When Yaakov encountered the site of the future Beis Hamikdash, he said, “This is none other than the House of G-d and this is the Gateway of Heaven!” Rabbeinu Bachaye teaches that Yaakov called it the Gateway of Heaven because the third and eternal Beis Hamikdash will not be built by man, but by the hands of Heaven.
However, we are still left wondering why he called it the Gateway of Heaven and not the House of Heaven. We can explain this according to Chazal’s teaching that G-d promises, “I will not enter the Beis Hamikdash on High until I enter the Beis Hamikdash below.” In the Era of Redemption, the third Beis Hamikdash will be the very gateway through which the Shechinah will reach the heavens!
Sheima Shlomo
Yalkut Moshiach U’Geulah al HaTorah
Translated by Yaakov Paley
