The Temple

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…

What things were in the First Temple but not in the Second temple? The Talmud (Yoma 21b) lists five things that were lacking in the Second Temple: the fire that came down from heaven, the Ark, the Urim ve-Tumim, the…

Why was it forbidden to remove the poles on which the Ark was carried (Ex. 25:15), but not the poles on which the other Temple utensils were carried? The Sefer Ha-Chinuch suggests that the Ark poles were especially important because…

Was the altar built before the Temple? Was it on the site of Abraham’s altar? The First Temple was built on Mount Moriah (2 Chron.3:1), but Abraham’s altar isn’t mentioned; rather, the spot where the Temple was built was the…

In the desert, which Levites carried the Kiyor? Since the Kiyor was located between the Mizbeach and the Ohel Moed, and the sons of Kehos Carried the Mizbeach as well as all the Kelim in the Ohel, it would be…

Why were candles lit and incense burned in the Temple every day? Kindling lights and burning incense are expressions of joy; see Proverbs 27:9).

What were the Urim ve-Tumim? According to most commentators, the Urim ve-Tumim were the stones in the Kohen Gadol’s breastplate (and possibly ephod; see Ex.Ch.28). These stones were engraved with the names of the tribes, and they conveyed messages by…