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MIKDASH AND SHABBAT: A SPIRITUAL SPACE-TIME CONNECTION
by Akiva Bernstein
V. SPIRITUAL SPACE-TIME -- A LITERARY TREATMENT
The purpose of this section is to describe exactly what spiritual space- time is and to show that the concept of Mikdash fits into the category of spiritual space, whereas the concept of Shabbat fits into that of spiritual time. As for the question "does spiritual space-time exist?" the answer is very straightforward. The correspondence-equivalence principle described above in detail requires its existence. A careful consideration of the system of pure mathematics will show that a pure mathematical system can be used just as easily to describe spiritual space-time as it could be used to describe physical space-time, since such a system is totally devoid of the concepts of units of measurement for any sort of entity. A simple example will illustrate this. The number "three" can be used in terms of three angels -- or three men. "Angels" are spiritual while "men" are physical. But the pure number "three" is no more attached to the concept of men than it is to that of angels, and vice versa. The concept of physical must be defined in terms of the undefined concept of "we". Whatever "we" are, relative to all other levels of existence, "we" relative to ourselves (and the world "we" exist in) are called (or refer to as) physical. Of the five senses through which "we" perceive the world, the most important is that of sight, and sight is dependent solely upon the existence of an entity called light, which -- since it is perceived by "us" (physical beings) -- must be a physical entity.
Light has, as part of its physical makeup, three characteristics: frequency (the inverse of time); wavelength (measured in the same type of units as physical length-distance); and mass (a measure of the amount of matter contained within any physical entity). Thus, physical light contains the three basic entities found within the physical universe: physical length, physical time, and physical mass.
The Correspondence-Equivalence Principle requires the existence of spiritual light. How would one describe the difference between physical light and spiritual light? One detail will suffice to illustrate the difference between these two: "we" (physical beings) measure the wavelength of physical light which, relative to "us", are expressed by a (definite) finite number. We can define spiritual light as the light the wavelength of which is infinitesimal (greater than zero, yet smaller than any positive number, no matter how small) relative to any units of length "we" as physical beings would use. Simply put, spiritual light is light having infinitely small wavelength.
If we say that physical space is space through which the transmission of physical light is possible, then we can define spiritual space as space through which transmission of spiritual light is possible. We now turn to Mikdash.
"... and the Glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan" (Shmot 40:34)
"for the Glory of Hashem filled the House of Hashem" (Melachim I 8:11)
From Shmot 24:17 ("And the sight of the Glory of Hashem [was] as a devouring fire at the summit of the mountain -- in the eyes of the children of Israel.") we see that this "Kvod Hashem" has a light-like nature to it. From Yechezkel 3:12 and from what precedes this verse, especially Yechezkel 1:27-28, we see that this entity called "Kvod Hashem" is spiritual in nature. Thus, we see that "Kvod Hashem" is a form of spiritual light (more accurately, a form of spiritual electromagnetic energy), the transmission of which is possible in a particular space called Mikdash (or Mishkan). Thus, Mikdash (or Mishkan) is a type of spiritual space. In order to show that Shabbat is a type of spiritual time, it will suffice to show that Shabbat bears the same relationship with physical time and Mikdash bears to physical space. We prove this as follows: "(Physical) space and (physical) time must come into the equation of Relativity Dynamics in the same way", i.e. space and time are equally important in terms of the structure of the universe.
In Shmot 6:26, we read: "He is Aharon and Moshe, to whom ...", while in 6:27, we find: "... he is Moshe and Aharon", reversing the order. Rashi's comment on these verses is very simple: "shekulin ke-echad" -- they are weighed as one, i.e., they are of equal importance. In Shmot 31: 1-17, the Mishkan (Mikdash) is mentioned first, to be followed by Shabbat, while in 35:1-19 Shabbat is mentioned first, after which Mishkan (Mikdash) is mentioned. Since the same pattern appears with Aharon and Moshe, we draw the same conclusion, i.e. Mikdash and Shabbat are "weighed as one", they are of equal importance (see the Rambam (Rav Moshe Maimonides), "Guide to the Perplexed" III, ch. 45 [Ed. Mosad HaRav Kook]] -- see note 1
"One may mix space and time." First of all, the three festivals of pilgrimage are called Shabbat, is in mimacharat hashabbat (Vayikra 23:15). In Devarim 16:16, we encounter a verse with a very unusual word order:
"Three times a year, shall all your males appear before the face of Hashem your G-d in that place which He shall chose: on the festival of unleavened bread, on the festival of weeks, and on the festival of tabernacles."
