The Sacred Specialness of Jerusalem

שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד שָׂ֭מַחְתִּי בְּאֹמְרִ֣ים לִ֑י בֵּ֖ית יְהֹוָ֣ה נֵלֵֽךְ׃ עֹ֭מְדוֹת הָי֣וּ רַגְלֵ֑ינוּ בִּ֝שְׁעָרַ֗יִךְ יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ שַׁ֭אֲלוּ שְׁל֣וֹם יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם יִ֝שְׁלָ֗יוּ אֹהֲבָֽיִךְ׃

A song of ascents. Of David. I rejoiced when they said to me, “We are going to the House of GOD.” Our feet stood inside your gates, O Jerusalem, Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem; “May those who love you be at peace.

וַיֹּ֡אמֶר קַח־נָ֠א אֶת־בִּנְךָ֨ אֶת־יְחִֽידְךָ֤ אֲשֶׁר־אָהַ֙בְתָּ֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֔ק וְלֶ֨ךְ־לְךָ֔ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּ֑ה וְהַעֲלֵ֤הוּ שָׁם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ה עַ֚ל אַחַ֣ד הֶֽהָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹמַ֥ר אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ וַיִּקְרָ֧א אַבְרָהָ֛ם שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא יְהֹוָ֣ה ׀ יִרְאֶ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יֵאָמֵ֣ר הַיּ֔וֹם בְּהַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה יֵרָאֶֽה׃

“Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the heights that I will point out to you.” And Abraham named that site Adonai-yireh, whence the present saying, “On GOD’s mount there is vision.”

אִֽם־אֶשְׁכָּחֵ֥ךְ יְֽרוּשָׁלָ֗͏ִם תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח יְמִינִֽי׃ תִּדְבַּֽק־לְשׁוֹנִ֨י ׀ לְחִכִּי֮ אִם־לֹ֢א אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִי אִם־לֹ֣א אַ֭עֲלֶה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֑͏ִם עַ֝֗ל רֹ֣אשׁ שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither; let my tongue stick to my palate if I cease to think of you, if I do not keep Jerusalem in memory even at my happiest hour.

וּשְׁתִיָּה הָיְתָה נִקְרֵאת. תָּנָא: שֶׁמִּמֶּנָּה הוּשְׁתַּת הָעוֹלָם. תְּנַן כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר מִצִּיּוֹן נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם, דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: עוֹלָם מֵאֶמְצָעִיתוֹ נִבְרָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּצֶקֶת עָפָר לַמּוּצָק וּרְגָבִים יְדוּבָּקוּ״. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: מִצִּיּוֹן נִבְרָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אֵל אֱלֹהִים ה׳״. וְאוֹמֵר: ״מִצִּיּוֹן מִכְלַל יוֹפִי״ — מִמֶּנּוּ מוּכְלָל יׇפְיוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ מִצִּיּוֹן נִבְרְאוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״מִזְמוֹר לְאָסָף אֵל אֱלֹהִים ה׳ דִּבֶּר וַיִּקְרָא אָרֶץ מִמִּזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד מְבוֹאוֹ״. וְאוֹמֵר: ״מִצִּיּוֹן מִכְלַל יוֹפִי אֱלֹהִים הוֹפִיעַ״ — מִמֶּנּוּ מוּכְלָל יוֹפְיוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם.

§ The mishna taught that a stone sat in the Holy of Holies and it was called the foundation [shetiyya] rock. A Sage taught in the Tosefta: Why was it called shetiyya? It is because the world was created [hushtat] from it. The Gemara comments: We learned the mishna in accordance with the opinion of the one who said that the world was created from Zion. As it was taught in a baraita that Rabbi Eliezer says: The world was created from its center, as it is stated: “When the dust runs into a mass, and the clods cleave fast together” (Job 38:38). The world was created by adding matter to the center, like the formation of clumps of earth. And the Rabbis say: The world was created from Zion, as it is stated: “A Psalm of Asaph. God, the Lord God has spoken and called the earth, from the rising of the sun to its place of setting” (Psalms 50:1), and it states: “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shined forth” (Psalms 50:2). The mishna is taught in accordance with this last opinion. And the Rabbis say: Both these and those were created from Zion, as it is stated: “A Psalm of Asaph. God, the Lord God has spoken and called the earth, from the rising of the sun to its place of setting,” and it says: “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shined forth,” i.e., from Zion the beauty of the world was perfected, which includes both the generations of the heavens and the generations of the earth.

