Temple Mount - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

11/28/2014
TempleMountWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia
TempleMount
Coordinates:314640.7N35148.9E
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia
TheTempleMount,knowninHebrewasHar
haByit(Hebrew:
)orasHarhaMoria
(Hebrew:
)andinArabicastheHaram
alSharif(Arabic:
,alharamal
qudsashsharf),theNobleSanctuary,isoneof
themostimportantreligioussitesintheOldCity
ofJerusalem.Ithasbeenusedasareligioussite
forthousandsofyears.Atleastfourreligious
traditionsareknowntohavemadeuseofthe
TempleMount:Judaism,Christianity,Roman
religion,andIslam.Thepresentsiteisdominated
bythreemonumentalstructuresfromtheearly
Umayyadperiod:thealAqsaMosque,theDome
oftheRockandtheDomeoftheChain.Herodian
wallswithadditionsdatingbacktothelate
ByzantineandearlyIslamicperiodscutthrough
theflanksoftheMount.Itcanbeascendedvia
fourgates,withguardpostsofIsraelipoliceinthe
vicinityofeach.
Traditionsoftenidentifieditwithtwobiblical
mountainsofuncertainlocation:MountMoriah
wherethestoryofthebindingofIsaacisset,and
MountZionwheretheoriginalJebusitefortress
stoodhowever,bothinterpretationsaredisputed.
TempleMount
,HarhaByith
,alHaramashSharf,
AerialsouthernviewoftheTempleMount
Elevation
740m(2,430ft)
Location
Temple
Mount
JudaismregardstheTempleMountasoneofthe
placeswhereGod'sdivinepresencewas
manifested.Accordingtotherabbinicsageswhose
debatesproducedtheTalmud,itwasfromherethe
worldexpandedintoitspresentformandwhere
Godgatheredthedustusedtocreatethefirst
human,Adam.SinceatleastthefirstcenturyCE,
thesitehasbeenassociatedinJudaismwiththe
Jerusalem
locationofAbraham'sbindingofIsaac,atradition
Range
Judean
assimilatedbyIslam,whichhoweverlater
Coordinates
314640.7N35148.9E
identifiedthesiteofthatritualwithMecca.[2]
AccordingtotheBible,bothJewishTemplesstood
Geology
attheTempleMount,thoughthereisnoprooffor
Type
Limestone[1]
thefirsttemple.[3]However,theidentificationof
Solomon'sTemplewiththeareaoftheTemple
Mountiswidespread.AccordingtotheBiblethesiteshouldfunctionasthecenterofallnationallifea
governmental,judicialand,ofcourse,religiouscenter.[4]DuringtheSecondTempleperioditfunctioned
alsoasaneconomiccenter.AccordingtoJewishtraditionandscripture(2Chronicles3:12),thefirst
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Mount
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templewasbuiltbyKingSolomonthesonofKingDavidin957BCEanddestroyedbytheBabyloniansin
586BCE.ThesecondwasconstructedundertheauspicesofZerubbabelin516BCEanddestroyedbythe
RomanEmpirein70CE.Afterwardsthesiteremainedundevelopedforsixcenturies,untiltheArab
conquest.[5]JewishtraditionmaintainsitishereaThirdandfinalTemplewillalsobebuilt.Thelocationis
theholiestsiteinJudaismandistheplaceJewsturntowardsduringprayer.Duetoitsextremesanctity,
manyJewswillnotwalkontheMountitself,toavoidunintentionallyenteringtheareawheretheHolyof
Holiesstood,sinceaccordingtoRabbinicallaw,someaspectofthedivinepresenceisstillpresentatthe
site.[6]ItwasfromtheHolyofHoliesthattheHighPriestcommunicateddirectlywithGod.
AmongSunniMuslims,theMountiswidelyconsideredthethirdholiestsiteinIslam.ReveredastheNoble
Sanctuary(BaytalMaqdesorBaytalMuqaddas)andthelocationofMuhammad'sjourneytoJerusalem
andascenttoheaven,thesiteisalsoassociatedwithJewishbiblicalprophetswhoarealsoveneratedin
Islam(Quran2:4,34:134).AftertheMuslimconquestofJerusalemin637CE,UmayyadCaliphs
commissionedtheconstructionofthealAqsaMosqueandDomeoftheRockonthesite.[7]TheDomewas
completedin692CE,makingitoneoftheoldestextantIslamicstructuresintheworld,aftertheKaabah.
TheAlAqsaMosquerestsonthefarsouthernsideoftheMount,facingMecca.TheDomeoftheRock
currentlysitsinthemiddle,occupyingorclosetotheareawheretheHolyTemplepreviouslystood.[8]
InlightofthedualclaimsofbothJudaismandIslam,itisoneofthemostcontestedreligioussitesinthe
world.SincetheCrusades,theMuslimcommunityofJerusalemhasmanagedthesiteasaWaqf,without
interruption.[9]AsthesiteispartoftheOldCity,controlledbyIsraelsince1967,bothIsraelandthe
PalestinianAuthorityclaimsovereigntyoverit,anditremainsamajorfocalpointoftheArabIsraeli
conflict.[10]Inanattempttokeepthestatusquo,theIsraeligovernmentenforcesacontroversialbanon
prayerbynonMuslimvisitors.
Contents
1Locationanddimensions
2History
2.1Israeliteperiod
2.2AchaemenidPersian,Hasmoneanperiods,andHerod'sexpansion
2.3MiddleRomanperiod
2.4LateRomanperiod
2.5Byzantineperiod
2.6Sassanidvassalstateperiod
2.7Muslimperiod
2.8Crusaderperiod
2.9Ottomanperiod
2.10BritishMandateperiod
2.11Jordanianperiod
2.12Israeliperiod
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3Managementandaccess
4Currentfeatures
4.1Alterationstoantiquitiesanddamagetoexistingstructures
5Religiousattitudes
5.1InJudaism
5.1.1Jewishreligiouslawconcerningentrytothesite
5.1.2Opinionsofcontemporaryrabbisconcerningentrytothesite
5.2InIslam
5.3InChristianity
6Recentevents
7Panorama
8Seealso
9References
10Bibliography
11Externallinks
Locationanddimensions
TheTempleMountformsthenorthernportionofaverynarrow
spurofhillthatslopessharplyfromnorthtosouth.Risingabove
theKidronValleytotheeastandTyropoeonValleytothe
west,[11]itspeakreachesaheightof740m(2,428ft)abovesea
level.[12]Inaround19BCE,HerodtheGreatextendedthe
Mount'snaturalplateaubyenclosingtheareawithfourmassive
retainingwallsandfillingthevoids.Thisartificialexpansion
resultedinalargeflatexpansewhichtodayformstheeastern
TheHolylandModelofJerusaleminthe
sectionoftheOldCityofJerusalem.Thetrapeziumshaped
lateSecondTempleperiod.Thelarge
platformmeasures488malongthewest,470malongtheeast,
flatexpansewasabaseforHerod's
315malongthenorthand280malongthesouth,givingatotal
Temple,inthecenter.Theviewisfrom
areaofapproximately150,000m2(37acres).[13]Thenorthern
outsidetheEasternWalloftheTemple
walloftheMount,togetherwiththenorthernsectionofthe
Mount.
westernwall,ishiddenbehindresidentialbuildings.The
southernsectionofthewesternflankisrevealedandcontains
whatisknownastheWesternWall.Theretainingwallsonthesetwosidesdescendmanymetersbelow
groundlevel.AnorthernportionofthewesternwallmaybeseenfromwithintheWesternWallTunnel,
whichwasexcavatedthroughbuildingsadjacenttotheplatform.Onthesouthernandeasternsidesthe
wallsarevisiblealmosttotheirfullheight.TheplatformitselfisseparatedfromtherestoftheOldCityby
theTyropoeonValley,thoughthisoncedeepvalleyisnowlargelyhiddenbeneathlaterdeposits,andis
imperceptibleinplaces.TheplatformcanbereachedviaBridgeStreetastreetintheMuslimQuarterat
theleveloftheplatform,actuallysittingonamonumentalbridgethebridgeisnolongerexternallyvisible
duetothechangeingroundlevel,butitmaybeseenfrombeneathviatheWesternWallTunnel.
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History
Israeliteperiod
Thehillisbelievedtohavebeeninhabitedsincethe4thmillenniumBCE.
AssumingcolocationwiththebiblicalMountZion,itssouthernsectionwouldhavebeenwalledatthe
beginningofthe2ndmillenniumBCE,inaround1850BCE,byCanaaniteswhoestablishedasettlement
there(orinthevicinity)namedJebus.
BiblicalscholarshavealsoidentifieditwithMountMoriahwherethebindingofIsaactookplace.
AccordingtotheHebrewBible,MountMoriahwasoriginallyathreshingfloorownedbyAraunah,a
Jebusite.TheprophetGadsuggestedtheareatoKingDavidasafittingplacefortheerectionofanaltarto
YHWH,sinceitwasthereadestroyingangelwasstandingwhenGodstoppedagreatplaguein
Jerusalem.[14]DavidthenboughtthepropertyfromAraunah,forfiftypiecesofsilver,anderectedthealtar.
YHWHinstructedDavidtobuildasanctuaryonthesite,outsidethecitywallsonthenorthernedgeofthe
hill.ThebuildingwastoreplacetheTabernacle,andserveastheTempleoftheIsraelitesinJerusalem.[15]
TheTempleMountisanimportantpartofBiblicalarchaeology.
AchaemenidPersian,Hasmoneanperiods,andHerod'sexpansion
MuchoftheMount'searlyhistoryissynonymouswithevents
pertainingtotheTempleitself.Aftertheallegeddestructionof
Solomon'sTemplebyNebuchadnezzarII,constructionofthe
SecondTemplebeganunderCyrusinaround538BCE,and
completedin516BCE.EvidenceofaHasmoneanexpansionofthe
TempleMounthasbeenrecoveredbyarchaeologistLeenRitmeyer.
Astone(2.43x1m)withHebrew
Around19BCE,HerodtheGreatfurtherexpandedtheMountand
inscription"Tothe
rebuiltthetemple.Theambitiousproject,whichinvolvedthe
TrumpetingPlace"excavatedby
employmentof10,000workers,[16]morethandoubledthesizeof
BenjaminMazaratthesouthernfoot
TempleMounttoapproximately36acres(150,000m2).Herod
oftheTempleMountisbelievedto
leveledtheareabycuttingawayrockonthenorthwestsideand
beapartoftheSecondTemple
raisingtheslopinggroundtothesouth.Heachievedthisby
constructinghugebuttresswallsandvaults,fillingthenecessary
sectionswithearthandrubble.[17]Abasilica(theRoyalStoa)wasconstructedonthesouthernendofthe
expandedplatform,whichprovidedafocusforthecity'scommercialandlegaltransactions,andwhichwas
providedwithseparateaccesstothecitybelowviatheRobinson'sArchoverpass.[18]Inadditionto
restorationoftheTemple,itscourtyards,andporticoes,HerodalsobuiltAntoniaFortressabuttingthe
northwesterncorneroftheTempleMount,andarainwaterreservoir,BirketIsrael,inthenortheast.Asa
resultoftheFirstJewishRomanWar,thefortresswasdestroyedbyRomanemperorVespasian,in70CE,
underthecommandofhissonandimperialheir,Titus.
