The Fragrance of Heaven

The Tzaddik, Rabbi David of Lelov, would, from time to time, travel to visit his teacher, the famed Seer of Lublin. On the way, he would meet up with a friend who lived in a small village. The friend was also a Tzaddik, but very poor. When Rabbi David came, the friend rushed to tell his wife that they had a distinguished guest, and to please make him something to eat. The wife was beside herself. There was nothing in the house but some flour! She rushed outside and gathered some twigs. She lit a small fire in her wood burning stove, put the flour into a pot, adding nothing but water.When Rabbi David returned home, after visiting the Seer, he told his wife that at his friends house, he had eaten the most delicious food he had ever tasted. His wife was surprised. She knew that the friend was poor, and besides, it was not Rabbi David's way to seek physical pleasure. Curious, she went to the village where the friend lived, and asked the friend's wife about what she had prepared for the rabbi. "To tell the truth, i had nothing but some flour. I prayed to G-d that in honor of our distinguished guest, He impart to the flour of the fragrance of the Garden of Eden. I kept praying those words, until the dish was done. It seems that G-d answered my prayer!"
When we are doing something for our fellow man, or even more so for G-d, it matters not so much WHAT we do, as our intent and sincerity. The rabbis of the Talmud point out that the Torah, in one of the sacrifices, the rich man brings a bull, the average person brings a bird, and the poor man brings some flour. Of all of them the Torah says "A sweet fragrance to the L-rd". They conclude "It matters little if one gives a small gift or a large one, as long as his heart is directed to Heaven".

Temple Mount part 2

Besides the halachic considerations, there are also the hashkafic (philosophical considerations) of this issue.
We were exiled because of our sins. There is a verse about the redemption "In its time, I will hasten it". The rabbis say "if it will be in its time, it's not hastened, if it's hastened, it's not in it's time(!)" The rabbis answer "If they (the Jews) merit, I will hasten it, if they do not merit, I will nevertheless bring it at its appointed time, as I have promised through the Prophets". The commentators on the Talmud explain that if we merit, it will be a miraculous deliverance. if we do not merit, then the redemption will be by apparently natural phenomena.
After the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans, the seat of Jewish learning moved to Babylon (Iraq). There were, however, also academies (yeshivot) in the Land of Israel, working under terrible conditions of persecution. In many areas, their outlook is quite different. The Babylonian rabbis, for the most part, saw our exile as something that would only end with Divine intervention. One view was that it was even forbidden to emigrate from Babylon to the Land of Israel, until the promised redeemer had come. Another view stated that upon our exile, we were obligated by G-d not to rebel against the Nations, and not try to force a redemption prematurely. In the Jerusalem Talmud, however, they were constantly looking for a way to rebuild the Temple, and reestablish Jewish sovereignty in the land. 
These two views are reflected in the writings of the great rabbis of the Miuddle Ages. Rashi, a great sage in eleventh century France, not only posited a supernatural redemption, but even that the Temple would descend fully built from Heaven. He took quite literally the idea that the course of Nature would be forever changed. RAMBAM, on the other hand calls these the "beliefs of fools", asserting that the Mashiach will do no signs or wonders, other than usher in a new era of peace and harmony. The Temple will be rebuilt. All men will devote their lives to the contemplation of the spiritual, without one person or one nation holding sway over another. The Biblical verses and Talmudic sayings that describe miraculous events, are to be seen as allegorical; teaching of Peace and Happiness for all.
So how does this relate to the Temple Mount?
For secular Jews, the Temple Mount is a non-issue, other than the fact that it is a sore point of strife.For religious Jews, it is the center of the Universe, the place where the Name of G-d dwells, the pivotal point upon which all rests.
Modern rabbis are divided as to what this means. The Chareidi ("ultra Orthodox") rabbis, by and large, posit that we are still in Exile, even in the Land, as we are alienated from G-d because of our deeds. We must live in the Land, where possible, maintaining peace with our neighbors, awaiting the day when G-d will reveal himself to Man, the temple will be rebuilt by G-d Himself. We dare not tread on the Temple Mount, for fear of desecration, as well as fear of inciting violence. Many other rabbis, following the teachings of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, believe that the State is the first step towards redemption (Itchalta d'geulah). Events may happen on either a natural or supernatural plane, that will lead to an eventual full redemption of our People, and of the world. In the meantime, we are to do by peaceful means anything that we can to sanctify ourselves and the Land; observing the mitzvot (commandments), settle in all parts of G-d's holy Land, and attempting to bring unity and healing to the diverse and divided factions of our nation. The exiles are to be gathered in, as all the prophets speak of an existing presence of the Jews in the Land at Mashiach's arrival, and those who are not yet there, must be brought. Another group, accepting the basic ideology of the previous group, believe that it is incumbent upon us to do ourselves whatever can be done; reestablish a Sanhedrin (the Great Court of Deteronomy 17), reestablish those sacrifices which can be brought without a Temple, and work for the construction of the Temple itself. There have been Chief Rabbis of Israel representing each of these views.
Unfortunately, religion tends to get mixed up with politics. I hate politics. Each of these views is held by men far greater and wiser than myself. Their reasons were spiritual, and we need to respect different opinions of qualified authorities.  I will pray for G-d's plan to be manifest in the world, and that I may be a meager tool in implementing that plan. May we soon see the redemption of Zion, and the day that "Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and war will be taught no more." Amen

