Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Please don't miss the many levels of irony

Godless archaeologists have discovered a Roman mansion in Jerusalem that appears to have been destroyed by the earthquake that shook Jerusalem in 363. Along with destroying the mansion, this earthquake is believed to have been one of the factors that led to the cancellation of Emperor Julian's attempt to build a Third Temple in Jerusalem.

Along with being the last non-Christian Emperor of Rome, Julian was a traditionalist who wished to restore Roman glory and undermine nascent, yet insurgent Christianity. He thought ordering the Temple rebuilt would demonstrate that Christian successionist claims were false. Unfortunately, in the minds of Christians the earthquake proved the precise opposite. They took the failure of the project and Julian's death that same year as unmistakable proof that God had given up on the Jews and was displeased with Julian's refusal to accept this.

For their part, the Jews made the day of the earthquake into a minor fast day. Today we know it as Lag B'Omer.

Muqata: Lag B'omer: One Big Mistake
Muqata: Facinating new discovery in Ir David
J Post: Magnificent Roman mansion' uncovered in City of David
DB: Ghosts of Lag B'omer Past

Search for more information about lag bomer at 4torah.com.

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