Why Bring a Thanksgiving Offering?

Success! We Were Able To Take Aravoth To The Temple

In his commentary to the Mishna (Sukka 4:3) and in the Yad (Lulav, 7:10-20) Maimonides explains that according to Sinatic tradition, there is a commandment to of n’tilath arava, taking hold of a willow branch, everyday of Tabernacles in the Temple. This is not the same ritual with which most are familiar, taking a willow … Continue reading →

The Dimensions of the Temple Mount

Ben Arbai’m L’vina: Reflections on Turning Forty

The following teaching appears toward the end of the fifth chapter of the Vilna Edition of Tractate Avoth: הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר: בֶּן חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים לְמִקְרָא, בֶּן עֶֽשֶׂר שָׁנִים לְמִשְׁנָה, בֶּן שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לְמִצְוֹת, בֶּן חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה לִגְמָרָא, בֶּן שְׁמוֹנֶה עֶשְׂרֵה לְחֻפָּה, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִים לִרְדּוֹף, בֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים לְכֹֽחַ, בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים לְבִינָה, בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים לְעֵצָה, בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים … Continue reading →

Learning How to Rebuild the Temple

The Permissibility of Entering the Temple Mount, Part 2

קדושת המקדש ואיסור הבמות לשיטת הרמב׳׳ם חלק א׳

The Longed-For Sunset of the Rabbinic Establishment

If 20,000 people would have shown up for Korban Pesah, it would have happened, just like the Exodus happened when about 600,000 men walked out of Egypt with their families when the opportunity presented itself. These organic revolutions started at the bottom, with the people, and nurtured new leadership that replaced the old. If the Rabbinate is not even ready to allow people to ritually purify themselves or to let them visit and pray at the site of the Temple, then it is certainly not prepared for building and running a temple. Continue reading →

מתי התחיל איסור הבמות

שאלה: שמעתי פעם מהלך בשם הגרי”ז שאיסור הבמות תלוי בבחירת ירושלים ולא בבניית המקדש, ולכן הוא חל מרגע התגלות המלאך בגרן ארוונה, אם לא קודם לכן. כיצד זה מסתדר עם הפסוקים בדברי הימים ובמלכים פרק ג: דברי הימים ב פרק א פסוק ג – ו, ג-ו: (ג) וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ שְׁלֹמֹה֙ וְכָל־הַקָּהָ֣ל עִמּ֔וֹ לַבָּמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּגִבְע֑וֹן כִּי־שָׁ֣ם … Continue reading →

Notes On II Samuel: Why Didn’t David Build the Temple?

I Chronicles 22:7-10: David said to Solomon, “My son, as for me, it was in my heart to build a house dedicated to the Lord my God, but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘you have shed much blood, and you have made great wars; you shall not build a house dedicated … Continue reading →