363, all work had to be temporarily interrupted: there was a big fire. And Julian did not live to see their resumption - already in July he died in a battle with the Persians. Many believed that he was killed by one of his own Christian soldiers dissatisfied with his policies. After all, the Persians did not reward any of their own for the murder of the Roman emperor!

Jovian, who replaced Julian in the imperial post, was a Christian - and he did not have the slightest concern for the ideas of the former ruler.

Desolation and the arrival of Muslims

In Byzantine times, the Temple Mount did not matter even for Christians: a vast city dump arose under its walls.

In 638, Palestine was captured by the Arabs. Their leader, Umar ibn al-Khattab, considered the Temple Mount a sacred place: he even came there to pray, ordering them to clear the garbage heaps. The Arabs associated this place with the name of their own prophet - Muhammad. The so-called Foundation Stone, which remained on the site of the Holy of Holies of the Tabernacle of the Second Temple, for Muslims was Muhammad's "take-off platform" to heaven. They even managed to find an imprint of his foot there!

Umar founded a small prayer house on the Temple Mount: this is how the future was born. Caliph Abdul-Malik significantly expanded it, his son Al-Walid completed the construction in 705.

The same Abdul-Malik, a religious and highly educated man, decided that it was not good to leave the Foundation Stone "in the street." And in 687 he began the construction of the Qubbat-as-Sahra mosque above it, which in direct translation will be “The Dome erected over the rock”, . This construction was completed before the rebuilding of the Umar Mosque - in 691.

The short reign of the crusaders in Jerusalem (1099-1187) "remade" both mosques into Christian churches.

From July 4, 1187, after the victory of Salah ad-Din over the crusaders, and until the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1908-1922, only Muslims fell to their knees on the Temple Mount. Jews were not allowed here. However, the introduction of the British Mandate did not change anything. Britain feared that the appearance of Jews near mosques would provoke religious and national conflicts. She approved the creation of a special Muslim council to take care of the mountain.

Temple Mount Today

Even the War of Independence did not save the situation: the power over part of the state of Israel - the Temple Mount in Jerusalem - belonged to Jordan. Moreover, Jews were forbidden even to visit the Wailing Wall.

Only the events of the Six Day War, or rather, the paratroopers from the Gur brigade, briefly returned the mountain to Israel. But the Ministry of Defense could not withstand the pressure of the Islamic world - and again handed over the keys to the gates of the Temple Mount to the Muslim waqf. Transferred, so to speak, real estate for religious purposes. Now the waqf is controlled by the Palestinian Authority.

True, everyone is now allowed on the mountain, but religious intolerance now and then gives rise to conflicts. The Arabs even accused Israeli archaeologists excavating on the Temple Mount (after all, the most valuable archaeological layers are hidden under it - the remains of ancient buildings), they managed to accuse them of digging in order to bring down Al-Aqsa! Of course, not the secrets of the Temple Mount, but terror interested scientists! This is what Yasser Arafat said in 1996 when the Hasmonean tunnel was excavated, which provoked armed clashes and deaths on both sides.

The Arabs themselves, two years later, during the reconstruction of the so-called "Solomon's Stables" near Al-Aqsa, it was precisely that they almost brought down a piece of the Wailing Wall! And in general, the Israelis suspect religious Islamic leaders that they are systematically trying to remove traces of the Jewish people from the Temple Mount.

In 2000-2003 non-Muslims were again denied access to the mountain: the Israeli government believed that this would only aggravate the conflict. But it was aggravated by weather conditions, and again by Muslim underground work. In 2004, the Mughrabi Bridge at the Moorish Gate collapsed halfway, and the situation on the Temple Mount became critical.

Terror attack in a sacred place

The Israeli initiative to build a new bridge in 2007 was literally drowned out by the cries of Muslim fanatics: the Jews are again encroaching on Al-Aqsa!

