Category: News

Jerusalem’s “Small Kotel” is not a holy site

In a previous post, we reported on the opening of the Small Kotel as a place for Jewish prayer. Now, however, it has been reported in IsraelNationalNews (Arutz Sheva) that the State of Israel has decided that the site is not holy:

The State’s representatives have determined that the “Kotel HaKatan” (“Small Kotel” or “Small Wailing Wall”), a wall which is a continuation of the Kotel in Jerusalem, is not a holy site. The statement was submitted to the court as part of the reply to a damages lawsuit filed by a group of Jews who prayed at the Small Kotel on Rosh HaShana of 5767 (2006).

One member of the group, Elihu Kleiman, was arrested after he blew the ram’s horn, or shofar. The group of Jews who sued for damages also said they were beaten by police, who denied them their freedom to worship at a holy site.

The “Small Kotel” is nothing but “an inner courtyard of several residential homes in the Muslim quarter,” the State determined in its response.

Like the Kotel, the Kotel HaKatan is an exposed face of the original western wall of the Temple Mount, built by King Herod over 2,000 years ago. However, compared to its famous “bigger brother,” the Small Wall is less accessible and looks less impressive: it is barely 10 meters long, less of its height has been exposed and its plaza is much narrower.

In fact, however, the Kotel HaKatan can be considered holier than the better known Kotel, because it is located 200 yards to the north – and therefore practically opposite the actual site of the Holy of Holies in the original Holy Temples.

Attorney Daniel Robins, who represents the group of Jews who were praying at the site in 2006 and who sued the State, told Arutz Sheva’s Hebrew-language service that Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich, the Kotel Rabbi, testified before the court as to the sanctity of the site, but the State rejected the power of Jewish Law to determine the site’s sanctity.

Robins said that he hopes the State is not acting out of political considerations in rejecting the sanctity of the Kotel HaKatan. He noted that the site is included in the area that Defense Minister Ehud Barak wants to hand over to the Arabs in a peace deal.

Jordanians finance restoration work in the Dome of the Rock

See the report here.

Reading about the on-going renovations in the Dome of the Rock made us turn to the magisterial work of the recently deceased Oleg Grabar on Early Islamic Jerusalem: “The Shape of the Holy.” Within its pages, you can appreciate, much more than on a site-visit, the brilliance of the mosaics of the Dome of the Rock, photographed from scaffolding at all the right angles.

Dome of the Rock, NNW panel of the upper drum. Photo: Saïd Nuseibeh

Grabar reminds us that “the 1280 square meters (or 12,800 square feet) of mosaics in the Dome of the Rock make it the largest repository of medieval wall mosaics before the Norman church in Monreale” (in Palermo, Sicily).

He points out that: “It is important to recall that, in addition to its continuing forceful presence, the Dome of the Rock was the first monument sponsored by a Muslim ruler that was conceived as a work of art, a monument deliberately transcending its function by the quality of its forms and expression.”

It is fascinating to read about the purpose of the construction of this monument that is such a feature in the advertising of Jerusalem by both Jews, Muslims and Christians. Muqaddasi, a native of the city in the 10th century wrote:

“is it not evident how the caliph Abd al-Malik, noting the greatness of the dome of the Qumamah (refuse, a vulgar pun on qiyamah or resurrection, the Arabic term for the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem) and its magnificence, was moved, lest it should dazzle the minds of the Muslims, and hence erected above the Rock the Dome which is seen there?”

First Temple Period Archaeological Site to be opened in Jerusalem

The Friends of the Israel Antiquities Authority report the following:

For those of you who will be in Israel on Tuesday, June 21st, 2011, please join us at the festive opening ceremony for the First Temple Period Archaeological Site recently excavated, conserved and made accessible to visitors in the Jerusalem Archaeological Park.

This fabulous project, near the southern wall of the Temple Mount enclosure, is made possible through the exemplary generosity of Daniel Mintz and Meredith Berkman.

The announcement is accompanied by this video:

The site was first excavated in the 1970’s under the direction of the late Prof. Benjamin Mazar and in the 1980’s and onward, Eilat Mazar has further excavated the site. The site has remains from the Israelite, Herodian (dismantled), Roman, Byzantine and Ummayad periods.

The plan shows the walkways (brown) to be used by visitors, once the site is open.

Circling the Gates of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Gil Ronen & Yoni Kempinski report in Arutz Sheva on the monthly Circling of the Gates, which includes a video clip:

Thousands of people took part Sunday evening in “The Circling of the Gates” – Sivuv Shearim in Hebrew – a renewal of an ancient custom that expresses, in our age, a yearning for the Holy Temple.

Sivuv Shearim involves making pilgrimage to Jerusalem, walking around the Temple Mount and stopping at each of its gates.

The event takes place every Hebrew month on Erev Rosh Hodesh, the eve of the first day of the month. The route followed by the participants passes through the Muslim quarter of the Old City. The participants stop at every gate and recite a section of the Tenth Psalm.

