Friday, March 12, 2027

The joyous dedication of the second Holy Temple (Beit HaMikdash) on the site of the 1st Temple in Jerusalem, was celebrated on the 3rd of Adar of the year 3412 from creation (349 BCE), after four years of work.

The First Temple, built by King Solomon in 833 BCE, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 423 BCE. At that time, the prophet Jeremiah prophesied: "Thus says the L-rd: After seventy years for Babylon will I visit you... and return you to this place." In 371 the Persian emperor Cyrus permitted the Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the Temple, but the construction was halted the next year when the Samarians persuaded Cyrus to withdraw permission. Achashverosh II (of Purim fame) upheld the moratorium. Only in 353 -- exactly 70 years after the destruction -- did the building of the Temple resume under Darius II.

Link: The Holy Temple

R. Mordechai Jaffe served as the rabbi of numerous communities in Poland and Lithuania. Among his more well-known works are Levush Malchut,a halachic code following the order of R. Jacob ben Asher’s Arbaah Turim, and Levush HaOrah,a super-commentary to R. Shlomo Yitzchaki’s Torah commentary. R. Mordechai served as the head of the “Council of Four Lands,” the government-sanctioned Jewish organization entrusted with dealing with Jewish communal affairs. In addition to Talmud and Jewish law, R. Mordechai was also well-versed in both Kabbalah and astronomy.

He passed away on 3 Adar II.

Link: Rabbi Mordechai Jaffe

Perhaps a person will say,

“I cannot fathom an infinite Creator, so why should I attempt to do so?”

“And why should I attempt to awaken my heart to show Him love? What can the love of this puny creature provide Him?”

“So I will just serve Him in complete surrender, doing that which is to be done, connecting to a will and desire far beyond my own.”

Such a person may be wise, but he is wrong.

Yes, it is absurd, but G‑d desires to be grasped by your human mind.

Yes, it is inconceivable, but He desires to find a home within the innermost chamber of your heart, no matter how tiny that place may be.

For this He created you, so that He could dwell within your world.

Serve G‑d with all your heart and all your mind—because that too is His unfathomable, unbounded desire.