Temple

There were two Jewish Temples, or battei mikdash (singular: beit mikdash) that stood in ancient Jerusalem. The first was built by King Solomon and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, and the second was built in the late sixth century BCE with the blessing of the Persian Empire and was later destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. These Temples were the central site of Jewish sacrifice and pilgrimage while they stood. The destruction of these holy Temples was tragic, traumatic, and completely transformational for Jews and Judaism. The Temples and the service of God that took place there are described extensively in Jewish texts, as are their destructions and practices surrounding how they are mourned to this very day.