What makes Jerusalem the holiest city in Judaism?

Answer 1

It is the site of both the First (Solomon's) Temple and the Second Temple. However, it is not the Temples that made Jerusalem holy, it is the location in which they were built, the Temple Mount, that is holy.

Answer:

Jerusalem city is the eternal holy city not only for Jews but also for Christians and Muslims.

Answer 2

Jerusalem is the holiest city in Judaism as that is the location of the Temple Mount. It was on the Temple Mount that the two Temples were built.

Answer 2

Jerusalem is the center of Judaism. It is important to Jews because it was chosen by God (Zechariah 3:2). It was the site of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac, in Genesis ch.22) and was later the seat of the Davidic Kings, when King David, Israel's greatest king, founded the dynasty that ruled Judah for much of its history, making Jerusalem the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel during his reign and that of his son, King Solomon.
Most importantly, it was the location of the First and Second Temples, where offerings were made to God and where His presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies (1 Kings ch.8).

Answer 3

Because that is the Holy Land. God's chosen people were the Jews, plus all of the Jewish and Christian teachings and history began and took place.

Jewish Answer

Jerusalem is the center of Judaism. It is important to Jews because it was the site of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac, in Genesis ch.22) and was later the seat of the Davidic Kings. Most importantly, it was the location of the First and Second Temples, where offerings were made to God and where His presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies and was manifested in a number of miracles (Mishna, Avos ch.5).

Answer 4

Answer 1The city of Jerusalem; more specifically East Jeruslam in the Palestinian Territory; is significant in a number of religious traditions, including Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which consider it a holy city. A. In JudaismJerusalem has been the holiest city in Judaism and the ancestral and spiritual homeland of the Jewish people since the 10th century BCE. By 1840, the Jewish community constituted the largest single religious group in the city and from the 1880s onward constituted the majority within the city.

The city of Jerusalem is given special status in Jewish religious law. In particular, Jews outside Jerusalem pray facing its direction, and the maaser sheni, revai and First Fruits must be eaten in Jerusalem. Any expansion of the city for these purposes must be approved by the Sanhedrin. Also, when the Temple in Jerusalem was standing, Jerusalem observed special laws regarding the Four Species on Sukkot, and the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah.

Jerusalem has long been embedded into Jewish religious consciousness. Jews have studied and personalized the struggle by King David to capture Jerusalem and his desire to build the Jewish temple there, as described in the Book of Samuel and the Book of Psalms. Many of King David's yearnings about Jerusalem have been adapted into popular prayers and songs.

Jerusalem appears in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) 669 times and Zion (which usually means Jerusalem, sometimes the Land of Israel) appears 154 times. The first section, the Torah, only mentions Moriah, the mountain range believed to be the location of the binding of Isaac and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem; and in the books of the Tanakh from Joshua onwards,the city is written explicitly. The Tanakh (or Old Testament), is a text sacred to both Judaism and Christianity. In Judaism it is considered the Written Law, the basis for the Oral Law (Mishnah, Talmud and Shulkhan Arukh) studied, practiced and treasured by Jews and Judaism for three millennia. The Talmud elaborates in great depth the Jewish connection with the city.

B. In ChristianityFor Christians, Jerusalem's place in the life of Jesus gives it great importance, in addition to its place in the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, as described above.

Jerusalem is the place where Jesus was brought as a child, to be 'presented' at the Temple (Luke 2:22) and to attend festivals (Luke 2:41). According to the Gospels, Jesus preached and healed in Jerusalem, especially in the Temple courts. There is also an account of Jesus' 'cleansing' of the Temple, chasing various traders out of the sacred precincts (Mark 11:15). At the end of each of the Gospels, there are accounts of Jesus' Last Supper in an 'upper room' in Jerusalem, his arrest in Gethsemane, his trial, his crucifixion at Golgotha, his burial nearby and his resurrection and ascension.

In Christianity, the Jewish connection with the city is considered as the account of God's relationship with His chosen people - the original covenant - and the essential prelude to the events narrated in the New Testament, including both universal commandments (e.g. the Ten Commandments) and obsolete or Judaism-specific ones, see Biblical law in Christianity for details.

