We take for granted that we live in a world of instant communication. Thanks to computer applications like WhatsApp or zoom, we can speak to people all over the world at any moment in time. Back during Talmudic times news traveled extremely slow. The Mishnah on TB Nazir 32b tells of a tragic story of people who didn’t know that the second Temple was destroyed by the rabbis.
“And this
was the error that Naḥum the Mede erred when he failed to
distinguish between an event that occurred before the vow was taken and an
event that occurred afterward. The incident in question was as follows: When
nazirites were ascending from the exile to sacrifice their offerings, and
they found the Temple destroyed, Naḥum the Mede said to them: If you had known
that the Temple would be destroyed, would you have taken a vow of
naziriteship? They said to him: Certainly not, as there is no remedy
for a naziriteship in this case. And Naḥum the Mede dissolved the vow for
them. And when the matter came before the Rabbis, they said: His ruling is
incorrect. Rather, whoever took a vow of naziriteship before the Temple was
destroyed, like these nazirites from the exile, he is a nazirite, as
he committed no error at the time of his vow, and one cannot dissolve vows
based a new situation. However, one who stated his vow after the Temple was
destroyed is not a nazirite, as he vowed based on an erroneous assumption.”
(Sefaria.org translation) as we learned in massekhet
Nedarim, for a Sage to dissolve a vow (and a nazirite vow is no different) the
person who made the vow looking back has too regret making it at the time of
the vow. If he regrets making the vow subsequently, the Sage cannot annul the
vow.
Naḥum the Mede was an important Sage who lived before and after the
destruction of the second Temple. You can imagine how distraught the Babylonian
pilgrims were when they discovered that the Temple was destroyed. First of all,
the holiest place in the entire world for Jews was no more and no more
sacrifices could be offered up. Secondly, because these nazirites pilgrims could not offer up the appropriate sacrifices, they could be
doomed to be nazirites for the
rest of their lives. I think that Naḥum the Mede just had rakhmones, mercy and compassion, upon them and found a way to annul
their vow.
Commenting
on this Mishna Rav Yosef, a first-generation Babylonian amora said: “Rav
Yosef said: If I had been there, when those nazirites arrived, I would
have said the following to them, in order to dissolve their vows: Isn’t
it written: “The Sanctuary of the Lord, the Sanctuary of the Lord, the
Sanctuary of the Lord, are these” (Jeremiah 7:4). This thrice
repetition of “Sanctuary of the Lord” is referring to the First Temple and
the Second Temple which are destined to be destroyed, leading to a Third
Temple. These nazirites should have considered the possibility of the Temple’s
destruction, and this can serve as a means of broaching the dissolution of
their vows.” (Sefaria.org translation)
When the
Temple stood, it provide the means for the Jewish people to draw close to God. Rabbi
Yosef is really telling us that we can learn from the prophet Jeremiah that our
actions have consequences. God is more concerned about how we live our lives than
any holiness of any building. Jeremiah who prophesied for forty years was
unique as a prophet because he saw his prophecy come true. He had to combat
false prophets who told the people that got would never destroy His holy
Temple. Because the people did not mend their ways, the Temple was destroyed.
Jeremiah said:
“Thus said
the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Mend your ways and your actions, and I
will let you dwell-a in this place. Don’t put your trust in
illusions and say, “The Temple of the LORD, the Temple of the LORD, the Temple
of the LORD are these [buildings].” No, if you really mend your ways and your
actions; if you execute justice between one man and another; if
you do not oppress the stranger, the orphan, and the widow; if you do not shed
the blood of the innocent in this place; if you do not follow other gods, to
your own hurt— then only will I let you dwell-a in this place, in
the land that I gave to your fathers for all time.” (Jeremiah 7:3-6)
How can we
draw close to God today is the question that commentators on the above versus answer.
The Targum
Yonaton writes: “Three times a year they would appear before
Him (the three pilgrimage holidays-gg). They would appear
before the Lord as servants of the Lord.” The word appear here has the connotation of putting on an act.
The insides of those coming to worship the Lord in the Temple did not match the
outward display of their “piety.” So the first way we draw close to God is have
our inward intentions match our outward actions.
Otzer
Midrashim 32 middot in the Agaddah
1:14 writes: “…Another possibility he said to them, ‘Behold the three
sanctuaries which were destroyed, Nov, Shiloh, and Givon. Take care that this
one will not be destroyed.’” In other words, we need to behave righteously. By
destroying the three previous sanctuaries proves that God does not need an earthly
place to dwell.
Rav Moshe
Avigdor Amiel[1]
wrote: “Also when the Temple stood the prophet said, ‘Do not believe the false
words that ‘The Temple of the LORD, the Temple of the LORD, the Temple of the LORD
are these.’ Like the commentators explain, that the real Temple of the Lord is
only in them-the people themselves with the divine image in them-‘for if you
surely improve your ways… You will not exploit the convert and the widow… I
will dwell among you in this place… Forever and ever.’” God doesn’t need a
building for us to feel God’s nearness. We can get close to God by creating
room for Him within us by saying that we are created in the divine image and
treating righteously the other who are also created in God’s image. We become
God’s Temple here on earth.
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