The Temple Institute is dedicated to every aspect of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, and the central role it fulfilled, and will once again fulfill, in the spiritual well-being of both Israel and all the nations of the world. The Institute's work touches upon the history of the Holy Temple's past, an understanding of the present day, and the Divine promise of Israel's future. The Institute's activities include education, research, and development. The Temple Institute's ultimate goal is to see Israel rebuild the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, in accord with the Biblical commandments. It is of primary importance to educate about the great significance of the Holy Temple and Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the only site in the world that is considered holy by the Jewish people, and the only site in the world which G-d chose to rest His presence through the establishment of the Holy Temple.
The Temple Institute (in Hebrew, Machon HaMikdash), founded in 1987, is a non-profit educational and religious organization located in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem's Old City. The Institute is dedicated to every aspect of theBiblical commandmentto build the Holy Temple of G-d on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. Our short-term goal is to rekindle the flame of the Holy Temple in the hearts of mankind through education. Our long-term goal is to do all in our limited power to bring about the building of the Holy Temple in our time. Thus, the Institute's efforts include raising public awareness about the Holy Temple, and the central role that it occupies in the spiritual life of mankind. The many areas of activities conducted by the Institute combine research, seminars, publications, and conferences, as well as the production of educational materials.
The major focus of the Institute is its efforts towards the beginning of the actual rebuilding of the Holy Temple. Towards this end, the Institute has begun to restore and construct the sacred vessels for the service of the Holy Temple. These vessels, which G-d commanded Israel to create, can be seen today at our exhibition in Jerusalem's Old City Jewish Quarter. They are made according to the exact specifications of the Bible, and have been constructed from the original source materials, such as gold, copper, silver and wood. These are authentic, accurate vessels, not merely replicas or models. All of these items are fit and ready for use in the service of the Holy Temple. Among the many items featured in the exhibition are musical instruments played by the Levitical choir, the golden crown of the High Priest, and gold and silver vessels used in the incense and sacrificial services. After many years of effort and toil, the Institute has completed the three most important and central vessels of the Divine service: the seven-branched candelabra, or Menorah, made of pure gold; the golden Incense Altar, and the golden Table of the Showbread. Other completed projects include the sacred uniform of the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest. This project was the culmination of years of study and research. The High Priest'sChoshen (Breastplate), Ephod and the tzitz have been completed.All these and more can be seen at the Temple Institute Museum.
Rabbi Yisrael Ariel
Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, founder and head of the Temple Institute, served in the paratrooper brigade which liberated the Temple Mount in theSix Day Warof 1967, and was one of the first soldiers to reach the Mount. Rabbi Ariel was the Rosh Yeshiva and spiritual leader of the city of Yamit in the Sinai, which was dismantled as part of the peace accords with Egypt. Rabbi Ariel is a scholar of great renown, and is also the author of many Hebrew works, including the highly acclaimed "Atlas of the Biblical Boundaries of the Land of Israel."
Based on his extensive Torah knowledge and wisdom, Rabbi Ariel clearly demonstrates in his writings, the belief and conviction, as emphasized by Torah scholars and luminaries of earlier generations, that every generation is obligated to do all within its power towards rebuilding the Holy Temple. This, as opposed to those who believe that we must wait for the messiah to arrive before it can be rebuilt. For an insight into the inspiration behind the establishment of the Temple Institute, we paraphrase Rabbi Ariel's own words, as they appear in his Siddur HaMikdash (The Holy Temple Prayerbook). The story picks up after the liberation of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount during the Six Day War:
"It is so very difficult to describe the feeling that filled us during that extraordinary time in the life of the nation. The words "ringing the bells of the Messiah" express in a limited way what was being felt in the heart."
"This lead to a certain sense of letdown that so many of us experienced. After all, we have arrived at the threshold of the Holy Temple: we are standing at the Western Wall - where is the Messiah?"
"Through the years, the more I studied the more I began to understand that we had only ourselves and our own inaction to hold accountable: G-d does not intend for us to wait for a day of miracles. We are expected to act. We must accomplish that with which we have been charged: to do all in our power to prepare for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple, and the renewel of the divine service." (page 526, Siddur HaMikdash, translated from the Hebrew)."In the passing of time as I pursued my studies, I discovered that our expectations were simply misplaced."
