Tag: Mount Moriah

Golden Bell from the Holy Temple in Jerusalem (photo City of David & IAA)

Discovered: Golden Bell from the High Priest robe in Jerusalem’s Holy Temple

Gold bell from hem of Jewish High Priest’s robe. (credit City of David & Israel Antiquities Authority)

Is it possible to hear an actual musical note from bible times? Well, here’s an incredible find that sheds light (photo credit City of David & Israel Antiquities Authority): The Bible and book of Psalms are full of references to musical sounds. We recall Miriam, the sister of Moses, who after the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea “took a timbrel in her hand… and sang” (Ex. 25:20) and David who would “take up his “kinor” (harp) and bring relief and solace to King Saul (1Sam.16:23). Ongoing archaeological excavations around Jerusalem in recent years have revealed so much to us from Bible times. In 2011, an actual golden bell, probably one of 72 that were sewn on the hem of the sky-blue “mei-eel” or robe, one of the eight vestments worn by the High Priest in the Holy Temple. We read about the golden bells in the book of Exodus:

Exodus 28:33-35
“And upon the hem of it thou shall make… a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about. It shall be on Aaron when he performs the service, and its sound shall be heard when he enters the Holy before the Lord and when he leaves, so that he will not die.” (Ex. 28:33-35)

Call to prayer and repentance
The Sages explain that the whole people gave themselves up to prayer and repentance, while the High Priest stepped into the Holy of Holies to officiate in their name. It was therefore most appropriate that they should all know the moment when he entered the Holy of Holies.

Discovery
The gold bell was discovered in an underground drainage channel dating from the time of Christ, when the Temple was still standing. The finely engraved, pomegranate shaped, gold bell was sealed all around, so it was x-rayed, and archaeologists could see the 4mm clapper, still intact. It was suspended on a gold wire, striking the bell precisely in the middle. The amazing thing is that the bell still rings! So it was sent to a music lab where it was sampled, amplified 72 times, and played back in rapid succession, the way the bells would have sounded on the hem of the vestments when the High Priest walked barefoot into the Holy of Holies of the Temple itself. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and then only on Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, but his movements could, thanks to the bells, be heard..

Why the note “B”?
It’s interesting to note that the frequency of the bell is 240 hz, which corresponds closely to the musical note B. But why “B”? In the ancient world, the note B represented the planet Saturn or Saturday, which was the 7^th day of the week. For the Jews of course this is the Sabbath day, known as “Shabbat” in Hebrew. Indeed the word for bell in Hebrew, “pa’amon” has a numeric value of 240. So the ringing of the bells on the hem of the High Priest sounded out a central tenant and message of our biblical faith: The Sabbath, the celebration of life, and belief in a premeditated act of Creation by a Creator.

Hear the bell sound!
To hear the sound of the bells click on www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVcOIdkGEjE

Visit Israel & see the golden bell remains of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem
I invite you to join me here in Israel and experience a 3-D living color Bible- a blessing without measure! Shalom! Shalom! Zack Shavin, Jerusalem

22 January, 2017
Jerusalem: Marble floor tiles from the Holy Temple in Jerusalem (photo Zachi Dvira)

2000 year old marble floor tiles from the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem brought to light.

Marble floor tile from Holy Temple Jerusalem (credit Zachi Dvira Temple Mount Sifting Project)

For the first time in history, actual decorative elements from the Holy Temple in Jerusalem have been brought to light! Exquisite marble floor tiles, made with meticulously cut stones of different colors – yellow, black, red, purple, white, and more have been recently recovered and pieced together, giving us insight into the great beauty of the Holy Temple of the Jews that stood on Mount Moriah and was destroyed by Titus the Roman in the year 70 AD. Archaeologists have so far been able to identify seven distinct floor tile patterns.

Marble floor tile from Holy Temple Jerusalem (credit Zachi Dvira)

We read about the impressive Temple floor tiles in various literary sources: Josephus Flavius, the Jewish historian who actually served as a priest in the Jerusalem Temple wrote (Jewish Wars V,5,2), “Open courts were laid with stones of various colors.” In the Babylonian Talmud (Baba Bathra 4a) we read, “It used to be said, He who has not seen the Temple of Herod [in Jerusalem] as never seen a beautiful building. Of what did he build it? Rabbah said: Of yellow and white marble. Some say, of blue, yellow, and white marble.”

Marble floor tile from Holy Temple Jerusalem (credit Zachi Dvira)

Hundreds of colorful marble floor tile pieces have been discovered in a major sifting project undertaken by Israel Antiquities authority after Moslem religious authorities on the Temple Mount (where the golden dome Mosque of Omar and El Aksa mosques are located) illegally removed rubble beneath Mount Moriah, without conducting a proper archaeological excavation. The floor tiles were probably part of the monumental subterranean passageway built by Herod the Great that led up to the Courtyard of the Gentiles on the Temple Mount, and was used by pilgrims – such as Jesus, Mary, & Joseph – when they came to Jerusalem for Passover.

