intended to increase the knowledge, interest, and anticipation of the reader, thereby hastening the realization of our hopes and prayers for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Beit HaMikdash.

“By Three Things is the World Sustained...”
The interlinking of Torah, the Avoda (the Mikdash service), and deeds of loving- kindness, the celebrated triad that “sustains the world”, is well known to us from the first Mishna in Perkei Avot. From the earliest days of Shivat Zion, the newly restored Beit HaMikdash and the Avoda were the pivot around which all the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the newly reestablished community of the returned exiles revolved. The Mikdash was the link between heaven and earth - the earthly dwelling place of the Sh’china - “He who Has caused His Name to dwell in this Houses.” Three times a year, K’lal Yisrael ascended to Jerusalem, entered the courtyards of the Beit HaBechirah, offered sacrifice and fulfilled their Torah obligations. The solemn stately splendor of the Simchat Beit Hasho’eiva, the sacred music of the Leviyim all made an indelible impression on the hearts and minds of the Olei Regel.

The Churban (Destruction) of the Beit HaMik- dash, traumatic and demoralizing as it was, had another baleful effect. It rendered impossible the practice and observance of literally hundreds of Mitzvot ordained in the Torah. Yahadut was faced with a gaping vacuum and K’lal Yisrael with a national melancholia, issues which the surviving spiritual leadership had to address immediately. “The Sages taught, ‘When the Beit Hamikdash was destroyed for the second time, many people in Israel became ascetics, binding themselves neither to eat meat nor to drink wine. R. Yehoshua got into conversation with them, and said to them, ‘My sons, why do you not eat meat and drink wine? They replied, ‘Shall we eat meat which is used to be brought as Korbanot upon the Mizbei’ach, now that the Mizbei’ach is in abeyance? Shall we drink wine which used to be poured out as Nisuch HaYayin (wine libation which accompanied some Korbanot) but is no longer?’ R. Yehoshua said to them, ‘If this is so, we ought not to eat bread either because the meal offerings have ceased.’ They said, ‘We can manage with fruit.’ He replied, ‘We should not eat fruit either because we can no longer bring the offering of Bikurim.’ ‘All right,’ they said, ‘we can manage with other fruit.’ (Bikurim could be brought only from the Sheva Minim.) But he went on, ‘We should not drink water either because we can no longer observe the rite of Nisuch Hamayim.’ (the Water Libation of Sukkot) To this, they could find no answer. R. Yehoshua said to them, ‘Listen to me. Not to mourn at all is impossible because the blow has fallen.

To mourn too much is impossible, because we do not impose on the community a hardship which the majority cannot endure. Therefore the Sages have ordained, ‘A man may plaster his house, but he should leave an area bare. A man may prepare a full-course banquet but should leave out an item or two. A woman can put on all her ornaments but leave off one or two.” (Baba Batra 60b)

With the Mikdash gone, it was essential that the people, and even the Sages themselves, internalize the realization that transgressions could be atoned for and prayer acceptable before G-d even without Korbanot. “Once when Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai was coming forth from Jerusalem, R. Yehoshua followed after him and beheld the Beit HaMikdash in ruins. ‘Woe unto us,’ cried out R. Yehoshua, ‘that this, the place where the sins of Israel were atoned for, is laid waste.’ ‘My son,’ Rabban Yochanan said to him, ‘be not grieved. We have another atonement just as effective as this. And what is it? It is acts of loving kindness, as it is said, ‘For I desire mercy and not sacrifice (Hoshea 4:6).” And so we find with Daniel, that greatly beloved man, who devoted himself to acts of loving kindness. He provided for the bride and made her rejoice, he attended to the dead, he gave alms to the poor and he prayed three times a day and his prayer was accepted with favor... (Avot D’rabbi Natan 20a). But could the Korbanot be replaced? Said Abraham before the Holy One Blessed be He; ‘Lord of the Universe, perhaps, G-d forbid, Israel will sin and You will do to them as You did to the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Division.’ He answered.

‘Not so.’ Abraham then said before Him, ’Lord of the Universe, by what shall i know this? He then said, ‘Take for Me a heifer of three years old... (Beresishit 15:9,10). Abraham then said, ‘Lord of the Universe, this is all very well when the Beit HaMikdash is standing, but when there will be no Beit HaMikdash, what will become of them? He answered him, ‘I have already set for them the order of sacrifices. When they will read the sections dealing with them, I will consider it as if they were bringing Me an offering and will forgive all their sins (Megilla 31b).” The Sages taught that the study of the Halachot of Korbanot effects atonement even without actually bring- ing the sacrificial animal to the Mizbei’ach.

Chazal also took positive measures to try to fill the vacuum created by the Churban in the religious life of K’lal Yisrael, by transferring as much as possible the resplendent pageantry of the Beit HaMikdash to the Batei K’nesset and to the home. One example. “Beforetime, the Lulav was carried seven days in the Mikdash, but in the provinces (outside of the Mikdash) one day only. After the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed, Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai decreed that in the provinces, it (the Lulav) should be carried seven days in memory of the Mikdash (Sukka 3:12)” R. Yochanan Ben Zakkai wanted to prevent an important Mikdash-distinguishing feature of Sukkot observance from falling into disuse even in the Mikdash’s absence.

When the Beit HaMikdash stood, the central feature of the Seder was the Korban Pesach. With the disappearance of the Korban Pesach , there was a danger that the entire Seder concept might disintegrate. Rabban Gamliel emphasized that the memory of the Korban Pesach must continue to be a major component of the Seder. “Rabban Gamliel used to say, ‘Whoever has not said these three things on Pesach has not fulfilled his obligation, namely the Passover Sacrifice, Matza and bitter herbs...” And does not the soaring prayer of R. Akiva, redolent of nostalgia and hope, evoke the very atmosphere of the Mikdash?” ...Let us live until other Festive Seasons, and holidays which shall come to meet us in peace. Happy in the building of Thy City, and joyous in Thy worship, may we eat there, the festival offerings and Koran Pesach, whose blood shall reach the wall of Thine Altar, in acceptance.” Chaza”l would not permit the aura of the Beit HaMikdash and the hope for its speedy restoration to vanish from the consciousness of the people. Today, we can study Torah and perform the Mitzvot applicable Baz’man Hazeh - “in this time.” We can do deeds of loving-kindness; nevertheless, the third component of the aforementioned triad, the Avoda, is still missing. May we soon be found worthy to complete the triad and rejoice in the reinstated Avoda in the newly rebuilt Beit HaMikdash - speedily in our day.

Catriel Sugarman gives illustrated lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. He can be reached at (02) 652-7531 or by email at acatriel@netvision.net.il. Catriel is in the process of writing a book entitled: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim's Perspective: A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service.

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