Jerusalem, Atlanta

Judaism has some very obvious unique core beliefs.  Among them is the role that Israel in general and Jerusalem in particular play.

Jerusalem’s holiness starts with the creation of Adam and continues with the two Holy Temples that stood there.  It begs the question, although we find references to Jerusalem in the Five Books of Moses (eg. Malkizedek the king of Shalem), we don’t find the word Jerusalem/Yerushalayim explicitly mentioned as Jerusalem?

In this weeks Torah portion we find the following reference to Jerusalem, “and it will be the place that Hashem your G-d will choose to rest His name there…”

In the teachings of our Sages and in Kabalah in particular, our prayers ascend through Jerusalem.  Our prayers travel from wherever they are offered and then ascend to heaven from the place of the Temple and the place of the Holy of Holies.  

Accordingly, wherever a person might be they have a direct line to Hashem.  As such Jerusalem is not exclusively about the physical place in the land of Israel but Jerusalem is in your synagogue, your home, your mountain climb or wherever else you take the time to pray to Hashem.

It is a powerful message for us as we enter the month of Elul, the last month on the Jewish calendar and the month of prayer and preparation for the New Year.  Your prayers are so valuable that wherever you offer them is considered like the holy space of Holy of Holies.
Shana Tova and Shabbat Shalom!