Honouring the Beis Hamikdash
In the final 2 chapters of the Laws of the Beis Hamikdash, the Rambam discusses the Mitzvos of fearing the Mikdash and of guarding the Mikdash.
The fact that the Rambam brings these laws in the Halachos of the Temple’s construction (as opposed to the laws of entering the Temple) suggests that they are also part of the חפצא—the entity of the building itself i.e. that the building should be honourable.
The Mitzvah to revere the Mikdash is clearly stated in the Torah which states ומקדשי תיראו. The Midrash Toras Kohanim explains that the Mitzvah is not to fear the Mikdash building itself, but rather to fear “He who has commanded us to do so”.
The Sefer Hachinuch (Mitzvah 254) explains that the objective of this Mitzvah is to fix into our souls a sense of awe, so that when a person would come to the Beis Hamikdash to daven or to bring a korban, their hearts would be softened, allowing them to do true Teshuvah.
Whilst being a Biblical Mitzvah, the parameters of how we show reverence in the Beis Hamikdash was given over to the Rabbis to determine.
Nowadays
The Mitzvah to fear the Mikdash applies even after the Temple’s destruction. This is learned from the juxtaposition of the Mitzvah to revere the sanctuary to the Mitzvah of keeping Shabbos. From this the sages expound that just as Shabbos observance applies for all time, so does the Mitzvah of revering the Mikdash. Furthermore, the sages learn from the Posuk והשימותו את מקדשיכם “and I will destroy your sanctuaries”, that even after being destroyed, it is still called a Mikdash and the Kedusha remains.
Conduct on Har Habayis
The Sifra records that one may not enter Har Habayis with one’s travelling walking stick. Similarly one may not wear shoes on Har Habayis. We find precedent for this in the Tanach that on hallowed ground (such as Moshe at the Burning Bush) a person should remove their shoes. Most commentators explain that like Yom Kippur, this only applies to leather shoes.
One may also not enter באפונדתו. Rashi explains this to be a form of money pouch that was worn on a belt. Rambam and the Bartenura explain that it refers to wearing only an undershirt without a robe or shirt on top.
The Sifra also forbids a person going onto Har Habayis with his money tied into his cloak. Tosfos explains that to do so would be disrespectful as it appears that he is going to engage in trade. Tosfos concludes that if the money purse is concealed there would be no problem.
The Rambam rules that one may not use Har Habayis as a shortcut. One may only enter for the purpose of a Mitzvah. A similar ruling applies to entering a Shule. One may not use a Shule as a shortcut or enter a Shule to take shelter from the rain or heat or to call a friend.
On Har Habayis, a person should walk calmly, taking small paces. One is also not allowe dto act in a frivolous, light-hearted manner (קלות ראש) opposite the the Gate of Nikanor - the Eastern gate of the Azarah tat stood opposite the Kodesh Hakodoshim.
When leaving one should not turn their back to the Heichal, walking in the same manner as one does when taking leave of a king - as we do at the end of Shemona Esrei.
Restricted Areas
Not entering the areas where one is forbidden to enter, is also a feature of revering the Sanctuary. According to the Rambam, entering an area which one is forbidden to enter, carries the penalty of Kareis to this day.
Which part of the Temple precinct a person could enter would depend on their status and their level of purity.
Jews going up onto Har Habayis today is a subject of debate. Most Poskim strictly forbid doing so. Others permit doing so if done in a Halachically prescribed and compliant manner, including the laws of purity. Anyone considering a trip onto the Temple Mount should consult a competent Halachic authority on whether doing so is permissible and what conditions and guidelines are applicable.
Replicating Parts of the Mikdash
A person may not construct his home in the design of the Heichal, a porch in the form of the Ulam or a courtyard like the Azarah. This Halacha is brought in Shulchan Aruch. It only applies when building to the exact measurements of the Beis Hamikdash.
We are also forbidden from replicating the Menorah or Shulchan. The Radbaz explains that this is an extension of the mitzvah to revere the Mikdash in a similar way that a just as a commoner may not use the sceptre of the king as it would be a mark of disrespect.