MiddleRomanperiod
ThecityofAeliaCapitolinawasbuiltin130CEbytheRomanemperorHadrian,andoccupiedbyaRoman
colonyonthesiteofJerusalem,whichwasstillinruinsfromtheFirstJewishRevoltin70CE.
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AeliacamefromHadrian'snomengentile,Aelius,whileCapitolinameantthatthenewcitywasdedicated
toJupiterCapitolinus,towhomatemplewasbuiltonthesiteoftheformersecondJewishtemple,the
TempleMount.[19]
Hadrianhadintendedtheconstructionofthenewcityasagift
totheJews,butsincehehadconstructedagiantstatueof
himselfinfrontoftheTempleofJupiterandtheTempleof
JupiterhadahugestatueofJupiterinsideofit,therewerenow
twoenormousgravenimagesontheTempleMount.Itwasalso
thenormalpracticeoftheadherentsoftheHellenicreligionto
sacrificepigsbeforetheirdeities.Inadditiontothis,Hadrian
issuedadecreeprohibitingthepracticeofcircumcision.These
threefactors,thegravenimages,thesacrificeofpigsbeforethe
altar,andtheprohibitionofcircumcision,constitutedfornon
HellenizedJewsanewabominationofdesolation,andthusBar
KochbalaunchedtheThirdJewishRevolt.AftertheThird
JewishRevoltfailed,allJewswereforbiddenonpainofdeath
fromenteringthecity.
LateRomanperiod
Fromthe1stthroughthe7thcenturiesChristianityspread
throughouttheRomanEmpireandJerusalembecame
predominantlyChristian.[20][21]
StonesfromthewallsoftheTemple
Mount
In363,EmperorJulian,onhiswaytoengagePersia,stoppedattheruinsoftheSecondTemplein
Jerusalem.JuliangrantedtheJewspermissiontobeginrebuildingtheTemple.[22]ToChristians,the
destroyedTemplewasasymbolofChristianity'striumphoverJudaism,andJulian,wasanopponentof
Christianity.[22]Rebuildingworkbegan,butwasendedbytheGalileeearthquakeof363.[22][23]
TherearerecordsofJewscontinuingtooffersacrificesontheFoundationStoneafterthedestructionofthe
TempleandintotheByzantineperiod.[22]
Byzantineperiod
ArchaeologicalevidenceintheformofanelaboratemosaicfloorsimilartotheoneintheChurchofthe
NativityinBethlehemandmultiplefragmentsofanelaboratemarbleTemplon(chancelscreen)provethat
anelaborateByzantinechurchormonasteryorotherpublicbuildingstoodontheTempleMountin
Byzantinetimes.[24]
Sassanidvassalstateperiod
In610,theSassanidEmpiredrovetheByzantineEmpireoutoftheMiddleEast,givingtheJewscontrolof
Jerusalemforthefirsttimeincenturies.TheJewsinPalestinewereallowedtosetupavassalstateunder
theSassanidEmpirecalledtheSassanidJewishCommonwealthwhichlastedforfiveyears.Jewishrabbis
orderedtherestartofanimalsacrificeforthefirsttimesincethetimeofSecondTempleandstartedto
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reconstructtheJewishTemple.ShortlybeforetheByzantinestooktheareabackfiveyearslaterin615,the
PersiansgavecontroltotheChristianpopulation,whotoredownthepartiallybuiltJewishTempleedifice
andturneditintoagarbagedump,[25]whichiswhatitwaswhentheCaliphOmartookthecityinthe630s.
Muslimperiod
UponthecaptureofJerusalembythevictoriousCaliphOmar,Omar
immediatelyheadedtotheTempleMountwithhisadvisor,Ka'abal
Ahbar,aformerrabbiwhohadconvertedtoIslam,inordertofindthe
holysiteofthe"FurthestMosque"orAlMasjidalAqsawhichwas
mentionedintheQuranandspecifiedintheHadithsofbeingin
Jerusalem.Ka'abalAhbarsuggestedtoCaliphOmartobuildtheDome
oftheRockmonumentonthesitethatKa'abbelievedtobethebiblical
HolyofHolies,believingthatthissiteiswhereMohammadascended
toheavenduringtheIsraandMi'rajmiracle.Theactualconstructionof
theMuslimmonumentsatthesoutheastcorner,facingMecca,near
whichthealAqsaMosquewasbuilt78yearslater.Theoriginal
buildingisnowknowntohavebeenwoodenandtohavebeen
constructedonthesiteofaByzantinepublicbuildingwithanelaborate
mosaicfloor.[24]
SouthwestqanatiroftheHaramal
Sharif
In691anoctagonalIslamicbuildingtoppedbyadomewasbuiltbythe
CaliphAbdalMalikaroundtherock,foramyriadofpolitical,dynastic
andreligiousreasons,builtonlocalandQuranictraditionsarticulating
thesite'sholiness,aprocessinwhichtextualandarchitectural
narrativesreinforcedoneanother.[26]Theshrinebecameknownasthe
AmodeloftheHaramalSharif
DomeoftheRock(QubbatasSakhra).(Thedomeitselfwas
madein1879byConradSchlick.
coveredingoldin1920.)In715theUmayyads,ledbytheCaliphal
Themodelcanbeseeninthe
WalidI,rebuilttheTemple'snearbyChanuyotintoamosque(see
BijbelsMuseuminAmsterdam
illustrations[4](http://www.campsci.com/museum/room18.htm)and
detaileddrawing[5]
(http://www.campsci.com/museum/images/18a.jpg)),whichtheynamedalMasjidalAqsa,the
alAqsaMosqueorintranslation"thefurthestmosque",correspondingtotheIslamicbeliefofMuhammad's
miraculousnocturnaljourneyasrecountedintheQuranandhadith.ThetermalHaramalSharif
(theNobleSanctuary),asitwascalledlaterbytheMamluksandOttomans,referstothewholearea
thatsurroundsthatRock.[27]
ForMuslims,theimportanceoftheDomeoftheRockandalAqsaMosquemakesJerusalemthethird
holiestcity,afterMeccaandMedina.ThemosqueandshrinearecurrentlyadministeredbyaWaqf(an
Islamictrust).ThevariousinscriptionsontheDomewallsandtheartisticdecorationsimplyasymbolic
eschatologicalsignificanceofthestructure.
Crusaderperiod
TheCrusaderperiodbeganin1099withtheFirstCrusade'scaptureofJerusalem.Afterthecity'sconquest,
theCrusadingorderKnightsTemplarwasgranteduseoftheDomeoftheRockontheTempleMountby
BaldwinIIofJerusalemandWarmund,PatriarchofJerusalemprobablyattheCouncilofNablusinJanuary
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1120,givingtheTemplarsaheadquartersinthecapturedAlAqsaMosque.[28]TheTempleMounthada
mystiquebecauseitwasabovewhatwasbelievedtobetheruinsoftheTempleofSolomon.[29][30]The
CrusadersthereforereferredtotheAlAqsaMosqueasSolomon'sTemple,anditwasfromthislocationthat
thenewOrdertookthenameofPoorKnightsofChristandtheTempleofSolomon,or"Templar"knights.
Ottomanperiod
FollowingtheOttomanconquestofPalestinein1516,theOttomanauthoritiescontinuedthepolicyof
prohibitingnonMuslimsfromsettingfootontheTempleMountuntiltheearly19thcentury,whennon
Muslimswereagainpermittedtovisitthesite.[22]
In1867,ateamfromtheRoyalEngineers,ledbyLieutenantCharlesWarrenandfinancedbythePalestine
ExplorationFund(P.E.F.),discoveredaseriesofundergroundtunnelsneartheTempleMount.Warren
secretlyexcavatedsometunnelsneartheTempleMountwallsandwasthefirstonetodocumenttheirlower
courses.WarrenalsoconductedsomesmallscaleexcavationsinsidetheTempleMount,byremoving
rubblethatblockedpassagesleadingfromtheDoubleGatechamber.
BritishMandateperiod
Between1922and1924,theDomeoftheRockwasrestoredbytheIslamicHigherCouncil.[31]
Jordanianperiod
JordanundertooktworenovationsoftheDomeoftheRock,replacingtheleaking,woodendomewithan
aluminumdomein1952,and,whenthenewdomeleaked,carryingoutasecondrestorationbetween1959
and1964.[31]
NeitherIsraeliArabsnorIsraeliJewscouldvisittheirholyplacesintheJordanianterritoriesduringthis
period.[32][33]
Israeliperiod
On7June1967,duringtheSixDayWar,Israeliforcesadvancedbeyondthe1949ArmisticeAgreement
LineintoWestBankterritories,takingcontroloftheOldCityofJerusalem,inclusiveoftheTempleMount.
TheChiefRabbioftheIsraeliDefenseForces,ShlomoGoren,ledthesoldiersinreligiouscelebrationson
theTempleMountandattheWesternWall.TheIsraeliChiefRabbinatealsodeclaredareligiousholiday
ontheanniversary,called"YomYerushalayim"(JerusalemDay),whichbecameanationalholidayto
commemoratethereunificationofJerusalem.ManyJewssawthecaptureofJerusalemandtheTemple
Mountasamiraculousliberationofbiblicalmessianicproportion.Afewdaysafterthewarwasover
200,000JewsflockedtotheWesternWallinthefirstmassJewishpilgrimageneartheMountsincethe
destructionoftheTemplein70CE.
ThethenPrimeMinisterofIsrael,LeviEshkol,gavecontrolofaccesstotheTempleMounttothe
JerusalemIslamicWaqf.ThesitehassincebeenaflashpointbetweenIsraelandlocalMuslims.
