We are incredibly fortunate to have remnants of writings - memoirs, recollections, poems - of our ancestors – Israelites living in Israel during the time of the Holy Temple. These writings can serve as a window through which we have the opportunity to glimpse, in real time, what the Temple meant to those able to see it with their own eyes. And it is by way of reflecting on their words that we can begin to attempt to understand why, over two and a half thousand years after its fall, we continue to shed tears, yearning with every fiber of our being for the time when it will stand once again.
With this in mind, take some time to read through and reflect upon the excerpts below. Try to put yourself in the context of the individual – who might very well have been one of your direct ancestors – and think about the following questions:
- What experience do the Israelites here expect to have when in the Temple?
- What role do they look to YHWH to play in his/her life?
- How about in the life of the Israelite community?
- Reflect upon the people and things in your own life to which you turn while seeking the blessings hoped for in the passages below. What might it be about this building that it has the ability to move people in such a way?
(ד) אַחַ֤ת ׀ שָׁאַ֣לְתִּי מֵֽאֵת־יְהוָה֮ אוֹתָ֪הּ אֲבַ֫קֵּ֥שׁ
שִׁבְתִּ֣י בְּבֵית־יְ֭הוָה כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חַיַּ֑י
לַחֲז֥וֹת בְּנֹֽעַם־יְ֝הוָ֗ה
וּלְבַקֵּ֥ר בְּהֵיכָלֽוֹ׃
(ה) כִּ֤י יִצְפְּנֵ֨נִי ׀ בְּסֻכֹּה֮ בְּי֪וֹם רָ֫עָ֥ה יַ֭סְתִּרֵנִי בְּסֵ֣תֶר אָהֳל֑וֹ בְּ֝צ֗וּר יְרוֹמְמֵֽנִי׃
(4) One thing I ask of YHWH, only that do I seek:
To live in the house of YHWH all the days of my life.
To gaze upon the beauty of YHWH.
To frequent His temple.
(5) He will shelter me in His pavilion on an
evil day, grant me the protection of His tent, raise me high upon a rock.
(א) שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד שָׂ֭מַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִ֣ים לִ֑י בֵּ֖ית יְהוָ֣ה נֵלֵֽךְ׃
(ב) עֹ֭מְדוֹת הָי֣וּ רַגְלֵ֑ינוּ בִּ֝שְׁעָרַ֗יִךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (ג) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֥ם הַבְּנוּיָ֑ה כְּ֝עִ֗יר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה־לָּ֥הּ יַחְדָּֽו׃ (ד) שֶׁשָּׁ֨ם עָל֪וּ שְׁבָטִ֡ים שִׁבְטֵי־יָ֭הּ עֵד֣וּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְ֝הֹד֗וֹת לְשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃
(1) I rejoiced when they said to me, “We are going to the House of YHWH!!!”
(2) Our feet stood inside your gates, O Jerusalem, (3) Jerusalem!
Built up like a city knit together! (4) To which tribes would make pilgrimage, the tribes of YHWH —as was enjoined upon Israel— to give thanks to the name of the YHWH.
(ב) אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֵלִ֥י אַתָּ֗ה
אֲֽשַׁחֲ֫רֶ֥ךָּ צָמְאָ֬ה לְךָ֨ ׀ נַפְשִׁ֗י כָּמַ֣הּ לְךָ֣ בְשָׂרִ֑י בְּאֶֽרֶץ־צִיָּ֖ה וְעָיֵ֣ף בְּלִי־מָֽיִם׃ (ג) כֵּ֭ן בַּקֹּ֣דֶשׁ חֲזִיתִ֑יךָ לִרְא֥וֹת עֻ֝זְּךָ֗ וּכְבוֹדֶֽךָ׃ (ד) כִּי־ט֣וֹב חַ֭סְדְּךָ מֵֽחַיִּ֗ים
(2) Elohim, You are my El.
I search for You,
My soul thirsts for You,
My body yearns for You,
as a parched and thirsty land that has no water. (3) I shall behold You in the sanctuary, and see Your might and glory, (4) Truly Your faithfulness is better than life.
