Download - 2 Were There Jewish Temples on Temple Mount

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Were There Jewish Temples on Temple Mount? Yes

The preponderance of archaeological and historical evidence is overwhelming and

the argument that there is 'no proof' of the Temples is a modern political

artifact.

Ruth Schuster and Ran Shapira Oct !" #!$ %& (M

) panoramic view of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.*avidson +orris

Was there once a great Jewish temple on Jerusalem,s Temple Mount? Yes. *oes

an- scholar genuinel- dout there was? +o" sa- archaeologists who have spent

their lives stud-ing Jerusalem. /0 feel stupid even having to comment on it"/ sa-s

*r. Yuval 1aruch" a leading 0sraeli archaeologist who has studied Jerusalem

throughout his career./ *emanding proof that the Temples stood on the Mount

is li2e demanding proof that the ancient stone walls surrounding Jerusalem"

which stand to this da-" were the ancient stone walls surrounding Jerusalem"/ headds.

The contention that there is no proof the Temples e3isted" let alone on the

Mount" is an artifact of the recent 0sraeli4)ra conflict. Jewish" 5hristian and

Muslim tradition has alwa-s held the Mount sacred and none 6ueried the

e3istence of the Temples. /) 1rief 7uide to al48aram al4Sharif"/ pulished in

9nglish - the Supreme Muslim 5ouncil itself in !:$" states& /The site is one of

the oldest in the world. 0ts sanctit- dates from the earliest ;perhaps from pre4

historic< times. 0ts identit- with the site of Solomon's Temple is e-ond

dispute. )s well as eing sacred to Jews" the hilltop pla=a" which could go ac2


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as much as $"### -ears" is sacred to Muslims as the place from which the

(rophet Mohammed ascended to heaven. +o Muslim scholars would agree to e

interviewed for this article.

Jewish tradition sa-s the >irst Temple was uilt - ing Solomon on Temple

Mount. 0t was destro-ed - the 1a-lonians" who e3pelled the Jews from theland" in aout $@A 1.5.9. When the Jews were allowed to return from e3ile some

decades later" the- uilt a new temple on the site" ut it was a simple structure.

Their ma2eshift effort was not to the taste of ing 8erod" who swept awa- the

sha- house of worship" created a great platform on the top of the Mount and

had the grand Second Temple erected on it" within a massive compound.

The Second Temple was destro-ed and looted - the Romans in A# 5.9." under

9mperor Titus. 8ow much of this can e proved? )lmost all.

5arved in stone)rchaeologists cannot conclusivel- point to stones the- 2now comprised the

Second Temple" let alone the first one. 1ut as (rof. 0srael >in2elstein" a world4

renowned e3pert on Jerusalem archaeolog-" spells out in an email to 8aaret="

/There is no scholarl- school of thought that douts the e3istence of the >irst

Temple./

)ll the archaeologists 8aaret= spo2e with for this article elieve that if Temple

Mount could e e3cavated B which it never has een B such evidence would e

found" even if man- of the stones were repurposed over the centuries. 1ut

concrete finds definitivel- from the Temple e3ist in aundance" sa-s 1ar40lan

Cniversit- (rof. 7ariel 1ar2a-" an archaeologist who has spent man- -ears

wor2ing in Jerusalem" and the area of Temple Mount in particular.

/Two copies of inscriptions prohiiting the entr- of nonelievers to the Temple

have een found on Temple Mount" which Josephus wrote aout. These

inscriptions were on the dividing wall that surrounded the Second Temple" which

prevented non4Jews from accessing the interior of the DTempleE court-ard"/

1ar2a- sa-s" adding that oth were written in ancient 7ree2. The /warning/

stone" which is at the 0stanul )rchaeological Museum" warns non4Jews of the

perils of entering the sacred Temple. There were additional" similar inscriptions

in Fatin" he sa-s.