The event usually draws about 3,000 participants. Its organizers dream of the day in which 20,000 people take part, placing the Temple Mount on the public agenda for the entire Jewish nation.

It reminds us of two beautiful Psalms:

“That in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in your salvation.” (Ps. 9.14 ESV)

“Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever.” (Ps. 48.12-14 ESV)

The Biblical “blue”

The first known physical sample of tekhelet (the Biblical “blue” that was used in the Tabernacle and the High Priest’s garments) has been identified among finds from Masada. Read the full story here.

Textile sample with "blue" from Masada. Photo: Zvi Koren
Blue was used in the curtains of the Tabernacle. © Leen Ritmeyer
Blue was also used extensively in the High Priest's garments. © Leen Ritmeyer

HT: Joe Lauer

Anson Rainey

Anson Rainey

Thought I would share with you the following poignant memories of Anson Rainey, which I received this morning from Emanuel Hausman of Carta, Jerusalem:

Anson was hospitalized on his eightieth birthday. A few days later he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, that had advanced far beyond the possibility of surgical intervention. Anson refused alternative treatments such as radiation, chemotherapy or life prolonging medication. Resigned to his fate, he asked for some letters to be written and messages to be sent to friends. His one wish was that his life’s ambition, the collection of The El Amarna Letters, be completed and brought to publication.

Anson passed away on Saturday 02/19/2011 and according to his last wish was buried at Barkan overlooking the hill country of Samaria that he loved so much. Attended by family and many of his friends his funeral took place in weather as turbulent as his life and eponymously RAINY.

You may have heard this from Anson before but he often  joked that the first thing on facing GOD was to ask Him  how he pronounced  YHWH -.- May he rest in peace.

Carta was our joint publisher who published Anson’s The Sacred Bridge, which we reviewed here.

Jewish Book Week in London

Beginning next Saturday, February 26th and lasting for 9 days, the JBW2011 has a sparkling programme. There are two talks that I would love to attend:

• Jerusalem, the Biography, by Simon Sebag Montefiore (the great-great nephew of the founder of modern Jerusalem), giving a taster of his new book.

Blackwell’s review of the book reads as follows:

Jerusalem lies at the centre of the world, the capital of three faiths, the prize of many conquerors, the jewel of many empires, and the eye of the storm of today’s battle of civilisations.

But the city lacks a biography. It lacks a secret history. Simon Sebag Montefiore’s epic account is seen through kings, conquerors, emperors and soldiers; Muslims, Jews, Christians, Macedonians, Romans and Greeks; Palestinians and Israelis; from King David via Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great, Herod, Caesar, Cleopatra, Jesus and Saladin, to Churchill, King Hussein, Anwar Sadat and Ariel Sharon. Their individual stories combine to form the biography of a city – a gritty, dramatic, violent tale of power, empire, love, vanity, luxury and death, bringing three thousand years of history vividly to life.

In the course of its history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times. It has been Arab, Persian, Jewish, Roman, Greek, Babylonian, Turkish, Mameluke, British, Byzantine, Crusader, Ottoman; Napoleon almost took it but marched past, Kaiser William visited, the Allied forces fought for it in the First World War. The extraordinarily rich history of this small city in the Judean hills forms nothing less than a history of the world.

The epic story of Jerusalem told through the lives of the men and women who created, ruled and inhabited it.

and:

• Fifty Year Reflections of a Jewish Historian, by Martin Gilbert

Martin Gilbert

The JBW website describes his much anticipated lecture as follows:

With consummate skill, patience and brilliance in equal measure, Martin Gilbert has recounted most of the major events of the 20th century. His work encompasses both world wars; the definitive set of Churchill biographies; chronicles of the Jewish people; and accounts of their adversaries and saviours. He has also created 12 pioneering historical atlases on everything from Russian history to the Arab-Israel conflict. We are delighted that Martin Gilbert will share with us some of his most historic discoveries over a lifetime of outstanding scholarship, culminating in his latest work: In Ishmael’s House: A History of Jews.

The full programme is here

Our youngest son Joel will be filming the event.

Did digging on the Temple Mount Erase Traces of the Jewish Altar?

Gil Ronen of Israel National News (Arutz 7) published this report about renovation work being carried out at the Dome of the Chain:

Muslim religious authorities are concluding a clandestine eight-month dig on the Temple Mount that is intended to erase traces of the Jewish Temple’s Altar, Temple activists charge.

The digs have been taking place under the Dome of the Chain, believed to have been built over 1300 years ago. For eight months, the dome – which has a diameter of 14 meters – has been surrounded by a metal fence and black cloth, which hide whatever activity has been going on there from outside inspection. The Muslim Waqf religious authority has claimed the activity is simply a refurbishing of the structure, but refuses adamantly to let Jews or tourists near.
Jewish activists made various attempts to enter the Dome, but met with no success. In the end, the Our Temple Mount news outlet found an Arab who was willing to take photos inside the compound in return for a handsome fee (see below). The man said that it appears the Waqf has already completed its digs and is now covering the dig with dirt.
Our Temple Mount notes that according to Jewish tradition, the place where the Dome of the Chain is located is the spot upon which the sacrificial Altar stood in Temple times. Temple activists said that the Muslim digs are intended to erase the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount.

