On Tuesday, I met up with my mom's friend Ambika for the final time. As this was our last meeting, we decided to walk the Via Dolorosa and re-visit the Austrian Hospice, but the real reason for our meeting was to see the Temple Mount. After being turned away at two of the three entrances to the Temple Mount (apparently the other two are for Muslims only), we joined the long line of tourists waiting to take advantage of the Temple Mount's very limited visiting hours. The Mount is actually accessed via the Western Wall plaza through the Moor's Gate, by walking up a sketchy-looking temporary bridge (pictured below). The ascent appropriately afforded a spectacular view of the Western Wall plaza and the ancient City of David, both pictured below.
The Israelites conceived of the Temple Mount as a cosmic mountain--the fulcrum of creation, and the meeting place of God and man. Whereas the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai was a one-time, non-repeatable event in Israel's history, the Temple was (supposed to be) the permanent residence of God on earth. Access to God at the Temple was mediated by the priests, who controlled the sacrificial cult. The destruction of Solomon's Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE were among the most traumatic events in Jewish history. The Mount is now under Muslim control (Muslims call it "Haram esh-Sharif," the Noble Sanctuary), though the status quo remains a complex political issue. The construction of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount (which is also called Mount Moriah or sometimes Mount Zion) is the centerpiece of Jewish messianic and apocalyptic hope. In Christianity, of course, the Third Temple is replaced by the eschatological return of Christ, who will reside here and establish paradise on earth following the resurrection of the dead.
The Temple Mount did not disappoint--it was absolutely beautiful. Near the Moor's Gate entrance is the famous El-Aqsa Mosque (pictured below), the Temple Mount's main attraction for Muslim worshipers. The 8th century architecture was stunning (as a non-Muslim, I was not permitted entrance, though I hear the interior is similarly breathtaking). Interestingly, during the Crusades, the Mosque served as a kind of Templar headquarters--remnants of Templar architectural style is visible in the Mosque's facade.
The second big attraction of the Temple Mount is the famous Dome of the Rock. The site is not actually a mosque--it is considered a shrine, like the Shrine of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives. Nonetheless, we were told that non-Muslims are not permitted entry (and let me tell you, I was irate). Below are two pictures of the Dome of the Rock. Notice the tiling around the outside of the Dome (these are verses from the Quran describing Muhammad's night journey).
What makes the Dome of the Rock so important? Underneath the Dome lies the Foundation Stone, an ancient rock which is associated with several important religious traditions. These include:
1. It is believed that creation began at this point. As the navel of creation, all the rest of the earth proceeds from the Foundation Stone.
2. God gathered the clay which he used to form Adam from the Foundation Stone.
3. Abraham bound and nearly sacrificed his son, Isaac, on this rock.
4. Jacob dreamed of a ladder upon this spot by which angels ascended and descended from heaven.
5. The Inner Sanctum of Solomon's Temple and the Second Temple stood upon the Foundation Stone. As such, it was the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, God's dwelling place on earth.
6. In Islam, the Foundation Stone is believed to be the location of Muhammad's ascent into heaven following his night journey.
7. Beneath the Foundation Stone, Muslims believe the souls of the dead gather in prayer. The spot is called the Well of Souls.
Several other important shrines and buildings are to be found on the Temple Mount. These include the ancient Dome of the Prophet (first picture below), the Dome of the Chain (which was unfortunately undergoing renovation), and an impressive ancient series of staircases topped by a sort of archway called a qanatir (second picture below). The third picture is yet another beautiful view of the Mount of Olives.
The next time I'm in the area, I must remember to snap a picture of the Golden Gate--the former entrance onto the east side of the Temple Mount complex--by which Jews believe the Messiah will enter the Temple. Perhaps for this reason, the Muslims filled in the Golden Gate in the 7th century.
What surprised me most about the Temple Mount was the normalcy of it all--schoolchildren carrying backpacks were using it as a shortcut to get home from class, and teenage boys were playing soccer outside of the entrance to the Dome of the Rock. Oh Israel, you never cease to amaze me.
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