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Jewish Pilgrimage:
A Visit to The Temple Mount
The Temple Mount is one of the important sites of Jewish
pilgrimage. Spread over an area approximately 45 acres, the site
is located in the Old City of Jerusalem and surrounded by
trapezoidal walls of all sides. Looking nearly like a park with
trees and shrubs, the site carries many ancient buildings and
monuments which bear testimony to over 1300 years of Moslem rule
over the state. Most of the buildings have architectural style of
Islamic origin with the main platform situated at about 2400 feet
above seal level. The walls measure 910 feet on the south; 1025
feet on the north; 1520 feet on the east and about 1580 feet in
length on the western side.
The current platform area of the Temple Mount is located below the
top of a Jerusalem ridge called the Mount Moriah. David bought
this land from a Jebusite by the name of Ornan towards the end of
his rule. The original intention of King David was to build a
permanent home of the Gods which would replace the Tabernacle of
Moses which came along with the Jews when they left Egypt for the
Promised Land. David’s plans were to build a structure which would
be twice the size of Tabernacale. He gathered a huge amount of
building materials to fulfill his dreams which included stone,
cedar, gold and silver. Eventually however, it was his son Solomon
who built the first Jewish Temple (Chronicles 22:14-15, 28:11-20).
Where exactly was the original site of the Temple?
Among the various controversies which surrounding the Temple, one
of the main one is the original site where it was built. There are
various debates and discussions on this issue in recent years.
Presently there are three main conjectures which are being made
about the issue. It is considered that behind all these
controversies lie plans by numerous Orthodox Jews, to build the
Third Jewish Temple on this site, when political situation permits
that is.
It is believed that the original site of the Temple is under or
very close to the Moslem shrine, called the Dome of the Rock.
According to history, the building was constructed by Moslems and
almost all rabbis of Israel believe that this is the original site
of the Temple. Based on this theory, historian Dr. Leen Ritmeyer
did extensive research and wrote much about the original 500 cubic
square perimeter of the original Temple location.
If you travel northward from the city of David to the most
elevated ground north of the Temple, you will see the bedrock
rise. This is of course overshadowed since the Temple platform is
on a large flat area which is surrounded by high walls. The south
end of the platform has been constructed on tall pillars which are
built underground and held together by arches.
The Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives lie on the eastern side
of the Temple Mount. The City of David and the Hinnom Valley lie
to the south while the famous Western Wall (called the ‘wailing
wall’ sometimes) is to the west of the Temple Mount. The Roman
military fortification called the Antonia fortress was located to
the north of the Temple and as you go on further you can see the
high grounds outside the city walls, which some believe was the
site of Golgotha. On the north, the Mount Moriah goes on rising.
The crest of Mount Moriah lies just above the present Garden Tomb.
There are still some issues regarding the precise location of
the Temple of Mount:
1. Where was Antonia Fortress located?
2. Which is the precise location of ancient north moat (the Fosse)
3. The Hulda Gates
4. The View from the North
5. King Herod Agrippa's View of the Temple from the West
6. The Jerusalem Water Aqueduct from the Judean Hills
7. Electronic Measurements
According to popular saying, there will be surely three opinions
even if there are two Jews. While time can only reveal the truth
behind each of these views, the topic will continue to be a
favorite one for debates till of course, Israel conducts an
independent archeological survey beneath the Temple Mount itself.
It is a matter of great regret that the site is presently under
the control of Waqf, the highest Moslem Council and they do not
allow any methodical archeological investigation of the site. In
fact, the Waqf completely resists any intervention or
investigation about the Platform, which according to them is one
of the most sacred outdoor mosques for the Islamic people.
Nobody really knows when the history of Jerusalem will re-direct
itself for doing a thorough scientific investigation of the Temple
Mount. Investigations need to be done above as well as below the
ground. It is only after the investigation can the century-old
dream of Jews to build a Third Temple at the site be fulfilled.
The third temple will of course have to be built on the
foundations of the first and the second temple and temple worship
according to the Torah will then be brought back. |
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