The Umar Mosque is indeed the third most important shrine in the Muslim world. But for some reason, it generates in the souls of its believers by no means kind and merciful feelings. It got to the point that the Israeli government was forced to restrict the passage of Muslims to the Temple Mount on Fridays. But the Supreme Mufti of Jerusalem urged believers to ignore this decision!

On July 13, 2017, two Arab guys post a selfie on Facebook with smiles and the comment: “Tomorrow will be better.” On July 14, no one got better. The same guys and another friend of theirs opened fire from machine guns and a pistol on the Temple Mount, at the Lion's Gate. Two Israeli patrol officers and a border guard were injured, all three were hospitalized. The terrorists who "wanted the best" were killed on the spot. Policemen - 22-year-old Kamil Shanan and 30-year-old Hail Satawi (both Druze), survived only until noon.

The Islamic world stubbornly resists even the idea that the Temple Mount is not its personal shrine. But also the greatest Jewish, and even Christian. Christians venerate it as repeatedly mentioned in the Pentateuch - and as the place of the introduction of the Virgin Mary into the Temple.

Waiting for the Third Temple

It was not for nothing that David Ben-Gurion said that both Britain and the Arab world would live without the land of Israel - for the Jews, this is a matter of life and death. Much the same can be said about the Temple Mount. There is no need to destroy Muslim shrines on it. But why not appear there as a Jewish Temple, which - in two versions - existed there long before Islam as such? Why not recognize in practice the sovereignty of Israel over the Temple Mount?

According to the words of the prophets, the Third Temple will grow on the mountain after the appearance of Moshiach, in the same place where the former ones stood. Perhaps that is why the Muslims do not want this - after all, presumably, both Temples stood where Haram al-Sharif is now. But this is just one of the assumptions! Jewish researchers put forward other versions of the location of the Temples.

The prophet Yehezkel told about the construction of the Third Temple in his vision.

In the meantime, the Messiah has not yet appeared and the Third Temple has not been built, believing Jews will not offer prayers here. This is a place of the highest holiness, and ritual purity ceremonies that allow one to stay on the territory of the Temple (even if it does not exist) cannot be performed at the moment.

Things to Do Near Temple Mount

We can safely say that the mountain is surrounded by one big attraction - the Old City of Jerusalem. Each of its multi-tribal quarters has many interesting historical sites for sightseeing and places for tourists to relax.

How to get on your own

Non-Muslims go to the Temple Mount along the Moroccan (aka Maghreb) bridge through the Garbage Gate.
Muslims - along Chain Street, through the gate of the same name. If you profess Islam or look like a Muslim, you may be asked to show your passport, give your name, read the verse of the Koran (to make sure that you are not a disguised Israeli who came to blow up Al-Aqsa).

The song is based on the second version פר´ שמות in parentheses is a source from the Talmud (Gmara).

And personally, I fully support just such a version for the simple reason that the ancient Jews were a very agricultural people: cattle breeding and agriculture were the main basis of their life. Everyone knows that the Eskimos have many words for snow, and the ancient Jews have the same circumstance, for example, with harvesting - judge for yourself:

Grape harvest - בציר ענבים betsir anavim.

Picking olives - מסיק זיתים mesik zeytim.

Harvest of wheat - קציר חיטה ketzir hita.

Picking dates - גדיד תמרים gedid tmarim.

Picking citrus fruits - קטיף הדרים katif hadarim.

Picking cucumbers

(for those interested, here's the full article - What is the name of the harvest in Hebrew ).

Therefore, it is quite logical to assume that if the mountain on which the olive trees (זית) grew was called Har a-Zeitim, then the one on which the "Mor" grew was, respectively, MORIA. Still, attempts to find this name and other theological explanations, in my opinion, are of a much later period.

But what is this same pestilence plant? To this seemingly simplest question, the answer is far from unambiguous.

At first, everything was like just-all-knowing Google immediately gave the answer:

"Mirro" is the Aramaic form of the common Semitic "Mor". One of the most popular incense of antiquity, the name comes from the word "bitter". Here is an excerpt from the Song of Songs:

Until the king on his throne

wafted the scent of my nard.

