Adar alef Newsletter 5784

This newsletter is dedicated to the souls of the fallen and the murdered Israelis , along with the safe return of all the Israeli citizens held in captivity

On a Saturday evening in October 2015, the Prime Minister of Israel first announced the status quo of the State of Israel towards the Temple Mount. This was completely contrary to Israel's control as a sovereign on the Temple Mount. Dr. Shmuel Berkovich, a researcher of the Temple Mount, along with other holy places, explains the implications of limiting Israel's sovereignty on the Temple Mount in his video.

The few remnants which are seen from within the Temple Mount today reveal extensive clues about the structure and construction of the ancient Temple Mount. Researchers of the Temple Mount focused their attention on a series of exposed stones.

The row of stones in this image is the base of the lower staircase of the northwest stairs ascending to the elevated platform at the center of the mountain. This staircase is embedded in the floor of the Temple Mount and its height matches the lower elevation of the mountain's platform. It is the top of a wall – a segment from the upper layer of the ancient Western Wall, theTemple Mount’s Western Wall before its expansion.

We estimate that the line where the large stones end is the northern edge of that ancient Western Wall, and precisely along this line, the ancient Western Wall concludes, giving way to the Eastern Wall. If so, this point is therefore, the northwest corner of the 'sacred rectangle' – the sacred area of the ancient Temple Mount.

In 2024, 2639 Israeli Jews and 1390 tourists ascended the Temple Mount.
What about you?
(Credit Journal Makor Richon)

In this week's Torah portion, we are commanded not to ignore a donkey burdened with a heavy load and are instructed to come to the owner's aid in unloading the heavy burden from the donkey. Concurrently, there is a commandment to assist a Jew in loading the burden onto the donkey. However, if you have to choose between the two - one needing help unloading and the other needing help loading - the commandment to unload and relieve the burden on the donkey takes precedence. It is more urgent as the donkey is suffering. Later, it will be possible to load the burden onto the second donkey.

Except in one case.

The Talmud presents a scenario where someone I really don't like needs help loading a donkey, and next to him is a good friend of mine who needs assistance unloading packages. The natural inclination is to help a friend, especially since we've already mentioned that unloading a burden creates an urgent situation, so everything will work out well for me.

However, in this case, the law is different. It is necessary to help, especially the one I don't like. The Torah asks, in a unique way, to precisely help him, for one reason: to balance our inclinations. The Torah wants us to place values above ego. To create genuine goodness, not something dependent on my mood that specific day.
Sometimes, the effort not to avoid what is difficult for me but rather to try to help, can turn an enemy into a great friend.

(Torah excerpt from Rabbi Yoav Yossef Akrich)