D’var Torah Yom Yerushalayim


We can divide Jerusalem's history into its pre-historic and historic periods.
Our Sages' tradition is that the creation of the world commenced in Jerusalem:
There was a stone there (the Holy of Holies) which was called "Foundation.” We have been taught: from this stone was the world founded ... as the one who says the world was created from Zion. The Sages say from Zion was the world created, as the verse says: “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God appeared.” [Psalms 50:2] From there the beauty of the world was perfected. (Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 54b)
The world was created from the Foundation Stone, which later became the floor of the Holy of Holies of the Temple.
Six cosmic days after beginning creation, God returned to the Temple Mount to create Adam, the pinnacle of creation:
Said Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi: "the Holy One, blessed be He, took a single spoonful of dust from the place of the altar, and with it He created Adam." (Jerusalem Talmud, Nazir 7:2)
Thus, the pre-history of the Holy City includes universal aspects – the creation of the world and the creation of the common progenitor of all mankind.
Jerusalem's transition from pre-history to history proper took place with the binding of Isaac (akeidat Yitzḥak). In a real sense, the binding of Isaac was one of the founding acts of the Nation of Israel. Just as the history of the world began in Jerusalem and on Mount Moriah, so too Jewish history began there. Akeidat Yitzḥak replaced the general importance of Jerusalem with a specifically Jewish significance, and with it, the universal importance of Jerusalem was superseded by its Jewish importance.
The distinguished song-writer and poetess, Naomi Shemer, understood this point. Her song, Jerusalem of Gold, written shortly before the Six Day War, includes the line "the market place is empty." These words earned Naomi Shemer the criticism of a left-wing Israeli author, who noted that the Old City market was frequented by Arabs. Naomi Shemer's response was:
Indeed, in my eyes, Jerusalem devoid of Jews is a mournful and desolate city. More than that: the Land of Israel without Jews is a wasteland; and more: if the entire world, were, God forbid, empty of Jews, in my eyes, it would be a black hole within the universe.
The poetess truly understood that Jerusalem's primary status is as the Holy City and eternal capital of the Nation of Israel.
We should note that, in the end of days, Jerusalem will return to her universal status, as Isaiah prophesied:
And it shall be at the end of the days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be firmly established at the top of the mountains, and it shall be raised above the hills, and all the nations shall stream to it. And many peoples shall go, and they shall say, "Come, let us go up to the Lord's mount, to the house of the God of Jacob, and let Him teach us of His ways, and we will go in His paths," for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. [2:2-3]
And Micah conveyed the same prophecy, almost word for word:
And it shall be at the end of the days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be firmly established at the top of the mountains, and it shall be raised above the hills, and peoples shall stream upon it. And many nations shall go, and they shall say, "Come, let us go up to the Lord's mount and to the house of the God of Jacob, and let Him teach us of His ways, and we will go in His paths," for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. [4:1-2]
It is our responsibility to be worthy of rebuilding Jerusalem and thereby allowing the Holy City to realize her universal influence. (David Magence)

Shabbat Shalom
The Va’ad