Israel and Humanity - Symbolism of the Temple in Jerusalem
CHAPTER IV.
UNIVERSAL WORSHIP IN THE MOSAIC RELIGION
I.
Symbolism of the Temple of Jerusalem.
Traces of the universal aspirations of Judaism as we noted in the history of Jerusalem and that Israel had of his religious capital, we also appear when we study the Temple, its construction and organization. It is a very ancient Hebrew belief that the house of God in the holy city was an image and a summary of the entire universe. Careful examination of its architecture and its various departments shows, beyond dispute, its eminently symbolic and here, as almost always, the orthodox Jewish, we might even say the Jewish mysticism, has only to refer to science and independent criticism of those who are tempted to doubt the historical reality of this symbolism. Archaeology in effect is found in all ancient cults and there is no reason to believe that Judaism is the only exception to this rule. What is questionable is the only interpretation that we can give and that is where the criticism must necessarily intervene. It can not accept for example that the benefit of inventory all the philosophical, theological, messianic, argued that Christianity grafted onto the trunk of Judaism. On what basis we would be admitting what has no biblical basis for certain and therefore can not [1] rest, ultimately, on the questionable authority who teaches? The only reasonable cause is the existence of a new divine revelation, but then, before we pass a single symbolic interpretations he proposes would require that we provide before the general proof of the divinity of Christianity , this means that what, in the spirit of Christian theologians, is proof of their religion, should instead be proved by it previously. On the other hand, appeal to tradition is to embrace the authority to advance the criticism and accept the judgments. For between two conflicting traditions, is obviously the science that must decide what is most authentic. It does not even need a lot of learning to establish that two so-called national traditions, one of which is represented by a dozen men who glory in their own ignorance and the other Israel with its entire generations of doctors, it is undoubtedly the latter that must prevail on the first of any weight of authority and science. The other, however, should not be neglected, which is filed on behalf of any symbolism while departing from the true national tradition, whether it is on any particular point in perfect agreement with the latter.
Therefore we reproduce in this context the words of a Catholic author, Dr. Fornari, "The tabernacle was a summary of creation, an image in the world built by the divine architect. The entrance opened to the East and gave access to a vast chamber in which were the place of ablution and the altar of burnt ... Thus was figured the separation between humankind and the priestly people ... So the holy place, that is to say, the whole environment does not represent the man in general, but especially the Jewish, the court, the rest of the family of Adam, and all the building, our universe [2] ". Many other writers whose works have no aim of apologetics have spoken the same way the architecture of the Temple, agreeing in this with the rabbinic sources from which the tabernacle was built on the map of the universe in order to reproduce the different parts [3]. An eminent naturalist, Dr. Nanka, called on his side of the scientific world's attention on [4] anatomical knowledge that reveals the mosaic structure of the temple [5] and a Jewish author who cites his long explanation, rightly observes: "These things that a famous scientist proclaims today have been taught for centuries by many doctors and particularly our by the greatest Kabbalists in their symbology [6] ".
We will not go into details of the countless testimonials we provide the rabbis of the Talmud and later, if they are not organs of tradition in interpreting at least the spirit. Ibn Esra, Nahmanides, Maimonides, R. Levi Ben Gherschom and many others, not to speak of Philo and Josephus inspired, too, by national traditions, all confirm the environmental design of universal religion which is revealed in the Mosaic worship, and especially in the shape of the Temple. We will limit ourselves to quoting rabbinic ideas, without which specifically relate to the plan of the sanctuary, not the least evidence solemn of Jewish universalism. The Jerusalem Talmud teaches that the earth which God used to create the man was pulled from the site which would rise one day the altar of Jerusalem. "R. Judah, son of Pazi said a handful of earth has been led by God to the location of the altar and he created the first man saying, so that created the land of the altar, could survive [7] ". And elsewhere we find these beautiful words we have already mentioned. "This is the place where the man had obtained his pardon he has been created."
According to a strange legend which is found elsewhere in the Muslim traditions, the very place where David built the altar, they found Adam's head, and that fact did not prevent, it seems She determined that instead the choice David made the area Araunah or Mount Moriah as the place designated for the future Temple. It's always the same concern is evident: that of combining all mankind to worship mosaic. [8]
