By Moshe Feiglin
And G-d gave Solomon wisdom, as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and the two made a pact together. (From this week's reading of Prophets, Kings I, 5:26)
This week's Torah portion, Terumah, reads like a user's manual for Sanctuary and Temple construction. Everything in the portion seems to be technical, even "dry:" Pillars, boards and all the other elements of building.
"Let's just make sure that the Temple will not be rebuilt," I once heard a radio broadcaster say. In truth, I understand where he was coming from. If a person looks at the Temple from the purely technical side, if he cannot overcome the dry details, he can easily reach the same conclusion.
But the first verse in this week's Prophets portion is talking about something else; something that Israel's radio broadcasters talk about all the time. Peace. "And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and the two made a pact together."
Strange. The leftists keep telling us that the third Temple will ignite the Third World War. What is peace doing in this verse? Let us examine the verses leading up to this verse:
And, behold, I propose to build a house for the name of the LORD my G-d, as the LORD spoke unto David my father, saying: Your son, whom I will set upon your throne in your room, he shall build the house for My Name. Therefore command that they hew me cedar-trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with your servants; and I will give you hire for your servants according to all that you shall say; for you know that there is not among us any that has skill to hew timber like the Sidonians.'
And when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said: 'Blessed be the LORD this day, who has given unto David a wise son over this great people.' And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying: 'I have heard that which you have sent to me; I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of cypress. My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea unto the place that you shall appoint me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you shall receive them; and you shall accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.' So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of cypress according to all his desire. And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of beaten oil; thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year. (Kings I, 5: 19-25)
The culture of the Sidonians - Phoenicians - was rich. They engaged in extensive international trade and the ports that they built on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea developed into mighty kingdoms. Hiram was no small time monarch. He had the wealth of America, the culture of England and the artwork of France all wrapped up in Tyre and Sidon. When Hiram hears that Solomon is building a Temple to G-d, he does not respond with war. He is happy that he has the merit to participate in the Divine undertaking.
The secret of universal peace is the Temple in Jerusalem, when humanity will sense that the King has returned to His home. The world will sense His presence in both the spiritual and geographic dimensions. We will ascend to Him on the holidays and visit in the royal courtyard. Non-Jews will also have their role; all the nations send their sacrifices on the holiday of Sukkot. When the Master of the house is home, every nation knows its place in the universal tapestry. Suddenly, there is peace.
Today, the huge pillars of timber that Hiram the king of Tyre sent to King Solomon are strewn about on the Temple Mount. When good Jews managed to smuggle some samples out of the Temple Mount for Carbon 14 dating and botanical examination, it turned out that these are cedars and cypresses from the First Temple era. Any other nation would turn this treasure into a national museum. But on the Temple Mount, the timber is thrown aside. Some of it is used by the Arabs for heating fuel. There is very little left.
The entire world - including those places where anti-Semitism prevails - is waiting for the great proclamation that will emanate from Jerusalem. But the children of the King scorn their inheritance and have abandoned the remnants of Solomon's Temple to the coarse hands of the children of the servant.
And the King is in exile.
And the neighbors fight - between themselves and together, against us.
And peace is nowhere to be found.
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