The verse should read: "Three times a year, on the festival of weeks, and on the festival of tabernacles, shall all your males appear before the face of Hashem your G-d in that place which He shall chose." The actual word order of the verse shows a definite mixing of space ("the place which He shall chose") and time ("three times a year")
In Eicha 2:6
"... Hashem cause to be forgotten in Zion festivity and Shabbat ..."
since Mo'ed (festive occasion) Shabbat and Mikdash (i.e. Zion) all appear together, we see that one may mix Mikdash and Shabbat.
The third part is easier to prove: Mikdash in many places in the Torah is called makom (space), as in Devarim 16:6
"For rather to the places that Hashem your G-d shall chose ..."
as well in Devarim 12:5 and Devarim 26:2 (second half of the verse). Moreover, Shabbat is referred to in many places as "yom hashvi'i, as in Shmot 21:10 and Devarim 5:14.. That the word yom refers to time is clearly seen from Esther 9:27,31. Thus, we have shown that, just as physical space and time are of equal importance, so are Mikdash and Shabbat. And just as Mikdash is a spatial concept, so Shabbat is a temporal one.
At this point, one is face with two alternatives and may select only one. Either one proceeds at full speed, or one retreats. WE will go ahead. Let us consider a previously quoted statement by Minkowski: only a kind of union of the two (space and time) will preserve an independent (physical) reality. The Correspondence-Equivalence Principle requires that the following statement be true:
Only a kind of union of Mikdash AND Shabbat will preserve an independent spiritual reality.
As noted above (Introduction), the Ramban in his commentary on Vayikra 26:2, states, "all the mitzvot in the Torah are [represented by] the Shabbat and the Mikdash." Doesn't this resemble "only a kind of union of Mikdash and Shabbat ..." ?
We now consider the reactions of the two different groups of people. The first group is the group of muscle-flexing, right-wing, super nationalists -- Jewish, of course -- who view the Mikdash as the ultimate symbol of true Jewish nationalism, those who are not antireligious but, on the other hand are themselves not shomrei Shabbat. They must realize that their tours of Har HaBayit and their yearly celebrations of Yom Ha'atzmaut and of Yom Yerushalayim are in no way replacements for shmirat Shabbat. The second group is the group of pale and flaccid little Jews sitting around their Shabbat tables. They must realize that their Shabbat observance is in now way a replacement for the Mikdash, and that their trips to their local synagogues (even though referred to as mikdash me'at) are not substitutes for Aliyah laregel to the real Mikdash on Har HaBayit. People should clearly understand: there is no substitute for Shabbat, and equally, there is no replacement for Mikdash. Yirmiyahu, in Chapters 17, verses 21-27, states clearly that the profaning of the Shabbat, especially in Jerusalem, will lead to the destruction of the Mikdash. And R. Shmuel de Uzeda, in his super- commentary to the book of Eicha, called "Lechem Dim'a", states, with regard to Eicha 2:6, that the lack of offerings brought about by the destruction of the Mikdash (since, according to Torah Law, the offerings can only be offered up at the Mikdash) interferes with proper observance of festivals and Shabbat. And this can clearly be seen in Vayikra 23:36, where there is a total mixing of festival observance with sacrificial offerings.
Incidentally, the Izbitzer Rebbe, in his book Mei HaShiloach, Parshat Vayetze, on the verse vehinne Hashem nitzav alav, states, without proof, that the term olam, i.e. makom refers specifically to the makom hamikdash, and that the term shannah, i.e. zman, specifically refers to Shabbat. In the above section we have conclusively demonstrated the aforestated assertion of the Rebbe of Izbitza.
