Inside the First Temple

"And Solomon made all the furnishings of the Temple of the L-rd: the golden altar, the upon which was the showbread, of gold; the menorah, five on the right, and five on the left, placed in front of the Sanctuary, in fine gold..." (Kings I 7:48-49)

Solomon made many innovations according to David's original plan. David, in commanding his son regarding the building of the Temple, informed him that all of these plans were Divinely-inspired: "All this is put in writing by the hand of G-d who instructed me... " (I Chron. 28:19)

The completed Temple was many times higher, larger and wider than the Tabernacle. In the Sanctuary itself, an additional ten menorot and ten tables were added. In the court, ten lavers were placed, in addition to the laver that had been constructed in the time of Moses.

One of the important Temple innovations identified with King Solomon was the "brazen sea." This was a huge brass pool that provided water for the needs of the priests in the court, which rested on the likeness of twelve brazen oxen and was remarkable in its beauty and size. From all over the ancient world, throngs streamed to Solomon's Temple in wonderment. Jerusalem's reputation as a city with a sanctuary of G-d in its midst traveled to the ends of the earth.

The wisdom of King Solomon and the sages of Israel in Jerusalem received international acclaim, and many came to seek understanding. In this era, Jerusalem, the city of David and Solomon, the verse "For out of Zion shall go forth Torah, and the word of G-d from Jerusalem" began to be fulfilled.

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