Middot 2:2
How can building design and building use reinforce religious values?
讻诇 讛谞讻谞住讬谉 诇讛专 讛讘讬转 谞讻谞住讬谉 讚专讱 讬诪讬谉 讜诪拽讬驻讬谉 讜讬讜爪讗讬谉 讚专讱 砖诪讗诇, 讞讜抓 诪诪讬 砖讗专注讜 讚讘专, 砖讛讜讗 诪拽讬祝 诇砖诪讗诇. [诪讛 诇讱 诪拽讬祝 诇砖诪讗诇], 砖讗谞讬 讗讘诇, 讛砖讜讻谉 讘讘讬转 讛讝讛 讬谞讞诪讱. 砖讗谞讬 诪谞讚讛, 讛砖讜讻谉 讘讘讬转 讛讝讛 讬转谉 讘诇讘诐 讜讬拽专讘讜讱, 讚讘专讬 专讘讬 诪讗讬专. 讗诪专 诇讜 专讘讬 讬讜住讬: 注砖讬转谉 讻讗诇讜 注讘专讜 注诇讬讜 讗转 讛讚讬谉. 讗诇讗 讛砖讜讻谉 讘讘讬转 讛讝讛 讬转谉 讘诇讘讱 讜转砖诪注 诇讚讘专讬 讞讘专讬讱 讜讬拽专讘讜讱.
All who enter the Temple mount would enter by the right [Hulda gate], circle, and exit the left way, except for one who had suffered an incident, who would circle from the left. [People would ask this person why he was going the wrong way. He would reply:] 鈥淏ecause I am bereaved.鈥� [They would say:] 鈥淢ay the One Who dwells in this house comfort you.鈥� [Or he would say:] 鈥淚 have been banned.鈥� [They would say:] 鈥淢ay the One Who dwells in this house put in their hearts to bring you close again鈥濃�攁ccording to Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yossi said to him, 鈥淸You imply] that the [Sages] treated him unjustly!鈥� Rather, they would say, 鈥淢ay the One Who dwells in this house put in your heart to heed your colleagues, and then they will bring you close again.鈥�
Comments
The Jerusalem Temple was the great gathering place of the Jewish people for many centuries. According to a midrash, Solomon designed the gates in a way that highlighted the status of bridegrooms, who would be congratulated, and mourners, who would be consoled. This mishnah identifies another situation requiring attention鈥攖he person banned for misconduct. The very structure of the Temple and its operating procedures were thus designed for social bonding鈥攖o identify and comfort a person struck by tragedy, and to identify and correct a person who literally stepped out of line.
Questions
- Can you defend Rabbi Meir鈥檚 position from Rabbi Yossi鈥檚 critique?
- What values are reinforced by the design of your synagogue or school building?
- Does God dwell in our houses too or only in the Jerusalem Temple?