(ב) לְךָ֤ דֻֽמִיָּ֬ה תְהִלָּ֓ה אֱלֹ֘הִ֥ים בְּצִיּ֑וֹן וּ֝לְךָ֗ יְשֻׁלַּם־נֶֽדֶר׃ (ג) שֹׁמֵ֥עַ תְּפִלָּ֑ה עָ֝דֶ֗יךָ כָּל־בָּשָׂ֥ר יָבֹֽאוּ׃
(ד) דִּבְרֵ֣י עֲ֭וֺנֹת גָּ֣בְרוּ מֶ֑נִּי פְּ֝שָׁעֵ֗ינוּ אַתָּ֥ה תְכַפְּרֵֽם׃ (ה) אַשְׁרֵ֤י ׀ תִּֽבְחַ֣ר וּתְקָרֵב֮ יִשְׁכֹּ֪ן חֲצֵ֫רֶ֥יךָ נִ֭שְׂבְּעָה בְּט֣וּב בֵּיתֶ֑ךָ קְ֝דֹ֗שׁ הֵיכָלֶֽךָ׃
(2) Praise befits You in Zion, O God;
vows are paid to You;
(3) all mankind comes to You, You who hear prayer.
(4) When all manner of sins overwhelm me, it is You who forgives our iniquities.
(5) Fortunate is the man You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts; may we be sated with the blessings of Your house, Your holy temple.
(ב) מַה־יְּדִיד֥וֹת מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֶ֗יךָ יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ (ג) נִכְסְפָ֬ה וְגַם־כָּלְתָ֨ה ׀ נַפְשִׁי֮ לְחַצְר֪וֹת יְה֫וָ֥ה לִבִּ֥י וּבְשָׂרִ֑י יְ֝רַנְּנ֗וּ אֶ֣ל אֵֽל־חָֽי׃
(ד) גַּם־צִפּ֨וֹר ׀ מָ֪צְאָה בַ֡יִת וּדְר֤וֹר ׀ קֵ֥ן לָהּ֮ אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֪תָה אֶפְרֹ֫חֶ֥יהָ אֶֽת־מִ֭זְבְּחוֹתֶיךָ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת מַ֝לְכִּ֗י וֵאלֹהָֽי׃
(2) How lovely is Your dwelling-place, O YHWH of hosts. (3) I long, I yearn for the courts of YHWH; my body and soul shout for joy to the living God.
(4) Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself in which to set her young, near Your altar, O YHWH of hosts, my King and my God.
(2) God is our refuge and stronghold, a help in trouble, very near. (3) Therefore we are not afraid though the earth reels, though mountains topple into the sea— (4) its waters rage and foam; in its swell mountains quake. Selah. (5) There is a river whose streams gladden God’s city, the holy dwelling-place of the Most High. (6) God is in its midst, it will not be toppled; by daybreak God will come to its aid.
(2) God has made Himself known in Judah, His name is great in Israel; (3) Salem became His abode; Zion, His den. (4) There He broke the fiery arrows of the bow, the shield and the sword of war.Selah.
Additionally, we have excerpts from those reacting to the Temple’s fall. Two of them are included below – one reflecting the depths of despair, and one reflecting determined and undying hope. Read through both of them slowly, taking time to digest and process the lines of each one, then discuss the following questions:
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What the emotions and feelings do these passages attempt to evoke? What memories do they attempt to preserve?
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Our daily and yearly cycle is filled with moments and occasions in which each of these reactions are prioritized and held up. Can you think of any moments when we, as a people, connect to one of these two modes? When to the other?
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To which of these two do you have more of a tendency to connect? To both? To neither? Why, or why not?
(א) עַ֥ל נַהֲר֨וֹת ׀ בָּבֶ֗ל שָׁ֣ם יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִ֑ינוּ בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ אֶת־צִיּֽוֹן׃
(ב) עַֽל־עֲרָבִ֥ים בְּתוֹכָ֑הּ תָּ֝לִ֗ינוּ כִּנֹּרוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ (ג) כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ שׁוֹבֵ֡ינוּ דִּבְרֵי־שִׁ֭יר וְתוֹלָלֵ֣ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֑ה שִׁ֥ירוּ לָ֝֗נוּ מִשִּׁ֥יר צִיּֽוֹן׃
(ד) אֵ֗יךְ נָשִׁ֥יר אֶת־שִׁיר־יְהוָ֑ה עַ֝֗ל אַדְמַ֥ת נֵכָֽר׃
(ה) אִֽם־אֶשְׁכָּחֵ֥ךְ יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח יְמִינִֽי׃ (ו) תִּדְבַּ֥ק־לְשׁוֹנִ֨י ׀ לְחִכִּי֮ אִם־לֹ֪א אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִי אִם־לֹ֣א אַ֭עֲלֶה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֑ם עַ֝֗ל רֹ֣אשׁ שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃
(1) By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat,
sat and wept,
as we thought of Zion.
(2) There on the poplars we hung up our lyres, (3) for our captors asked us there for songs, our tormentors, for amusement, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
(4) How can we sing a song of YHWH on alien soil?