אָמַר רַב: כָּלוּ כׇּל הַקִּיצִּין, וְאֵין הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי אֶלָּא בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: דַּיּוֹ לָאָבֵל שֶׁיַּעֲמוֹד בְּאֶבְלוֹ. כְּתַנָּאֵי: רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: אִם יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין תְּשׁוּבָה – נִגְאָלִין, וְאִם לָאו – אֵין נִגְאָלִין. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ: אִם אֵין עוֹשִׂין תְּשׁוּבָה אֵין נִגְאָלִין? אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲמִיד לָהֶן מֶלֶךְ שֶׁגְּזֵרוֹתָיו קָשׁוֹת כְּהָמָן, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין תְּשׁוּבָה וּמַחְזִירָן לְמוּטָב.

§ Rav says: All the ends of days that were calculated passed, and the matter depends only upon repentance and good deeds. When the Jewish people repent, they will be redeemed. And Shmuel says: It is sufficient for the mourner to endure in his mourning to bring about the coming of the Messiah. Even without repentance, they will be worthy of redemption due to the suffering they endured during the exile. The Gemara notes: This dispute is parallel to a dispute between tanna’im: Rabbi Eliezer says: If the Jewish people repent they are redeemed, and if not they are not redeemed. Rabbi Yehoshua said to him: If they do not repent, will they not be redeemed at all? Rather, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will establish a king for them whose decrees are as harsh as those issued by Haman, and the Jewish people will have no choice but to repent, and this will restore them to the right path.

וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב נַחְמָן לְרַבִּי יִצְחָק, מַאי דִּכְתִיב: ״בְּקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ וְלֹא אָבוֹא בְּעִיר״, מִשּׁוּם דִּבְקִרְבְּךָ קָדוֹשׁ לֹא אָבוֹא בְּעִיר? אָמַר לֵיהּ: הָכִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֹא אָבוֹא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל מַעְלָה עַד שֶׁאָבוֹא לִירוּשָׁלַיִם שֶׁל מַטָּה! וּמִי אִיכָּא יְרוּשָׁלַיִם לְמַעְלָה? אִין, דִּכְתִיב: ״יְרוּשָׁלִַים הַבְּנוּיָה כְּעִיר שֶׁחֻבְּרָה לָּהּ יַחְדָּו״.

And Rav Naḥman said to Rabbi Yitzḥak: What is the meaning of that which is written: “It is sacred in your midst, and I will not enter the city” (Hosea 11:9)? This verse is puzzling: Because it is sacred in your midst, will God not enter the city? Rabbi Yitzḥak said to Rav Naḥman that Rabbi Yoḥanan said the verse should be understood as follows: The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: I shall not enter Jerusalem above, in heaven, until I enter Jerusalem on earth down below at the time of the redemption, when it will be sacred in your midst. The Gemara asks: And is there such a place as Jerusalem above? The Gemara answers: Yes, as it is written: “Jerusalem built up, a city unified together” (Psalms 122:3). The term unified indicates that there are two cities of Jerusalem, a heavenly one and an earthly one, which are bound together.

בְּמַתְנִיתָא תַּנָּא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: ״לְךָ ה׳ הַגְּדֻלָּה״ — זוֹ קְרִיעַת יַם סוּף. ״וְהַגְּבוּרָה״ — זוֹ מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת. ״וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת״ — זוֹ מַתַּן תּוֹרָה. ״וְהַנֵּצַח״ — זוֹ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. ״וְהַהוֹד״ — זוֹ בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ.

It was taught in a baraita in the name of Rabbi Akiva: Yours, O Lord, is the greatness; this is the splitting of the Red Sea; the power; this is the plague of the firstborn; the glory; this is the giving of the Torah; the triumph; this is Jerusalem; and the majesty; this is the Temple.