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OnOctober8,1990,Israeliforcespatrollingthesiteblockedworshipersfromaccessingit.Ateargas
canisterwasdetonatedamongthefemaleworshipers,whichcausedeventstoescalate.[34]Rockswere
eventuallythrown,whilesecurityforcesfiredroundsthatendedupkilling20peopleandinjuredaround
140more.AnIsraelienquiryfoundIsraeliforcesatfault,butitalsoconcludedthatchargescouldnotbe
broughtagainstanyparticularindividuals.[35]
Between1992and1994,theJordaniangovernmentundertooktheunprecedentedstepofgildingthedome
oftheDomeoftheRock,coveringitwith5000goldplates,andrestoringandreinforcingthestructure.The
SalahEddinminbarwasalsorestored.TheprojectwaspaidforbyKingHusseinpersonally,atacostof$8
million.[31]UnderthetermsoftheIsraelJordanpeacetreaty,theTempleMountremainsunderJordanian
custodianship,andJewsmayenterthecompound,butareforbiddenfromprayingorconductingreligious
ritesthere.[36]
OnSeptember28,2000,IsraelioppositionleaderArielSharonvisitedtheTempleMount.Hetouredthe
site,togetherwithaLikudpartydelegationandalargenumberofIsraeliriotpolice.Thevisitwasseenasa
provocativegesturebymanyPalestinians,whogatheredaroundthesite.Demonstrationssoonturned
violent,withbothrubberbulletsandteargasbeingused.Thiseventisoftencitedasoneofthecatalystsof
theSecondPalestinianIntifada.[37]
Alsointhisperiod,PalestinianauthoritiesbeganexcavationsattheTempleMount,damagingthestructural
integrityofthesiteseebelow.
Managementandaccess
AnIslamicWaqfhasmanagedtheTempleMountcontinuously
sincetheMuslimreconquestoftheKingdomofJerusalemin1187.
OnJune7,1967,soonafterIsraelhadtakencontrolofthearea
duringtheSixDayWar,PrimeMinisterLeviEshkolassuredthat
"noharmwhatsoevershallcometotheplacessacredtoall
religions".TogetherwiththeextensionofIsraelijurisdictionand
administrationovereastJerusalem,theKnessetpassedthe
PreservationoftheHolyPlacesLaw,[38]ensuringprotectionofthe
HolyPlacesagainstdesecration,aswellasfreedomofaccess
thereto.[39]ThesiteremainswithinthenationalboundariesofIsrael
withadministrationofthesiteremaininginthehandsofthe
JerusalemIslamicWaqf.
Althoughfreedomofaccesswasenshrinedinthelaw,asasecurity
measure,theIsraeligovernmentcurrentlyenforcesabanonnon
Muslimprayeronthesite.NonMuslimswhoareobservedpraying
onthesitearesubjecttoexpulsionbythepolice.[40]Atvarious
times,whenthereisfearofArabriotinguponthemountresultingin
throwingstonesfromabovetowardstheWesternWallPlaza,Israel
haspreventedMuslimmenunder45fromprayinginthecompound,
citingtheseconcerns.[41]Sometimessuchrestrictionshave
coincidedwithFridayprayersduringtheIslamicholymonthof
SigninHebrewandEnglishoutside
theTempleMountstatingtheChief
Rabbinate'spreferencethatnoperson
shouldenterthesite,sinceitisthe
holiestsiteinJudaism
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Ramadan.[42]Normally,WestBankPalestiniansareallowedaccesstoJerusalemonlyduringIslamic
holidays,withaccessusuallyrestrictedtomenover35andwomenofanyageeligibleforpermitstoenter
thecity.[43]PalestinianresidentsofJerusalem,whichbecauseofIsrael'sannexationofJerusalem,hold
Israelipermanentresidencycards,andIsraeliArabs,arepermittedunrestrictedaccesstotheTempleMount.
Currentfeatures
Anadditionalflatplatformwasbuiltabovetheportionofthehillrisingabovethegenerallevelofthetopof
theTempleMount,andthisupperplatformisthelocationoftheDomeoftheRocktherockinquestionis
thebedrockatthepeakofthehill,justbreachingthefloorleveloftheupperplatform.Beneaththerockisa
naturalcaveknownastheWellofSouls,originallyaccessibleonlybyanarrowholeintherockitself,
Crusadershackedopenanentrancetothecavefromthesouth,bywhichitcannowbeentered.Thereis
alsoasmallerdomedbuildingontheupperplatform,slightlytotheeastoftheDomeoftheRock,knownas
theDomeoftheChaintraditionallythelocationwhereachainoncerosetoheaven.Severalstairways
risetotheupperplatformfromthelowerthatatthenorthwestcornerisbelievedbysomearchaeologistsbe
partofamuchwidermonumentalstaircase,mostlyhiddenordestroyed,anddatingfromtheSecond
Templeera.
Thelowerplatformwhichconstitutesmostofthesurfaceofthe
TempleMounthasatitssouthernendthealAqsaMosque,which
takesupmostofthewidthoftheMount.Gardenstakeuptheeastern
andmostofthenorthernsideoftheplatformthefarnorthofthe
platformhousesanIslamicschool.[44]Thelowerplatformalsohousesa
fountain(knownasalKas),originallysuppliedwithwaterviaalong
narrowaqueductleadingfrompoolsatBethlehem(colloquiallyknown
asSolomon'sPools),butnowsuppliedfromJerusalem'swatermains.
Thereareseveralcisternsembeddedinthelowerplatform,designedto
collectrainwaterasawatersupply.Thesehavevariousformsand
structures,seeminglybuiltindifferentperiodsbydifferentarchitects,
rangingfromvaultedchambersbuiltinthegapbetweenthebedrock
andtheplatform,tochamberscutintothebedrockitself.Ofthese,the
mostnotableare(numberingtraditionallyfollowsWilson'sscheme[45]):
ThealKasablutionfountainfor
Muslimworshipersonthe
southernportionofthelower
platform.
Cistern1(locatedunderthenorthernsideoftheupperplatform).Thereisaspeculationthatithada
functionconnectedwiththealtaroftheSecondTemple(andpossiblyoftheearlierTemple),[46]or
withthebronzesea.
Cistern5(locatedunderthesoutheasterncorneroftheupperplatform)alongandnarrow
chamber,withastrangeanticlockwisecurvedsectionatitsnorthwesterncorner,andcontaining
withinitadoorwaycurrentlyblockedbyearth.Thecistern'spositionanddesignissuchthattherehas
beenspeculationithadafunctionconnectedwiththealtaroftheSecondTemple(andpossiblyofthe
earlierTemple),orwiththebronzesea.CharlesWarrenthoughtthatthealtarofburntofferingswas
locatedatthenorthwesternend.[47]
Cistern8(locatedjustnorthofthealAqsaMosque)knownastheGreatSea,alargerockhewn
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cavern,theroofsupportedbypillarscarvedfromtherockthechamberisparticularlycavelikeand
atmospheric,[48]anditsmaximumwatercapacityisseveralhundredthousandgallons.
Cistern9(locatedjustsouthofcistern8,anddirectlyunderthealAqsaMosque)knownasthe
WelloftheLeafduetoitsleafshapedplan,alsorockhewn.
Cistern11(locatedeastofcistern9)asetofvaultedroomsformingaplanshapedliketheletterE.
Probablythelargestcistern,ithasthepotentialtohouseover700,000gallonsofwater.
Cistern16/17(locatedatthecentreofthefarnorthernendoftheTempleMount).Despitethe
currentlynarrowentrances,thiscistern(17and16arethesamecistern)isalargevaultedchamber,
whichWarrendescribedaslookingliketheinsideofthecathedralatCordoba(whichwaspreviously
amosque).Warrenbelievedthatitwasalmostcertainlybuiltforsomeotherpurpose,andwasonly
adaptedintoacisternatalaterdatehesuggestedthatitmighthavebeenpartofageneralvault
supportingthenorthernsideoftheplatform,inwhichcasesubstantiallymoreofthechamberexists
thanisusedforacistern.
Thewallsoftheplatformcontainseveralgateways,allcurrently
blocked.IntheeastwallistheGoldenGate,throughwhichlegend
statestheJewishMessiahwouldenterJerusalem.Onthesouthernface
aretheHuldaGatesthetriplegate(whichhasthreearches)andthe
doublegate(whichhastwoarches,andispartlyobscuredbya
Crusaderbuilding)theseweretheentranceandexit(respectively)to
theTempleMountfromOphel(theoldestpartofJerusalem),andthe
mainaccesstotheMountforordinaryJews.Inthewesternface,near
thesoutherncorner,istheBarclay'sGateonlyhalfvisibleduetoa
buildingonthenorthernside.Alsointhewesternface,hiddenbylater
constructionbutvisibleviatherecentWesternWallTunnels,andonly
rediscoveredbyWarren,isWarren'sGatethefunctionofthese
westerngatesisobscure,butmanyJewsviewWarren'sGateas
particularlyholy,duetoitslocationduewestoftheDomeoftheRock.
TraditionalbeliefconsiderstheDomeoftheRocktohaveearlierbeen
thelocationatwhichtheHolyofHolieswasplacednumerous
alternativeopinionsexist,basedonstudyandcalculations,suchas
thoseofTuviaSagiv.[49]
Warrenwasabletoinvestigatetheinsideofthesegates.Warren'sGate
andtheGoldenGatesimplyheadtowardsthecentreoftheMount,
fairlyquicklygivingaccesstothesurfacebysteps.[50]Barclay'sGateis
similar,butabruptlyturnssouthasitdoessothereasonforthisis
currentlyunknown.Thedoubleandtriplegates(theHuldahGates)are
moresubstantialheadingintotheMountforsomedistancetheyeach
finallyhavestepsrisingtothesurfacejustnorthofthealAqsa
Mosque.[51]Thepassagewayforeachisvaulted,andhastwoaisles(in
thecaseofthetriplegate,athirdaisleexistsforabriefdistancebeyond
TheeasternsetofHuldagates.
Robinson'sArch,situatedonthe
southwesternflank,once
supportedastaircasethatledto
theMount.
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thegate)theeasternaisleofthedoublegatesandwesternofthetriplegatesreachthesurface,theother
aislesterminatingsomewaybeforethestepsWarrenbelievedthatoneaisleofeachoriginalpassagewas
extendedwhenthealAqsaMosqueblockedtheoriginalsurfaceexits.
Eastofandjoinedtothetriplegatepassagewayisalargevaultedarea,supportingthesoutheasterncorner
oftheTempleMountplatformwhichissubstantiallyabovethebedrockatthispointthevaulted
chambersherearepopularlyreferredtoasKingSolomon'sStables.[52]Theywereusedasstablesbythe
Crusaders,butwerebuiltbyHerodtheGreatalongwiththeplatformtheywerebuilttosupport.Inthe
processofinvestigatingCistern10,WarrendiscoveredtunnelsthatlayundertheTripleGate
passageway.[53]Thesepassagesleadinerraticdirections,someleadingbeyondthesouthernedgeofthe
TempleMount(theyareatadepthbelowthebaseofthewalls)theirpurposeiscurrentlyunknownasis
whethertheypredatetheTempleMountasituationnothelpedbythefactthatapartfromWarren's
expeditionnooneelseisknowntohavevisitedthem.
