Living Torah Archives

Our sages teach that the Holy Temple was destroyed because of the baseless hatred that Jews harbored towards one another. It follows then, that rectifying that problem will be the catalyst for rebuilding it. And Speedily.

The Midrash relates that at the beginning of the Babylonian exile, seventy years before the Jews’ return to Jerusalem, G-d instructed Ezekiel to teach them the dimensions of the Holy Temple, because when they engage in its study, G-d considers it as though they built it.

The Sages teach that the Holy Temple was destroyed on account of unwarranted hatred, and will be rebuilt through unwarranted love. Rabbi Pinchas Weberman recalls a private audience in 1973 where the Rebbe explained just how literal this teaching is.

During the three weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av, we mourn the loss of both Holy Temples in Jerusalem. The Torah tells us, however, that when we study the laws of the Temple’s construction, we are already rebuilding it.