The Temple Mount Part 1.

The entire world is focused on the Temple Mount. But what is the Temple Mount? Why is it important?  Why do some rabbis urge Jews to go there and pray? Why do others (actually the majority) forbid setting foot on the Holy Mountain? I shall try to present all sides of this issue.
The Land of Israel is sacred. But not all places are equally sacred. Jerusalem, the place which the L-rd has chosen, is more sanctified than the rest of the Land. Mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to sacrifice Isaac, where King David built an altar, where his son King Solomon built the Temple of G-d; destroyed by the Babylonians, rebuilt by Ezra, Nehemiah and Zerubabel, totally renovated by Herod, but destroyed by the Romans, is far holier than the rest of Jerusalem. All Jews pray facing the Holy Mountain. On the Temple Mount itself, there are varying degrees, until we get to the Holy of Holies, where only the High priest may enter, and only on the sacred day of Yom Kippur. The rabbis taught that even when in ruins, the Temple Mount is the center of the Universe, the place from where all prayers ascend. The Kotel, the Western Wall, is merely the retaining wall of the Temple Mount, which we venerate because it is the last remnant of G-d's House.
The Torah makes clear that one may not enter the Temple when unclean. Various types and degrees  of uncleanliness are described in Leviticus. Most of them only apply in relation to the Temple and consecrated foods, such as sacrificial food and priestly tithes. According to nearly all classical authorities (other than RAAVAD), these rules apply even when the Temple is not standing. Entering the Temple when unclean carries the punishment of Karet (Excision) which is a type of spiritual death, reserved for only the most severe sins.
But are these rules uniform for the entire Mount? No. The original sacred precinct measured 500 cubits by 500 cubits (about 750 feet). Herod added on a large section of land to the South, which has no greater sanctity than any other part of Jerusalem. The consecrated are of 500 cubits square, only requires immersion in water to be able to enter. However, the Temple area itself, including the Temple Courtyard, may not be entered without the ceremony of the Red Heifer, described in Numbers 19. As we have not had the Red Heifer in nearly 2,000 years, and we have all, at one time or another, come in contact with the dead, we are precluded from entering this area nowadays, other than for actually building the Temple. So, it would seem that there is no problem to ascend the Temple Mount after proper immersion, just avoiding the area of the actual Temple structure. Ah, but where is that? Most rabbis accept the tradition that he Dome of the Rock is the place of the Holy of Holies, from which we can easily calculate the area which we are forbidden to enter. It is on this that those who ascend the Mount rely.However, are we sure of this identification? Not really. If archaeologists and scholars were allowed to study the Mount in detail, this could be easily verified. However, the political authorities do not allow this. Therefore most major rabbis forbid entry to the Mount, lest we tread upon that which is too sacred, and, instead if performing a sacred act of worship, are actually sinning, and desecrating the holiest spot on earth. Many other rabbis feel that we CAN figure out, within a few feet, where the forbidden area is. Others question that.
Beyond the issue of PERMISSIBLY is the issue if spiritually and ideologically is this a good idea. This is interwoven with different ideas of how the redemption will take place, and under what circumstances the Temple will be rebuilt; and by whom.  That will be my next installment.