REBUILDING THE TEMPLE

REBUILDING THE TEMPLE

Journey to Unity Series, Essay 33b

copyright (c) 2006 by Mr. Yosef Ben Shlomo HaKohen

LIBERATED YERUSHALIYIM, D.C. (David's Capital), Liberated Israelite Tribal Territories of Yehudah and Binyamin, Kingdom of David and Shlomo, United Israelite Kingdom of Yehudah and Yosef, Erev Shabbat (Eve of the Jewish Sabbath), Yom Shishi, 10 Adar, 5766, Root & Branch Information Services [mailto:rb@rb.org.il] [www.rb.org.il]:

Dear Friends,

In Letter 27 of this series, we learned that the Second Temple was destroyed because of unwarranted hatred. We have a tradition, however, that through correcting the sins which led to the destruction of the Second Temple, we contribute to the building of the Third Temple. This teaching is discussed in the writings of the Chofetz Chaim, a sage of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For example, he writes:

"It is well known that true peace is impossible without zealousness in avoiding unwarranted hatred and loshon hara -- speaking information which is either derogatory or potentially harmful to another individual. Every person who will strive to correct these sins will have a share in the building of the Third Temple, for without such people, the Temple would remain destroyed forever, Heaven forfend".

[Shemiras HaLashon 2:7 - cited in ArtScroll's "Tishah B'Av"]

Upon reading the above teaching, one may start to think about how the "other" person needs to uproot hatred from his heart and be careful how he speaks about others. One may forget, however, to apply this teaching to one's own self. The Chofetz Chaim therefore reminds us:

What each of us must do is uproot baseless hatred from within one's self, refrain from speaking loshon hara, and acquire the quality of shalom. How exalted will be those who merit these accomplishments, for when the Messiah will appear and the Temple will be built, it will become known that they played an important role in bringing this about.

[Shimiras HaLashon - cited in Art Scroll's "Chofetz Chaim: A Lesson A Day"]

In general, all the mitzvos (commandments) we perform can contribute to the building of the Temple. The Sfas Emes, a Chassidic sage of the late 19th century, refers to this idea in a talk given in the year 5634, on the Shabbos before Tisha B'Av. He teaches that every generation that adds spirituality to the world -- by bringing light to where darkness had previously reigned -- participates in building the Holy Temple.

The Sfas Emes adds that the same process also operates at the level of each individual. Just as the community, as a whole, can help to rebuild the Temple, so too, each individual's actions can help to rebuild the Temple. In this spirit, it's been said that each mitzvah adds a "brick" to the future Temple.

"May it be Your will, HaShem, our God and the God of our ancestors, that the Holy Temple be rebuilt, speedily in our days".

[Daily Prayer]

Shabbat Shalom and Purim Sameach from Liberated Yerushaliyim,

Mr. Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen

Advisory Board Member, Ecology Fellowship, Root & Branch Association, Ltd.
Advisory Board Member, Social Welfare Fellowship, Root & Branch Association, Ltd.
Author, "The Universal Jew" (Feldheim Publishers)
Editor, Shema Yisrael website: "Hazon: Our Universal Vision"
http://www.shemayisrael.co.il/publicat/hazon/

Notes:

1. For information on the ArtScroll books mentioned above, please visit: www.artscroll.com

2. The above insights of the Sfas Emes were taken from the Sfas Emes Weekly e-mail which is prepared by Dr. Nosson Chayim Leff. These insights appeared in the mailing for the Torah portion of Devarim. To subscribe to the Sfas Emes Weekly Email, please send an email message to: sfas-emes-subscribe@torah.org

3. For further insights on Tisha B'Av, please visit: www.aish.com