מפות
Where the House stands
Pilgrim roads
Three times a year, roads from every region converged on one city.
Jerusalem's hills
The Temple Mount rises between two valleys, with the Mount of Olives higher still to the east. From there, the Mishnah says, a priest could look straight into the Sanctuary's doorway.
The Mount's orientation
A square of 500 amot. The courts sit off-centre, with the largest open area to the south, then east, north and west.
The site does not overlay this plan onto today's Mount (decision D-19).
The Temple plan
The courts and Sanctuary from Mishnah Middot, with the Holy and Holy of Holies shown inside.
Zones of holiness
The warm wash deepens toward the west: each court is holier than the one before it.
Facing Jerusalem
Wherever they are, Jews pray toward Jerusalem, and in Jerusalem toward the Temple Mount. A living answer to why this place still matters.
From New York
The shortest path to Jerusalem sets out toward the north-east (54°), about 9,200 km away.
In practice, custom varies. Many communities in the Americas face east, the direction of Jerusalem on a flat map, rather than the great-circle direction. The Mishnah's rule for someone who cannot turn is to direct the heart toward the Holy of Holies.
וְשָׁבוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבָם וּבְכָל־נַפְשָׁם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁבוּ אֹתָם וְהִתְפַּלְלוּ אֵלֶיךָ דֶּרֶךְ אַרְצָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה לַאֲבוֹתָם הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר בָּחַרְתָּ וְהַבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר־בנית [בָּנִיתִי] לִשְׁמֶךָ׃
if they return unto Thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray unto Thee toward their land, which Thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which Thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for Thy name;
הָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל הַחֲמוֹר, יֵרֵד. וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לֵירֵד, יַחֲזִיר אֶת פָּנָיו, וְאִם אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְהַחֲזִיר אֶת פָּנָיו, יְכַוֵּן אֶת לִבּוֹ כְּנֶגֶד בֵּית קֹדֶשׁ הַקָּדָשִׁים:
If he is riding on a donkey, he gets down [and prays.] If he is unable to get down he should turn his face [towards Jerusalem], and if he cannot turn his face, he should direct his heart to the Holy of Holies.