SHEYIBANEH BEIT HAMIKDASH...
A series of articles on Beit HaMikdash-related topics by Catriel Sugarman 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.

"He who sees the cities of Judah in their destruction must say 'Your holy cities become a wilderness' and tears his clothes on the left side and says 'Blessed be the Righteous Judge…'"

From the Mikdash Mailbag - Challa in Chutz LaAretz

We received this truly WONDERFUL email from Josh Hossein of of New Jersey:
I read your article... regarding the Berachot the Kohanim say on the various Mitzvot in the Beit HaMikdash and upon eating T'ruma and other gifts to the Kohanim.

I had been researching a question about separating Challa – Someone forgot to separate Challa from bread that they baked, and wanted to know if it was too late to still separate the Challa from the bread. I remembered that the Halacha outside of Israel is that we may even eat the bread before Challa is separated, and then just leave a little bit over at the end to be burnt as Challa. In Israel this is not allowed.

"As I verified that I had remembered the Halacha correctly, I stumbled across what is written in the Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 322:5. Here is my translation: 'Challa outside of Israel, since it is only a rabbinic Mitzva, is only prohibited to be eaten by a Kohein that has Tum'a (impurity) coming out of his/her body such as a Ba'al Keri, a male or female Zav/ Zava, Nida, and Yoledet (a woman after giving birth - 40 days for a boy, 80 days for a girl). But Kohanim "tainted" with other forms of Tum'a, even Tum'at Meit (a Kohein who came into contact with a corpse - the most severe form of impurity), are allowed to eat Challa. Therefore, either in Syria, or other places outside Eretz Yisrael, one may separate a single Challa, by setting aside 1/48, and this may be eaten by a minor who has not yet seen 'Keri' or a young girl who has not yet become a Nida. One does not need to take a second separation (to be burnt).'"

"And even an adult Kohein who has been to the Mikveh during the daytime, and nightfall has not yet arrived (normally the purification of the Mikveh only applies after nightfall), may eat this Challa, and a second separation of Challa does not need to be taken outside of Israel." The Rema (Rav Moshe Isserles) adds that the custom in Ashkenazic countries is that the Challa is not eaten even by a child Kohein since Challa is not eaten in Israel, and the custom is to take just one separation of Challa and burn that. The Shach (Siftei Kohen) distinguishes between all year round and during Pesach, where on Pesach apparently some do have the custom to give the Challa to a child Kohein to eat (perhaps out of a concern that burning it in the oven might cause it to become Chametz). And according to the Chochmat Adam Shaarei Tzedek 14:4 in Vilna they in fact did have child Kohanim eat the Challa on Pesach following the opinion of the Vilna Gaon. I seem to recall hearing that among the North African Jews (maybe Tunisia) their Kohanim did eat Challa. I am curious to know if there is a record of Jews in any other communities where the Challa was given to the Kohanim to eat. The Yemenite Siddur "Tiklal" still in use today lists the Beracha for a Kohein outside of Israel who is eating Challa.

Accordingly, it would seem that Kohanim Sefardim in Chutz La'aretz could eat Challa after reciting the special B'racha associated with it, and even Ashkenazim could do so on Pesach, but that would be extremely difficult to arrange. As a Kohein who follows the Sefardic Minhag this interested me a lot, since it meant thatI could fulfill this Mitzva outside of Israel without much difficulty. I live in New Jersey, and after checking with my Rav (I put this in "bold" for a reason! CS.), I asked my mother-in-law to bake a bread large enough to require separation of Challa but to not burn the portion that was separated. I went to the Mikveh and that night I recited the Hamotzi and then the special B'racha …Asher Kid'shanu Bikdushato Shel Aharon V'tzivanu Le'echol Teruma. Then I fulfilled the Mitzva by eating the Challa that my mother-in-law had separated."

Mourning in Moderation
"Our rabbis taught, 'When the Mikdash was destroyed for the second time, large numbers in Israel became ascetics, binding themselves not to eat meat or 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 used to be brought as an offering on the altar, now that the altar is in abeyance? Shall we drink wine which used to be poured as a libation on the altar, but no longer? R. Yehoshua said to them, "If that is so, we should not eat bread either, because the meal offerings have ceased. They said, "That is so and we can manage with fruit." He said, "We should not eat fruit either because there is no longer an offering of first fruits." They said, "We can manage with other fruits." He said "We should not drink water either because there is no longer a water libation." To this they could find no answer. He said to them, "…not to mourn is impossible because the blow has fallen. To mourn overmuch is also impossible, because we do not impose on the community a hardship which the majority cannot endure..." (Baba Batra 60b).

"They quoted R. Yehoshua ben Levy, 'The Kadosh Baruch Hu called the ministering angels and said to them, 'A king of flesh of blood, when there is a death, and he mourns, what does he do? They said to Him, 'He hangs sackcloth on his entrance.' He said, 'I too shall do it.' As it is said, 'I clothe the heavens with blackness and I make sackcloth their covering (Yeshiyahu 50:3). He asked them, 'What else does a king of flesh and blood? They said, 'He extinguishes the lights,' He said 'I too shall do it.' As it is said, 'The sun and the moon are become black, and the stars withdraw their shining" (Yoel 4:15). He asked, 'What else does a king of flesh and blood do?' They said to Him, 'He goes barefoot' He said, 'I too shall do it.' As it is said, 'The Lord, in the whirlwind and in the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust of His feet" (Nachum 1:3). He asked them, 'What else does a king of flesh and blood do? They said, 'He rends his purple garments.' He said, 'I too shall do it.' as it is said, 'The Lord has done that what He devised, He has performed His word" (Eicha 2:17). He asked them, ''What else does a king of flesh and blood do?' They said to Him, 'He sits and is silent." He said, 'I too shall do it.' as it is said, 'Let him sit alone and keep silent because He has laid upon him" (Eicha 3:28). (Eicha Rabbah)

Catriel's book in progress: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrims Prospective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service