For me beloved

a little myrrh that is between my breasts.

For me, beloved

fireweed brush in the gardens of Ein Gedi.

So it turns out that "mor" is Myrrh, Commiphora myrrh (lat. Commiphora myrrha) - a small tree that looks like a low, spreading cedar. The branches that carry the leaves end in thorns.

on the lower right is a picture of the very gum resin from which the fragrant incense was made.

According to legend, for the first time myrrh oil was obtained by shepherds who collected resin, which they loved for its aroma, stuck to the hair of their goats when they rubbed against tree trunks. The best and purest myrrh is considered to be "self-flowing myrrh" (Exodus 30:23; Song of Songs 5:13; in the Synod. per. - "flowing myrrh").

By the way, according to the Gospel, the Magi brought three gifts to a newborn baby: gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matt. 2:11), because myrrh was valued much more than gold in those days.

In short, everything seems to be clear, and I already wanted to close this topic, but in the end (in order to once again show the connection of the Jews with the earth) I decided to look for information about the Menorah menorah (because I remembered that it also took its shape from some plant). And then a real surprise awaited me: Emblem of the State of Israel - the menorah (menorah) - resembles a plant known in antiquity under the name moriya.

The description of the Menorah in the Bible is replete with images clearly borrowed from botany: branches, stem, corollas, ovaries, flowers, almond-shaped cups, petals. According to Israeli researchers Ephraim and Chana a-Reuveni: “Ancient Jewish primary sources, such as the Babylonian Talmud, indicate a direct connection between the menorah and a certain type of plant. In fact, there is a plant characteristic of the Land of Israel that bears a striking resemblance to the menorah, although it does not always have seven forks. This is a genus of sage (salvia), called Moriah in Hebrew. Various species of this plant grow in all countries of the world, but some of its wild varieties growing in Israel very clearly resemble the menorah. » In Israeli botanical literature, the Syrian name for this plant is marva (Salvia Judaica or Salvia Hierosolymitana). Whether or not this type of sage was the original pattern for the menorah, it seems more than likely that it was a stylized form of a tree.

And so that there is no longer any doubt:

Marva, or Moria, is an ancient plant, a kind of sage.The famous Mount Moriah, mentioned in the Bible, is named after Marwa. as the place where Abraham and Isaac ascended and where the temple was eventually built, from which the Wailing Wall has been preserved. The plant has a long season, the collection lasts from November to April. Marva tastes more tender than sage, it is rich in fiber, vitamins and useful microelements.

Here I confess, I'm already completely confused - Mirra, Marva, Moria, the names, of course, are similar, but the plants seem to be completely different:

Here is "Marva"

But Mirra (as they say, find the differences).

And both plants are clearly associated with the Temple Mount - fragrant substances were made from myrrh for ritual incense in the Temple, but Menorah, you understand ..

In short, it turned out to be a dead end - but I still managed to figure it out a bit, thanks to a small paragraph in Wikipedia in Hebrew

ב-1976 הציע חוקר הצמחים נגה הראובני שהצמח מרוות יהודה הוא המור ושזוהי המוריה שעל שמה ההר, אך ממצאים ארכאולוגיים וכן השתמרות השמות והשימוש בבושם בתרבויות ובשפה היוונית והאיטלקית עד ימינו, וכן שימושיה הרבים בכנסייה האורתודוקסית, מורים שאין הדבר כן.[לדיון זה]

That is, it turned out that the theory about Marv (sage) was voiced only in 1980 by Noga Reuveni (the son of Khana and Ephraim Reuveni, which was already mentioned above) and that most other researchers do not quite agree with it