וְאָמַר רַבָּה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: עֲתִידִין צַדִּיקִים שֶׁנִּקְרָאִין עַל שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כֹּל הַנִּקְרָא בִשְׁמִי וְלִכְבוֹדִי בְּרָאתִיו, יְצַרְתִּיו אַף עֲשִׂיתִיו״. וְאָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שְׁלֹשָׁה נִקְרְאוּ עַל שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: צַדִּיקִים, וּמָשִׁיחַ, וִירוּשָׁלִַים. צַדִּיקִים – הָא דַּאֲמַרַן. מָשִׁיחַ – דִּכְתִיב: ״וְזֶה שְּׁמוֹ אֲשֶׁר יִקְרְאוֹ ה׳ צִדְקֵנוּ״. יְרוּשָׁלַיִם – דִּכְתִיב: ״סָבִיב שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר אָלֶף, וְשֵׁם הָעִיר מִיּוֹם ה׳ שָׁמָּה״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״שָׁמָּה״ אֶלָּא ״שְׁמָהּ״. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר: עֲתִידִין צַדִּיקִים שֶׁאוֹמְרִים לִפְנֵיהֶן ״קָדוֹשׁ״ – כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְהָיָה הַנִּשְׁאָר בְּצִיּוֹן וְהַנּוֹתָר בִּירוּשָׁלִַם, קָדוֹשׁ יֵאָמֶר לוֹ״.

And Rabba says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: In the future, the righteous will be called by the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He; as it is stated: “Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him” (Isaiah 43:7). This indicates that one who was created by God and causes Him glory is called by His name. And Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Three were called by the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and they are: The righteous, and the Messiah, and Jerusalem. With regard to the righteous, this is as we have just said. With regard to the Messiah, this is as it is written: “And this is his name whereby he shall be called, the Lord is our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6). With regard to Jerusalem, this is as it is written: “It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about. And the name of the city from that day shall be, the Lord is there [shamma]” (Ezekiel 48:35). Do not read the word as “there” [shamma]; rather, read it as: The Lord is its name [shemah]. Rabbi Elazar says: In the future, the righteous will have the name: Holy, recited before them, as one recites before the Holy One, Blessed be He; as it is stated: “And it shall come to pass, that he who is left in Zion, and he who remains in Jerusalem, shall be called holy” (Isaiah 4:3).

עֲשָׂרָה קַבִּים חׇכְמָה יָרְדוּ לָעוֹלָם, תִּשְׁעָה נָטְלָה אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶחָד כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ. עֲשָׂרָה קַבִּים יוֹפִי יָרְדוּ לָעוֹלָם, תִּשְׁעָה נָטְלָה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וְאֶחָד כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ. עֲשָׂרָה קַבִּים עֲשִׁירוּת יָרְדוּ לָעוֹלָם, תִּשְׁעָה נָטְלָה רוֹמִי וְאֶחָד כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ. עֲשָׂרָה קַבִּים עֲנִיּוּת יָרְדוּ לָעוֹלָם, תִּשְׁעָה נָטְלָה בָּבֶל וְאֶחָד כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ. עֲשָׂרָה קַבִּים גַּסּוּת יָרְדוּ לָעוֹלָם, תִּשְׁעָה נָטְלָה עֵילָם וְאֶחָד כׇּל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ.

§ Apropos the discussion with regard to various attributes, the Gemara cites a related statement: Ten kav of wisdom descended to the world; Eretz Yisrael took nine of them and all the rest of the world took one. Ten kav of beauty descended to the world; Jerusalem took nine and all the rest of the world in its entirety took one. Ten kav of wealth descended to the world; Rome took nine and all the rest of the world in its entirety took one. Ten kav of poverty descended to the world; Babylonia took nine and all the rest of the world in its entirety took one. Ten kav of arrogance descended to the world; Eilam took nine and all the rest of the world in its entirety took one.

מַאן חֲכָמִים — רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הִיא. דְּתַנְיָא:

the tablets were broken by Moses when he saw that the Jews had made the golden calf; the daily offering was nullified by the Roman authorities and was never sacrificed again; the city walls of Jerusalem were breached; the general Apostemos publicly burned a Torah scroll; and Manasseh placed an idol in the Sanctuary. On the Ninth of Av it was decreed upon our ancestors that they would all die in the wilderness and not enter Eretz Yisrael; and the Temple was destroyed the first time, in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, and the second time, by the Romans; and Beitar was captured; and the city of Jerusalem was plowed, as a sign that it would never be rebuilt.

