דברים פרק יב, ה כ ִּי אִּם -אֶל-הַמ ָּקוֹם אֲש ֶר-יִּבְחַר ה' אֱלֹ ק יכֶם מִּכ ָּל-ש ִּבְט יכֶם לָּשׂו ם אֶת-ש ְמוֹ ש ָּם לְש ִּכְנוֹ תִּדְ רְ ש ו ו בָּאתָּ ש ָּמ ָּה
What did Moshe Rabeinu do for the sake of Yerushalayim?
Moshe did not enter Eretz Yisrael. But he did wish to enter the Land and especially, to go to Yerushalayim. אעברה נה ואראה...ההר הטוב הזה והלבנה (Devarim 3,25). According to the Gemara (Yoma 39) ההר הטוב refers to Har HaBayis (the Temple mount) and והלבנה refers to the Mikdash, since it is the place that whitens (atones for) the sins of the Jews. Moshe revealed to Yehoshua the location of the Mikdash. However, Yehoshua guarded this information. Later, when Shmuel and Dovid sought the location of the Mikdash, they looked into Sefer Yehoshua for clues.
Is the special place (Yerushalayim) designated due to selection from HaShem or due to the altars built by Avrohom, Noach and others?
The answer is both; each has its positive reason. בית הבחירה, selection by HaShem, contains the unlimited nature due to the source of the selection. כלי קודש, selected by earlier people, is limited to a place or object but connects one’s efforts to the results.
Why didn’t HaShem advise the Jews much earlier of the location of the Bais haMikdash?
Rambam provides three reasons:
- The Caananite nations would have concentrated their joint efforts to prevent the Jews from gaining ownership of the location.
- Those nations might have attempted to physically destroy the site (land-fills, burial sites, etc.)
- The Tribes might have fought among themselves to include the Temple Mount in their apportionment.
Also, possible “maaseh avos siman labonim” included since HaShem did not tell Avrohom which mountain for the Akeidah, but only disclosed to him near the time of need.
How often is Yerushalayim mentioned in the Torah?
Surprisingly, it is not mentioned at all. However, the phrase HAMAKOM ASHER YIVCHAR HASHEM is repeated about 20 times in Moshe’s speech in Sefer Devarim. The table below summarizes each mention of the phrase "ha'makom asher yivchar HaShem" together with its related topic:
- 12:5,11,14,18,21,26 The place to bring all "korbanos"
- 14:23,24,25 The place to eat "maaser sheni"
- 15:20 The place to eat "b’chor b'heyma”
- 16:2,6,7,11,15,16 The site for "aliya l'regel" on the holidays
- 17:8,10 The seat of the Supreme Court
- 18:6 The service of the Leviim
- 26:2 The place to bring one's 'first fruits'
Is there an allusion within the Torah to Yerushalayim as the place which is to be chosen?
The numerical value of the milluy of יבחר adds up to 1,130, the same numeric value of the following places where the Aron settled: “Shiloh, Nov, Givon, Yerushalayim” (Rabbi Meir Yechiel of Ostrovtza)
Letter Millui - Spelled Out Additional Letters
Yud – י Yud – Vav – Dalet Vav -6; Dalet – 4 = 10
Vais – ב Vais – Yud – Sav Yud – 10; Sav - 400 = 410
Cheis – ח Cheis – Yud - Sav Yud – 10; Sav - 400 = 410
Resh - ר Resh – Shin Shin = 300
Where is the first mention of Yerushalayim in Tanach?
םפר יהושע י,א: וַיְהִּי- כִּש ְמֹעַ אֲדֹנִּי-יִּ כ םַלָּ ש ורְי
ךֶלֶמ קֶדֶצ-לָּכַד יְהוֹש ֻׁעַ אֶת-ן כ הָּ כְלַמְל ו ֹוחיִּריִּל הָּׂשָּע רֶ שֲאַ כ הָּמיִּרֲחַ
יַו יַעָּה - עָּשָּׂה לָּעַי ו לְ מַלְכ ָּה וְכִּי הִּש ְלִּימו יֹש ְב י גִּבְעוֹן אֶת-יִּשְׂרָּ א ל ויְהִּ
יַו ב ְקִּרְ ב ָּם:
The name Adonai-Tzedek reminds us of Malkei-Tzedek in the times of Avrohom. Yerushalayim is connected with the concept of Tzedek (justice). Even though he defeated this king, Yehoshua did not occupy the area (Abarbanel).
