StatCounter

Wednesday 9 April 2014

What is the holiest site in Judaism?

We keep hearing Muslims claiming possession of Jerusalem because it is the third holiest site in Islam. Have you ever wondered what the holiest site in Judaism is? 

Well it's not as many would say, the Western or Wailing Wall. 

In fact the Temple Mount is Judaism's holiest site. 

The First and Second Temples were built on the Temple Mount, which, according to Jewish tradition, is the site of the Even Hashtiya, or foundation stone for the creation of the world. As a retaining wall of the mount, the Western Wall's sanctity derives from its proximity to the Temple Mount, within which the Holy of Holies once stood. Though the Western Wall is not Judaism’s most sacred site, it is the holiest site at which Jews are permitted to pray.

This is because whilst when Jordan occupied the East of Jerusalem 1948-1967, they stopped Jews from worshipping and destroyed some Jewish religious sites, since Israel regained East Jerusalem they have all but ceded control of the Temple Mount to Islam.

1 comment:

Restoring Britain said...

I have always said that Temple Mount is the litmus test by which to judge Israel against the argument that it is an apartheid state. The Israeli's permit a mosque to remain there. If the shoe were on the other foot - how long would a synagogue be permitted to stand