וַיְהִי בְשָׁלֵם סֻכּוֹ וּמְעוֹנָתוֹ בְּצִיּוֹן, וּמָה הָיָה אוֹמֵר יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁאֶרְאֶה בְּבִנְיַן בֵּיתִי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהֶרְאָה לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ חָרֵב וּבָנוּי חָרֵב וּבָנוּי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא ה' יִרְאֶה, הֲרֵי בָּנוּי, הֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים טז, טז):

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I call it Yireh, as Abraham called it, Shem, a righteous man, will have a complaint. If I call it Shalem, Abraham, a righteous man, will have a complaint. Instead, I shall call it Yerushalayim, as both of them called it, – Yireh, Shalem – Yerushalayim.’ Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: While it was still called Shalem, the Holy One blessed be made Himself a provisional booth [sukka] and He would pray in it, as it is stated: “His abode [sukko] was in Shalem, His dwelling place in Zion” (Psalms 76:3).

וּכְבָר הָיְתָה עֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק אָבִינוּ בְהֵר שֶׁלֹא הָיָה בוֹ יִשּׁוּב הוּא הַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה, וְנִתְגַּלָּה הַדָּבָר בִּימֵי דַוִד כְּשֶׁהָיָה מְיֻשָּׁב, כִּי הוּא הַמָּקוֹם הַמְיֻחָד הַמּוּכָן לַשְּׁכִינָה, וַאֲרַוְנָה הַיְבוּסִי עוֹבֵד וְחוֹרֵשׁ בּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִקְרָא אַבְרָהָם שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא ה' יִרְאֶה. וּבֵאֵר בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים כִּי בֵית הַמִּקְדָשׁ בָּנוּי בְּהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה, וְשָׁם מִבְּלִי סָפֵק הַמְּקוֹמוֹת שֶׁרְאוּיִים לְהִקָּרֵא שַׁעֲרֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם. הֲלֹא תִרְאֶה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ, שֶׁלֹא תָלָה הַמַּרְאוֹת אֲשֶׁר רָאָה לֹא בִזְכוּת נַפְשׁוֹ וְלֹא בֶאֱמוּנָתוֹ וּבֹר לְבָבוֹ, אֲבָל תָּלָה אוֹתָם בַּמָּקוֹם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: וַיִּירָא וַיֹּאמַר מַה־נּוֹרָא הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה, וְעָלָיו אָמַר קֹדֶם לָזֶה:

In the Book of the Chronicles it is stated more clearly that the Temple was built on mount Moriah. These are, without doubt, the places worthy of being called the gates of heaven. Dost thou not see that Jacob ascribed the vision which he saw, not to the purity of his soul, nor to his belief, nor to true integrity, but to the place, as it is said: 'How awful is this place' (Genesis 28:17). Prior to this it is said: 'And he lighted upon a certain place' (Genesis 28:11), viz. the chosen one. Was not Abraham also, and after having been greatly exalted, brought into contact with the divine influence, and made the heart of this essence, removed from his country to the place in which his perfection should become complete?

כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּבְנָה הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם נֶאֶסְרוּ כָּל הַמְּקוֹמוֹת כֻּלָּן לִבְנוֹת בָּהֶן בַּיִת לַה' וּלְהַקְרִיב בָּהֶן קָרְבָּן. וְאֵין שָׁם בַּיִת לְדוֹרֵי הַדּוֹרוֹת אֶלָּא בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם בִּלְבַד וּבְהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה שֶׁבָּהּ נֶאֱמַר (דברי הימים א כב א) "וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד זֶה הוּא בֵּית ה' הָאֱלֹהִים וְזֶה מִּזְבֵּחַ לְעלָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל" וְאוֹמֵר (תהילים קלב יד) "זֹאת מְנוּחָתִי עֲדֵי עַד":

Once the Temple was built in Jerusalem, it became forbidden to build a sanctuary for God or to offer sacrifices in any other place. There is no Sanctuary for all generations except in Jerusalem and [specifically,] on Mt. Moriah, as [I Chronicles 22:1] states: "And David declared: 'This is the House of the Lord, God, and this is the altar for the burnt offerings of Israel.' and [Psalms 132:14] states: "This is My resting place forever."