Noga Reuveni wrote the book Symbol of the Country: Rooted in the Nature of the Earth and in Jewish Tradition, which was published in 1980, in which he talked about another idea of ​​his parents. From the numerous descriptions of the seven-candlestick - the menorah in the Tanakh, they decided that the prototype of the menorah should be sought in the nature of Israel. There is nothing surprising in such an idea even for non-religious people - the ancient peoples took a lot from nature, they had neither the Internet nor a TV :)

They found several types of plants that are described in the book of Shemot. Most of these plants were of the Salvia species - salvia מרווה. The Hebrew name מרווה (marva) comes from the Syriac and Ephraim Reuveni suggested that this name has a Hebrew source Moriah (מוריה). This is the name of the place (the land of Moriah) where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac. (Genesis 22:2). Subsequently, King Solomon erected a Temple on this site.

Which of these theories is correct, everyone, of course, has the right to decide in their own way - in the end, I just have to recommend you a very interesting post dona_anna " Neot Cedumim "from which I took the last quote I cited - how many more secrets our ancient / young land keeps ...

Encyclopedic YouTube

1 / 5

✪ The secret of ancient civilization - the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Wall of Tears.

✪ Pinkhas Polonsky. Temple Mount

✪ Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Temple Mount. Jerusalem. Israel

✪ Temple Mount

✪ Lost Temple

Subtitles

Story

Wall

First Temple period

After that, the city was in ruins for a long time. To this day, along the western and southern walls you can see huge stones left there after the destruction of the Temple by the Romans. Archaeologists also discovered a railing carved from stone from the balcony from which they blew trumpets proclaiming the onset of Saturdays and holidays. On the railing, a part of the inscription “the place of trumpeting ...” has been preserved.

Roman rule

His attitude towards Judaism and his intention to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem is explained by the fact that he tried to deprive the church of its Jewish foundation. The resumption of sacrifices in the Temple could publicly demonstrate the falsity of Jesus' prophecy that the Temple would "leave no stone unturned" and the inaccuracy of the assertion that Judaism had lost the status of God's chosen people, which has now passed to Christianity.

The emperor immediately began to implement his plan. The required funds were allocated from the state treasury, and Alypius of Antioch, one of Julian's most devoted assistants and former governor of Britain, was appointed head of the project. The preparation of materials and tools, their delivery to Jerusalem and installation on site, as well as the recruitment of craftsmen and workers continued for a long time. The planning of the work required considerable effort on the part of the architects. The first stage of the work was the removal of the ruins that were at the construction site. Only after that, apparently on May 19, did the builders directly begin the construction of the Temple.

Significance of the Temple Mount in Judaism

Names of the Temple Mount

• Temple Mount (הר הבית, har ha-Bayt, literally "mountain of the house") - this name is mentioned in the book of the prophet: "At the end of days, the mountain of the house of God will be established over the mountains, and will rise above the hills, and all nations will rush to it."
• Mount Morya (הר המוריה, har ha-Moriya) - is mentioned, in particular, in the book: “And Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, on Mount Morya.”

• Mount Zion (הר ציון, Har Zion). At present, Zion is called another hill, also located in Jerusalem.

Events that according to Jewish tradition took place on the Temple Mount

• Creation of the first man Adam.
• Adam made a sacrifice to God.
• Cain and Abel built an altar and offered sacrifices here.
• Noah offered the sacrifice after leaving the ark.
• Abraham prepares his son Isaac for a sacrifice to God.
• Forefather Jacob sees a dream here.
• King Solomon built the First Temple, which stood for 410 years.
• 70 years after the destruction of the First Temple, the Second Temple was erected here, which stood for 420 years.

The Jerusalem Temple served as the only permitted place of sacrifice to the One God, and was also the center of the religious life of the Jewish people and an object of pilgrimage for all Jews three times a year (on Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot).

The Temple Mount is the holiest place for Jews: religious Jews around the world face Israel during prayers, Jews in Israel face Jerusalem, and Jews in Jerusalem face the Temple Mount.

According to the promises of the Jewish prophets, after the coming of the Messiah, the last, Third, Temple will be rebuilt on the Temple Mount, which will become the spiritual center for the Jewish people and all mankind. The expectation of the Last Judgment is also associated with the Temple Mount.