In medieval Christian thought, Jerusalem was considered to be the center of the world (Latin: umbilicus mundi, Greek: Omphalos), and was so represented in the so-called T and O maps. Byzantine hymns speak of the Cross being "planted in the center of the earth," and the imagery is tied to the concept of the Death and resurrection of Jesus being for the benefit of all mankind. Medieval maps of Europe usually placed the east ("orient")-Jerusalem-at the top, and this arrangement led to the use of the term "to orient" to mean to align a map with actual compass directions.

C. In IslamJerusalem is considered the third holiest place in Islamic tradition, after Mecca and Medina. Islamic tradition holds that previous prophets were associated with the city, and that the Islamic prophet Muhammad visited the city on a nocturnal journey. Due to such significance it was the first Qibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims and the prophet Muhammad designated the Al-Aqsa for pilgrimage.

Part of Jerusalem's significance derives from its strong association with Abraham, David, Solomon, and Jesus, is part of it holiness to Muslims. They are all regarded as Prophets of Islam and their stories are mentioned in the Qur'an.

The Qur'an narrates prophet Muhammad's nocturnal journey to the "Farthest mosque" (Arabic:المسجد الاقصى, transliteration: al-masjid al-aqsa). Muhammad is believed to have been taken by the flying steed Buraq to visit Jerusalem from Mecca, where he prayed, and then visited heaven. There he meets other prophets, Abraham, Moses and Jesus in particular.

Jerusalem served as the first qibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims. Whilst Muslims were in Mecca, and also for 17-18 months in Medina, Muslim prayed towards Jerusalem. Early mosques in Medina were built to face Jerusalem. In 625, The qibla was changed later to the Kaaba in Mecca.

After Muhammad, many of his Companions lived in Jerusalem, and upon their death they were buried there.

Answer 2

1. For Judaism: The Kotel, Har Habayis, Jerusalem itself
2. For Christians: The Resurrection Church or Catedral and other sites.
3. For Muslims: AlAqsa mosque considered one of the three holiest mosques. In Islam, the whole site of AlQods (Jerusalem) is one of three holiest sites in Islam.

Answer 5

In Christianity, Jerusalem was the place that many events in Jesus' life occurred.

In Islam, Jerusalem was the place that the Prophet Mohammad ascended into heaven.

In Judaism, Jerusalem was the place that Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his only son to show his obedience to God. It was also the seat of the independent ancient Hebrew nation and the site of the Temple built upon the Jewish conquest of the Holy Land.

Answer 6

Jewish answer:

• 1) Jerusalem is the center of Judaism. It is important to Jews because it was the site of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac, in Genesis ch.22) and was later the seat of the Davidic Kings, when King David, Israel's greatest king, founded the dynasty that ruled Judah for much of its history, making Jerusalem the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel during his reign and that of his son, King Solomon. Most importantly, it was the location of the First and Second Temples, where offerings were made to God and where His presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies and was manifested in a number of miracles (Mishna, Avos ch.5). Jerusalem is called the holy city by the prophets (Isaiah 52:1). It was where Jews would go three times a year to celebrate the holiest festivals (Deuteronomy ch.16). Even after the destruction of the Temple, the Temple Mount and adjacent Western ("Wailing") Wall, which still stands, is the holiest site in Judaism. It is hoped and prophesied (Ezekiel ch.40-44) that one day a third temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and that the Messiah will come to it.
• 2) As a result of the historical connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem, it was seen as an intrinsically holy city and a place where God's presence rested. Jerusalem has become representative of the connection with the Divine. In addition, Jerusalem is seen as the source of Divine Law, as demonstrated in many Jewish prayers: "Ki miTziyon tetze Torah udvar Hashem maYerushalayim - From Zion comes the Torah and the Word of God from Jerusalem"; Isaiah 2:3. Jerusalem is also representative of the Redemption of the Jewish people from their physical and spiritual exile, because this exile causes the melancholy that the Jewish people experience by being apart from God's presence. The Redemption, which Jews believe will be brought by the Messiah, will result in the Jewish people returning to Jerusalem.
• 3) According to ancient Hebrew tradition, Jerusalem is the site where God took the very earth from which Adam, the first man, was formed. Read Genesis carefully; Adam was not created in the garden of Eden; he was TAKEN there. Jerusalem, because it is the first place on Earth where the spirit of God dwelt, is considered sacred, and a direct link to God.
• 4) Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion and Jerusalem has been its only holy site for 3000 years, ever since King Solomon built the first Jewish Temple there. The temple was destroyed by invading Babylonians and rebuilt at the same site (known as the Temple Mount) about 2500 years ago. It was then destroyed again when the Romans conquered Judea about 2000 yrs ago, killing a million Jews, expelling another million and enslaving the remaining million. All Jews who value their heritage feel ties to the holy land, where so many of their people struggled for the freedom to practice Judaism. At the same time, Jews believe that all people should be welcome there, regardless of faith.
• 5) Jerusalem is the eternal Jewish city, and a symbol of a future time of peace. Jerusalem is also the focal point of prayer of the Jews. When they pray, wherever they are, they face towards Jerusalem (Talmud, Berakhot 30a), with love and longing. The sentiment is aptly expressed in Psalm 137: "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion...." It continues to say: "If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its wisdom." For thousands of years we remembered our exile and prayed for its end. Now at least we can do so from "up close."

