by Rabbi Shraga Simmons
The Jewish People are handicapped if even one Jew has fallen away from our people.
Why was the First Temple destroyed? Because that generation transgressed the three cardinal sins: idol worship, sexual immorality, and murder.
Why was the Second Temple destroyed? Because of unwarranted hatred.
This shows how great is the punishment for unwarranted hatred. Because the generation of the three cardinal sins was redeemed after 70 years, yet for the generation of unwarranted hatred, its redemption has yet to come.
Talmud, Yoma 9
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What does the existence of the Temple have to do with love and hatred between fellow Jews?
The Temple was the main conduit for the flow of Godliness into this world. When we had the Temple, there was respect for God, for His Torah -- and for each other. There were no atheists, no doubt about God's existence. Every Jew acknowledged one God and understood the genius of His laws. The world was filled with awe of God and love of God.
As we began to lose that clarity, the flow of Godliness became severed. The prophet Ezekiel (ch. 9) actually describes seeing God's presence withdraw from the Temple. ...   more »

By Aaron Klein
JERUSALEM – Jordan has been quietly purchasing real estate surrounding the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in the hope of gaining more control over the area accessing the holy site, according to Palestinian and Israeli officials.
Israel's Maariv daily newspaper reported a member of the Jordanian royal family has been leading efforts to purchase properties near the Temple Mount – Judaism's holiest site – as part of the kingdom's plan to solidify its already strong presence there.
The Maariv story was first reported by WND four months ago in an exclusive report revealing Jordan has used shell companies during the past year to purchase several apartments and shops located at key peripheral sections of the Temple Mount.
Israeli and Palestinian officials told WND Jordan also set up a commission to use the shell companies to petition mostly Arab landowners adjacent to eastern sections of the Temple Mount to sell their properties. They said profits from sales at any purchased shops would be reinvested to buy more real estate near the Mount and in eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods.
The Jordanian shell companies at times have presented themselves as acting on behalf of the Waqf, the Muslim custodians of the Temple ...   more »

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday said it is worth risking the lives of his fellow Jews in order to gain the diplomatic benefits he believes will accompany “goodwill gestures” made toward Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Speaking before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Olmert was addressing his plan to remove scores of military checkpoints and roadblocks originally established in Judea and Samaria to prevent Palestinian terrorists from reaching Israeli population centers.
Olmert agreed last week under international pressure to curb the travel restrictions so that Abbas could go back to his own people with some kind of achievement in hand.
But previous decisions to remove roadblocks in Judea and Samaria have led to significant increases in Palestinian terrorism against Israeli civilians.
Original Source
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