FESTIVAL OF THE WATER LIBATION 5775 On the 18th of Tishrei, the 3rd day of chol hamoed – the intermediary days of the Festival of Sukkot (Sunday, Oct. 12 2014) – history was made in Jerusalem. For the first time since the destruction of the Second Temple, a reenactment of the famed Festival of the Water Libation (Simchat Beit HaShoeva) was held, under the direction of the Temple Institute and in cooperation with the Association of Temple Organizations. Cohanim (men of priestly descent) dressed in priestly garments, accompanied by a crowd estimated at many hundreds, descended to the ancient Shiloach spring in the City of David, and drew water in a special Temple vessel. The ceremony was marked by dancing and singing, and the sounding of blasts from the shofar and silver trumpets. By the time the procession reached the old city of Jerusalem, the ranks of participants had swelled to well over one thousand. The sages of Israel state that “whoever has not seen the Festival of the Water Libation has never seen true joy” (Tractate Sukkot 51:a). This celebration, which took place every night during the Sukkot festival in the Holy Temple, was the height of the holiday joy of Sukkot, and the purest fulfillment of the Biblical commandment, “And you shall rejoice on your festival, and you shall be only joyous” (Deut. 16). The drawing of the water from the Shiloach spring is associated with the verse (Is. 12:3) “You shall draw water with joy from the springs of salvation,” and is a unique tradition that Moses received at the Sinai Revelation. At dawn, the water was taken up to the Temple Mount and poured into a vessel on the corner of the altar. This ceremony is also associated with the resting of the spirit of prophecy upon the people of Israel. This educational event is another great milestone in the preparations currently taking place towards the rebuilding of the Holy Temple. The huge and enthusiastic crowds who participated in the event are testimony to the great desire for the Holy Temple that is expressed by the people of Israel. For our reenactment, a model of the altar was built and erected in the heart of the Jewish Quarter. Once arriving back from the City of David, the actual ceremony of the water libation was demonstrated before the large crowds of spectators and holiday celebrants that had gathered. Prominent rabbis were present and participated in this historic, educational practice of the Water Libation. May we merit to build the altar in its proper, Divinely-appointed place on the Temple Mount, and may we be blessed to perform the Festival of the Water Libation in the Holy Temple! We thank the Women for the Holy Temple for the beautiful footage of the drawing of the water (0:18 - 1:56). The full-length clip can be seen at https://youtube/watch?v=jOhTs0xM7lQ Chag Sameach - חג שמח - Have a Joyful Sukkot!
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 13:54:17 +0000
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