Visit Israel & see remains of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem
I invite you to join me here in Israel and experience a 3-D living color Bible- a blessing without measure! We’ll learn about the Holy Temple that stood on Mount Moriah, visit the Temple Mount excavations, and even help wash the archaeological remains in search of artifacts.

Shalom! Shalom! Zack Shavin, Jerusalem

16 September, 2016
Western Wall

Western (Wailing) Wall

Touch biblical Jerusalem! Israel’s Western Wall or Wailing Wall, built by King Herod, supports the huge Temple Mount platform over Mount Moriah where Solomon’s Temple stood. Ask Zack Shavin about visiting and even celebrating your Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah there!

Biblical Jerusalem
Imagine a piece of ancient Jerusalem, so authentic, so well preserved, that what you see today is exactly what was seen by the local people and tens of thousands of Passover pilgrims that made their way up to the great Holy Temple 2000 years ago! It is called in Hebrew the Kotel Ma-aravi or Western Wall, and is a perfectly preserved remnant of the massive outer retainer walls that encompassed the Temple itself. Originally over 1500 feet long and 100 feet high, the Western Wall was one of four incredibly massive walls that not only protected the Temple, but also supported a massive platform which covered an area equivalent to 15 football fields and upon which the 200 foot high marble and gold Temple stood.

Wasn’t the Temple destroyed by the Romans?
Indeed, the Temple building itself – considered one of the wonders of the ancient world – was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 A.D. But the platform upon which the Temple stood, covering an area of 15 football fields, and the outer retainer walls, were preserved. It was just too massive to totally demolish. The smallest of the stones in the Western Wall weigh 3 tons each, the largest about 500 tons- as much as 10 fully loaded semi-trailer trucks!

Why do we pray at the Western Wall? Why this spot?
It is important to understand, that this place is Mount Moriahitself, where Abraham brought Isaac, almost 4000 years ago. About 1000 years after Abraham, King Solomon was given the privilege of building the Temple here, permanently replacing the desert Tabernacle. The Bible tells us that upon completing the Temple, ruach elohim- the spirit of God- filled the House. Otherwise it would have remained just a beautiful man-made building.

Shekinah: Divine Presence
In other words, the Shekinah- the Divine Presence- is intimately associated with the area. Indeed, the Temple is called “Beit HaMikdash” in Hebrew, which means “House of Holiness”. God is pure holiness; divine holiness came to rest here. God, Yahweh- HaShem- chose this place- it is unique in all the world! Two thousand years ago Jewish people prayed at the Temple itself. Today, the gold-domed Mosque of Omar stands over the spot and is closed to non-Moslems for prayer purposes. While we cannot pray on the Temple Mount itself, we can do so at the Western Wall. There we literally touch a remnant of the Temple complex and connect with our roots, faith, and heritage.

8 January, 2013
Abraham Overlook

Abraham & Isaac Overlook

Imagine opening the Bible here in Israel and standing at the very place where a biblical event unfolded! Today we are at the Abraham & Isaac Overlook in Jerusalem. Here Abraham and Isaac first beheld Moriah – place of the Sacrifice or Binding of Isaac, following a three day journey from Beersheba. Later King Solomon built Solomon’s Temple on Mount Moriah itself.

Jerusalem panorama

View of Moriah
This particular spot on the southern end of Jerusalem is called by locals the Tayelet, which means in Hebrew “promenade”. I like to call it the Abraham and Isaac Overlook overlook since it’s where they beheld Jerusalem and Mount Moriah some 4000 years ago! I’ve been bringing groups here for years- to read and reflect on Abraham’s journey with Isaac from Beersheba, where they lived, to this very spot. God had called Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and with a heavy but obedient heart sets out on the three day journey, without of course letting Isaac in on the details of exactly what was happening.

Beersheba to Moriah
Here is what the Bible says: “Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, Abraham! Here I am, he replied. Then God said, Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you. Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.” (Gen. 22:1-4)

Where is the lamb?
Upon arrival here, at this southern overlook of Jerusalem, Abraham leaves his servants behind to keep an eye on the camp, while he continues with Isaac on into Jerusalem itself and on up Mount Moriah. He tells them that he was going “yonder” with Isaac to worship and would be back soon. It’s about a 45 minute brisk walk from where we are standing at the Abraham & Isaac overlook to Moriah. On the way Abe & Isaac obviously had time to talk a bit. Isaac, who was younger, stronger, and therefore carrying the wood for the sacrifice, gets to thinking. He turns to his father, saying, hey dad, haven’t we forgotten something? “Where’s the lamb”? Abraham replies, “God will provide.” The rest is history: The angel stops Abraham’s hand as he raised the knife after binding is son on the altar, indeed providing the lamb:

Binding of Isaac
Here is what happens next: “When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, Abraham! Abraham! Here I am, he replied.Do not lay a hand on the boy, he said. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. (Genesis 22:10-12)

Abraham takes the ram instead
Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.” (Genesis 22:13)

Solomon’s Temple
Almost 1,000 years later, King Solomon builds the Jerusalem Temple on the very spot on Mount Moriah: “Then Solomon began to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David.” (2Chronicles 3:1)

8 January, 2013