Insight Holy Iron

Iron was not part of the building in the first and second Beis Hamikdash (Holy Temple). It represents destruction, the opposite of life, and stubbornness of the evil inclination. But there is also “holy iron” – stubborn strength and firmness in Torah and Mitzvah observance. In the Redemption through Moshiach, there will not be any negative “iron”. The third Beis Hamikdash will never be destroyed, there will be no more death – we will live forever, and the evil inclination will be transformed. In the third Beis Hamikdash, iron will be an integral part of the building, in order to express this transformation of iron.

(See talk of the Lubavitcher Rebbe King Moshiach Shlita, Vayechi 5752 (1991))