Nahmanides Founded a Synagogue Near the Temple Mount
Nachmanides was determined to set up a synagogue in Jerusalem.
Upon his arrival in the city, he couldn't find ten men for a minyan to pray the Amidah, a Jewish prayer recited three times a day.
He brought Jews from Hebron and established a synagogue just outside the walls of Jerusalem.
The synagogue was moved after his death in 1270 CE.
In one of his letters to his son, he wrote:
“We have sent to the city of Shechem to bring back from there the Torah Scrolls which were in Jerusalem and which were taken there when the vandals (the Mongols) came, and now they will be placed in our synagogue, and there we shall pray…”
“Many pilgrims come to Jerusalem, men and women from Damascus, to see the place of the Temple and to mourn over its destruction. And he who has been privileged to see Jerusalem in its ruin will be privileged to see it restored to its glory…”
The Casale Pilgrim (a 16th-century illustrated guide to holy places in the Land) depicted an ancient synagogue, with the description reading: “There is an ancient synagogue attributed to Rabbi Moses, son of Nahman.
In it are four pillars of marble."
Overview
The ancient Jerusalem Synagogue depicted in the Casale Pilgrim (16th century illustrated guide to holy places in the Land.The inscription reads: “There is an ancient synagogue attributed to Rabbi Moses, son of Nahman. In it are four pillars of marble. The Gentiles destroyed it, but recently it was rebuilt by order of the King.”
In a letter to his son he wrote:
“We have sent to the city of Shechem to bring back from there the Torah Scrolls which were in Jerusalem and which were taken there when the vandals (the Mongols) came, and now they will be placed in our synagogue and there we shall pray…”
“Many pilgrims come to Jerusalem, men and women from Damascus’ – (and other parts of the Diaspora) – ‘to see the place of the Temple and to mourn over its destruction. And he who has been privileged to see Jerusalem in its ruin will be privileged to see it restored to its glory…”
Teddy Kollek and Moshe Pearlman. Pilgrims to the Holy Land: The story of Pilgrimage Through the Ages
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