Only a 7-branch Menorah is prohibited and only when made of metal. According to some authorities a golden Menorah may be made when it is does not have the decorative features as described in the Torah (since the absence of these decorative features would invalidate a golden Menorah but not one made of another metal).
Guard of Honour
There is a positive Mitzvah to guard the Mikdash. Failing to guard the Mikdash also violates a negative Mitzvah. In the Rambam’s interpretation, this guarding was performed by 3 Kohanim and 21 Leviim who would stand at specific locations on Har Habayis and around the Azarah.
In Moreh Nevuchim, Rambam explains that the purpose of the guards was to prevent visitors from entering into restricted areas. In Mishneh Torah, Ramabam explains that the guarding was not for concern of robbers or enemies. Rather it was a guard of honour - since one cannot compare a palace which has guards to one which does not.
Since this is the purpose of the Mitzvah, the commentaries (see Minchas Chinuch) question why the Rambam limits the guarding to night-time only (unlike the Raavad and Rosh who require Shemira by day as well).
Tiferes Yisroel answers based on the Rosh, that the purpose of the Shemira (as an extension of revering the Mikdah) is so that we do not remove our thoughts from the Mikdash. During the daytime, the fact that the Kohanim were serving in the Beis Hamikdash sufficed. Only at night would guards be necessary.
Over 100 years ago, Rabbi Hillel Moshe Meshel Gelbstein wrote a Kuntres to prove that this Mitzvah should still apply today, just like the mitzvah to fear the Mikdash. Indeed in his later years he moved to Yerushalayim to do this job. In this Kuntres he brings from the Gr”a that if we are able to do so, houses near the Kosel should be bought with guards to warn people not to put their hands into the cracks of the Kosel (a topic for another article).
His contemporaries did not accept his conclusions. The Avnei Nezer has a Teshuva discussing the complex issue, analysing whether the Shemirah was considered part of the Avodah.
In the merit of learning about the Beis Hamikdash and in showing awe and reverence to our Shules which are called a מקדש מעט, a miniature Sanctuary, may we merit to be able to visit and serve Hashem in the Third Beis Hamikdash.
The fact that the Rambam brings these laws in the Halachos of the Temple’s construction (as opposed to the laws of entering the Temple) suggests that they are also part of the חפצא—the entity of the building itself i.e. that the building should be honourable.
The Mitzvah to revere the Mikdash is clearly stated in the Torah which states ומקדשי תיראו. The Midrash Toras Kohanim explains that the Mitzvah is not to fear the Mikdash building itself, but rather to fear “He who has commanded us to do so”.
The Sefer Hachinuch (Mitzvah 254) explains that the objective of this Mitzvah is to fix into our souls a sense of awe, so that when a person would come to the Beis Hamikdash to daven or to bring a korban, their hearts would be softened, allowing them to do true Teshuvah.
Whilst being a Biblical Mitzvah, the parameters of how we show reverence in the Beis Hamikdash was given over to the Rabbis to determine.
Nowadays
The Mitzvah to fear the Mikdash applies even after the Temple’s destruction. This is learned from the juxtaposition of the Mitzvah to revere the sanctuary to the Mitzvah of keeping Shabbos. From this the sages expound that just as Shabbos observance applies for all time, so does the Mitzvah of revering the Mikdash. Furthermore, the sages learn from the Posuk והשימותו את מקדשיכם “and I will destroy your sanctuaries”, that even after being destroyed, it is still called a Mikdash and the Kedusha remains.
Conduct on Har Habayis
The Sifra records that one may not enter Har Habayis with one’s travelling walking stick. Similarly one may not wear shoes on Har Habayis. We find precedent for this in the Tanach that on hallowed ground (such as Moshe at the Burning Bush) a person should remove their shoes. Most commentators explain that like Yom Kippur, this only applies to leather shoes.
One may also not enter באפונדתו. Rashi explains this to be a form of money pouch that was worn on a belt. Rambam and the Bartenura explain that it refers to wearing only an undershirt without a robe or shirt on top.
