So why is it that a temple or a physical site is usually the center of these ritual meetings? The concept of founding a space where god can be worshipped far predates the times of Jerusalem. It is a common, often repeating, story that these sites are products of a higher being... meaning that the plans for a temple or site are believed to be lowered down by gods from the heavens to earth. In Genesis 1-2 in the Hebrew Bible, it is explained that god created everything, and it is not the job of the humans to be building such places as temples. In Genesis 11, however, the humans try doing it themselves, to no avail. This indicates that the axis mundi is from divine origin, not from human origin.
Usually when a place is found as sacred, it is consecrated. In regards to a masonry shop, the first laid cornerstone is seen as the "foundation" of it all. So what attributes to Jerusalem being made sacred? The attraction of stories, both historical and borrowed, creates a sense of "happening." Through bible stories and traditions, Jerusalem is able to succeed as a sacred place. For years Jerusalem has been "sucking in" these stories that ultimately make it so sacred. Many biblical passages and traditions give insight to this city and its origins:
Story about the Dome of the Rock:
The Dome of the Rock, located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, acts as the cornerstone for the city. This Islamic place of worship is the believed to be the site of Adam's burial and is built around a central rock in the city.
Story about the Hebrew God:
The Hebrew tradition is to not name god by his personal name. Instead they use the tetragrammaton, which refers to the personal name of their god without actually using it. The proper name for god is Yahweh, which is formed from the letters Yodh, He, Waw, and He. When written it is usually seen as YHWH, or when substituted in texts it will be read as LORD. The most respectful way is to just refer to god as "HaShem," which means "the name." In more recent texts and scrolls, the name will appear as four dots, hence the reason for calling it a tetragrammaton.
Genesis 22:
This passage stresses the importance of sacrifice for the LORD. Abraham was told by the LORD to sacrifice his son, Isaac. He followed the LORD's commands and set up to kill his son. The LORD, however, stopped him from doing so, and now the place in which Isaac was to be sacrificed (Mt. Moriah) is a sacred space.
Story about the Place of the Underworld:
Where there is a connection from the heavens to the earth, there is also a connection to the underworld. Since Jerusalem has a special connection to the heavens, it also has a not-so-special connection to the underworld. The Hinnom Valley, translated as Gai-Hinnom, used to be the largest dumping area in Jerusalem. For this reason, these dumping grounds were considered to be a path to the underworld, or hell, which was translated as Gehenna due to its close relations and similarities with Gai-Hinnom. So visiting the Hinnom Valley nowadays means taking a trip to hell and back!
Exodus 3:
The story of the burning bush (in which the LORD appeared to Moses out of a burning bush) signifies the importance of holy ground. The fire that the LORD appears from shows a connection between the heavens and earth, therefore this is a sacred site. It is through this passage that the LORD reveals his personal name. Furthermore, the significance of taking off your shoes on holy ground is demonstrated.
Exodus 24:
The mountain upon which the LORD lives and gives the ten commandments is also of importance.
Story of the Holy Sepulcher:
The Holy Sepulcher is said to have been built around the tomb of Jesus, as well as the tomb of Adam and Eve, hence making it the very center of the earth. For this reason, it is a popular place of worship for many different Christians.
Though space is often the only aspect of religion given credit for sacrality, the aspect of time is just as important. What happens when a space is destroyed or ceases to exist? There would be nothing left. And this is why faith must be mobile. The commandments (which were repeated three times is the Hebrew bible: Genesis 2, Exodus 20, and Deuteronomy 5) create a day of rest, or Sabbath. On this resting day everyone should be able to find a place within themselves to redefine what it means to be holy... and not just be defined by the holy places.
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