holy of holies

n.

1. Judaism. The sanctuary inside the tabernacle in the Temple of Jerusalem, in which the Ark of the Covenant was kept.
2. Eastern Orthodox Church. The bema or sanctuary in a church.
3. A place of awe.

[Translation of Late Latin sānctum sānctōrum (ultimately translation of Hebrew qōdeš haq-qodāšîm) : sānctum, neuter of sānctus, holy + sānctōrum, neuter genitive pl. of sānctus.]

A place of awe or sacredness, as in The corporate board room is the holy of holies here. This expression is a translation of the Hebrew term for the sanctuary inside the tabernacle of the Temple of Jerusalem, where the sacred Ark of the Covenant was kept (Exodus 26:34). Its figurative use dates from the second half of the 1800s.

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The most sacred place in the Sanctuary, and later the TEMPLE, which only the HIGH PRIEST was permitted to enter. Following a pattern generally prevalent in the ancient world, the Temple structure was composed of a series of rooms or spaces within or behind other rooms, the level of holiness increasing as one progressed from front/outermost to back/innermost.In the Temple of jerusalem, constructed in the tenth century BCE by King solomon, the outermost area was the vestibule (ulam). The main hall or nave (hékhal, inside, was the largest room of the building. Behind it, in the rear of the Temple building, was the Holy of Holies (devir), which measured 20 by 20 by 20 cubits.

The ARK OF THE COVENANT and two CHERUBIM were housed in this innermost room (I Kings 6:19, 23-28). These objects disappeared when the Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. Subsequent reconstruction of the building and precincts, half a century later, by those who returned from exile in Babylonia, followed the plan and measurements of Solomon's Temple. Throughout the Second Temple period the Holy of Holies was an empty room.

The Holy of Holies had no windows and if repairs or maintenance were required, a workman was lowered by rope from the roof, since it was forbidden for anyone other than the High Priest to touch the floor. The original Holy of Holies was part of the portable sanctuary (mishkan) which the Jews set up in the wilderness at God's command. A cloth partition separated it from the rest of the sanctuary (Ex. 26:33-34).

Only on the DAY OF ATONEMENT, when he was required to atone for the sins of the entire nation, did the High Priest enter the Holy of Holies. He prepared for this moment by separating himself from his family a week in advance and remaining inside the Temple. He purified himself physically and spiritually and reviewed all the laws pertaining to his service. On the day of atonement, as part of a day of fasting, offering sacrifices, and confession of sins, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. He placed two handfuls of incense on a pan of burning coals, and as the smoke filled the chamber, the Divine Presence was revealed and the nation of Israel forgiven for its sins (Yoma 5:1). Because of the supreme sanctity of the Holy of Holies, if any part of this service was performed incorrectly, the High Priest would incur the death penalty by the hand of heaven.

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The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: (figurative) something regarded as sacred or inviolable

Meaning #2: (Judaism) sanctuary comprised of the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle in the Temple of Jerusalem where the Ark of the Covenant was kept
  Synonym: sanctum sanctorum

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