The Sifra also forbids a person going onto Har Habayis with his money tied into his cloak. Tosfos explains that to do so would be disrespectful as it appears that he is going to engage in trade. Tosfos concludes that if the money purse is concealed there would be no problem.
The Rambam rules that one may not use Har Habayis as a shortcut. One may only enter for the purpose of a Mitzvah. A similar ruling applies to entering a Shule. One may not use a Shule as a shortcut or enter a Shule to take shelter from the rain or heat or to call a friend.
On Har Habayis, a person should walk calmly, taking small paces. One is also not allowe dto act in a frivolous, light-hearted manner (קלות ראש) opposite the the Gate of Nikanor - the Eastern gate of the Azarah tat stood opposite the Kodesh Hakodoshim.
When leaving one should not turn their back to the Heichal, walking in the same manner as one does when taking leave of a king - as we do at the end of Shemona Esrei.
Restricted Areas
Not entering the areas where one is forbidden to enter, is also a feature of revering the Sanctuary. According to the Rambam, entering an area which one is forbidden to enter, carries the penalty of Kareis to this day.
Which part of the Temple precinct a person could enter would depend on their status and their level of purity.
Jews going up onto Har Habayis today is a subject of debate. Most Poskim strictly forbid doing so. Others permit doing so if done in a Halachically prescribed and compliant manner, including the laws of purity. Anyone considering a trip onto the Temple Mount should consult a competent Halachic authority on whether doing so is permissible and what conditions and guidelines are applicable.
Replicating Parts of the Mikdash
A person may not construct his home in the design of the Heichal, a porch in the form of the Ulam or a courtyard like the Azarah. This Halacha is brought in Shulchan Aruch. It only applies when building to the exact measurements of the Beis Hamikdash.
We are also forbidden from replicating the Menorah or Shulchan. The Radbaz explains that this is an extension of the mitzvah to revere the Mikdash in a similar way that a just as a commoner may not use the sceptre of the king as it would be a mark of disrespect.
Only a 7-branch Menorah is prohibited and only when made of metal. According to some authorities a golden Menorah may be made when it is does not have the decorative features as described in the Torah (since the absence of these decorative features would invalidate a golden Menorah but not one made of another metal).
Guard of Honour
There is a positive Mitzvah to guard the Mikdash. Failing to guard the Mikdash also violates a negative Mitzvah. In the Rambam’s interpretation, this guarding was performed by 3 Kohanim and 21 Leviim who would stand at specific locations on Har Habayis and around the Azarah.
In Moreh Nevuchim, Rambam explains that the purpose of the guards was to prevent visitors from entering into restricted areas. In Mishneh Torah, Ramabam explains that the guarding was not for concern of robbers or enemies. Rather it was a guard of honour - since one cannot compare a palace which has guards to one which does not.
Since this is the purpose of the Mitzvah, the commentaries (see Minchas Chinuch) question why the Rambam limits the guarding to night-time only (unlike the Raavad and Rosh who require Shemira by day as well).
Tiferes Yisroel answers based on the Rosh, that the purpose of the Shemira (as an extension of revering the Mikdah) is so that we do not remove our thoughts from the Mikdash. During the daytime, the fact that the Kohanim were serving in the Beis Hamikdash sufficed. Only at night would guards be necessary.
Over 100 years ago, Rabbi Hillel Moshe Meshel Gelbstein wrote a Kuntres to prove that this Mitzvah should still apply today, just like the mitzvah to fear the Mikdash. Indeed in his later years he moved to Yerushalayim to do this job. In this Kuntres he brings from the Gr”a that if we are able to do so, houses near the Kosel should be bought with guards to warn people not to put their hands into the cracks of the Kosel (a topic for another article).
His contemporaries did not accept his conclusions. The Avnei Nezer has a Teshuva discussing the complex issue, analysing whether the Shemirah was considered part of the Avodah.
In the merit of learning about the Beis Hamikdash and in showing awe and reverence to our Shules which are called a מקדש מעט, a miniature Sanctuary, may we merit to be able to visit and serve Hashem in the Third Beis Hamikdash.