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.

Yeshayahu and the Rebuilt Mikdash - Bayit Shlishi
The fact that this article on redemption and Bayit Shlishi had to be written before Tish'a b'Av made me pause. I recalled an ancient Midrash. "When the Arab's cow wailed, they knew that the Beit HaMikdash had been destroyed and when it wailed a second time, they knew the redeemer of Israel had been born…" The Yerushalmi notes that "on the day that the Mikdash was destroyed, Melech HaMashiach was born." The Rambam wrote, "Some of the sages say that Eliyahu will come before the coming of the Mashiach. But regarding these matters and similar, no one knows how it will be until it will be. For these matters are unclear in the prophets. Even the Sages themselves did not have a tradition regarding these matters and could only attempt to understand the Pesukim. Therefore there were disagreements in these matters" (Hil. Melachim 12:2). Nevertheless, reviewing some of the pertinent Nevu'ot - prophecies - in Yeshayahu can be very instructive.

The restoration of the Beit HaMikdash will end the Galut and symbolize the complete and final restoration of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael. The prophet Yeshiyahu (60:4-9) rhapsodizes, "...Thy sons come from afar, thy daughters are carried on the side… you shall see and be radiant… because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come unto you. The caravans of camels… shall bring gold and frankincense and shall proclaim the praises of the Lord... They shall come up as welcomed offerings on My altar and My glorious House shall I glorify." The Navi is saying that the Mikdash will be built before the complete in gathering of the exiles. He describes the in gathering. "Who are these who fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their cotes? Surely the isles shall wait for Me and the ships of Tarshish will… bring your sons from afar – their silver and their gold with them – for the name of the Lord your G-d and for the Holy One of Israel - because he has glorified you". Metzudat David comments: "You, Jerusalem, lift up your eyes and look around and see all your people gathering to come to you… Your children will be coming from all sides; your face will light up with joy. Great wealth of the idol-worshippers… will come to you… The House of My Glory, this is the Beit HaMikdash which will be glorified by the gifts the nations joyfully will bring to it. The nations will ask the Jewish people, "Who are these who fly - swiftly as a cloud? "He shall glorify you" – for He gives you glory, splendor and great importance." The process of Geula seems to be this. First some of the exiles return to Eretz Yisrael. The nations will see this process as a sign from Heaven and will contribute lavishly and praise G-d. (Compare "Shir Hama'lot" …then said they among the nations, the Lord has done great things with these" - to those who were returning to Zion… Tehillim 126:2) Their contributions will be welcomed in an already existing Beit HaMikdash, the fame of which will encompass the world. Only then will the rest of Am Yisrael return to Eretz Yisrael bringing their possessions with them and be "glorified."

In perhaps his most celebrated prophecy, Yeshiyahu predicts that the new Mikdash will be the world center of Torah and not only for the Jewish people. "And it shall come to pass in the of days that the mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established as the chief of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills;and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say: 'Come ye and let us go up to Har Hashem, to the House of the G-d of Jacob – the Beit HaMikdash - and He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he will judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat the swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks…" (Ibid. 2:2,3) The Radak (R. David Kimchi) explains, "Every place that refers to the 'end of days' actually refers to Yemot HaMashiach… The Mountain of Har Hashem – this is Har HaMoriah wherein is built the Beit HaMikdash... Come and let us go – one nation shall say to another He will teach us His ways. And who will be the teacher? Melech HaMashiach." In that glorious time, the fame of the Mikdash will have spread to all nations. The wisdom taught in the Beit HaMikdash will be the topic of conversation all over the world and people will arrange to "go up" to the Mikdash together. The knowledge gained by the nations will be put to practical use to improve their own lives. "All nations shall flow to Har Hashem." not "walk" or "go" but they will flow swiftly like a river… Jerusalem will be acknowledged as the world religious and moral center, the Mikdash will be preeminent religiously, morally and even politically. There will be total disarmament and world peace, the Mashiach will adjudicate disputes between nations. Note that the Beit HaMikdash will be built in an era before world peace is established and it will take time before "it is exalted over the hills."

The new restored Beit HaMikdash will serve as the center of Divine worship not only for Jews - but for Bnei Haneichar Hanelvim Al Hashem – non-Jews who "attach themselves to Hashem". Shabbat will be the sign of this connection. "The strangers who attach, who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to Him, and to love the Name of the Lord, to be His servants – All who keep Shabbat and do not desecrate it and hold fast to My Convenant, I will bring them to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My House of Prayer; Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices willingly shall I accept on My altar, for my House shall be called a House of Prayer for all peoples. (Yeshayahu 56:6,7)" The Radak explains, "Just like someone receives a guest joyfully into his house, in the same way Hashem will tell the Kohanim to receive joyfully those who come to become part of the Jewish people – Lehitga'yeir. They – the proselytes, Gerim - will rejoice that they are in the Azara - this is the Beit Tefillah – every year with Am Yisrael with their prayers and their (now acceptable) burnt offerings and sacrifices…" Rashi adds, "(The Mikdash will be) for all the nations, not only for Israel. Metzudat David concurs, "That is to say that it (the Mikdash) will be prepared as a Beit Tefillah for everyone." The non-Jews who "attach themselves" to Hashem will prove it in two ways; they will observe the Shabbat and hold fast to the Convenant. These faithful people will bring their Korbanot to the Beit HaMikdash and their offerings will be accepted willingly on Hashem's altar. Shining forth in royal radiance,the Beit HaMikdash becomes the world center of prayer.

But the sequence seems wrong. Shouldn't adherence to the "Convenant" come before Shabbat observance? Not necessarily. Here we learn something of the thought process of the future Gerim. The observance of Shabbat is the sign of the Jew's belief in creation of the universe by a purposeful Creator, it did not simply "evolve". When the nations truly grasp and understand this concept on an intellectual level, then they will be ready to join Am Yisrael.

Catriel is in the process of writing a book: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service