During the Temple period, there were differences in holiness between different parts of the Temple Mount. Only the High Priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies of the Temple, and only on Yom Kippur. Non-Jews, as well as those who were ritually unclean due to being associated with a dead body, were forbidden to enter the fenced-in territory that surrounded the Temple building and the courtyards adjacent to it. Those who were not cleansed of ritual impurity associated with outflows from the genitals were forbidden to enter the Temple Mount. It was also forbidden to climb the Temple Mount for other than religious purposes or in an obscene manner.

According to most halachic authorities, Maimonides in particular, the sanctity of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount remain in force even after the destruction of the Temple. Since it is believed that all Jews are ritually unclean due to the uncleanness associated with a dead body, and, at present, it is impossible to carry out the appropriate purification procedure, therefore, no one can enter the territory surrounding the Temple. Entrance to the rest of the Temple Mount can only be allowed to non-Jews and Jews who have cleansed themselves of ritual impurity associated with discharge from the genitals.

The problem is that the biblical sources do not allow us to accurately identify the boundaries of the zones. However, it is known that the territory surrounding the Temple was not located on the territory that runs along the perimeter of the Temple Mount. Bypassing the Temple Mount along the perimeter, in accordance with the halacha, is organized by a number of public organizations, in particular, and the Meeting Place organization.

Location of the Temple

Others believe that on this stone in the Temple court was the Altar of burnt offering. In this case, the Temple was located to the west of this stone. This opinion is more probable, since it corresponds to the spatial relations on Temple Square and allows for a fairly large flat area. .

There are other options for the localization of the Temple. Nearly two decades ago, Israeli physicist Asher Kaufman suggested that both the First and Second Temples were located 110 meters north of the Rock Mosque. According to his calculations, the Holy of Holies and the Foundation Stone are located under the current "Dome of Spirits" - a small Muslim medieval building.

The opposite, "southern" (in relation to the Dome of the Rock) localization of the Temple has been developed by the famous Israeli architect Tuvia Sagiv over the past five years. He places it on the site of the modern Al-Qas fountain.

Significance of the Temple Mount in Christianity

The Temple Mount is mentioned many times in the Pentateuch, which is the basis of the Old Testament, so this place is sacred to both Jews and Christians.

In addition, according to Christian tradition, the Mother of God was introduced into the Holy One of the Saints along the steps from the southern part of the Temple (which have survived to this day). The event of the Entry into the Temple is not mentioned in the canonical Gospels and is known from later texts (Protevangelium of James (ch. 7.2-3), second half of the 2nd century), which reflect oral tradition, but are supplemented with details from biblical books that have a representative value (1 Par. 15 and Ps. 44), as well as from the gospel story of the Presentation (Lk 2. 22-38).

The parents of the Virgin Mary, the righteous Joachim and Anna, when their Daughter reached the age of 3, decided to fulfill their earlier vow, to dedicate Her to God. Near the entrance to the Temple in Jerusalem, young virgins called by Joachim stood with lit lamps. The Blessed Virgin ascended the steps of the Temple, where she was met by the High Priest Zechariah. Having received the revelation, Zechariah led the Mother of God into the Holy of Holies, where the high priest himself could enter only once a year (see: Exodus 30:10; Heb. 9:7). At the Temple, Mary lived and was brought up until she was 12 years old.

Significance of the Temple Mount in Islam

Muslims view the Temple Mount as one of the earliest and most notable places of worship for God. In the early stages of Islam, Muhammad taught his followers to face the mountain while praying [ ] .

In the 13th century, Ibn Taymiyyi stated: "Al-Masjid al-Aqsa is the name for the entire place of worship built by Solomon..." which, according to Western tradition, represents "... the place of worship" and is known as Solomon's Temple tradition called the Temple of Suleiman, considered a prophet in Islam). Ibn Taymiyyah also opposed giving any unjustified religious honors to any mosques (even the one in Jerusalem), preventing them from approaching or competing in any way with Islamic shrines - the two holiest mosques - Masjid al-Haram (in Mecca) and Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (in Medina).