Jewish activists paid an Arab to take these photos of illegal digging on the supposed site of the Jewish Temple Altar:

A bulldozer ripping up pavement on the Temple Mount
The screen around the Dome of the Chain.
View of work carried out inside of the Dome of the Chain.
Another view of work carried out inside of the Dome of the Chain.

Although it is deplorable that this much needed renovation work was done without archaeological supervision, no digging to any depth appears to have been carried out, as the paving of the Dome of the Chain appears to be still intact. If the doubtful aim was “to Erase Traces of Jewish Altar”, then the work wouldn’t have succeeded in any case, as the altar stood to the southeast of the Dome of the Chain. If  The Rock inside the Dome of the Rock is the location of the Holy of Holies, then according to my plan of the Herodian Temple Mount, the Dome of the Chain stands where once the Porch of the Temple was located.

This plan shows the Dome of the Rock and the Dome of the Chain (blue) superimposed on the plan of the Herodian Temple and its Porch (red). As can be seen from the plan, the Altar stood to the southeast of the Dome of the Chain. © Leen Ritmeyer

In a previous post, I published this photograph of the Dome of the Chain with the location of the Altar outlined in white:

The location of the Altar in relation to the Dome of the Chain and the Dome of the Rock, looking west. © Leen Ritmeyer

HT: Joe Lauer

Tunnel-vision politics in Jerusalem (cont.)

Tom Powers, a well-known Jerusalem based tour guide, commented on my previous post:

This is very helpful for understanding the vaulted vs. slabbed sections of the drain channel, which I had not grasped before (the latter is what is seen in the now-open section in Silwan). So, it seems the Herodian vaulted section is relatively short — a “bypass” around the SW corner of the Temple Mount — and that most of the length of the drain is actually Hasmonean, yes?

I though that my reply may be interesting to others as well.

That’s right, Tom. The Hasmonean section continued to the south, but also to the north of the Herodian “by-pass”. There is, however, another more ancient drain some 20 meters to the east of the present southwest corner of the Temple Mount. On the map below I plotted the two drains together with the respective southwest corners of three phases in the development of the Temple Mount.

Plan of the drains at the southwest corner, as discovered by Warren, and their relationship to the square Temple Mount and the subsequent extensions. From: The Quest, Revealing the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, p. 234.

The early (possibly First Temple period) eastern drain follows the Tyropoeon Valley and passes the southwest corner of the square Temple Mount (yellow) to the west. This drain appears to be contemporary with the square Temple Mount, which dates from the time of Hezekiah.

The southwest corner of the Hasmonean extension of the Temple Mount (orange) cut this early drain and a new drain with flat covering stones was constructed to the west of this corner. We need to remember that drains usually ran below streets and therefore these drains are important indicators of the city plan in the different periods.

The Herodian southwest corner (green) cut this Hasmonean drain and a vaulted “by-pass” was created to connect the two severed sections of the Hasmonean drain. This by-pass was constructed while Robinson’s Arch was built, for two arch stones fell on the open drain and were left there by the builders.

One of the two fallen stones, discovered by Warren, which was left where it fell during the construction of Robinson's Arch and was incorporated in the vaulted roof. Painting by William Simpson in 1872.

The vaults were built up against and slightly over the arch stones, which were then covered up quickly, I suppose, before the inspectors discovered what had happened!

The Herodian drain during the recent clearing operations. Picture: Israel Antiquities Authority.

Here is a modern picture with the same fallen arch stone in the background.

Dr. Leen Ritmeyer interview today on the LandMinds show – update

Update:

You can listen to the interview here: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/News.aspx/2869

From Joe Lauer:

Barnea Levi Selavan informs us that the 5:30 pm (10:30 am NY time) second segment of today’s LandMinds show will feature an interview with Dr. Leen Ritmeyer, who is well-known for his work regarding the structures, features and dimensions of the Temple Mount.
The LandMinds show, with Barnea and David Willner, is broadcast live from 5 to 7 pm Israel time (10 am-12 Noon in New York) on Israel National Radio www.israelnationalradio.com and its broadcasts can also be heard afterwards at that site (archived athttp://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/Author.aspx/3408) and at the Foundation Stone site, seehttp://www.foundationstone.org/LandMinds10/page49.html
Dr. Ritmeyer’s website, which features his comments, photographs, and beautiful detailed drawings and diagrams, is athttp://www.ritmeyer.com/
I hope that during the course of the interview Dr. Ritmeyer will explain how he derived the dimensions of the Temple Mount at the time of the First Temple as well as the length of the amah/cubit used in its measurement to be the Royal Cubit of 20.67 inches (about 52.5 cm), as opposed to other cubits mentioned in the literature, including longer amot mentioned in the halachic literature, and why the 500 amot/cubits measurements refer to the smaller area of the First Temple period, as opposed to the larger Second Temple Herodian platform.