The world of Mikdash-Shabbat, as we shall henceforth refer to the union of Mikdash and Shabbat, is the world of true spiritual reality. "Welcome to you life, there's no turning back" (from a song called Everybody Wants to Rule the World -- Hashem, of course, is the only One Who Does!) "Events have cause us to reach a point from which there is no return" (from Minkowski, at the very onset of his address on 25 Elul 5668) FULL SPEED AHEAD!
VI. SPIRITUAL SPACE-TIME -- A MATHEMATICAL TREATMENT
(This section should only be read by persons with a high level of mathematical knowledge)
We start with the following equation: <Mikdash>.
The reader is now probably wondering what is the writer talking about? O.K., let us back up a little, and introduce certain pure mathematical concepts. We start with the symbol (a1,a2,a3,...an) were all the a's are real numbers and n is a positive integer. This symbol, a collection of number grouped together, is called a vector, and is given the general symbol <A>=(a1,a2,a3,...,an). The collection of all possible permutations of real numbers having the dame form as the above vector is called real number vector n-space. We define the dot product of the two vectors <A> and <B>, where <A>=(a1,a2,a3,...,an) and <B>=(b1,b2,b3,...,bn) as
<A>.<B>=(a1b1+a2b2+a3b3+...+anbn)
where "." is the symbol of the dot product. The norm or length of a vector <A> is defined as
(<A>.<A>)1/2=(a12+a22+a32+...+an2)1/2
If we now define a vector <O>=(o1,o2,o3,...,on), then
=(a1, a2, a3, ..., an)=<A> [see note 2]
provided that we state as a rule the following entity:
where c is a scaler (a single) pure real number). Therefore, using the symbol ||<A>|| for the norm of vector <A>, we have
since <A>-<O>=<A>, and therefore we call <O> the origin or the origin vector of the aforesaid vector n-space, and we see intuitively that <O> is the "start" or "beginning " of this vector n-space.
We can define a complex number n-space as an n-space in which at least one of the components of each vector is an imaginary number, but that if this imaginary number occurs in the m-th component (where n>=m>0 and m is an integer) of a vector, it must occur in the m-th component of all vectors in this version of vector n-space: to illustrate,
If we make the imaginary number component the last component of these vectors, then we would have (a1, a2, a3, ... , ian). A complex number vector 4 space would have vectors of the form (a1, a2, a3, ia4). The norm of such a vector would be defined as [a12+a22+a32+(ia4)2]1/2. If we impose the further condition that for any such vector, 1>=(a12+a22+a32)/a42>=0, then this becomes identical to
where 1>=(x12+x22 x32)/x42>=0, ct0 being equil to x4. This is true since
Since vt0=s (as defined above), (vt0)2=s2=x12+x22+x32 (as defined above, as well). Thus since (ct0)2=x42, x12+x22+x32 < x42, or 0 <= (x12+x22+x32)/x42<=1, and x12+x22+x32 > 0, since x1, x2, and x3 are all real numbers, and, as a result, x12>=0, x22>=0, and x32>=0 --> >x12+x22+x32>=0 Q.E.D.
We thus find that physical space-time can be treated as a physical complex number vector 4-space, and spiritual space-time can accordingly be treated as a spiritual complex number vector 4-space (Correspondence-Equivalence Principle), and spiritual space-time is, of course, "Mikdash-Shabbat". "There's no turning back"
Before we can go further with the theory, let us just state that the closest "we" as physical beings can get to the concept of spiritual space-time is to be at the makom HaMikdash on the seventh day, Shabbat, or on any of the festivals (also known as Shabbat).
