Facts in Judaism
The Holiest Place on Earth: Understanding the Centrality of the Temple Mount in Judaism
From Creation to Redemption, the Temple Mount stands as the eternal heart of Jewish prayer, history, and hope
Sacred Since the Beginning of Time
The Temple Mount (Har HaBayit) is the holiest site in Judaism. Referred to throughout the Book of Deuteronomy as “the place that Hashem will choose,” it was the location of the First and Second Temples, and, ultimately, the Third Temple will be built there too.
Its sanctity dates back to ancient times. According to the Sages, the world was founded upon the Even HaShtiyah (Foundation Stone), located at the heart of the Temple Mount, in the Holy of Holies. It is also taught that the dust for Adam’s creation was taken from this very place. Here, Adam built his altar, Cain and Abel brought their offerings, and Noah built his altar upon leaving the Ark.
Many pivotal biblical events occurred on the Temple Mount. Abraham brought Isaac there for the binding. King David purchased the site from Aravnah the Jebusite to build an altar to stop a plague. His son Solomon constructed the First Temple there, a house of prayer for all nations. The Second Temple was later rebuilt by the returnees from Babylon and magnificently expanded by Herod decades later.
The prophet Isaiah (2:2–3) foresees a time when the Temple Mount will have global importance: “In the end of days, the mountain of Hashem’s House will be established at the top of the mountains… and many nations will say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of Hashem, to the House of the God of Jacob.” The prophet Micah echoes the same prophecy.
Names of Reverence
The Temple Mount is referred to by various exalted names by the prophets:
Har HaMoriah (Mount Moriah): Interpreted as “the mountain from which Torah guidance goes forth”, alluding to the Sanhedrin that sat in the Temple’s Chamber of Hewn Stone.
Har Beit Hashem (Mountain of the House of Hashem): Used by Isaiah and in Chronicles, describing where Manasseh removed foreign gods and altars.
Har Hashem (Mountain of Hashem): As King David writes in Psalms, “Who may ascend the Mountain of Hashem?” Isaiah uses the same phrase when describing the future pilgrimage of the nations.
Har Hashem Tzevaot (Mountain of Hashem of Hosts): The prophet Zechariah calls Jerusalem “the City of Truth” and the mountain “the Holy Mountain.”
Har HaKodesh (The Holy Mountain): A poetic name found in Psalms and Isaiah, as in “They will bow to Hashem on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.”
Situated in eastern Jerusalem, the Temple Mount is 2,460 feet above sea level.
Reverence, Restriction, and Prayer
Sadly, today the Dome of the Rock stands atop the Temple Mount. It was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik in 690 CE.
According to Jewish law, it is forbidden to enter the Temple Mount, since it is unclear where the original Temple stood, and forbidden to enter the area of the Temple in a state of ritual impurity (on account of contact with the dead). Since most people today are considered ritually impure and cannot purify themselves without the ashes of the Red Heifer (which are unavailable), entry is prohibited.
All Jewish prayer is directed at the Temple Mount. As King Solomon said during the Temple’s dedication: “They shall pray to Hashem through the city You have chosen and the House I have built for Your Name.” Even after the destruction of the Temple, Jewish hearts and prayers have remained focused on the Temple Mount. During the Amidah prayer, one is required to direct both heart and body toward it.
Jewish law instructs those praying outside of Israel to face the Land of Israel; those in Israel to face Jerusalem; and those in Jerusalem to face the Temple Mount, the place where the Holy of Holies stood.
The Temple Mount is not just a physical location—it is the spiritual center of the Jewish people, linking Creation to Redemption. Its holiness, history, and hope continue to shape Jewish identity and prayer across generations.