)nother inscription in stone" /To the trumpeting place"/ was found in !:G@ at the

southwest corner of Temple Mount. /0t is 2nown that trumpets were lown at

the corners of Temple Mount" to declare the advent of Shaat and other

dates"/ 1ar2a- e3plains. Josephus" the ancient historian of ephemeral lo-alties"

e3plains that it was customar- for a Temple priest to /stand and to give notice"- sound of trumpet" in the afternoon of the approach" and on the following


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evening of the close" of ever- seventh da-./ The stone is now at the 0srael

Museum.

0nscriptions

)n inscried stone discovered in !:G@ - 1enHamin Ma=ar" stating& /leeit

hate2i-a/ 4 To the Trumpeting (lace. 0t elonged to the Second Temple. Yoavd"

0srael Museum" Wi2imedia 5ommons

The /warning inscription/& '+o foreigner ma- enter within the alustrade around

the sanctuar- and the enclosure. Whoever is caught" on himself shall he put

lame for the death which will ensue' Oncenwawhile" 0stanul )rchaeolog-Museum" Wi2imedia 5ommons


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*r. Yuval 1aruch& >eels sill- having to even comment on whether the Temples

e3isted. 5ourtes- of the 0srael )nti6uities )uthorit-

) mi2veh found at the foot of the Western Wall itself. Michal >attal

>urther concrete evidence attests to Jerusalem,s uni6ueness in religious

oservance. /The ancient cit- of Jerusalem at the time of the >irst Temple was

clearl- a hu of ritual worship"/ sa-s 1aruch" who heads the 0srael )nti6uities

)uthorit-,s Jerusalem district. /The hundreds of mi2vehs Dritual purificationathsE found around the Temple Mount compound and Jewish artifacts made of


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stone found there show that until the Temple's destruction" at least" Jerusalem

was an 'ir mi2dash' Dhol- cit-E" where what matters is the house of worship.

)thens and Ol-mpia were li2e that" too./

While the Second Temple ma- e long gone" ra=ed - the Romans to punish the

reellious Jews" the outer walls surrounding the magnificent temple compounduilt - ing 8erod ;IAB 1.5.9.< still e3ist B most notal- the Western Wall"

which has ecome the holiest site in Judaism.

! Fess famous" ut e6uall- remar2ale" are the doule /Shaarei 8ulda/ arched

gates through the walls enclosing the Second Temple 5ompound. These still e3ist

toda-" complete" roof and all ;although at some point the 8ulda entrances were

walled up


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The 8ulda gates once led into the Second Temple compound. )t some point" the-

were walled up. 1achrach" Wi2imedia 5ommons

) model showing Sha'arei 8ulda" the doule gates into the Second Temple5ompound. The 8ulda entrance is loc2ed up ut still e3tant. 5ourtes- of the

0srael )nti6uities )uthorit-

/+o wonder remnants of the >irst and Second Temples themselves have not

een found"/ Ma=ar writes in an email to 8aaret=. /What has een found"

including - m- grandfather Dpioneering archaeologist 1enHamin Ma=arE" are the

remains of magnificent uildings that support historic sources descriing the

construction of the >irst and Second Temples" and the surrounding compounds"in detail./

While the Mount remains une3cavated" the 5it- of *avid site right ne3t to it has

een and is eing e3plored. /Remains uncovered over decades in e3cavations at

the 5it- of *avid" and the area connecting the 5it- of *avid to Temple Mount"

support" without reservation" the historic descriptions of the eginning of

Jerusalem" and its development from a 5anaanite town e3isting $"### -ears ago"

to the heavil- fortified 0sraelite capital "### -ears ago" to the da-s of ing

*avid %"### -ears ago" to the cit- that developed northward in the da-s of ing

Solomon ;around !#th centur- 1.5.9.


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The )rch of Titus" showing the /Spoils of Jerusalem/ relief on the inside arch.