The first thing to determine is, where the origin of our 4-space Mikdash-Shabbat system is. To make things easier, we will temporarily treat Mikdash and Shabbat separately, and we will introduce the symbol Shabbat0 for Shabbat when it is treated as an independent entity, similar to t0 and use Shabbat (without the zero) when referring to a combination (a mixing) of Shabbat0 with Mikdash, similar to t without the zero. The origin of 3-space Mikdash would have to be bein hakeruvim, at the aron hakodesh in the kodesh hakodashim, where Hashem spoke to Moshe. The point of origin of Shabbat0 would have to be the point in time during Shabbat0 where there is a connection or better put, an intersection point between Mikdash and Shabbat0. Since the Avodah of lechem hapanim is the only Avodah designated to be performed only on Shabbat0, and since the term lifnei Hashem is used in connection with lechem hapanim both with regard to the Mikdash, as in Shmot 25:30 where lefanai means lifnei Hashem (see also Shmot 40:22-23), and also with regard to the Shabbat0 as in Vayikra 24:5, thus the point of origin of Shabbat0 is that point of time on Shabbat0 when the Kohanim performed the Avodah of arranging the lechem hapanim on the shulchan.
Incidentally, lifnei Hashem means that the lechem hapanim had to be facing the kodesh hakodashim in the direction of bein hakruvim. Thus the origin of the Mikdash-Shabbat system is the point (bein hakeruvim, zman arichat lechem hapanim). That Shabbat0 is lifnei Hashem can also be seen in the additional paragraph in Birkat HaMazon that begins retzei vachalitzeinu, where it clearly says ki yom zeh gadol vekadosh hu lefanecha.
The following definition exists in vector algebra: two vectors <A> and <B> are perpendicular provided that <A>.<B>=0, where "." is the dot product. All vectors in physical 3-space, represented by (x1, x2, x3, 0) are thus perpendicular to all vectors in imaginary number 1-space (physical dimension of time), represented by (0, 0, 0, ix4), where x4=ct0. Thus all vectors of spiritual 3-space, which we well denote by <Mikdash>, are perpendicular to all vectors in the spiritual 1-dimension of time, which we will denote by <Shabbat0> (again, the Correspondence-Equivalence Principle). Thus, <Mikdash>.<Shabbat0>=0, by definition of perpendicularity.
Wait, isn't that how we began this chapter? "There's no turning back!" Hang on. Let us use the symbol <Mikdash>=(M1, M2, M3) and <Shabbat0>=(0, 0, 0, icS0). We will not give a precise definition, at this time, of c, but will merely describe it as the "fastest" speed possible in spiritual space, or the "speed of spiritual light". Since S0 denotes an amount of spiritual time and c is a spiritual speed, therefore cS0 is a distance in spiritual space, which can be represented by the symbol M4. Therefore, the vector <Shabbat0> can be written as (O1, O2, O3, iM4). In this way we wee that ic is a conversion factor between spiritual space time, i.e. "Shabbat0" and spiritual distance in the world of spiritual space (Mikdash). R. Avigdor Miller, in his book A Nation is Born, a commentary on "Sefer Shmot", on page 271, interprets the word lekaddesho in the verse zachor et yom hashabbat lekaddesho not as "to make it holy" (this would be lehakdisho, as in Divrei HaYamim I 23:13), but rather "to make it a sanctuary". The word "sanctuary", by definition, means a spatial entity in spiritual space. Looking carefully at the term icS0, we note that cS0=M4, and M4 is sanctuary-like, since it is distance in spiritual space (Mikdash), and, just as ix4 in the physical world is time-like, so iM4M in the spiritual world is time-like, i.e. Shabbat-like. Thus icS0 represents a sanctuary-like entity in the world of spiritual time. This author claims that Shabbat0 is made into a Mikdash by means of Kiddush. Thus, ic is a mathematical representation of the mitzvah from the Torah known as Kiddush, or Kiddush=ic.
We will now define spirtual velocity. The spiritual velocity vector
Spiritual speed is defined as ||(M1, M2, M3)/S0||, provided that
The trouble with this definition is that it lacks tangibility. We will now present a more tangible definition of spiritual velocity, and then relate the two definitions in a compatible fashion.