TheexistingfourminaretsincludethreeneartheWesternWallandonenearthenorthernwall.Thefirst
minaretwasconstructedonthesouthwestcorneroftheTempleMountin1278.Thesecondwasbuiltin
1297byorderofaMamelukking,thethirdbyagovernorofJerusalemin1329,andthelastin1367.
Alterationstoantiquitiesanddamagetoexistingstructures
Duetotheextremepoliticalsensitivityofthesite,norealarchaeologicalexcavationshaveeverbeen
conductedontheTempleMountitself.Protestscommonlyoccurwheneverarchaeologistsconductprojects
neartheMount.Thissensitivityhasnot,however,preventedtheMuslimWaqffromdestroying
archeologicalevidenceonanumberofoccasions.[54][55][56][57]Asidefromvisualobservationofsurface
features,mostotherarchaeologicalknowledgeofthesitecomesfromthe19thcenturysurveycarriedout
byCharlesWilsonandCharlesWarrenandothers.
AftertheSixDayWarof1967,Israeliarcheologistsbeganaseriesofexcavationsnearthesiteatthe
southernwallthatuncoveredfindsfromtheSecondTempleperiodthroughRoman,UmayyadandCrusader
times.[58]Overtheperiod197088,anumberoftunnelswereexcavatedinthevicinity,includingonethat
passedtothewestoftheMountandbecameknownastheWesternWallTunnel,whichwasopenedtothe
publicin1996.[59][60]ThesameyeartheWaqfbeganconstructionofanewmosqueinthestructuresknown
sinceCrusadertimesasSolomon'sStables.ManyIsraelisregardedthisasaradicalchangeofthestatusquo,
whichshouldnothavebeenundertakenwithoutfirstconsultingtheIsraeligovernment.Theprojectwas
donewithoutattentiontothepossibilityofdisturbinghistoricallysignificantarchaeologicalmaterial,with
stoneandancientartifactstreatedwithoutregardtotheirpreservation.[61]
InOctober1999,theIslamicWaqf,andtheIslamicMovementconductedanillegaldigwhichinflicted
mucharchaeologicaldamage.Theearthfromthisoperation,whichhasarcheologicalwealthrelevantto
Jewish,ChristianandMuslimhistory,wasremovedbyheavymachineryandunceremoniouslydumpedby
trucksintothenearbyKidronValley.Althoughthearcheologicalfindsintheeartharealreadynotinsitu,
thissoilstillcontainsgreatarcheologicalpotential.Noarcheologicalexcavationwaseverconductedonthe
TempleMount,andthissoilwastheonlyarcheologicalinformationthathaseverbeenavailabletoanyone.
ForthisreasonIsraeliarchaeologistsDr.GabrielBarkayandZachiZweigestablishedaprojectsiftingall
theearthinthisdump:theTempleMountSiftingProject.Amongfindsuncoveredinrubbleremovedfrom
theTempleMountwere:
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TheimprintofasealthoughttohavebelongedtoapriestlyJewishfamilymentionedintheOld
Testament'sBookofJeremiah.
Morethan4300coinsfromvariousperiods.ManyofthemarefromtheJewishrevoltthatpreceded
thedestructionoftheSecondTemplebyRomanlegionsin70CEemblazonedwiththewords
"FreedomofZion"
ArrowheadsshotbyBabylonianarchers2,500yearsago,andotherslaunchedbyRomansiege
machinery500yearslater.
Uniquefloorslabsofthe'opussectile'techniquethatwereusedtopavetheTempleMountcourts.
ThisisalsomentionedinJosephusaccountsandtheBabylonianTalmud.
Inlate2002,abulgeofabout700mmwasreportedinthesouthernretainingwallpartoftheTemple
Mount.AJordanianteamofengineersrecommendedreplacingorresettingmostofthestonesinthe
affectedarea.[62]InFebruary2004,theeasternwalloftheMountwasdamagedbyanearthquake.The
damagethreatenedtotopplesectionsofthewallintotheareaknownasSolomon'sStables.[63]Afewdays
later,aportionofretainingwall,supportingtheearthenrampthatledfromtheWesternWallplazatothe
GateoftheMoorsontheTempleMount,collapsed.[64]In2007theIsraelAntiquitiesAuthoritystarted
workontheconstructionofatemporarywoodenpedestrianpathwaytoreplacetheMugrabiGateramp
afteralandslidein2005madeitunsafeandindangerofcollapse.[65]Theworkssparkedcondemnation
fromArableaders.[66]
InJuly2007theMuslimreligioustrustwhichadministerstheMountbegandigginga400metrelong,1.5
metredeeptrench[67]fromthenorthernsideoftheTempleMountcompoundtotheDomeoftheRock[68]in
ordertoreplace40yearold[69]electriccablesinthearea.Israeliarchaeologistsaccusedthewaqfofa
deliberateactofculturalvandalism.[68]
IsraelisallegethatPalestiniansaredeliberately
removingsignificantamountsofarchaeological
evidenceabouttheJewishpastofthesiteand
claimtohavefoundsignificantartifactsinthe
fillremovedbybulldozersandtrucksfromthe
TempleMount.SincetheWaqfisgranted
SouthernWallofTempleMount,southwesterncorner.
almostfullautonomyontheIslamicholysites,
Israeliarchaeologistshavebeenpreventedfrom
inspectingthearea,andarerestrictedtoconductingexcavationsaroundtheTempleMount.Muslimsallege
thattheIsraelisaredeliberatelydamagingtheremainsofIslamicerabuildingsfoundintheir
excavations.[70]
Religiousattitudes
InJudaism
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JewishconnectionandvenerationtothesitearguablystemsfromthefactthatitcontainstheFoundation
Stonewhich,accordingtotherabbisoftheTalmud,wasthespotfromwhere
theworldwascreatedandexpandedintoitscurrentform.[71][72]Itwas
subsequentlytheHolyofHoliesoftheTemple,theMostHolyPlacein
Judaism.[22]Jewishtraditionnamesitasthelocationforanumberofimportant
eventswhichoccurredintheBible,includingtheBindingofIsaac,Jacob's
dream,andtheprayerofIsaacandRebekah.[73]Similarly,whentheBible
recountsthatKingDavidpurchasedathreshingfloorownedbyAraunahthe
Jebusite,[74]traditionlocatesitasbeingonthismount.AnearlyJewishtext,the
GenesisRabba,statesthatthissiteisoneofthreeaboutwhichthenationsof
theworldcannottauntIsraelandsay"youhavestolenthem,"sinceitwas
purchased"foritsfullprice"byDavid.[75]AccordingtotheBible,David
wantedtoconstructasanctuarythere,butthiswaslefttohissonSolomon,who
completedthetaskinc.950BCEwiththeconstructionoftheFirstTemple.[76]
PresumedtobeThe
In1217,SpanishRabbiJudahalHarizifoundthesightoftheMuslim
structuresonthemountprofoundlydisturbing."Whattormenttoseeourholy
courtsconvertedintoanalientemple!"hewrote.[77]
FoundationStone,ora
largepartofit
DuetoreligiousrestrictionsonenteringthemostsacredareasoftheTempleMount(seefollowingsection),
theWesternWall,aretainingwallfortheTempleMountandremnantoftheSecondTemplestructure,is
consideredbysomerabbinicalauthoritiestheholiestaccessiblesiteforJewstopray.Jewishtextsrecord
thattheMountwillbethesiteoftheThirdTemple,whichwillberebuiltwiththecomingoftheJewish
Messiah.AnumberofvocalJewishgroupsnowadvocatebuildingtheThirdHolyTemplewithoutdelayin
ordertobringtopassGod's"endtimepropheticplansforIsraelandtheentireworld.[78]
A2013KnessetcommitteehearingconsideredallowingJewstoprayatthesite,amidstheateddebate.
ArabIsraeliMPswereejectedfordisruptingthehearing,aftershoutingatthechairman,callinghera
"pyromaniac".ReligiousAffairsMinisterEliBenDahanofJewishHomesaidhisministrywasseeking
legalwaystoenableJewstoprayatthesite.[79]
Jewishreligiouslawconcerningentrytothesite
DuringTempletimes,entrytotheMountwaslimitedbyacomplexsetofpuritylaws.Thosewhowerenot
oftheJewishnationwereprohibitedfromenteringtheinnercourtoftheTemple.Ahewnstonemeasuring
60x90cm.andengravedwithGreekuncialswasdiscoveredin1871nearacourtontheTempleMountin
Jerusaleminwhichitoutlinedthisprohibition:
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Translation:"LetnoforeignerenterwithintheparapetandthepartitionwhichsurroundstheTemple
precincts.Anyonecaught[violating]willbeheldaccountableforhisensuingdeath."Today,thestoneis
preservedinIstanbul'sMuseumofAntiquities.
Maimonideswrotethatitwasonlypermittedtoenterthesitetofulfillareligiousprecept.Afterthe
destructionoftheTempletherewasdiscussionastowhetherthesite,bereftoftheTemple,stillmaintained
itsholinessornot.JewishcodifiersacceptedtheopinionofMaimonideswhoruledthattheholinessofthe
Templesanctifiedthesiteforeternityandconsequentlytherestrictionsonentrytothesitearestillcurrently
inforce.[22]WhilesecularJewsascendfreely,thequestionofwhetherascendingispermittedisamatter
somedebateamongreligiousauthorities,withamajorityholdingthatitispermittedtoascendtothe
TempleMount,butnottosteponthesiteoftheinnercourtyardsoftheancientTemple.[22]Thequestion
thenbecomeswhetherthesitecanbeascertainedaccurately.[22]Asecondcomplexlegaldebatecenters
aroundtheprecisedivinepunishmentforsteppingontotheseforbiddenspots.