*nalor#!" Wi2imedia 5ommons

) closeup from the )rch of Titus" showing spoils 4 including a grand menorah 4

looted from the Second Temple. *nalor#!" Wi2imedia 5ommons

) "###4-ear old chisel used to uild the Western Wall& *id a uilder drop it

and Hust not other to clim down and pic2 it up? 5lara )mit" 0srael )nti6uities

)uthorit-


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Yet more solid evidence is found with elaoratel- stamped coins from the 1ar

ocha era ;second centur- 5.9.ridman snort. /0t wasn't an-where else B ever-where else has een

e3cavated"/ she sa-s. /The Muslims uilt the mos6ue there ecause it was a hol-

site the- con6uered the land and stamped it with a mos6ue. That's what the-

did in Mecca as well B the aaa is a pagan site" a meteor that had eenworshipped./

+o stone left standing

*etractors argue that the precise location of the Temples on the Mount is not

2nown" that no remnants of the actual Temples can e proven to e3ist and"

therefore" ma-e the- never e3isted.

0ndeed" actual archaeological finds at the site are scant- B ecause" as noted"

Temple Mount has never een e3cavated.

)rchaeolog- as a science is" for the sa2e of argument" some ## -ears old. )ndthroughout much of that time" Temple Mount was paved over" 1aruch notes.

;0n the course of uilding 9l4Marwani" a new mos6ue sited underneath )l4)6sa

and dedicated in *ecemer !::G" the wa6f 4 the Muslim religious trust 4 decided

that a new emergenc- e3it was needed from 9l4Marwani. Without coordinating

with 0srael" sa-s 1aruch" it e3tracted tons of material from Temple Mount B

transporting it awa- in hundreds of truc2s" mainl- to dumps around the Old 5it-.

The 0srael )nti6uities )uthorit- suse6uentl- collected much of that material"

which is now eing e3amined in the /Sifting (roHect/ B and this rule ma-

contain more evidence. 8owever" this does not count as e3cavation.


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Temple Mount has een paved over for aout ## -ears.

)nother view of the paving on top of Temple Mount" which is one reason wh-

e3cavations have not een done. 5ourtes- of the 0srael )nti6uities )uthorit-

The paving stones on Temple Mount& ) closer view. Olivier >itoussi

Temple Mount has een paved over for aout ## -ears" which is part of thereason wh- it hasn't een e3cavated. 5ourtes- of the 0srael )nti6uities

)uthorit-

/The 6uestion of whether archaeological finds prove the e3istence of the

Temple on Temple Mount is c-nical and provocative"/ sa-s 1ar2a-. /These are

things 2nown to an-od- with culture and cannot e cast in dout. We have

do=ens of literar- sources" including Muslim sources" descriing the Temple./

Over the last centur-" political strife has made proper e3cavation of the Mountunthin2ale. Yet the argument" notal- - certain Muslim radicals" that a

Jewish temple never e3isted there is a specious political artifact" with =ero

asis in histor-" archaeolog-" religion or tradition. 1ar2a- elieves Bcertain

Muslim leaders are tr-ing to have things oth wa-s. /The- claim there are no

remains of the Temple" ut the- don't allow an- digging Don Temple MountE. 0f

the- would allow digging" remains would e found"/ he asserts.

Sifting proHect


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)ncient dice uncovered in the Temple Mount Sifting (roHect" Octoer #!$. The

Temple Mount Sifting (roHect

)ncient Heweler- uncovered in the Temple Mount Sifting (roHect" Octoer #!$.

The Temple Mount Sifting (roHect

)ncient coins uncovered in the Temple Mount Sifting (roHect" Octoer #!$.The Temple Mount Sifting (roHect


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)rchaeologists and volunteers use 'wet sifting' at the Temple Mount Sifting

(roHect" Octoer #!$. The Temple Mount Sifting (roHect


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8istorical smo2ing guns

5an Temple Mount,s sanctit- to the ancient" ilical4era 0sraelites e nailed

down more specificall-? 1aruch suggests the legend provides a dateline& /0t was

at least from the da- ing *avid con6uered Jerusalem Daround !### 1.5.9.E"

u-ing the land from the Jeusites and giving it to his son Solomon to uild the

Temple./9ven if one argues that there is no archaeological proof that either *avid or

Solomon e3isted B or" if the- did" that the- were great 2ings B the e3istence of

the ancient 0sraelites cannot e 6uestioned. +or can their affiliation with

Jerusalem and the Mount.

