Jewish Quarter- The Temple Institute

Today was our free day, so a group of about 12 of us decided to start the day by going to the western wall to see a birthday celebration. After the Western wall, we went to the Temple Institute (amazing!!!), and then the Harvah synogogue.

Western Wall

The "birthday celebration" or coming of age, and it was so fun to watch! Also every Monday and Thursday morning at the Western wall, the Torah is read by a Rabbi. We all wrote down a prayer and put it inside the western wall.

The Temple Institute

This was a recommendation from my teachers list he gave us, but honestly I learned SO much from this exhibit. This was so incredible and definately has been my favorite part of the Old City.

To start out, I never really knew much about the two ancient temples and tabernacle in the Old Testament.

We talk about them a lot in class, and I read of them in the scriptures but I still felt like I didn't have ALL of the information and understand everything completely.

After going through the institute tour (which took about an hour), I can honestly say I understand the concept of ancient temples SOO much better. It really is the most amazing "visitor center" for the Judaism faith and if anyone reading this post ever comes to Israel, this is a MUST SEE.

Our tour guide was a practicing Jew and really explained the information so so well

I will try to pass on the information I learned the best I can; However, we were not allowed to take pictures and I only wrote a couple facts down on the back of my ticket receipt. We'll see if you can learn something haha :)

**pictures are from google but same ones as in institute**

1st temple- King Solomon's temple

The first temple (built by Solomon) was destroyed in 586 by the Babylonians. King David requested to build a temple before Solomon, but God did not approve because David was a "man of war". Solomon means Shlomo (peace) in hebrew, so God let him build the temple. The temple served as a resting point for the arc of the covenant, which housed the ten commandments. The temple stood for 410 years. Here is a picture of an artist description most like the Rabbi perception and study of the 1st temple (even down to exact measurements.. **from Jewish perspective study of Talmud and Mishna**)

2nd Temple-(King Herrod expanded on it)

The Second Holy Temple stood for 420 years, until the Romans seized control and mercilessly burned it to the ground. Currently, its only remnant is a partial wall on one side of the Temple Mount known as the Western Wall, or Kotel in Hebrew. The arc of the covenant was lost so this temple is considered as "incomplete" and not as holy as the first temple.

3rd temple- design formed by Ezekial's prophesy and 1st temple design (FUTURE TEMPLE)

Things about the rooms of the temple and structure:

Courtyard:

• altar is in here. contains unhewn stones (never touched with iron. Iron represents war and contention)

• 500 levites played string instruments (harp, trumpets) harp had 22 strings in symbolism with 22 letters in hebrew alphabet.

• Typical to have 2 sacrificial services every day.

• Music would bring spirit to service and prepare people to COMPLETELY think about the sacrifice. If their complete devotion wasn't there, sacrifice was ruined.

Holy Place:

(This menorah is across from western wall.. ready to be put up the second the building of 3rd temple is announced. Cost 2.2 million dollars and is to the exact measurements and stature of the one in ancient temple. Made of pure Gold)

• Incense is burned in this room. Made from 11 spices, 10 smelling sweet and one bitter. The bitter bring out the best of the sweet smelling (symbolism).

• Menorah representing God's light. Only purest of olive oil burned.

• Only Priests enter into this part of temple. Priests are descendants of Levites.

• unleaven bread sits for 1 week and priests eat on way out each week. It is considered a miracle becuase it never goes stale and is still warm.

• shewbread represents God's hands coming down

• High priest wore 4 layers of clothing with 12 rhinestones on front representing 12 tribes of Israel.

Holy of Holies:

• High Priest only entered one day of the year (Day of Atonement)

• He would enter in all white robes and would sprinkle blood on the arc three times throughout the day. The fourth time he would enter on the day of atonement would be to clean up the materials and prepare to enter in a year.

• Curtains are the barrier between the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place. Jewish tradiiton-- in order to make exact replica curtains as the 1st temple will cost around 2.2 million dollars for exact color and thread work as mentioned in the Jewish mishna and Talmud. They are preparing now and have women practicing the design it says in scripture.

• It has been 1,944 years since the destruction of the second temple, so Jews have SUCH faith that preparation for the day the sunhedron (court of rabbis) announce Arab's agree to let them rebuild the temple. Every prayer they say, they pray for the temple to be here upon the earth again and have faith it will happen THIS WEEK. At the end of the week when it has not happened, they have complete faith it will happen the next week..*which will realistically probably never happen becuase of how much conflict there is between the two faiths and arabs own the temple mount land currently*

• The arc of the covenant was lost after the destruction of the 1st period. The jews believe it is still out there and buried underneath Mt. Moriah (the temple mount). In the 1980's, a Rabbi secretly dug a tunnel underneath the temple mount and wrote in his journal he saw stuff he can't even write down for sacredness. The arabs cemented the cave and Israel government forbid any further excavations for the arc of the covenant.

• The Holy of Holies is the holiest place on earth, representing in God's presence. Only High Priest (and there can only be one at a time) can enter one day a year. High Priest wore 8 layers of clothing.