Answer 7

Because the Jews, being the chosen nation, were given the land of Israel by God, and Jerusalem is where the two Temples (and the third to come) stood/stand.

Answer

It is the site in which the first and second Holy Temples were built. Today the only remains is a single wall known as the Kotel or Western Wall.

Answer 8

Answer 1Jerusalem is a holy city for the three Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam per Qur'an revelation to prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Refer to related question below regarding the importance of Jerusalem in Judaism. The following concentrate on Jerusalem importance in Christianity and Islam.

Regarding Muslims:

• Jerusalem is considered a sacred site in Islamic tradition, along with Makkah (or Mecca) and Almadinah (or Medina). Islamic tradition holds that previous prophets were associated with the city, and that the Islamic prophet Muhammad visited the city on a nocturnal journey. Due to such significance it was the first Qibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims and prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) designated the Al-Aqsa; in East Jerusalem; for pilgrimage.
• The Dome of the Rock is an Islamic sacred and holy mosque in Jerusalem, built on the Temple Mount. This is where Muhammad ascended into heaven and was given the 5 pillars of Islam from Allah (or God in English and same God worshiped in Judaism and Christianity), which is still adopted and practiced today.
• Prophet Muhammad; peace be upon him; had been taken by the miraculous steed Buraq to visit Jerusalem, where he prayed, and then to visit heaven, in a single night in the year 610. The Qur'anic verse (17:1) refers to this journey, with the term "the farthest Mosque" (that refers to al-masjid al-Aqsa or the Noble Sanctuary in Jerusalem, where the mosque stands. There prophet Muhammad; peace be upon him; met other prophets, Abraham, Moses and Jesus in particular.
• The Al-Aqsa Mosque is specified of being in Jerusalem as per numerous hadith. One of them says: "Then he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "When the people of Quraish did not believe me (i.e. the story of my Night Journey), I stood up in Al-Hijr and Allah displayed Jerusalem in front of me, and I began describing Jerusalem to them while I was looking at it." Sahih Bukhari: Volume 5, Book 58, Number 226.
• Another prophet saying is "No journey should be undertaken to visit any mosque but three: this mosque of mine, al-Masjid al-Haraam and Masjid al-Aqsa."
• The holiness of Jerusalem to Muslims derives from its strong association with Abraham, David, Solomon, and Jesus. They are all regarded as Prophets of Islam and their stories are mentioned in the Qur'an.
• In addition, Jerusalem served as the first qibla (direction of prayer) for Muslims. Whilst Muslims were in Mecca, and also for 17-18 months in Medina, Muslims prayed towards Jerusalem. Early mosques in Medina were built to face Jerusalem. In 625, The qibla was changed to the Kaaba in Mecca.
• After Muhammad death, many of his Companions lived in Jerusalem, and upon their death they were buried there.

