This July join Rabbi Dov for a fascinating 3-week multi-media course :
Two thousand years later, Jews still converge upon the Western Wall, the surviving remnant of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. However, while many have explored the politics and geography of Israel and the Temple Mount, few have explored the spiritual significance of the structures that stood on that mount for a millennium. This summer, the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute is proud to unveil Heaven on Earth, a three-week interactive course that recreates the ancient Temples from the ground up.
Heaven on Earth provides students with an explanation for the central role the Holy Temple plays in the Jews’ mission throughout history. To aid students in conceptualizing the ancient Temple, Heaven on Earth employs an interactive and innovative virtual tour that will allow students, for the very first time, to “walk through” the Temple’s ancient corridors, throng with the crowds through Jerusalem’s gates, and discover the marvels of architecture and design that were integral to this sacred site.
Three Tuesdays, July 7th, 14th and 21st, 2015 from 7:30-9:00pm
Please note: This class is free of charge since it is a re-run of the course given a few years ago. All participants will enjoy this course either as review or as new material! If you have joined before and have the student text book please bring it along. We will provide text books for all new participants.
To RSVP, please contact us here or call us at 805-382-4770
Click below for a promo video for this course on YouTube
Course outline:
Lesson One, The Temple Mount examines why Yerushalayim and its Holy Temple are so significant to our people and to the whole world. Why are we so attached to this city and to the Western Wall?
We begin our search for answers, taking an overview of the Temple's history - its place in time. We then look at its physical location, examining the topography of the Temple Mount and its surroundings. Finally, we look at the outer structure and precincts of the historical Temple itself, viewing its retaining walls and the outer parts of the Temple Mount. The lesson provides a historical overview of the Temple, as well as the significance of the Temple Mount and its surrounding topography.
The area reviewed is Har hamoriah the four retaining walls, the Temple Mount and the Royal Basilica.Lesson Two, The Temple Compound acquaints us with the different structures found on top of Har HaMoriah, the holy Temple Mount. We look at classic rabbinic texts as well as modern archeological findings, to help us develop our picture.
In visualizing the structures and their layout, we will also be taking care to understand the ascending levels of holiness that each structure represents, as we proceed towards the Temple's heart: the dividing wall - the soreg, and the Women's Courtyard and its functions, lighting, balcony and chambers. The lesson continues with the miraculous story of the Nikanor Gate, and concludes with some of the details of the Temple Courtyard chambers.Lesson Three, The Holy and the Holy of Holies takes us on a tour of the holiest parts of the Temple: the Heichal, the Kodesh, and the Kodesh HaKodashim. We take care to examine not only the structure of these places, and the accounts of the miracles which took place there, but also the meaning of those holy places in our lives. This lesson culminates in the Holy of Holies, as we see the Keruvim embracing, and learn of G‑d's love for His people even when we are exiled and the Temple is not yet rebuilt.