While much of the Second Temple compound still e3ists" if not the actual

Temple itself" no remains of the >irst Temple have ever een found. 1ut

9lephantine 0sland in ancient 9g-pt harored a replica of the >irst Temple. The

9lephantine (ap-ri from the fifth4fourth centuries 1.5.9. contain a documentwritten in #A 1.5.9. to the (ersian governor of Judea" 1agoas" pleading for help

in repairing the recentl- uilt Second Temple" which was damaged in a pogrom.

https&KK-outu.eKL1-afwHlsTY

The /(etition to 1agoas/ is relevant since the author mentions the age of the

9lephantine replica B which" - definition" had to e -ounger than the 0sraelite

Temple in Jerusalem on which it was ased& +ow our forefathers uilt this

temple in the fortress of 9lephantine ac2 in the da-s of the 2ingdom of 9g-pt"

and when 5am-ses came to 9g-pt he found it uilt. The- Dthe (ersiansE 2noc2ed


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down all the temples of the gods of 9g-pt" ut no one did an- damage to this

temple./

1aruch shrugs off the one piece of evidence that,s purportedl- from the >irst

Temple B a tin- carved pomegranate made of hippopotamus one" with paleo4

8erew writing running along the shoulders of the fruit. )t the time of itsdiscover-" it was thought to have adorned the high priest's scepter for use

within the inner sanctum of the Temple" and was thought to prove the e3istence

of Solomon's Temple. The consensus now is that it's a fa2e" ut in an- case

1aruch simpl- dismisses it as an irrelevanc-" given the clear4cut evidence of

Jerusalem's status in the >irst Temple era B notal-" the mi2vehs in their

hundreds.

Fiturgical evidence

So" possil- starting with 5anaanites worshipping Ford 2nows who" to the ancient0sraelites" to the 5hristians and" finall-" to the Muslims" Temple Mount has een

held sacred.

/Muslim historians and geographers of the Middle )ges never douted it"/ sa-s

1aruch. /0 don't 2now a single description of Jerusalem in )raic from the

Middle )ges" or even the earlier period or later one" that does not relate to

8aram al4Sharif as the site of the Temple./ 0slam does not necessaril-

distinguish etween the >irst and Second Temples" he adds. >or them" Solomon

uilt his temple there and that is that.

8istorical evidence is aundant" too" and not onl- from Jewish sources. >rom the

1a-lonians and Romans to the 7ree2s and (ersians" the Jewish Temples on the

Mount were recorded.

The Fetter of )risteas" for e3ample" from the second centur- 1.5.9." descries

how ing (tolem- ;@$4A 1.5.9.< was urged - his conscientious lirarian to

have the scriptures and laws of the Jews translated for his lirar-. (tolem- sent

)risteas to the Jewish high priest 9lie=er" who agreed to cooperate. (tolem-

rewarded 9lie=er with silver for the temple sacrifices.

There are accounts of the Temple in the *ead Sea Scrolls" and much loving

detail aout it in the Mishna. 1- the time the 5rusaders ecame involved in

Jerusalem from !#:: 5.9. on" the Temples were long gone" ut the- still

harored no dout.

/)n-od- who pursues historical research and has read the ancient te3ts would

reach the categorical conclusion that the Temple e3isted on Temple Mount"/

1ar2a- sums up.

With the facts so clear" wh- does the histor- of Temple Mount remain

controversial? /The controvers- does not come from the scholarl- world. 0t is allpolitics and propaganda ;- people with no sense of learning


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8aaret=. /The fact that the Temple Mount cannot e properl- e3plored is" of

course" a factor B though 0 guess the deniers would den- its e3istence even if it

had een found standing !# meters high./

Ruth Schuster8aaret= 5orrespondent

read more& http&KKwww.haaret=.comKisrael4newsK.premium4!.G@!$@:?

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