Daily Tanach Wednesday Sefer Melachim 1 – Chapter 8: The celebration of the inauguration of the temple

1.      King Solomon finishes his prayer and blesses the Jewish people:

• When Shlomo completed all of his prayers and supplications to G-d, he got up from kneeling on his knees from in front of the altar of G-d while his hands were raised to the heavens.
• Shlomo stood up and blessed the entire congregation of Israel in a very loud voice saying: “Blessed be G-d who has given rest for His nation Israel as He has spoken. He has not failed in fulfilling any of his promises that he stated to Moshe his servant. May Hashem our G-d be with us as He was with our forefathers may He not leave us or forsake us. May He draw our hearts to go in His ways and guard His commands which He commanded our forefathers. May the words of supplication that I have brought before G-d be close to Hashem our G-d by day and night, and may He perform justice for His servant and justice for His nation Israel each day. May He do so, so the nations of the world know that Hashem is G-d and there is none other than Him. May our heart be complete with Hashem our G-d to follow His commands and statutes like on this day.”

2.      The sacrifices offered by the inauguration of the temple:

• The king and all the Jewish people who were with him offered sacrifices before G-d.
• Shlomo slaughtered Shelamim offerings for G-d. He sacrificed 22,000 cattle, and 120,000 sheep.
• The house of G-d was thus inaugurated by the king and all the Jewish people.
• The floor in the courtyard is sanctified as an altar for offerings: On that day the king consecrated the inside of the courtyard which was before the house of G-d [i.e. the floor of the Azarah which was in front of the Heichal and where the altar stood]. [This was done because there was not enough room to bring all the multitude of offerings by the altar and therefore King Solomon sanctified also the floor to be able to offer sacrifices there.[1]] There he offered the sacrifices of the Olah and Mincha and the fats of the Shelamim, as the copper altar which was in front of G-d was too small to absorb all of these offerings of the Olah and Mincha and the fats of the Shelamim.

3.      The celebration of the inauguration of the temple:

• At that time Shlomo made a festival [to celebrate the inauguration of the temple].
• The people present: A great congregation assembled to celebrate the festival. All of the Jewish people came from Chamas [in the north of Israel[2]] until the river of Egypt to celebrate before G-d.
• The length and date of the festival: The festival lasted for two consecutive weeks, for a total of 14 days [seven days for the actual inauguration and then another seven days for the holiday of Sukkos in which the inauguration took place in proximity to, hence causing the Jewish people to eat and drink and celebrate even on Yom Kippur[3]].
• The people return home on the eighth day: On the eighth day, the nation was dismissed from the festival, and they blessed their king when they departed. They returned to their tents in a delighted and rejoiced mood for all the good that G-d had done to David His servant and to His nation Israel.

[1] Rashi 8:64; Zevachim 59a

[2] Rashi 8:65

[3] Rashi 8:65