Regarding Christians:

• Jerusalem's place in the life of Jesus gives it great importance, in addition to its place in the Old Testament. Jerusalem is the place where Jesus was brought as a child, to be "presented" at the Temple (Luke 2:22) and to attend festivals (Luke 2:41).
• According to the Gospels, Jesus preached and healed in Jerusalem, especially in the Temple courts. There is also an account of Jesus' "cleansing" of the Temple, chasing various traders out of the sacred precincts (Mark 11:15).
• At the end of each of the Gospels, there are accounts of Jesus' Last Supper in an "upper room" in Jerusalem, his arrest in Gethsemane, his trial, his crucifixion at Golgotha, his burial nearby and his resurrection and ascension.
• The earliest Christians were outcast and used the fish symbol to recognize one another to avoid being killed or reprimanded for being Christian by Roman rule.
• Christianity became more popular over time, but made a huge expansion when the Roman Emperor Constantine claimed Christianity as his religion and thus the religion of the Roman Empire.
• Jerusalem is mostly important to Christianity because that is where Jesus Christ; peace be upon him; was brought to occasionally as a child, preached to the poor in his adult life, crucified in the end of his life, and resurrected by God.
• The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is said to have been built over the location where Jesus was crucified and where the tomb was buried.
• In Christianity, the Jewish connection with the city is considered as the account of God's relationship with His chosen people-the original covenant-and the essential prelude to the events narrated in the New Testament, including both universal commandments (e.g. the Ten Commandments) and obsolete or Judaism-specific ones. In medieval times, Christians thought Jerusalem was the center of the world and was so represented in the so-called T and O maps. Byzantine hymns speak of the Cross being "planted in the center of the earth," and the imagery is tied to the concept of the Death and resurrection of Jesus being for the benefit of all mankind.

Regarding Jews:

• It is the site of both the First (Solomon's) Temple and the Second Temple. However, it is not the Temples that made Jerusalem holy, it is the location in which they were built, the Temple Mount, that is holy.

• Jerusalem is the center of Judaism. It is important to Jews because it was the site of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac, in Genesis ch.22) and was later the seat of the Davidic Kings, when King David, Israel's greatest king, founded the dynasty that ruled Judah for much of its history, making Jerusalem the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel during his reign and that of his son, King Solomon. Most importantly, it was the location of the First and Second Temples, where offerings were made to God and where His presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies and was manifested in a number of miracles (Mishna, Avos ch.5). Jerusalem is called the holy city by the prophets (Isaiah 52:1). It was where Jews would go three times a year to celebrate the holiest festivals (Deuteronomy ch.16). Even after the destruction of the Temple, the Temple Mount and adjacent Western ("Wailing") Wall, which still stands, is the holiest site in Judaism. It is hoped and prophesied (Ezekiel ch.40-44) that one day a third temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and that the Messiah will come to it.
• As a result of the historical connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem, it was seen as an intrinsically holy city and a place where God's presence rested. Jerusalem has become representative of the connection with the Divine. In addition, Jerusalem is seen as the source of Divine Law, as demonstrated in many Jewish prayers: "Ki miTziyon tetze Torah udvar Hashem maYerushalayim - From Zion comes the Torah and the Word of God from Jerusalem"; Isaiah 2:3. Jerusalem is also representative of the Redemption of the Jewish people from their physical and spiritual exile, because this exile causes the melancholy that the Jewish people experience by being apart from God's presence. The Redemption, which Jews believe will be brought by the Messiah, will result in the Jewish people returning to Jerusalem.
• According to ancient Hebrew tradition, Jerusalem is the site where God took the very earth from which Adam, the first man, was formed. Read Genesis carefully; Adam was not created in the garden of Eden; he was TAKEN there. Jerusalem, because it is the first place on Earth where the spirit of God dwelt, is considered sacred, and a direct link to God.
• Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion and Jerusalem has been its only holy site for 3000 years, ever since King Solomon built the first Jewish Temple there. The temple was destroyed by invading Babylonians and rebuilt at the same site (known as the Temple Mount) about 2500 years ago. It was then destroyed again when the Romans conquered Judea about 2000 yrs ago, killing a million Jews, expelling another million and enslaving the remaining million. All Jews who value their heritage feel ties to the holy land, where so many of their people struggled for the freedom to practice Judaism. At the same time, Jews believe that all people should be welcome there, regardless of faith.
• Jerusalem is the eternal Jewish city, and a symbol of a future time of peace. Jerusalem is also the focal point of prayer of the Jews. When they pray, wherever they are, they face towards Jerusalem (Talmud, Berakhot 30a), with love and longing. The sentiment is aptly expressed in Psalm 137: "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion...." It continues to say: "If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its wisdom." For thousands of years we remembered our exile and prayed for its end. Now at least we can do so from "up close."

