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Written by Shimshon Cook, Herut Texas Community Leader The meaning of the name Yerushalayim (today’s Old City of Jerusalem) has very deep and complex roots. Nearly across the board, the Hebrew word is accepted to mean “city, or dwelling place of Peace.” The Midrash supports this as well by indicating “yireh” (abode,) “shalem” (Peace), and the plural “ayim”, indicating both the two hills that form the Old City and the unification of both names by G-d. However, the reality of its status as a Dwelling place of Peace is sadly quite different. Acquisition by King David- In the Tanak (2 Samuel 24, 1 Chronicles 21), we are told G-d instructed King David to purchase a threshing floor from the Jebusite Araunah (also known as Ornan) and to offer a sacrifice to stave off G-d’s anger at King David for taking a census of the nation of Israel. Traditionally, the location of this threshing floor would later be the very place David dedicated to the building of the Temple by his son Solomon. Thus, became known as Har HaBayit, Beit ha-Mikdash, Heikhal, Temple Mount, and Bayt al-Maqdis. Contrary to popular belief and media reports, THIS is the holiest place for Jews and not the Kotel (Western Wall), which is only the retaining wall of Herod’s Temple complex. To state otherwise is absolutely inaccurate.
Not long after King David’s son Solomon completed its construction, division and war broke out among the tribes of Israel, eventually leading to the dissolution of a united kingdom, the destruction of 10 of the 12 tribes that made the whole of the unified kingdom, and the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonian army on the 9th of Av 586 BCE. Shivat Tzion (Redemption of Zion) begins with the conquest of Babylon by King Cyrus II in 539 BCE. He decrees Israelites captured by Babylonians, who have now become known as Jews, may return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple and restore the Temple Services. Rebuilding of the 2nd Temple begins around 536 BCE, led by the Jewish governor Zerubbabel and an estimated 42,000+ followers. The Temple would be completed under the leadership of Ezra, and Herod would further beautify and expand the complex. So grand was Herod’s remodel and expansion that Jewish sages declared, “Unless one had seen Herod’s temple, they had never seen a beautiful structure.” This time of glorious return and rededication sadly would not last, with the 2nd Temple and Jerusalem being destroyed by Romans in 133 CE as punishment for the Bar Kochva revolt. Jerusalem was razed and rebuilt as the Roman pagan city Aelia Capitolina (Capital City). Jews are banned from the city, forced to make Aliyah to the destroyed Har ha-Beit every year to be humiliated by the Roman transformation of the city. This transformation was so complete and deliberate with its two enormous cardines (more significant than any such streets found even in Rome) and pagan temples that the current layout of the city still bears the scars. This policy of antisemitism and abuse of Jews would continue for over 300 years under Byzantine rule, with only a brief and muted reprieve under Muslim rule after their defeat of the Byzantines in Jerusalem. This sparked a bit of a revival of the building of holy sites inside the city by the Muslim rulers. According to tradition, the Mosque of Omar was the first Mosque to be built within the old city’s walls. Then came the Dome of the Rock, as described by the early 11th-century Muslim scholar we know as al-Wasiti, states it was built as a thank-you to the Jews who assisted Al Malik in conquering Jerusalem. The purpose of Al Malik’s “gift” was heralded at the time by Jews as the beginning of the messianic era, as they were now allowed to perform some of the temple rituals again. Al-Wasiti describes the practices of burning incense on Monday and Thursday every week inside the Dome of the Rock and even mentions a portion of a Hebrew prayer with no clue to its meaning. Any reprieve proved to be short-lived when the Jewish inhabitants of Jerusalem would not convert or be subjugated. Again, we found ourselves as targets of hate and persecution. We persevere through countless wars of the Medieval period, be they Crusaders, Mamelukes, Seljuks, or Ottoman under who the banishment of all non-Muslims was standard policy until British negotiations after the Crimean War. Under the dictate of those negotiations, Jerusalem would remain under Ottoman control, and non-Muslim pilgrims were allowed via permit, which came at a prohibitive cost to the local Jewish population. After WWI, Jerusalem found itself under British governance until 1948, with the Arab League and Jordanians destroying the Jewish quarter and exiling all Jews or imprisoning them.  This continued until June 7th, 1967. Israel liberated Jerusalem, unifying it once again, and opened it to all regardless of religion. Then Defense Minister Moshe Dayan declared “we solemnly promise full religious freedom and rights… And not to interfere with the adherents of other faiths, but in order to safeguard its entirety, and to live there together with others in unity.” The farce of “East Jerusalem” is nothing more than a thinly veiled propaganda campaign for control of the Old City, continued Arab Muslim destruction of archaeology on Temple Mount, and persecution of non-Muslims. History has shown plainly that only Jews have preserved the full freedoms for every human in our Beloved Jerusalem. We must never allow others to rule over what is ours alone to protect! Im Eshkacheich Yerushalayim! Chag Semach! |
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HERUT is an international movement for Jewish Unity, Zionist pride, protecting the Jewish people worldwide and Zionist education. HERUT operates per the ideals of pre-World War II Zionist leader and philosopher Ze’ev Jabotinsky. In this world where Antisemitism and hatred of Israel is at pandemic levels, it is important to be part of HERUT, a critical movement dedicated to protecting Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. Please click on this link and become part of this great HERUT organization. We look forward to welcoming you! Examples of Our Impact https://herutna.org/herut- Website:Â www.herutna.org Email:Â office@herutna.org |
The REAL History Of Jerusalem
