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

Snow, Snow, Beautiful Snow…”
A week and a half ago, during the recent Jerusalem blizzard, I plodded through the snow to participate in our daily 6:10am Minyan. Usually it takes me about three minutes to walk from my apartment to our Beit Knesset; on that particular day, it took me fifteen minutes. I slowly trudged through frozen snow, attempted to avoid hidden puddles (for the most part unsuccessfully) and edged my way ever so carefully to avoid slipping. (Shovel snow? What means shovel snow?) After davening, when we were putting on our boots, coats, scarves, hats and gloves, one of the regular Mitpallelim came over and asked, "What did they do in the Beit HaMikdash when there was a snow storm?"

While they did not close the Beit HaMikdash down because of snow or heavy rain, nevertheless, there were definite logistical problems...

First of all, the kohanim froze. There is no other way to put it; they froze. The kohein wore four light linen garments, Bigdei Kehuna, while performing the Avoda in the Beit HaMikdash. He wore a tunic (Kutonet), sash (Avneit), turban (Migba'at) and breeches (Michnasayim) and that's all. These garments were thin and did not provide much protection: they provided even less warmth. kohanim were strictly forbidden to add additional layers underneath their clothing (such as thermal underwear) because halachicly there could be no interposition between their bodies and the garments. If there was such an imposition, the Avoda was invalidated.

Even a bandage is considered an imposition between the kohein’s body his priestly garments and would invalidate the Avoda. It is interesting to note the Talmudic discussion as to whether the kohanim wore Tefillin while they were serving in the Beit HaMikdash. Apparently, kohanim wore the Tefillin Shel Rosh which was not considered an imposition but not the Tefillin Shel Yad which was considered an imposition (Zevachim 19a). They also could not add extra layers on top of their Bigdei Kehuna. No coats, no scarves, no gloves.

In addition, kohanim were had to go bare- foot on the cold, wet or snow-covered stone floor of the Azara; they could not put on boots, shoes or sandals. (The source for this ruling is Shemot 3:4. When Moshe neared the Burning Bush. G-d said to him, "Do not come closer, remove your shoes from your feet, for the place upon which you stand is holy ground." From this, the law was derived that the kohanim must go barefoot in the Beit HaMikdash which was also holy ground (Zevachim 24a). You can imagine that barefoot kohanim, clad in four linen garments, would feel very
chilly.

To the north of the Azara was the Beit HaMokeid - the Chamber of the Hearth - a domed building which served as a hostel for the kohanim. Tif’eret Yisrael comments, "There was a large fire fed by massive logs in the Beit HaMokeid where the kohanim who went barefoot on the marble floor would come and warm themselves." (Middot 1:1 TY 3)

Unlike a baseball game, Lehavdil Elef Havdalot, Avoda in the Beit HaMikdash was not called because of bad weather. If it was raining or snowing when the time came to bring one of the Temidim, the twice-daily obligatory burnt offerings, it made no difference. Temidim were not cancelled. And miraculously, the fires on the Mizbei- ach were never extinguished (Avot 5:7).

The Kevesh (ramp) leading to the top of the Mizbei'ach was very slippery on a rainy or snowy day exposing the barefoot kohanim to serious injury. The Mishna states "They may scatter salt on the Kevesh (even on Shabbat) so
that (kohanim) should not slip" (Eruvin 10:14). Sifri (Devarim, Ki Teitzei 66) surprisingly notes that the Kevesh was one of the three places which were excused from the Mitzva of Ma'akeh, the obligatory protective fence usually
erected around flat roofs and other dangerous areas to prevent injury (Devarim 22:8). Tif'eret Yisrael maintains that the "edges of the Kevesh were somewhat higher (than its flat surface thereby serving the same protective function as a fence) and prevented the kohanim from falling off (the Kevesh) as they ascended to (the top of) the Mizbei'ach" (Middot 3:3, TY 30).

It was potentially even more dangerous for the kohanim to walk on the Soveiv - the ledge which circled the Mizbei'ach, especially in inclement weather. The Soveiv was a narrow walkway for the kohanim to enable them to circumambulate the Mizbei- ach. It rose roughly the height of a one-story building above the ground. There are no references in our sources to a Ma'akeh at the edge of the Soveiv. Here too, Tif'eret Yisrael hypothesizes that the surface of the circuit ledge was curved upwards at its outer edge, forcing the kohanim to lean inwards towards the wall of the top platform of the Mizbei'ach as they walked, thus minimizing the risk of falling (Middot 3:1 TY 8).

Did the Leviyim “sing in the rain”? We have seen that the omission of the Shira (Levitical singing of psalms and music) which accompanied the Temidim, while important, did not necessarily invalidate the korban. Did wet shivering Leviyim sing under some sort of improvised umbrella or covering? We know that the vocal singing was considered of greater importance than the musical accompaniment; so is it possible that the Leviyim just sang and did not expose their instruments to the elements? Our sources are silent; we don’t know.

Philo, the Hellenist-Jewish philosopher, witnessed Leviyim "sweeping porticoes... (to) insure cleanliness". We can easily picture these very same Leviyim clearing the Azara and Temple grounds of snow. Possibly, teams of kohanim removed snow from the Mizbei'ach, the area between the Mizbei'ach and the Bayit and other areas where non-kohanim could not enter. The Leviyim who did guard duty - especially Mishmeret Laila, (the night shift) - bundled themselves up (this was permitted), stomped their feet and rubbed their hands together in an attempt to keep warm. Probably a few fires were lit at strategic places for their benefit.

All the night's accumulation of snow was removed before the massive gates of the Azara were opened for the new day. The morning Tamid was offered on time and as snow continued to fall, the Avodot of the Beit HaMikdash would continue - uninterrupted.

Catriel Sugarman gives illustrated lectures on the Beit Hamikdash and related topics. He can be reached at (02) 652-7531 or by email: 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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