Some interesting facts about the Second Temple
In the second Beis Hamikdash, there were a number of gates. The gates were quite large ( around 40 x 20 feet). One of the gates by the southern wall was named for the female Prophetess Chulda, who lived during the First temple era ( cf Rosh, Midos, 1:3, second interpretation ) and used to sit in this area. Our Sages tell us ( Midrash Shir Hashirim, Chapter 4) that the Chulda gate will never be destroyed. And lo and behold, the gate still stands today ( even though it is sealed).
By the Eastern Wall, was the Shushan gate. Strange name for a gate in the Beis Hamikdash? Our Sages tell us that since the Second Temple was built with the permission of the Persian government, this gate was meant to be a reminder to the Jewish people that we have to respect and fear the ruling power ( Rashi, Menachos, 98A)
Inside the Temple, there was a wooden wall with many holes called the “Soreg” ( Midos, 2:3). The Soreg surrounded the entire Temple and its purpose was to make sure that Non Jews would not go past the “Chel” ( Tosofos Yom Tov, Midos, Ad loc), the place where the Torah forbids non Jews to enter. The Beis Hamikdash was a universal place of prayer. Non Jews were even able to offer sacrifices. However, they could not go past a place called the “Chel”. Josephus mentions that on the Soreg there were signs written in Greek warning Gentiles that it was forbidden to enter past this area. In recent years archaeologists have discovered 2 of these signs, written in Greek, on the Temple Mount!
Under the temple there are tunnels. Those that open to the courtyard ( Azara) are kodesh and it is forbidden to go inside of them. However, the tunnels that are open to mundane areas ,even if they are on the Temple Mount, are permitted to enter. However, since we do not know which tunnels are open to which areas, today we do not enter any tunnels that are under the Temple Mount out of fear that they open to the Temple courtyard and are thus forbidden to enter ( Radvaz, 2, 691). However, going on the Kotel tunnel tours is fine since they are outside of the Temple Mount and there is no problem.
Finally, I would like to inform you that you have inherited some prime real estate in Jerusalem. The Talmud says that the Temple belongs to all of the Jewish people since it was paid for with the money of all of the Jewish people ( cf Nedarim, 48A, and commentary of the Rambam on the Mishnah). So we are all partners in the Temple and the Temple Mount. Unfortunately, there have been some squatters who have been on our ancestral land for quite some time and it is not so easy to get them to leave.
May we all merit to see the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash speedily in our days!
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