In Devarim 28:9,
"Hashem will establish you as a holy nation as He swore to you, for you will observe the mitzvot of Hashem your G-d and walk in His ways."
we see that the "walking" mentioned is a spiritual type of walking. Immediately preceding the concept of "walking" is that of observance of mitzvot. Let us define the term magnitude of mitzvot as the number of mitzvot, the importance of each of the mitzvot, and the quality of observance of these mitzvot, i.e. all of these factor taken together. The above verse makes it clear that the more the observance of mitzvot, the more the "walking", i.e. the greater the distance in spiritual space. Thus, we see that the distance in spiritual space is directly proportional to the magnitude of mitzvot performed. If we use the symbol ||mitzvot|| to denote the magnitude of mitzvot, then the above becomes ||(M1, M2, M3)||=k||mitzvot||, where ||(M1, M2, M3)|| is the distance in spiritual space and k is the constant of proportionality. Physicists often set constants of proportionality equal to 1 (this is especially true in General Relativity), and that is what we will do here, i.e., we let k=1 in the above equation. Thus,
Thus, the distance in the world of spiritual space (Mikdash) is equal to the magnitude of mitzvot. Speed is ||mitzvot|| divided by distance in spiritual time (the world of "Shabbat0"). Thus we have related the concepts of mitzvot, Mikdash, and Shabbat0" to one another. This the Ramban states in his commentary on Vayikra 26:2: "The totality of all the mitzvot is [represented by] the Shabbat and the Mikdash." We have piked up considerable spiritual speed, but we have not attained the "spiritual speed of light".
In order to complete this discussion, we must introduce yet another concept, spiritual matter, which is measured in terms of spiritual mass, because spiritual space-time without "something" (spiritual matter) to traverse it, has very little meaning. Since physical matter exists, the Correspondence-Equivalence Principle requires the existence of spiritual matter. A survey of all spiritual entities shows that the entity which, in conceptual form, corresponds to physical matter is the concept of Neshama (soul). The next topic is, evidently, spiritual mass. In the preliminary section of morning prayers, there appears a paragraph which begins: "My G-d, [the] soul which You have instilled into me is pure (tehora)." We see that there is an obvious connection between Neshama and tohora. We might say, in a non-precise manner, that the more tohora of a Neshama, the "greater" that Neshama is considered to be. In mathematical terms, this may be written as the "greatness or amount of
where k' is a constant of proportionality. As before, the simplest thing to do is to set k'=1, and thus the amount of Neshama=tohora. Therefore, tohora can be called spiritual mass. Most people probably recite the above prayer every day without realizing its significance. This is probably because most people are still asleep when they recite this prayer :-)
Returning to a previous equation, (ict)2=x12 +x22+x32+(ict0)2, and rewriting it in spiritual terms, we getht the following:
The term icS is what the Ramban (on Vayikra 19:30) calls the "great Shabbat" referring to it as "Hashem's Mikdash". Actually, icS would be the spiritual distance with the Great Shabbat. If we divide the above equation by S02 and multiply it by t0, where we use t0 to denote the tohora of a Neshama not moving any distance through spiritual space (never mind the fact that this represents a tragic spiritual situation for such a Neshama), we then have an equation reading as follows:
where Vspirit means the spiritual velocity, and T the tohora of a Neshama moving at the spiritual velocity Vspirit relative to a non-moving Neshama, and
where [1-(Vspirit/c)21/2 is a kind of Lorentz transformation factor. As above,
The Correspondence-Equivalence Principle requires a spiritual energy equation, i.e.,
It would also requre a spiritual wave equation: T.Vspirit=h/Gspirit, where Gspirit spiritual wavelength is defined above.
Eicha mentions, in Chapter 2, verse 6, the three concepts of Mikdash, Shabbat0, and Neshama (in the form of melech vekohen) in a tragic way, all together. The Rambam, at the very end of Hilchot Beit HaBechira, mentions all these three together in the best way possible: the Kohanim and Leviyim on guard duty in the Mikdash on Shabbat0. Speedily in our days!
Notes:
1. While the construction of the "Mikdash" does not take precedence over the observance of Shabbat restrictions, the "avodat hakodesh" DOES!