ThereisdebateoverwhetherreportsthatMaimonideshimselfascendedtheMountarereliable.[80]One
suchreportclaimshedidsoonThursday,October21,1165,duringtheCrusaderperiod.Someearly
scholarshowever,claimthatentryontocertainareasoftheMountarepermitted.ItappearsthatRadbaz
alsoenteredtheMountandadvisedothershowtodothis.Hepermitsentryfromallthegatesintothe
135135cubitsoftheWomen'sCourtyardintheeast,sincethebiblicalprohibitiononlyappliestothe
187135cubitsoftheTempleinthewest.[81]TherearealsoChristianandIslamicsourceswhichindicate
thatJewsaccessedthesite,[82]butthesevisitsmayhavebeenmadeunderduress.[83]
Opinionsofcontemporaryrabbisconcerningentry
tothesite
AfewhoursaftertheTempleMountcameunderIsraeli
controlduringtheSixDayWar,amessagefromthe
ChiefRabbisofIsrael,IsserYehudaUntermanand
YitzhakNissimwasbroadcast,warningthatJewswere
notpermittedtoenterthesite.[84]Thiswarningwas
reiteratedbytheCounciloftheChiefRabbinateafew
dayslater,whichissuedanexplanationwrittenby
RabbiBezalelJolti(Zolti)that"Sincethesanctityofthe
1978signwarningagainstentrytotheMount
sitehasneverended,itisforbiddentoentertheTemple
MountuntiltheTempleisbuilt."[84]Thesignaturesof
morethan300prominentrabbiswerelaterobtained.[85]
AmajorcriticofthedecisionoftheChiefRabbinatewasRabbiShlomoGoren,thechiefrabbiofthe
IDF.[84]AccordingtoGeneralUziNarkiss,wholedtheIsraeliforcethatconqueredtheTempleMount,
GorenproposedtohimthattheDomeoftheRockbeimmediatelyblownup.[85]AfterNarkissrefused,
GorenunsuccessfullypetitionedthegovernmenttocloseofftheMounttoJewsandnonJewsalike.[85]
LaterheestablishedhisofficeontheMountandconductedaseriesofdemonstrationsontheMountin
supportoftherightofJewishmentoenterthere.[84]Hisbehaviordispleasedthegovernment,which
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restrictedhispublicactions,censoredhiswritings,andinAugustpreventedhimfromattendingtheannual
OralLawConferenceatwhichthequestionofaccesstotheMountwasdebated.[86]Althoughtherewas
considerableopposition,theconferenceconsensuswastoconfirmthebanonentrytoJews.[86]Theruling
saidWehavebeenwarned,sincetimeimmemorial[lit.forgenerationsandgenerations],againstentering
theentireareaoftheTempleMountandhaveindeedavoideddoingso."[86][85]AccordingtoRonHassner,
theruling"brilliantly"solvedthegovernment'sproblemofavoidingethnicconflict,sincethoseJewswho
mostrespectedrabbinicalauthoritywerethosemostlikelytoclashwithMuslimsontheMount.[86]
Rabbinicalconsensusinthepost1967periodintheReligiousZioniststreamofOrthodoxJudaismheldthat
itisforbiddenforJewstoenteranypartoftheTempleMount,[87]andinJanuary2005adeclarationwas
signedconfirmingthe1967decision.[88]
NearlyallHaredirabbisarealsooftheopinionthattheMountisofflimitstoJewsandnonJewsalike.[89]
TheiropinionsagainstenteringtheTempleMountarebasedonthedangerofenteringthehallowedareaof
theTemplecourtyardandtheimpossibilityoffulfillingtheritualrequirementofcleansingoneselfwiththe
ashesofaredheifer.[90][91]Theboundariesoftheareaswhicharecompletelyforbidden,whilehavinglarge
portionsincommon,aredelineateddifferentlybyvariousrabbinicauthorities.
However,thereisagrowingbodyofModernOrthodoxandnationalreligiousrabbiswhoencouragevisits
tocertainpartsoftheMount,whichtheybelievearepermittedaccordingtomostmedievalrabbinical
authorities.[22]Theserabbisinclude:ShlomoGoren(formerAshkenaziChiefRabbiofIsrael)ChaimDavid
Halevi(formerChiefRabbiofTelAvivandYaffo)DovLior(RabbiofKiryatArba)YosefElboim
YisraelArielShe'arYashuvCohen(ChiefRabbiofHaifa)YuvalSherlo(roshyeshivaofthehesder
yeshivaofPetahTikva)MeirKahane.Oneofthem,ShlomoGoren,heldthatitispossiblethatJewsare
evenallowedtoentertheheartoftheDomeoftheRockintimeofwar,accordingtoJewishLawof
Conquest.[92]TheseauthoritiesdemandanattitudeofvenerationonthepartofJewsascendingtheTemple
Mount,ablutioninamikvehpriortotheascent,andthewearingofnonleathershoes.[22]Somerabbinic
authoritiesarenowoftheopinionthatitisimperativeforJewstoascendinordertohalttheongoing
processofIslamizationoftheTempleMount.Maimonides,perhapsthegreatestcodifierofJewishLaw,
wroteinLawsoftheChosenHousech7Law15"Onemaybringadeadbodyintothe(lowersanctified
areasofthe)TempleMountandthereisnoneedtosaythattherituallyimpure(fromthedead)mayenter
there,becausethedeadbodyitselfcanenter".Onewhoisrituallyimpurethroughdirectorindirectcontact
ofthedeadcannotwalkinthehighersanctifiedareas.ForthosewhoarevisiblyJewish,theyhaveno
choice,buttofollowthisperipheralroute(http://www.templeinstitute.org/birds_eye.htm)asithasbecome
unofficiallypartofthestatusquoontheMount.Manyoftheserecentopinionsrelyonarchaeological
evidence.[22]
InDecember2013,thetwoChiefRabbisofIsrael,DavidLauandYitzhakYosef,reiteratedthebanon
JewsenteringtheTempleMount.[93]Theywrote,"Inlightof[those]neglecting[thisruling],weonceagain
warnthatnothinghaschangedandthisstrictprohibitionremainsineffectfortheentirearea[oftheTemple
Mount]".[93]InNovember2014,theSephardicchiefrabbiYitzhakYosef,reiteratedthepointofviewheld
bymanyrabbinicauthoritiesthatJewsshouldnotvisittheMount.[36]
InIslam
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InIslam,theMountiscalledalharamalqudsashsharf(Arabic:
)theNobleSanctuary.
ThesitecontainstheAlAqsaMosque,amosquethatisregardedas
beingthethirdholiestsiteinIslam.2,3
A13thcenturyclaimtoanextendedregionofholinesswasmadeby
IbnTaymiyyahwhoasserted:"AlMasjidalAqsaisthenameforthe
wholeoftheplaceofworshipbuiltbySulaymaan..."which,according
FacadeoftheAlAqsaMosque
towesterntradition,presents:"...theplaceofworshipbuiltby
Solomon"knownasSolomon'sTemple.IbnTaymiyyahhadalso
opposedgivinganyunduereligioushonorstomosques(eventhatofJerusalem),toapproachorrivalinany
waytheperceivedIslamicsanctityofthetwomostholymosqueswithinIslam,MasjidalHaram(inMecca)
andAlMasjidalNabawi(inMadina).[94]
MuslimsviewthesiteasbeingoneoftheearliestandmostnoteworthyplacesofworshipofGod.Forafew
yearsintheearlystagesofIslam,MuhammadinstructedhisfollowerstofacetheMountduringprayer.
Thesiteisalsoimportantasbeingthesiteofthe"FarthestMosque"(mentionedintheQuranasthelocation
ofMuhammad'smiraculousNightJourney)toheaven.:
"ExaltedisHewhotookHisServantbynightfromalMasjidalHaram(theSacredMosque)toalMasjid
alAqsa(theFurtherMosque),whosesurroundingsWehaveblessed,toshowhimofOursigns.Indeed,He
istheHearing,theSeeing."Quran17:1[95]
Thehadith,acollectionofthesayingsoftheProphetMohammad,confirmthatthelocationoftheAlAqsa
mosqueisindeedinJerusalem:
"WhenthepeopleofQuraishdidnotbelieveme(i.e.thestoryofmyNightJourney),IstoodupinAlHijr
andAllahdisplayedJerusaleminfrontofme,andIbegandescribingJerusalemtothemwhileIwaslooking
atit."SahihBukhari:Volume5,Book58,Number226.[96]
MusliminterpretationsoftheQuranagreethattheMountisthesiteofaTemplebuiltbySulayman,
consideredaprophetinIslam,thatwaslaterdestroyed.[97]
Aftertheconstruction,Muslimsbelieve,thetemplewasusedfortheworshipofoneGodbymanyprophets
ofIslam,includingJesus.[98][99][100]OtherMuslimscholarshaveusedtheTorah(calledTawratinArabic)
toexpandonthedetailsofthetemple.[101]
InChristianity
TheMounthasgreatsignificanceinChristianityduetotheroletheTempleplayedinthelifeofJesus.Asa
twelveyearoldboy,JesuswasfoundintheTemplewhereheconfoundedtheJewishtheologianswithhis
knowledgeoftheTorah.(Luke2:4150(http://tools.wmflabs.org/bibleversefinder/?
book=Luke&verse=2:4150&src=NKJV))Duringhisministry,Jesuschallengedthecorruptionofthose
whousedtheTempleforcommerceandextortion(Matthew21:1217
(http://tools.wmflabs.org/bibleversefinder/?book=Matthew&verse=21:1217&src=NKJV))andprophesied
thetemple'sdestruction,whichcametopassinAD70.(Mark13:12
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(http://tools.wmflabs.org/bibleversefinder/?book=Mark&verse=13:12&src=NKJV))DuringtheByzantine
era,JerusalemwasprimarilyChristianandpilgrimscamebythetensofthousandstoexperiencetheplaces
whereJesuswalked.
WiththePersianinvasionin614followedbytheMuslimSiegeofJerusalemin637,manychurcheswere
razed[102]butforsometimepilgrimsstillwereabletocomeandexperiencetheTempleMountarea.
IncreasingMuslimviolenceagainstthesepilgrimstoJerusaleminstigatedtheCrusades.TheCrusadersre
capturedJerusalemin1099andtheDomeoftheRockwasgiventotheAugustinians,whoturneditintoa
church,andtheAlAqsaMosquebecametheroyalpalaceofBaldwinIofJerusalemin1104.TheKnights
Templar,whobelievedtheDomeoftheRockwasthesiteoftheSolomon'sTemple,gaveitthename
"TemplumDomini"andsetuptheirheadquartersintheAlAqsaMosqueadjacenttotheDomeformuchof
the12thcentury.