(5) If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither;
(6) Let my tongue stick to my palate if I cease to think of you!
If I do not keep Jerusalem in memory even at my happiest hour.
(א) שִׁ֗יר הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת
בְּשׁ֣וּב יְ֭הוָה אֶת־שִׁיבַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הָ֝יִ֗ינוּ כְּחֹלְמִֽים׃
(ב) אָ֤ז יִמָּלֵ֪א שְׂח֡וֹק פִּינוּ֮ וּלְשׁוֹנֵ֪נוּ רִ֫נָּ֥ה
אָ֭ז יֹאמְר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֑ם הִגְדִּ֥יל יְ֝הוָ֗ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִם־אֵֽלֶּה׃
(ג) הִגְדִּ֣יל יְ֭הוָה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת עִמָּ֗נוּ הָיִ֥ינוּ שְׂמֵחִֽים׃
(ד) שׁוּבָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה אֶת־שבותנו [שְׁבִיתֵ֑נוּ] כַּאֲפִיקִ֥ים בַּנֶּֽגֶב׃
(ה) הַזֹּרְעִ֥ים בְּדִמְעָ֗ה בְּרִנָּ֥ה יִקְצֹֽרוּ׃
(ו) הָ֘ל֤וֹךְ יֵלֵ֨ךְ ׀ וּבָכֹה֮ נֹשֵׂ֪א מֶֽשֶׁךְ־הַ֫זָּ֥רַע בֹּֽ֬א־יָב֥וֹא בְרִנָּ֑ה נֹ֝שֵׂ֗א אֲלֻמֹּתָֽיו׃
When YHWH restores the fortunes of Zion —we will be like dreamers—
(2) Our mouths shall be filled with laughter, our tongues, with songs of joy.
Then shall they say among the nations, “YHWH has done great things for them!”
(3) YHWH will do great things for us and we shall rejoice!
(4) Restore our fortunes, O YHWH, like watercourses in the Negeb.
(5) They who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy.
(6) Though he goes along weeping, carrying the seed-bag, he shall come back with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves.
- In many modern prayer-books, passages which express hope for the Temple’s being rebuilt have been removed. Do you have any thoughts as to why this might be the case?
- Have any of these texts, or anything that emerged from this discussion, changed the way you relate to the Temple? How so? (Or, why not?)
- Can you think of any other texts or rituals in our traditions in which the Temple is called to mind? How might your appreciation of these moments be different moving forward?
Read his words and take them to heart.
May we merit to experience our final redemption speedily in our days, when all of our
days of mourning will finally become days of utmost joy.
(ד) כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת עֹ֤ד יֵֽשְׁבוּ֙ זְקֵנִ֣ים וּזְקֵנ֔וֹת בִּרְחֹב֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְאִ֧ישׁ מִשְׁעַנְתּ֛וֹ בְּיָד֖וֹ מֵרֹ֥ב יָמִֽים׃ (ה) וּרְחֹב֤וֹת הָעִיר֙ יִמָּ֣לְא֔וּ יְלָדִ֖ים וִֽילָד֑וֹת מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים בִּרְחֹֽבֹתֶֽיהָ׃ (ס)
(ו) כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת כִּ֣י יִפָּלֵ֗א בְּעֵינֵי֙ שְׁאֵרִית֙ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה בַּיָּמִ֖ים הָהֵ֑ם גַּם־בְּעֵינַי֙ יִפָּלֵ֔א נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ (פ)
(ז) כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הִנְנִ֥י מוֹשִׁ֛יעַ אֶת־עַמִּ֖י מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִזְרָ֑ח וּמֵאֶ֖רֶץ מְב֥וֹא הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃
(ח) וְהֵבֵאתִ֣י אֹתָ֔ם וְשָׁכְנ֖וּ בְּת֣וֹךְ יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְהָיוּ־לִ֣י לְעָ֗ם וַֽאֲנִי֙ אֶהְיֶ֤ה לָהֶם֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת וּבִצְדָקָֽה׃ (ס)
(4) Thus said YHWH of hosts:
There shall yet be old men and women in the squares of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age! (5) And the squares of the city shall be crowded with boys and girls playing in the squares.
(6) Thus said YHWH of hosts:
If it be wondrous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be wondrous in mine eyes? says YHWH of hosts.
(7) Thus said YHWH of Hosts:
I will rescue My people from the lands of the east and from the lands of the west,
(8) and I will bring them home to dwell in Jerusalem. They shall be My people, and I will be their God—in truth and sincerity.