Muslim interpreters of the Qur'an agree that the mountain is the site of the Temple, which was subsequently destroyed.

Kubbat as-Sahra was built in the very center of the Temple Mount, and inside it is a stone protruding from the ground - this is the top of the mountain, its only part that rises above a flat plateau. According to the Koran, this stone is the rock from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended into the sky on a winged horse.

The Political Significance of the Temple Mount

During the periods of Mamluk, Ottoman and British rule of Palestine, Jews were not allowed on the Temple Mount. The British mandated administration introduced a special body for the guardianship of the holy places of Islam on the Temple Mount - WAQF, the so-called Islamic Council (Muslim Council), which received de facto authority over the entire territory of the Temple Mount.

The Israeli police forbid Jews to bring objects of religious worship to the Temple Mount, in particular, prayer books, tefillin, tallit and religious literature. In addition, on the Temple Mount, Jews are forbidden to pray and bow towards the Holy of Holies. The police motivate this ban by the fear of disruption of the order by Muslims.

The unsettled situation around the Temple Mount between Jews and Palestinians leads to constant conflicts.

In September, after many years of excavation and reconstruction, the so-called “Hasmonean tunnel” was opened to the public - a section of an ancient water conduit and a street of the Hasmonean-Herodian period, passing from the square at the Wailing Wall to Via Dolorosa, 300 m west of the Temple Mount and parallel to its western retaining wall. The head of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority (PA), Yasser Arafat, then said that the Israelis were allegedly planning to undermine the foundation of the Al-Aqsa mosque and thus destroy it, making room for their Temple. In Jerusalem and in some areas in the territories under the control of the Palestinian Authority, there were serious riots and armed clashes, during which the PA police for the first time used weapons against the Israeli security forces. Arabs repeatedly threw stones at Jews praying at the Wailing Wall. During the riots, 15 Israelis and 52 Arabs were killed.

In the city of WAQF, a new, third in a row, mosque was opened on the Temple Mount, in the so-called Solomon's stables. Large-scale construction work in the dungeons of the Temple Mount led to the disruption of the ancient drainage system and other deformations, as a result of which the southern wall of the Temple Mount was in danger of collapse. In 1999-2002 the engineering services of Jordan were carrying out restoration work here, since the WAKF does not want to cooperate with the relevant Israeli services and prohibits any supervision of their work on their part.

From the beginning of the so-called "Second Intifada" ("Intifada al-Aqsa") in September, at the direction of the Israeli government, entry to the Temple Mount for non-Muslims was stopped until the middle of the year, when the situation somewhat normalized. During these years, the Israeli police periodically restricted the access of Muslims to the Temple Mount, both for residents of the autonomy and for other citizens, according to the age limit.

In the winter of 2004, heavy snowfalls and a small earthquake caused the destruction of part of the old Mughrabi bridge, which at the same time served as a wall-enclosure of the southern part of the female half at the Wailing Wall. A Hamas spokesman made a statement that the bridge collapsed because of the desire of the Israeli side to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque and promised revenge. In turn, the Israeli side suggested that the cause of the accident was the underground work carried out by the Waqf on the Temple Mount. The 2004 collapse raised concerns that it was only the beginning of the collapses on the Temple Mount. One of the latest conflicts was caused by the decision of the Israeli authorities to build a new pedestrian bridge in the Maghreb Gate area leading to the Temple Mount complex. The construction of the bridge, which began in February 2007, was suspended due to mass protests by Muslims who feared that damage to the Al-Aqsa Mosque could be caused during the construction of the bridge.

Thus, at present, only the religious shrines of Islam are located on the Temple Mount, which is a constant subject of contention between Muslims and Jews, and one of the reasons