ThoughsomeChristiansbelievethattheTemplewillbereconstructedbefore,orconcurrentwith,the
SecondComingofJesus(alsoseedispensationalism),pilgrimagetotheTempleMountisnotviewedas
essentialinthebeliefsandworshipofmostChristians.TheNewTestamentrecountsastoryofaSamaritan
womanaskingJesusabouttheappropriateplacetoworship,JerusalemortheSamaritanholyplaceat
MountGerizim,towhichJesusreplies,
"Woman,believeme,thehouriscomingwhenneitheronthismountainnorinJerusalemwill
youworshiptheFather.Youworshipwhatyoudonotknowweworshipwhatweknow,for
salvationisfromtheJews.Butthehouriscoming,andisnowhere,whenthetrueworshipers
willworshiptheFatherinspiritandintruth,fortheFatherisseekingsuchpeopletoworship
him.Godisspirit,andthosewhoworshiphimmustworshipinspiritandtruth."(John4:2124
(http://tools.wmflabs.org/bibleversefinder/?book=John&verse=4:2124&src=ESV))
ThishasbeenconstruedtomeanthatJesusdispensedwithphysicallocationforworship,whichwasa
matterratherofspiritandtruth.[103]
Recentevents
February2004
PartiallycollapsedMughrabiBridge:An800yearoldwallholdingbackpartofthehilljuttingout
fromtheWesternWallleadinguptotheMughrabiGatepartiallycollapsed.Authoritiesbelieveda
recentearthquakemayhavebeenresponsible.[104][105]
March2005
Allahinscription:Theword"Allah",inapproximatelyafoottallArabicscript,wasfoundnewly
carvedintotheancientstones,anactviewedbyJewsasvandalism.Thecarvingwasattributedtoa
teamofJordanianengineersandPalestinianlaborersinchargeofstrengtheningthatsectionofthe
wall.ThediscoverycausedoutrageamongIsraeliarchaeologistsandmanyJewswereangeredbythe
inscriptionatJudaism'sholiestsite.[106]
October2006
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Synagogueproposal:UriAriel,amemberoftheKnessetfromtheNationalUnionparty(aright
wingoppositionparty)ascendedtothemount,[107]andsaidthatheispreparingaplanwherea
synagoguewillbebuiltonthemount.Hisproposedsynagoguewouldnotbebuiltinsteadofthe
mosquesbutinaseparateareainaccordancewithrulingsof'prominentrabbis.'Hesaidhebelieved
thatthiswillbecorrectingahistoricalinjusticeandthatitisanopportunityfortheMuslimworldto
provethatitistoleranttoallfaiths.[108]
Minaretproposal:Plansaremootedtobuildanewminaretonthemount,thefirstofitskindfor600
years.[109]KingAbdullahIIofJordanannouncedacompetitiontodesignafifthminaretforthewalls
oftheTempleMountcomplex.Hesaiditwould"reflecttheIslamicsignificanceandsanctityofthe
mosque".Thescheme,estimatedtocost$300,000,isforasevensidedtoweraftertheseven
pointedHashemitestarandat42metres(138ft),itwouldbe3.5metres(11ft)tallerthanthenext
largestminaret.TheminaretwouldbeconstructedontheeasternwalloftheTempleMountnearthe
GoldenGate.
February2007
MugrabiGaterampreconstruction:RepairstoanearthenrampleadingtotheMugrabiGate
sparkedArabprotests.
May2007
RightwingJewsascendtheMount:AgroupofrightwingReligiousZionistrabbisenteredthe
TempleMount.[110]ThiselicitedwidespreadcriticismfromotherreligiousJewsandfromsecular
Israelis,accusingtherabbisofprovokingtheArabs.AneditorialinthenewspaperHaaretzaccused
therabbisof'knowinglyandirresponsiblybringingaburningtorchclosertothemostflammablehill
intheMiddleEast,'andnotedthatrabbinicalconsensusinboththeHarediandtheReligiousZionist
worldsforbidsJewsfromenteringtheTempleMount.[111]OnMay16,RabbiAvrahamShapiro,
formerAshkenaziChiefRabbiofIsraelandroshyeshivaoftheMercazHaRavyeshiva,reiteratedhis
opinionthatitisforbiddenforJewstoentertheTempleMount.[112]TheLitvishHaredinewspaper
YatedNe'eman,whichiscontrolledbyleadingLitvishHaredirabbisincludingRabbiYosefSholom
EliashivandRabbiNissimKarelitz,accusedtherabbisoftransgressingadecreepunishableby'death
throughthehandsofheaven.'[91]
July2007
TempleMountcablereplacement:TheWaqfbegandiggingaditchfromthenorthernsideofthe
TempleMountcompoundtotheDomeoftheRockasapreludetoinfrastructureworkinthearea.
Althoughthedigwasapprovedbythepolice,itgeneratedprotestsfromarchaeologists.
October2009
Clashes:PalestinianprotestersgatheredatthesiteafterrumoursthatanextremeIsraeligroupwould
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harmthesite,whichtheIsraeligovernmentdenied.[113]IsraelipoliceassembledattheTempleMount
complextodispersePalestinianprotesterswhowerethrowingstonesatthem.Thepoliceusedstun
grenadesontheprotesters,ofwhich15werelaterarrested,includingthePalestinianPresident's
adviseronJerusalemaffairs.[114][115]18Palestiniansand3policeofficerswereinjured.[116]
July2010
ApublicopinionpollinIsraelshowedthat50%ofIsraelisbelievethattheTempleshouldberebuilt.
Thepollwasconductedbychannel99,thegovernmentownedKnessetchannel,inadvanceofthe9th
dayoftheHebrewmonthofAvonwhichJewscommemoratethedestructionofboththefirstand
secondTemplesthatbothstoodatthissite.[117]
July2010
KnessetMemberDannyDanonvisitedtheTempleMountinaccordancewithrabbinicalviewsof
JewishLawonthe9thoftheHebrewMonthofAv,whichcommemoratesthedestructionofboththe
FirstandSecondTemplesinJerusalem.TheKnessetMembercondemnedtheconditionsimposedby
MuslimsuponreligiousJewsatthesiteandvowedtoworktobetterconditions.[118]
Panorama
PanoramaoftheTempleMount,seenfromtheMountofOlives
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Seealso
JerusaleminJudaism
JerusaleminChristianity
JerusaleminIslam
WikimediaCommonshas
mediarelatedtoTemple
Mount.
ExcavationsattheTempleMount
GatesoftheTempleMount
CommitteeforthePreventionofDestructionofAntiquitiesontheTempleMount
TempleMountSiftingProject
AyodhyadisputesimilarlydisputedlocationinIndia
References
1. ^NewJerusalemFindsPointtotheTempleMount(http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2010/March/New
JerusalemFindsPointtotheTempleMount)
2. ^CarolDelaney,AbrahamonTrial:TheSocialLegacyofBiblicalMyth,PrincetonUniversityPress2000p.120.
3. ^BBCScienceandNature(http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/solomon_qa.shtml)
4. ^Deuteronomy12:52614:232515:2016:21617:81026:231:11Isaiah2:25Obadiah1:21Psalms48
5. ^DictionaryofIslamicArchitecture(http://books.google.com/books?id=9A
EAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA134&dq=jerusalem+old+city+islamic+architecture&hl=nl&sa=X&ei=NIe0U8q6Fsa8PfWb
gbgJ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=jerusalem%20old%20city%20islamic%20architecture&f=false)
6. ^Maimonides,MishnehTorah,Avoda(DivineService):ThelawsoftheTempleinJerusalem,chapter6,rule14
7. ^Nicolle,David(1994).YarmukAD636:TheMuslimConquestofSyria.OspreyPublishing.
8. ^RizwiFaizer(1998)."TheShapeoftheHoly:EarlyIslamicJerusalem"
(https://web.archive.org/web/20020210164811/http://us.geocities.com/rfaizer/reviews/book9.html).Rizwi's
BibliographyforMedievalIslam.Archivedfromtheoriginal(http://us.geocities.com/rfaizer/reviews/book9.html)
on20020210.
9. ^HaramalSharif(http://archnet.org/library/sites/onesite.jsp?site_id=8180),ArchNet
10. ÎsraeliPoliceStormDisputedJerusalemHolySite(http://www.voanews.com/english/20091025voa6.cfm)
11. ^Gonen(2003),pp.911
12. ^Lundquist(2007),p.103
13. ^Finkelstein,Horbury,Davies&Sturdy(1999),p.43
14. ÎISam.xxiv.16etseq.IChron.xxi.15etseq.
15. ^"Moriah"(http://www.ccel.org/ccel/easton/ebd2.html?term=Moriah).Easton'sBibleDictionary.RetrievedJuly
14,2008.
16. ^Gonen(2003),p.69
17. ^Negev(2005),p.265
18. ^Mazar(1975),pp.124126,132
19. ÊncyclopdiaBritannica11thEdition(http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Aelia_Capitolina/)
20. ^Krautheimer,Richard."EarlyChristianandByzantineArchitecture"(http://books.google.com/books?
20/27
11/28/2014
20. ^Krautheimer,Richard."EarlyChristianandByzantineArchitecture"(http://books.google.com/books?
id=WXwX7fQ2DkUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=byzantine+architecture&hl=en&sa=X&ei=V27kUa7mKKbvygG
0zoDQCA&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAQ#v=snippet&q=islam&f=false)FourthEdition,p.25.
21. ^HarEl,Menashe"GoldenJerusalem"(http://books.google.com/books?
id=9Z2cFY9iGqgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=this+is+jerusalem&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xqHqUdm6AYi2yAHuu4DY
AQ&ved=0CEgQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=this%20is%20jerusalem&f=false)p.29
22. âbcdefghijkl"EnteringtheTempleMountinHalachaandJewishHistory,"GedaliaMeyerandHenoch
Messner,PDFavailableat[1](http://hakirah.org/),VOl10,Summer2010,Hakirah.
23. ^See"JulianandtheJews361363CE"(http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/julianjews.html)and"Julian
theApostateandtheHolyTemple"(http://www.gibsoncondo.com/~david/convert/history.html).
24. âbWastheAksaMosquebuiltovertheremainsofaByzantinechurch?(http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Wasthe
AksaMosquebuiltovertheremainsofaByzantinechurch),ByEtgarLefkovits,JerusalemPost,November
16,2008
25. ^Karmi,Ghada(1997).JerusalemToday:WhatFutureforthePeaceProcess?.Garnet&IthacaPress.p.116.
ISBN0863722261.
26. ^TheDomeoftheRockasPalimpsest,Necipoglu,Muqarnas2008
27. ÔlegGrabar,TheHaramakSharif:Anessayininterpretation,BRIIFSvol.2no2(Autumn2000)
(http://www.riifs.org/journal/essy_v2no2_grbar.htm).</refname=MeyerMessner>"EnteringtheTempleMount
inHalachaandJewishHistory,"GedaliaMeyerandHenochMessner,PDFavailableat[2](http://hakirah.org/),
Vol10,Summer2010,Hakirah.
28. ^Selwood,Dominic."BirthoftheOrder"(http://www.dominicselwood.com/birthoftheorder/).Retrieved20
April2013.
29. ^TheHistoryChannel,DecodingthePast:TheTemplarCode,7November2005,videodocumentarywrittenby
MarcyMarzuni.
30. ^Barber,TheNewKnighthood,p.7.
31. âbc"HashemiteRestorationsoftheIslamicHolyPlacesinJerusalem"
(http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/islam_restoration.html),Jordaniangovernmentwebsite.