Answer 2Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims. They all believe it to be a Holy city. It is a holy city for the three religions.

• Jews: Followers of Judaism believe that Jerusalem is the city of King David, regarded as Israel's greatest king, who founded the dynasty that ruled Judah for much of its history. It was the site of the Temple, the holiest place on Earth. It also served as the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of King David and King Solomon.
• Christians: Followers of Christianity believe that Jesus Christ held the Last Supper, was tried before Pilate, crucified, and rose victorious from the dead in Jerusalem and its nearby hillsides.
• Muslims: Followers of Islam believe that their prophet Muhammad traveled to AlQods (East Jerusalem), where he was taken up bodily into heaven (as God miracle). He ascended into heaven for one night in order to meet with previous prophets and attain the greatest amount of revelation.

See related links.

Answer 9

The holy land for Judaism is Israel, and the holy city is Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is the center of Judaism. It is important to Jews because it was the site of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac, in Genesis ch.22) and was later the seat of the Davidic Kings, when King David, Israel's greatest king, founded the dynasty that ruled Judah for much of its history, making Jerusalem the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel during his reign and that of his son, King Solomon.

(See: Jewish history timeline)
Most importantly, it was the location of the First and Second Temples, where offerings were made to God and where His presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies (1 Kings ch.8) and was manifested in a number of miracles (Mishna, Avos ch.5).
Jerusalem is called the holy city by the prophets (Isaiah 52:1). It was where Jews would go three times a year to celebrate the holiest festivals (Deuteronomy ch.16). Even after the destruction of the Temple, the Temple Mount and adjacent Western ("Wailing") Wall, which still stands, is the holiest site in Judaism. It is hoped and prophesied (Ezekiel ch.40-44) that one day a third temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and that the Messiah will come to it.

Jerusalem has become representative of the connection with the Divine. Jerusalem is also seen as the source of Divine Law, as demonstrated in many Jewish prayers: "Ki miTziyon tetze Torah udvar Hashem miYerushalayim - From Zion comes the Torah and the Word of God from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3).

Jerusalem is also representative of the Redemption of the Jewish people from their physical and spiritual exile, because this exile causes the melancholy that the Jewish people experience by being apart from God's presence. The Redemption, which Jews believe will be brought by the Messiah, will result in the Jewish people returning to Jerusalem.

According to ancient Hebrew tradition, Jerusalem is the site where God took the very earth from which Adam, the first man, was formed (midrash Rabbah 14:8). Read Genesis carefully; Adam was not created in the garden of Eden; he was taken there. Jerusalem, because it is the first place on Earth where the spirit of God dwelt, is considered a direct link to God.

Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion and Jerusalem has been its only holy site for over 3000 years. King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by invading Babylonians, and rebuilt at the same site (known as the Temple Mount) about 2500 years ago. It was then destroyed again when the Romans conquered Judea about 2000 years ago, killing a million Jews, and expelling and enslaving hundreds of thousands. All Jews who value their heritage feel ties to Jerusalem and the holy land, where so many of their people struggled for the freedom to practice Judaism. At the same time, Jews believe that all people should be welcome there, regardless of faith.

Jerusalem is the eternal Jewish city, and a symbol of a future time of peace. Jerusalem is also the focal point of prayer of the Jews. When they pray, wherever they are, they face towards Jerusalem (Talmud, Berakhot 30a), with love and longing. The sentiment is aptly expressed in Psalm 137: "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion....If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its wisdom."

For thousands of years we remembered our exile and prayed for its end. Now at least we can do so from "up close."

Answer 10

Because the Jews, being the chosen nation, were given the land ofIsrael by God, and Jerusalem is where the two Temples (and thethird to come) stood/stand.AnswerIt is the site in which the first and second Holy Temples werebuilt. Today the only remains is a single wall known as the Kotelor Western Wall.