How many times the word ירושלים appears in Tanach?
The answer is a grand total of four. How could Yerushalayim, a central symbol in Judaism, appear only four times in Tanach? The answer is that Yerushalayim only appears four times when it is spelled with the second yud. Without the second Yud, ירושלם appears over 300 times.
Why Yerushalayim includes two words?
After the Creation the Holy City was called Shalem, as we learn from the verse "...and Malki Tzedek, king of Shalem" (Bereishis 14,18). Later, Avraham called Mount Moriah "Yir'eh": "...and Avraham called the name of that place ‘HaShem Yir'eh'" (Bereishis 22,14). Then the word "Yir'eh" was combined with the word "Shalem", resulting in "Yeru-shalem" (Tosfos, Ta'anis 16a, s.v. Har).
How did Yehoshua apportion Yerushalayim in the division of the 12 tribes?
Sefer Yehoshua lists the apportionment the Land according to the Goral (lottery) and the Urim and Tumim (Divine direction). According to the commentators, the area containing the Har haBayis was divided among two tribes: the western side (site of the altar and the Holy of Holies) was in the portion of Benyamin; and the eastern side (side of the Sanhedrin and the courtyard) were in the portion of Yehudah.
When did the tribes conquer the area of Yerushalayim?
The tribe of Yehudah conquered their portion after the time of Yehoshua. But Benyamin did not conquer their area until Dovid acquired the area. Evidently, Yehudah did not occupy their portion earlier.
When did the search for the site of the Mikdash begin?
After being mentioned in Sefer Mishpatim, Yerushalayim is not mentioned again till the time of Dovid. After the battle with the giant Golis, Dovid brought his head to Yerushalayim (Shoftim 1,8). Dovid was already searching for the place selected for the Mikdash.
How did Dovid know that he was to seek the place and not wait until it was revealed by HaShem?
Sifrei (62 on the verse 12,5): לשכנו תדרשו ובאת שמה first one must seek out and afterwards the prophet would confirm the place to go. Thus, Dovid sought the place as recounted in Tehillim 132, “I will not give sleep to my eyes until I find the place for the Divine Presence. “
Did Dovid consult Shmuel about the place of the Mikdash?
When Shaul wished to kill him, Dovid fled to the place of Shmuel in Ramah. Shmuel (I: 19,22-23) relates that "V'David...u'Shmuel va'Yeshvu...b'Noyos ba'Ramah." Zevachim (54b) asks what is the connection of Noyos to Ramah? David and Shmuel were in Ramah, engaging in the Noy (beauty) of the world (the Bais ha'Mikdash).
When is the proper time to fulfill the mitzvah of building the Bais Mikdash?
Dovid became ruler over Eretz Yisrael and over Yerushalayim; then, he removed all the obstacles. Dovid began to rule in Yerushalayim in the year 2892 (after Creation). Dovid then brought the Aron of HaShem to Yerushalayim. Then, Dovid believed it was time to build the Bais HaMikdash.
Why specifically in the time of Dovid was the proper time for the building of the Bais haMikdash?
After the Jews entered Eretz Yisrael, three conditions were necessary. One, the Land has to be conquered and apportioned to the tribes. Two, the seed of Amalek needed to be eradicated. And three, a king had to be appointed and be fully in charge of the nation. All three conditions were completed during the time of the kingship of Dovid.
Why didn’t Dovid himself build the Bais haMikdash?
Dovid desired to build the Bais haMikdash, but the command of HaShem (through His prophet Nasan) prevented him, citing that Dovid had spilt too much blood (the Bais haMikdash was a place for peace and atonement of sins). Finally, the Bais haMikdash was built by his son, Shlomo, who reigned in peace. Dovid prepared as much as possible, gathering the materials and vessels needed for the Mikdash.
