Teaching Team
The Ninth of Av Part 2
Here is the second installment of the Ninth of Av Article:
The Loss of the TempleThe Temple is the focal point of life for Israel and without it, a void exists. In the Torah HaShem instructs Israel to build Him a tabernacle so that He could, “dwell among them.” This was to be the place where the Israelites would experience His presence to the fullest extent possible. That’s not to say that His presence isn’t everywhere, but at the Temple it would be found at a level like nowhere else.
Yeshua and the disciples had great respect for the Temple and spent much time there. The Master refers to the Temple as “My Father’s house” He taught in the Temple at almost every opportunity He had while in Jerusalem. When the Master cleansed the Temple, it demonstrated His intense reverence for the House of God. After His death, the disciples imitated His practice and “were continually in the temple praising God.” This continues throughout the book of Acts, where the Temple is central to the life of the early believing community.
The physical Temple also represented the spiritual Temple that is within each one of us. The Hebrew words behind the phrase “dwell among them” could also be read as “dwell in them.” HaShem desires to dwell inside His people. We are the “Temple of the Holy Spirit.” The physical Temple served as a model for the inward. Both need to be kept pure.
The Reason for the Loss
If the Temple was so important to both God and Israel, then why was it destroyed? Just like the extra years in the wilderness HaShem must have had a reason. A suggested answer is found in the Talmud:
"But why was the second Sanctuary destroyed, seeing that in its time they were occupying themselves with Torah, [observance of] precepts, and the practice of charity? Because therein prevailed hatred without cause."
The people had become experts at the application of the outward commandments of Torah, but were at the same time severely lacking in the internal aspects. Sinat chinam (baseless hatred) was rampant and seemed to permeate all parts of society. The Master himself saw this issue and taught the people to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” To Him, a life of Torah was not complete without an inward change. Love and compassion were to be the benchmarks of a life dedicated to Messiah.
The other side of extreme hate is a life of overlooking wrong that has been done to us. The Rabbis look at this as the ultimate remedy to fix the current exile:
"Has it not been taught: Concerning those who are insulted but do not insult others [in revenge], who hear themselves reproached without replying, who [perform good] work out of love of the Lord and rejoice in their sufferings, Scripture says: 'But they that love Him be as the sun when he goes forth in his might.'"
Yeshua also spoke of “turning the other cheek” and “not resisting an evil person.” Both the Master and the sages agree that “passing over one’s rights” was one of the highest goals of a Torah walk. It seems that Yeshua tried desperately to prevent the Temple’s destruction through His teachings. Yet the people of His day did not allow their inward Temple to be purified and thereby profaned the physical Temple. At the end of His life He foresaw the worst:
"And Yeshua said to him, 'Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.'"
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Visitor Feedback:
Toby,
Interesting article. I always figured that the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple was tied to the rejection of the Messiah. After all, isn't it a Torah command to listen to the Messiah (Deut. 18:15)?
*** Toby: I have thought this to, but have recently begun to adopt the postion in my article. It is possible that it could have even been multiple reasons.
Carrie | July 23, 2007 4:26 PM
Perhaps, just as Moshe was not allowed to enter eretz Yisrael because he misrepresented HaShem by hitting the rock a couple of times in anger, the Father would not allow any misunderstanding of His intent of character.
Likewise, if there was baseless hatred taking place, during second temple times, among the rulers of the cohanim and others within the community, HaShem, again, would not be misrepresented and to make sure of it, destroyed the Temple.
Just additional thought...
Have a meaningful fast.
michael k | July 23, 2007 7:45 PM