On Tisha B’av, we mourn the destruction of the Batei Mikdash. We remember the loss of the Temples through the mourning practices, which include fasting and not wearing leather shoes. We also read Megillas Eicha and the Kinnos.
Remembering and mourning the loss of the Beis Hamikdash is not limited to Tisha B’av. There are practices that we observe throughout the year in order to remember the Beis Hamikdash and to show that our joy cannot be complete until it is rebuilt.
At the end of the laws of Tisha B’av in the Shulchan Aruch, there is a Siman that discusses the requirement of making a Zecher Lechurban - actions to remember the destruction of the Temple and Yerushalaim. This includes laws such as;
- When plastering the walls of one’s house, we have to leave a square of the wall unplastered, measuring 1 Amah by 1 Amah.
- Placing ashes on the head of Chasanim at their wedding.
- Limitations on listening to music.
- Not using all of one’s finery to decorate their table or for a woman to wear all of her jewellery at the same time.
- One may not fill their mouth with laughter during the time of exile.
Zecher LeMikdash
There are other laws that were instituted not as a Zecher Lechurban, to remember the destruction of the Temple, but rather as a Zecher Lemikdash - to remember the Temple and how the Mitzvos were observed when the Temple stood. Many of these were enacted by Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai in the immediate aftermath of the Churban.
The Chachamim based these enactments on the verse in Yirmiyahu ציון היא דרש אין לה “there is no one who seeks out Tzion”. From this we infer that we should be “enquiring” after Tzion. We do this through making a Zecher Lemikdash, to keep the Beis Hamkidosh and Geulah alive in our hearts and our minds.
Some of the well-known enactments include the following;
- Biblically, the Lulav was only taken all seven days in the Beis Hamikdash, as derived from the Posuk which says that this is only done “before Hashem”. Outside of the Beis Hamikdash the Lulav was only taken on the first day of Sukkos. Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted that we now take the Lulav all seven days of Sukkos in all places. This is in order to remember how the Mitzvah was observed in the Beis Hamikdash.
- The Hoshanos that we do around the Bimah and the banging the Aravos on Hoshana Rabbah, are also done as a Zecher LeMikdash, where the Mizbeach would be surrounded by Aravah branches.
- Biblically Marror was only eaten on the Seder night when there was a Korban Pesach. After the destruction of the Temple, the Rabbis instituted a Rabbinic Mitzvah of eating Marror at the Seder, to remember how the Mitzvah was done when the Beis Hamikdash stood.
- Similarly, we eat the Korech of Matzah and Marror with the declaration “this is what Hillel did when the Beis Hamikdash stood”.
- The Biblical Mitzvah of Sefiras Haomer only applies when the Korban Omer was brought in the Beis Hamikdash. After the Churban, the Rabbis instituted the Rabbinic Mitzvah to count Sefiras Haomer as a Zecher LeMikdash.
Meheira Yibaneh Hamikdash
Some of the Mitzvos that are Zecher Lemikdash have another aspect of “Meheira Yibaneh Hamikdash”. They are not just about remembering how things were observed in the Temple, but out of the firm belief that the Beis Hamikdash will swiftly be rebuilt and we need to retain familiarity with the laws as they were observed in the times of the Beis Hamikdash, so that we will be ready to observe them once more.
Netilas Yadayim
One of these practices that we do almost daily, is the Rabbinic Mitzvah of washing Netilas Yodayim before eating bread.
When the Beis Hamikdosh stood, before eating Terumah, a Kohen would need to wash their hands so that they would be pure. This requirement was further applied to Chulin (non-sacred foods) and was extended to Yisraelim as well as Kohanim.
Even now when Kohanim no longer eat Terumah, we are all still required to wash our hands before eating bread. The reason for this is that Chaza”l anticipate that the Beis Hamikdosh will speedily be rebuilt and we will have to be immediately familiar with observing the laws of purity and impurity once more.
Chadash
When the Beis Hamikdash stood, one was not allowed to eat Chadash (from the new year of grain) until the Korban Omer was brought on the 16th of Nissan. When there is no Korban Omer, technically one may eat Chadash from sunrise on the 16th of Nissan.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted that Chadash is forbidden the entire day. This is because the Beis Hamikdash may speedily be built. If we were allowed to eat Chadash after sunrise while in exile, a person may erroneously come to eat Chadash after sunrise even after the Temple is rebuilt, rather than waiting until the Omer was offered.
Kohanim drinking wine
According to the opinion of the Chachamim, even nowadays, a Kohen (who does not know which would be their family’s week of service in the Temple) should not drink wine. This is because Moshiach will come swiftly and after drinking wine, a Kohen is unable to serve in the Beis Hamikdash.
Whilst we do not follow this opinion as the Halacha, it teaches us about how swiftly Moshiach can arrive. The Halacha is that after drinking wine, a Kohen could be permitted to serve in the Beis Hamikdash after walking a Mil (kilometre), which removes the effects of the wine. This translates to between 18 and 24 minutes.
From this we see, that in less than 18-24 minutes of drinking wine whilst in exile, it is possible for the Temple to be rebuilt and ready for the sacrifices to be offered.
The Chasam Sofer teaches that the return from the Babylonian Exile was not a complete Geulah, because whilst in exile, they did not make a remembrance for the city of Yerushalayim and the Beis Hamikdosh.
In the merit of our Zecher LeMikdash, may we merit a Geulah Shleimah.
