Rabbi Azriel Schreiber

What were the dimensions of the Temple enclosure? The Temple enclosure on the Temple Mount was about 150 by 350 cubits. (A cubit is a little less than two feet.) The Women’s Court was 150 by 150. The Men’s Court…

What is the significance of “cherubs” (KERUVIM)? The “cherubs” in the Temple were exceptions to the usual rules against representational art. Some of the cherubs were embroidered (Ex.26:1,31; 36:8,35), but the ones on the cover of the Ark (Ex.25:18-20,37:7-9) were…

Could gentiles enter the Temple? Could they bring sacrifices? Gentiles could enter only the outer part of the Temple Court. Stones have been found that marked the places beyond which they couldn’t go. Sacrifices were accepted from anyone, provided they…

What things were kept in the Ark of the Covenant? Several things were kept in (or next to) the Ark, including the Tablets of the Covenant, the broken tablets (Ex.Chs.32-34), an omer of manna (Ex.16:33), Aaron’s staff (Num.17:10), and a…

What do we do about sacrifices when there is no Temple? Since the Temple was built, it has not been permissible to offer sacrifices elsewhere; see Deut.12:13-14. When there was a Temple, people who lived far away from it used…

Does anyone still sacrifice animals today? The Samaritans (only a few hundred of them are left, nearly all in Nablus (Shechem)) still sacrifice a lamb on Mt.Gerizim every Passover.

In the Temple, did they blow the shofar or a trumpet? Both trumpets (chatzotzros) and horns (shofaros) were used in the Temple. On Rosh Ha-Shanah the shofar was central, but it was accompanied by trumpets; on other occasions, such as…

How was the Passover sacrifice offered and eaten in the time of theTemple? The Passover lambs were slaughtered in the Temple. The slaughtering could be done by anyone, but a priest had to sprinkle the blood on the altar. Each…