First-Temple Building Remains Found Near Temple Mount

(IsraelNN.com) The Israel Antiquities Authority announces the first time in the history of the archaeological research of Jerusalem that building remains from the First Temple period have been exposed so close to the Temple Mount – on the eastern slopes of the Upper City.

A rich layer of finds from the latter part of the First Temple period (8th-6th centuries B.C.E.) has been discovered in archaeological rescue excavations near the Western Wall plaza. The dig is being carried out in the northwestern part of the Western Wall plaza, near the staircase leading up towards the Jaffa Gate.

The Israel Antiquties Authority has been conducting the excavations for the past two years under the direction of archaeologists Shlomit Wexler-Bdoulah and Alexander Onn, in cooperation with the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. The remains of a magnificent colonnaded street [i.e., lined by columns] from the 2nd century C.E. were uncovered; the street appears on the mosaic Madaba map, and is referred to by the name Eastern Cardo. The level of the Eastern Cardo is paved with large heavy limestone pavers that were set directly atop the layer that dates to the end of the First Temple period. This Roman road thus “seals” beneath it the finds from the First Temple period, protecting them from being plundered in later periods.

The walls of the buildings found in the dig are preserved to a height of more than two meters.

Ring Seal Found, Inscribed with Owner's Name
Another impressive artifact found in the salvage excavations is a personal Hebrew seal made of a semi-precious stone that was apparently inlaid in a ring. The seal is elliptical and measures approximately 1 by 1.4 centimeters.

The seal's surface is divided into three strips separated by a double line: in the upper strip is a chain decoration comprising four pomegranates, and in the two bottom strips is the name of the owner of the seal, engraved in ancient Hebrew script. It reads: "[Belonging] to Netanyahu ben [son of] Yaush." Though each of the two names are not unfamiliar, no one with that name is known to scholars of the period.

A vast amount of pottery vessels was also discovered, among them three jar handles that bear similar stamped impressions. An inscription written in ancient Hebrew script is preserved on one these impressions, reading "Belonging] to the King of Hevron."

Archaeologists Issue Urgent Warnings Against Temple Mount Dig

Top Israeli archaeologists held an emergency press conference on Thursday, warning that a Second Temple courtyard wall is in danger of being destroyed by the Arab excavations there.

Members of the Committee to Prevent the Destruction of Temple Mount Antiquities warned that other artifacts could also be endangered by the unsupervised dig.

Dr. Gavriel Barkai opened by saying, "A month and a half ago, the Muslim Waqf [religious trust] began digging a trench more than 400 meters [1,300 feet] long - the largest such work ever carried out on the Temple Mount... These are criminal acts that have no place in a cultured country."

"Some man-worked stones have been found in the trench, as well as remnants of a wall that according to all our estimations, are from a structure in one of the outer courtyards in the Holy Temple. Such important work is being done without the supervision of the Antiquities Authority."

Dr. Eilat Mazar, who has long been involved in the fight to preserve the Temple Mount from unsupervised digging, said she saw Israeli policemen observing but taking no action against the dig. "Irreversible destruction is going on there," she said.

The Committee has demanded that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (fax: 02-670-5475, or 9722-670-5475 from abroad), Jerusalem Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan (Pensioners), and the Antiquities Authority order the work stopped immediately. In addition, they demand that tractors not be allowed to work on the Mount at all, nor may any digging take place without appropriate archaeological supervision.

"The archaeological damage is many times worse," Mazar said, "in light of the fact that the ground level is only slightly above the original Temple Mount platform. And in fact, the bedrock has been uncovered in some places - meaning that earth that has been in place for many centuries, even possibly since the First Temple, has been removed."

"No other country in the world would allow such grave damage to its most precious archaeological treasures," Mazar said. The Committee is planning to file a complaint with the police, and is considering submitting an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Click HERE to see the video of the destruction and read the article.

Anna Nicole Smith found ALIVE!!!

Okay, it's not true. But now that I got your attention, I have an announcement to make.

I have gone off the derech. How so? Well, Ha-Mikdash is a blog that was intended to be a "meeting place... to discuss the history, law and current state of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount."