32. ^MartinGilbert,JerusalemintheTwentiethCentury(NewYork:JohnWiley&Sons,1996,p254.
33. Îsraeli,Raphael(2002)."Introduction:EverydayLifeinDividedJerusalem".JerusalemDivided:TheArmistice
Regime,19471967.Jerusalem:Routledge.p.23.ISBN0714652660.
34. ^"RECONSTRUCTIONOFEVENTS(REVISED)ALHARAMALSHARIF,JERUSALEMMONDAY,8
OCTOBER1990"(http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/C6AA06BDFB5B5453052566DB0055512F).United
Nations.October8,1990.RetrievedApril12,2012.
35. ^"JudgeBlamesIsraeliPoliceInKillingOfPalestinians"(http://articles.sunsentinel.com/199107
19/news/9101260807_1_criminalchargeskillingsezrakama).SunSentinel.July19,1991.RetrievedApril12,
2012.
36. âbItamarSharon,'JewsmuststopTempleMountvisits,Sephardichiefrabbisays,'
(http://www.timesofisrael.com/jewsmuststopgoingtotemplemountsephardicchiefrabbisays/)TheTimesof
Israel,7November2014.
37. ^"2000:'Provocative'mosquevisitsparksriots"
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/28/newsid_3687000/3687762.stm).BBC.April12,
2012.RetrievedApril12,2012.
21/27
11/28/2014
38. ^PreservationoftheHolyPlacesLaw
(http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Protection%20of%20
Holy%20Places%20Law),1967.
39. ^JerusalemTheLegalandPoliticalBackground
(http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Jerusalem
%20Legal%20and%20Political%20Background),MinistryofForeignAffairs,GovernmentofIsrael.
40. ^NadavShragai,"ThreeJewsexpelledfromTempleMountforpraying"
(http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?
itemNo=335211&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y).
41. ^"HeavysecurityaroundalAqsa
(http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/10/200910572553875419.html),"AlJazeeraEnglish,October
5,2009.
42. ^"PROTECTIONOFCIVILIANS1629SEPTEMBER2009
(http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_protection_of_civilians_weekly_report_2009_09_29_english.pdf)",
UNITEDNATIONSOfficefortheCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairsoccupiedPalestinianterritory.
43. ^http://news.yahoo.com/palestiniansflockjerusalemisraelirestrictionseased152403694.html
44. ^Photographofthenorthernwallarea(http://www.campsci.com/museum/images/43e.jpg)
45. ^Wilson'smapofthefeaturesundertheTempleMount(http://www.campsci.com/museum/images/map.gif)
46. ^Kaufman,Asher(May23,1991)."TheTempleSite"(http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/jpost/access/99716364.html?
dids=99716364:99716364&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=May+12%2C+1991&author=Asher+Kaufman&p
ub=Jerusalem+Post&edition=&startpage=13&desc=THE+TEMPLE+SITE)(Abstract).TheJerusalemPost.
p.13.RetrievedMarch4,2007."ThemostimportantfindingsofthesuperpositionoftheSecondTempleonthe
TempleareaarethattheDomeoftheRockwasnotbuiltonthesiteoftheTemple,andthattheTemplewas
tapershapedonthewesternside,aformhithertounknowntothescholars."
47. ^"ResearchersaysfoundlocationoftheHolyTemple"(http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L
3362927,00.html).Ynetnews.February9,2007.RetrievedMarch4,2007."ArchaeologyProfessorJoseph
Patrichuncoveredalargewatercisternthatpoints,inhisopinion,totheexactlocationofthealtarandsanctuary
ontheTempleMount.Accordingtohisfindings,therockonwhichtheDomeoftheRockisbuiltisoutsidethe
confinesoftheTemple."
48. ÛndertheTempleMount(http://www.campsci.com/museum/images/48c.jpg)
49. ^TuviaSagiv,DeterminationofthelocationoftheTemple(http://www.templemount.org/sagiv2/index.html)
50. ^PhotographoftheinsideoftheGoldenGate(http://www.campsci.com/museum/images/38g.jpg)
51. îmageofthedoublegatepassage(http://www.campsci.com/museum/images/45o.jpg)
52. ^PhotographofKingSolomon'sStables(http://www.campsci.com/museum/images/46e.jpg)
53. ^PhotographofoneofthechambersundertheTripleGatepassageway
(http://www.campsci.com/museum/images/47a.jpg)
54. ^See"TheWashingtonPost,OpinionColumns,July17,2000ProtecttheTempleMountbyHershelShanks
55. ^PolicemanAssaultedTryingtoStopIllegalTempleMountDigJewishWorldIsraelNewsArutzSheva
(http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/123525)
56. ^Jerusalem'sTempleMountFlap(http://www.archaeology.org/0003/newsbriefs/flap.html)
57. ^WaqfTempleMountexcavationraisesarchaeologists'protestsHaaretzIsraelNews
(http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/880761.html)
22/27
11/28/2014
58. ^JacquelineSchaalje,Special:TheTempleMountinJerusalem
(http://www.jewishmag.com/42mag/templemount/templemount.htm).
59. ^ViolentclashesatkeyJerusalemmosqueon'dayofanger'
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article1358753.ece),timesonline,accessdate=5May
2009
60. ^MayorhaltsTempleMountdig(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/548443.stm),BBC,accessdate=5May
2009
61. ^TempleMountdestructionstirredarchaeologisttoaction,February8,2005|byMichaelMcCormack,Baptist
Press[3](http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=20094)
62. ÊstherHecht,BattleoftheBulge(http://www.archaeology.org/0207/newsbriefs/templemount.html)
63. ^JerusalemPost(http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1084935859481)
64. ÔntheSpotReportfromtheKotelWomensSectionConstruction
(http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=57924)
65. ^Fendel,Hillel(February7,2007)."JerusalemArabsRiot,KassamsFired,AfterOldCityExcavations"
(http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=121064).ArutzSheva.RetrievedFebruary7,2007.
66. ^Weiss,Efrat(February7,2007)."SyriaslamsJerusalemworks"(http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L
3362024,00.html).YediothAhronoth.RetrievedFebruary7,2007."IsraeliexcavationworksnearthealAqsa
mosqueintheholycityofJerusalemhaveledtoadangerousriseinMiddleEasttensionsandcouldderailrevival
ofArabIsraelipeacetalks...whatIsraelisdoinginitspracticesandattacksagainstoursacredMuslimsitesin
JerusalemandalAqsaisablatantviolationthatisnotacceptableunderanypretext"
67. ^Fendel,Hillel(September9,2007)."SilenceintheFaceofContinuedTempleMountDestruction"
(http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/123622).ArutzSheva.Retrieved20070907.
68. âbRapoport,Meron(July7,2007)."WaqfTempleMountexcavationraisesarchaeologists'protests"
(http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/880761.html).Haaretz.Retrieved20070711.
69. ^Teible,Amy(August31,2007)."JerusalemHolySiteDigQuestioned"
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,6887208,00.html).TheGuardian.Retrieved20070907.
70. ^"Revokingthedeathwarrant"(http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2001/543/fo2.htm).AlAhramWeekly.
71. ^BabylonianTalmudYoma54b
72. ^http://www.torah.org/features/israelmatters/eye.html#
73. ^Toledot25:21
74. ^2Samuel24:1825
75. ^GenesisRabba79.7:"Andheboughttheparcelofground,wherehehadspreadhistent...forahundredpieces
ofmoney."RavYudansonofShimonsaid:'ThisisoneofthethreeplaceswherethenonJewscannotdeceive
theJewishPeoplebysayingthattheystoleitfromthem,andthesearetheplaces:Ma'aratHaMachpela,the
TempleandJoseph'sburialplace.Ma'aratHaMachpelabecauseitiswritten:'AndAbrahamhearkenedunto
EphronandAbrahamweighedtoEphronthesilver,'(Genesis,23:16)theTemplebecauseitiswritten:'So
DavidgavetoOrnanfortheplace,'(IChronicles,21:26)andJoseph'sburialplacebecauseitiswritten:'Andhe
boughttheparcelofground...JacobboughtShechem.'(Genesis,33:19)."Seealso:Kook,AbrahamIssac,Moadei
Hare'iya,pp.413415.
76. ^http://www.easyenglish.info/englishlearnersbible/1kingstaw.htm
77. ^KarenArmstrong(29April1997).Jerusalem:onecity,threefaiths(http://books.google.com/books?
id=v5_ZAAAAMAAJ).BallantineBooks.p.229.Retrieved25May2011.
23/27
11/28/2014
id=v5_ZAAAAMAAJ).BallantineBooks.p.229.Retrieved25May2011.
78. ^ToddGitlin,'ApocalypseSoonest,'(http://tabletmag.com/jewishnewsandpolitics/186741/apocalypsesoonest)
Tablet11November2014.
79. ^http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/11/israelmpsmulljewishprayeratalaqsasite
201311413318362256.html
80. ^SeferhaCharedimMitzvatTshuva,Chapter3Shu"tMinchasYitzchok,vol.6
81. ^ShaareiTeshuvah,OrachChaim561:1cf.TeshuvothRadbaz691
82. ^MosheSharon."IslamontheTempleMount"BiblicalArchaeologyReviewJuly/August2006.p.3647,68.
"Immediatelyafteritsconstruction,fiveJewishfamiliesfromJerusalemwereemployedtocleantheDomeofthe
Rockandtopreparewicksforitslamps"
83. ^TheKafhachaim(OrachChaim94:1:4citingRadvazVol.2Ch.648)mentionsacaseofaJewwhowas
forcedontotheTempleMount.
84. âbcdMottiInbari(2009).JewishFundamentalismandtheTempleMount.SUNYPress.pp.2224.
85. âbcdYoelCohen(1999)."ThePoliticalRoleoftheIsraeliChiefRabbinateintheTempleMountQuestion".
JewishPoliticalStudiesReview11(12):101126.
86. âbcdRonE.Hassner(2009).WaronSacredGrounds.CornellUniversityPress.pp.113133.
87. ^Rabbiswhosupportthisopinioninclude:MordechaiEliyahu,formerSefardiChiefRabbiofIsraelZalman
BaruchMelamed,roshyeshivaoftheBeitElyeshivaEliezerWaldenberg,formerrabbinicaljudgeinthe
RabbinicalSupremeCourtoftheStateofIsraelAvrahamYitzchakKook,ChiefRabbiofPalestine(Mikdash
Build(Vol.I,No.26)(http://www.kadosh.co.il/mkdsh026.html))AvigdorNebenzahl,RabbioftheOldCityof
Jerusalem.
