It has taken years for architects and builders to draw up plans and get plans approved to rebuild the Twin Towers which were destroyed on September 11, 2001. Is the Bait Hamikdash any less important to the Jewish people? Then why have we not drawn up our own plans to rebuild the Bait Hamikdash?

The Shulchan Aruch comments, it is incumbent upon each and every Jew to prepare for an upcoming holiday through learning the laws that pertain to that given holiday. For example, thirty days before Pesach we begin looking into the voluminous halachot of Pesach. Chazal in their infinite wisdom teach us in addition to learning the halachot of the holiday, we are also obligated to internalize the essence of the day and how it applies to us today as well.

What relevancy does the three weeks of mourning have to us today? What connection do we as Jews living in beautiful America have to do with the destruction of the Bait Hamikdash? Indeed, we live in a great country with all the finest amenities life has to offer; however, the suffering we have in the world can be directly attributed to the destruction of the Temple.

The war and fighting which is taking place around the world is directly related to the destruction of the Bait Hamikdash. What does the destruction of the Bait Hamikdash have to do with all these areas of life? The answer is that the Bait Hamikdash is not an ordinary building; rather, it is the place where G-d manifested himself in the physical world. The Bait Hamikdash was physical in structure but spiritual in nature. If Klal Yisroel was following the word of Hashem, then the Bait Hamikdash would be a place where the Divine Presence would reside. However, when Klal Yisroel did not follow Hashem’s laws, then Hashem removed Himself from this world, ultimately causing the Bait Hamikdash to be destroyed. Builders and architects can not rebuild the Temple for the Jewish people. Only our mitzvot and commitment to Torah ideals will bring back our Holy Temple.

May we be zochech to see the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash B’mieheirah Biyameinu!

Rabbi Aharon Ciment

Ask The Rabbi Please submit questions for Rabbi Ciment to rabbi@arzeidarom.org.