A lack of time and other factors have pushed me away from this goal and I have taken the easy road to become just another Pro-Israel conservative blog. What set Ha-Mikdash apart from all other blogs is that it focused just on Hilchos Kehuna, the Temple Mount desecration and the general sad state of Jerusalem today.

I apologize.

I have made a (bli neder) pledge to refocus and get back on the right path. The path for which this blog was intended. Most if not all posts will be content filled and not just links and videos. From now on when I find an interesting article I will direct you to it with one or two line maximum.

I am also going to try and revamp the template I am using. Surely I have moved past the generic "light house" theme. I no programmer so I will have to experiment and do it slowly. If anyone out there has expertise with building blog templates I would love to hear from you.

For those of my friends who are in the LA area, you know that I tried to start a Kohain learning group. Politics and a lack of enthusiasm pretty much put an end to that, but I am not giving up. I will press ahead to get this going and will attempt to connect Kohanim via video conferencing and see if we can make it a weekly event.

I also want to remind you that I maintain a Ha-Mikdash satellite site on MySpace.

I am not very versed in RSS feeds and other blog goodies. I am self taught, so I am trying to figure it out. I will also like to have a blog radio show once a month.

So much is happening with Jerusalem and the Temple Mount today. Israeli apathy, frum heads in the sand, Muslim revisionism and leftist meddling. It is time to stand up and do some ground roots activism to protect our Holiest site.

Lastly, I would like to share a thought.

The halachos in the Mishna Berurah are clearly spelled out by the Mechaber, the Rema and the Chafetz Chaim. It is clear and we have a mesora as to how to act like Jews and live our lives according to G-d's will. Many here, I'm sure, have read Guard Your Tongue and other halachos of Lashon HaRa. Truly the Chafetz Chaim was a great Torah Scholar, yet there is one of his writings that is disregarded by most if not all Jews.

The Holy Chafetz Chaim writes: "…Presently it is difficult to find Kohanim who know the laws and practices of the Temple Service fully. How disheartening and embarrassing. It sadly indicates that our prayers for the Temple and the Service are merely lip service, not real or heartfelt. For if we really desired it to come, we would prepare and make ready for it.

Therefore my brothers, it is incumbent upon us to…further the knowledge of the Temple and its Service. Particularly the Kohanim and the Levites, who are most directly involved in this Torah Mitzvah, for they will be the first to be asked, “why didn’t you prepare for the Temple Service?"

This is not some "Mashiach-nik" or an "end of days" fanatic. This is the Chafetz Chaim!

Is Mashiach's coming not imminent? Who among our brothers will stand up and pledge to dedicate themselves to learning the D'ORAYSA Halachos of Kehuna? Frum Jews learn Hilchos Shabbos, Kashrus, Taharas HaMishpacha. Are the G-d given Halachos set aside for us Kohanim any less important? Chas V'Shalom!

We enjoy the first aliya in shul. We are first to lead bentching. We duchan and are podeh the first born. We won't set foot in a cemetery, all important things. But why don't we know the Halachos of Kodshim, Teruma and Tuma and Tehara?

"Why didn't you prepare for the Temple Service?"

I remember growing up in NJ. My best friend, a non-Jew was the direct descendant of the French Royal Family. He had a title and special rights, though he was an American had not ever even been to France. I remember, when I heard about this I ran home crying, envious of my friend. I asked my father "Do we have any royalty in our family?" He apologized and said "no, we're just regular people." Then he said: "You know, we are Kohanim..."

As my parents were not religious, father could not really explain what that meant. I remember feeling like it was a consolation prize.

How sad! My friend had title and privileges bestowed by man and my family had been set aside by the Almighty to serve Him! All Jews are Royalty. We were all set aside to serve G-d and do His will. The Kohanim were separated from the Klal to perform special Mitzvos for Hashem. We need toask ourselves, do we perhaps take that a little too lightly?

"Why didn’t you prepare for the Temple Service?”

There is no Temple today. But there is Kehuna. Our responsibility to learn and teach has not been abrogated. Even more so, we know that Hashem will rebuild His House as He has promised. Even the nut jobs in the Neturei Karta believe this.

There is still time, and a vast library available to us. Will we be ready?