2. The sum of two vectors, <A>+<B>=(a1+b1, a2+b2, ..., an+bn)
Parts 7 & 8
IN THE NEWS
Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, July 23, 1997)
SHEIKHS INCITE TO VIOLENCE IN FRIDAY SERMONS
In the weekly Friday sermon delivered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Sheikh Ismael Nohaba stated on July 18, 1997: "Jihad (Moslem Holy War) is a commandment which we are obligated to carry out. Only when this nation launches a Jihad against the Zionist thieves and the hate-filled settlers, will we fulfill our obligation towards Allah. The Children of Israel were enemies of Islam from the outset and continue, to this day, the fight against it with all the means at their disposal... Our battle against them is a religious war." IMRA reports that in the previous week's sermon, PA appointed "Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine" Sheikh Ekrima Sabri said: "Oh Allah, destroy America, for she is ruled by Zionist Jews... Allah will paint the White House black!.. Allah shall take revenge on behalf of his prophet against the colonialist settlers who are sons of monkeys and pigs....Forgive us, Muhamad, for the acts of these sons of monkeys and pigs, who sought to harm your sanctity." Both weeks' sermons were broadcast on the PA's official radio station, Voice of Palestine.
Dr. Aaron Lerner, IMRA imra@netvision.net.il 24 July, 1997
MOST JEWS WANT JEWISH PRAYER ON TEMPLE MOUNT PERMITTED
By: Aaron Lerner
The following are the results of some survey questions relating to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The face-to-face survey of a representative sample of 1,500 adult Israeli Jews was carried out before and after the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by the Guttman Institute of Applied Social Research.
The results were provided to IMRA by Amnon Ramon of the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies. Ramon told IMRA that "the results indicate just how important the Temple Mount is to Israeli Jews. The Palestinians should be aware of these results so that they can appreciate just how great a sacrifice an Israeli compromise on the Temple Mount would be for the Israeli public."
1) The Temple Mount is very important to me as a part of Jerusalem: 93% of total sample, 82% of Tel Aviv residents, 65% of non-observant.
2) The Western Wall is very important to me as part of Jerusalem: 99% of total sample
3) It is important to me that should be able to pray on the Temple Mount: 84% of total sample, 73% of non-observant.
4) Are you ready to consider giving the Temple Mount to the Wakf? 70% Not prepared
5) 79% Do not seriously consider Palestinian sovereignty on the Temple mount in return for Palestinian recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Western Wall.
Arutz-7 News: Thursday, July 24, 1997
COURT ALLOWS PRAYER ON TEMPLE MOUNT
A Jerusalem court has made a revolutionary decision regarding Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount. The chief judge of the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, Amnon Cohen, ordered the police this afternoon to permit the head of the Temple Mount Faithful, Yehuda Etzion, to pray on the site. The prayer will take place without a prayer book, prayer shawl, phylacteries, or minyan (prayer quorum), and in silence. Judge Cohen also canceled the longstanding restraining order which had prevented Etzion from entering Jerusalem's Old City. The prosecution announced that it would appeal the decision, and the judge ordered that his decision not be carried out before Sunday in order to allow the police to prepare for the prayer. Yehuda Etzion declared that this was an historic decision.
Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, July 25, 1997
WAQF REFUSES TO PAY MILLIONS IN TAXES
The Muslim Waqf, responsible for the Temple Mount and Moslem affairs in eastern Jerusalem, has decided not to pay its debt of millions of shekels to Israeli income tax authorities. Adnan Husseini, head of the Waqf, has even threatened that any attempt by the authorities to physically collect the debt will be met with a "violent" response. He said that Israel is a "conqueror," and he does not recognize its authority to collect taxes.Arutz-7 News: Monday, July 28, 1997
WESTERN WALL DIGGINGS COMPLETED
The archeological excavations at the Kings Valley project near the Western Wall of the Temple Mount have been completed. The excavations took three years at a cost of 55 million shekels. Among the discoveries at the site: remnants of Herodian edifices towards the end of the Second Temple and from the period of the destruction of the Second Temple. In addition, drainage canals and ritual baths used by pilgrims to Jerusalem were also found. The Antiquities Authority declared that the excavations at the Kings Valley site are among the most important ever conducted in Israel. The site will soon be opened to visitors, and it is estimated that a half a million tourists will visit it each year.
