Imagine! We are expected to care about Yerushalayim like this person, and it’s “Halacha L’ma’aseh”! If a Cohen was: מְׁ שַ מ ש בְׁ טוּמְׁ אָ ה (did the Avoda while in a state of Tum’ah) his brothers the Cohanim would pull him out of the: עַ זָ רָ ה courtyard of the Bais Hamikdash, and smash his brains out! (Mishna). They took the law into their own hands, even though according to Halacha he can still do Teshuva, since he’s Chayav Missa only B’ydei Shamayim (to the Heavenly court, i.e., not in Bais Din); but they didn’t give him a chance. And the Rambam mentions their behavior as an accepted practice!
At night time, the Bais Hamikdash was guarded by Cohanim and Levi'im in 24 corners of the Bais Hamikdash (Mishna); not for any reason except for Kavod. (Rambam). There was an Ish Har HaBayis who checked up on these Cohanim and Levi'im to see if they did their job. If a Levi fell asleep on his post, the Ish Har HaBayis was allowed to beat him with a stick, and even burn his clothes with a torch until they heard him screaming in pain a mile away! (Mishna). Respect! Respect! And when Dovid HaMelech danced a little too wild in honor of the Aron HaKodesh, and his wife Michal criticized him for this, she never had children from him.