88. ^Theserabbisinclude:RabbisYonaMetzger(AshkenaziChiefRabbiofIsrael)ShlomoAmar(SefardiChief
RabbiofIsrael)OvadiaYosef(spiritualleaderofSefardiHarediJudaismandoftheShasparty,andformer
SefardiChiefRabbiofIsrael)EliyahuBakshiDoron(formerSefardiChiefRabbiofIsrael)ShmuelRabinowitz
(rabbioftheWesternWall)AvrahamShapiro(formerAshkenaziChiefRabbiofIsrael)ShlomoAviner(rosh
yeshivaofAteretCohanim)YisraelMeirLau(formerAshkenaziChiefRabbiofIsraelandcurrentChiefRabbi
ofTelAviv).Source:LeadingrabbisruleTempleMountisofflimitstoJews
(http://www.templeinstitute.org/archive/250105.htm)
89. ^Theserabbisinclude:YaakovYisraelKanievsky(Thoughtsonthe28thofIyarYomYerushalayim
(http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com/archives5763/bamidbar/ojerslm.htm))YosefSholomEliashiv(RabbiEliashiv:
Don'tgotoTempleMount(http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L3787113,00.html))
90. ^YoelCohen,ThepoliticalroleoftheIsraeliChiefRabbinateintheTempleMountquestion
(http://www.jcpa.org/jpsr/s99yc.htm)
91. âbYatedNe'emanarticle(http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com/aharbaybmd67.htm)
92. ^NadavShragai(May26,2006)."IntheHolyofHolies"(http://www.haaretz.com/intheholyofholies
1.188745).Haaretz.
93. âbJeremySharon(December2,2013)."ChiefRabbisreimposebanonJewsvisitingTempleMount"
(http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/ChiefRabbisreimposebanonJewsvisitingTempleMount
333741).JerusalemPost.
94. ^"AMuslimIconoclast(IbnTaymiyyeh)onthe'Merits'ofJerusalemandPalestine",byCharlesD.Matthews,
JournaloftheAmericanOrientalSociety,volume56(1935),pp.121.[IncludesArabictextofmanuscriptofIbn
Taymiyya'sshortworkQa'idafiZiyaratBaytilMaqdis]
24/27
11/28/2014
Taymiyya'sshortworkQa'idafiZiyaratBaytilMaqdis]
95. ^TheNightJourney(http://www.qurandislam.com/coran/trans/?
currSura=17&currAya=1&currTrans=tafsir_en_sahih),Qurandislam
96. ^http://haditsbukharionline.blogspot.ca/2010/11/meritsofhelpersinmadinahansaar.html
97. ^"TheFarthestMosquemustrefertothesiteoftheSolomon'sTempleinJerusalemonthehillofMoriah,ator
nearwhichstandstheDomeoftheRock...itwasasacredplacetobothJewsandChristians...Thechiefdatesin
connectionwiththeTempleinJerusalemare:ItwasfinishedbySolomonabout1004BCEdestroyedbythe
BabyloniansunderNebuchadnezzarabout586BCErebuiltunderEzraandNehemiahabout515BCEturned
intoaheathenidoltemplebyoneofAlexandertheGreat'ssuccessors,AntiochusEpiphanes,167BCErestored
byHerod,17BCEto29andcompletelyrazedtothegroundbytheEmperorTitusin70.Theseupsanddowns
areamongthegreatersignsinreligioushistory."(YusufAli,CommentaryontheKoran,2168.
98. ^"ThecityofJerusalemwaschosenatthecommandofAllahbyProphetDavidinthetenthcenturyBCE.After
himhissonProphetSolomonbuiltamosqueinJerusalemaccordingtotherevelationthathereceivedfromAllah.
ForseveralcenturiesthismosquewasusedfortheworshipofAllahbymanyProphetsandMessengersofAllah.
ItwasdestroyedbytheBabyloniansintheyear586BCE.,butitwassoonrebuiltandwasrededicatedtothe
worshipofAllahin516BCE.ItcontinuedafterwardsforseveralcenturiesuntilthetimeofProphetJesus.After
hedepartedthisworld,itwasdestroyedbytheRomansintheyear70CE."(Siddiqi,Dr.Muzammil.Statusof
AlAqsaMosque(http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnlineEnglish
Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544626),IslamOnline,May21,2007.RetrievedJuly12,2007.)
99. ^"EarlyMuslimsregardedthebuildinganddestructionoftheTempleofSolomonasamajorhistoricaland
religiousevent,andaccountsoftheTempleareofferedbymanyoftheearlyMuslimhistoriansandgeographers
(includingIbnQutayba,IbnalFaqih,Mas'udi,Muhallabi,andBiruni).FantastictalesofSolomon'sconstruction
oftheTemplealsoappearintheQisasalanbiya',themedievalcompendiaofMuslimlegendsaboutthepre
Islamicprophets."(Kramer,Martin.TheTemplesofJerusaleminIslam
(http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/The+Temples+of+Jerusalem+in+Isla
m.htm),IsraelMinistryofForeignAffairs,September18,2000.RetrievedNovember21,2007.)
"WhilethereisnoscientificevidencethatSolomon'sTempleexisted,allbelieversinanyoftheAbrahamic
faithsperforcemustacceptthatitdid."(Khalidi,Rashid.TransformingtheFaceoftheHolyCity:
PoliticalMessagesintheBuiltTopographyofJerusalem,BirZeitUniversity,November12,1998.)
100. ÂBriefGuidetoalHaramalSharif,abookletpublishedin1925(http://www.templeinstitute.org/1925wakf
templemountguide.pdf)(andearlier)bythe"SupremeMoslemCouncil",abodyestablishedbytheBritish
governmenttoadministerwaqfsandheadedbyHajjAminalHusayniduringtheBritishMandateperiod,states
onpage4:"Thesiteisoneoftheoldestintheworld.Itssanctitydatesfromtheearliest(perhapsfrompre
historic)times.ItsidentitywiththesiteofSolomon'sTempleisbeyonddispute.This,too,isthespot,according
touniversalbelief,onwhich'DavidbuiltthereanaltaruntotheLord,andofferedburntofferingsandpeace
offerings.'(2Samuel24:25)"
101. ^
"TheRockwasinthetimeofSolomonthesonofDavid12cubitshighandtherewasadomeoverit...Itis
writtenintheTawrat[Bible]:'BehappyJerusalem,'whichisBaytalMaqdisandtheRockwhichiscalled
Haykal."alWasati,Fada'ilalBaytalMuqaddas,ed.IzhakHasson(Jerusalem,1979)pp.72ff.
102. ^Davidson,LindaKayandDavidMartinGitlitz"Pilgrimage:FromtheGangestoGraceland:anEncyclopedia"
(http://books.google.com/books?
id=YVYkrNhPMQkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Pilgrimage:+From+the+Ganges+to+Graceland+:+an+Encycloped
25/27
11/28/2014
id=YVYkrNhPMQkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Pilgrimage:+From+the+Ganges+to+Graceland+:+an+Encycloped
ia,+Volume+1&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mwjrUYO5IuHXygGO_oD4Bg&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Pilgri
mage%3A%20From%20the%20Ganges%20to%20Graceland%20%3A%20an%20Encyclopedia%2C%20Volume
%201&f=false)Volume1,ABCCLIO,Inc,SantaBarbara,CA2002,p.274.
103. ÂndreasJ.Kstenberger,'TheDestructionoftheSecondTempleandtheCompositionoftheFourthGospel,'
inJohnLierman(ed.)ChallengingPerspectivesontheGospelofJohn,(http://books.google.com/books?
id=fWXC2krd_6IC&pg=PA101)MohrSiebeck2006pp.69108,pp.101102.
104. ^BBCNEWS.WarningoverJerusalemholysite(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3494035.stm)
105. ^JerusalemwallcollapsesparksJewishMuslimrow
(http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/16/1076779901850.html)
106. ^"ArabsVandalizeJudaism'sHoliestSite"(http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/79391).Arutz
Sheva.March31,2005.RetrievedJuly11,2007.
107. ^RightistMKArielvisitsTempleMountasthousandsthrongWall
108. ^Wagner,Matthew(October10,2006).RabbissplitonTempleMountsynagogueplan
(http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1159193411784).TheJerusalem
Post.
109. ^TheTimes,October14,2006(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2512403700,00.html/)
110. ^Ynetnews(http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L3399356,00.html)
111. ^Haaretz(http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/859573.html)
112. ^Sela,Neta(May16,2007)."RabbiShapiraforbidsvisitingtempleMount"
(http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L3400750,00.html).Ynet.RetrievedMay17,2007.
113. ^Kyzer,Liel(October25,2009).IsraelPolicebattleArabriotersonTempleMountPAofficialarrested
(http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1123399.html).Haaretz.
114. ÂrrestsatholysiteinJerusalem(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8324539.stm).BBCNews.
October25,2009.
115. ^Jerusalemholysitestormed
(http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/World/Story/STIStory_446454.html).TheStraitsTimes.
October25,2009.
116. ^ClasheseruptatAqsacompound
(http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/10/20091025154543922901.html).AlJazeera.October25,
2009.
117. ÎsraelNationalNews15July,2010(http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138655)
118. Îsraelilawmakervisitsflashpointreligioussite(http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/07/20/uspalestinians
israeljerusalemidUSTRE66J3UF20100720)
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Ha'ivri,David.ReclaimingtheTempleMount,HaMeirL'David,2006ISBN9659050968
Hassner,RonE.,"WaronSacredGrounds,"CornellUniversityPress,2009.ISBN9780801448065
Lundquist,John.TheTempleofJerusalem,GreenwoodPublishingGroup,2007.ISBN0275983390
BenjaminMazar:TheMountainoftheLord.GardenCity,NewYork:Doubleday&Company,Inc.,1975.ISBN
0385048432
Negev,Avraham&Gibson,Shimon.ArchaeologicalEncyclopediaoftheHolyLand,ContinuumInternational
PublishingGroup,2005.ISBN0826485715
Externallinks
Templemount.org(http://www.templemount.org/)
NewEvidenceoftheRoyalStoaandRomanFlames(http://www.bibarch.org/bar/article.asp?
PubID=BSBA&Volume=36&Issue=2&ArticleID=10)BiblicalArchaeologyReview
VirtualWalkingTourofAlHaramAlSharif("TheNobleSanctuary")
(http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200901/#)
MountSiftingProject(http://templemount.wordpress.com#Temple)
Retrievedfrom"http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Temple_Mount&oldid=635544225"
Categories: TempleMount Islamicarchitecture MountainsofJerusalem
ConversionofnonChristianplacesofworshipintochurches
ConversionofnonMuslimplacesofworshipintomosques IslaminJerusalem HistoryofJerusalem
IsraeliPalestinianconflict
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