ISLAMIC LEADERS: NO PRAYER FOR JEWS ON TEMPLE MOUNT
The Chairman of the Islamic Endowment in Jerusalem, Adnan Al Husseini, has warned that Islam will never, under any circumstances, agree to Jews praying on the Temple Mount. In an interview with Voice of Palestine Radio, Husseini threatened to use violence against Jews if they attempt to pray on the Temple Mount. He accused the rabbis of Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza) of being responsible for the attempts by Jews to pray on the Mount. Additionally, the sheikh in the Al-Aqsa mosque attacked the decision by the Supreme Court to allow Yehuda Etzion to pray on the Temple Mount in last Fridays sermon. "We will not stand idly by," threatened the sheikh, "and we refuse to obey the decisions of this racist court. The rabbis will not enter the Al-Aqsa mosque, not over our dead bodies and shrouds." His speech was broadcast live on Voice of Palestine Radio.
Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, July 29, 1997
NINTH OF AV TO BE RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING
The Knesset is likely to approve new legislation forbidding the opening of
movie theaters and nightclubs during the entire fast of Tisha B'Av. The
fast commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples, as well
as other national calamities, that occurred on the ninth day of the month
of Av. The new bill is sponsored by NRP MK Shaul Yahalom, chairman of the
Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, after a Tel Aviv court canceled
an existing municipal bylaw forbidding the opening of places of
entertainment on the eve of the Ninth of Av. Yahalom's bill proposes that
the Ninth of Av be granted the status of a national day of mourning.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thank you so much for your informational updates. I am not a jew but very supportive of the jewish homeland and cause. Take care and thanks again for keeping me informed. Scott
Dear Yirmi,
Thank you for your labors.
Could you answer a question on the red heifer or send me some info on it. Is it true that the red heifer is not needed unless there is a Temple? I read somewhere but unfortunately did not save information on this. I believe it stated that people have the order of things basically wrong, that the Temple comes first and then the red heifer would be needed rather than the heifer first and the Temple follows.
Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated.
All the best,
Rusty Draper
Rusty,
Thank you for your well thought question.
The implications of being able to undergo the purification with the ashes of the Red Heifer will have widespread implications on Jewish practice. Although these implications are more obvious with the Beit HaMikdash standing, there are many implications that are not dependent on the Beit HaMikdash, such as the ability of a Kohen to eat trumah. Today, a Kohen may not eat "Trumah" (gift to the Kohen from the produce) because of his inability to purify himself with the ashes of the Red Heifer.
The slaughtering of the Red Heifer does not require the Beit HaMikdash is built first. Once the Beit HaMikdash was built, the place retained its sanctity, and all sacrifice may henceforth be brought in their proper place, even if the Beit HaMikdash is in ruins. Nevertheless, there is a technical difficulty -- finding a Kohen who has never been defiled by contact with a dead body.
Although it is preferable that the Beit HaMikdash be built by those who have undergone the purification of the ashes of the Red Heifer, the Beit HaMikdash may be built in a state of defilement. The building of the Beit HaMikdash, public sacrifices, and the Passover Sacrifice may be brought in a state of defilement in absence of the means of purification. However, in such a state, the Temple Service would be confined to a minimum. Private sacrifices could not be brought, many public sacrifices could not be consumed by the Kohanim, and those who need to bring an atonement sacrifice (such as a woman who gave birth) could not do so, and thus could not bring or eat the Passover Sacrifice.
Thus, although the Beit HaMikdash and the Red Heifer do not require eachother, they give eachother meaning.
All the best,
yirmi
HaTenu'ah LeChinun HaMikdash
Gathering en masse to arouse consciousness among the People,
its rabbis, and its leaders to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash
and return the Kohanim to their Service
Telephone: +972-2-5371904
Email: Yirmiyahu Fischer
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