Where Exactly is the Holy Temple’s Location, Past & Future?

The site of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem is the world’s most holy place, even after its destruction. The Third Holy Temple in the Messianic Era will be in the same location. But exactly where is that?

According to Rambam in Laws of the Chosen House, it is the location of the outside altar that must be very precise. As he writes in Chapter 2:

2:1. The Altar is [to be constructed] in a very precise location, which may never be changed. As it is said (II Chronicles 22:1): “This is the Altar for the burnt offerings of Israel.”

Isaac was prepared as a sacrifice on the Temple’s [future] site. As it is said (Genesis 22:2): “Go to the land of Moriah.” And in Chronicles (II 3:1), it is said: “Then, Solomon began to build the House of the L-rd in Jerusalem, on Mt. Moriah, where [the L-rd] appeared to David, his father, in the place that David had prepared, in the threshing floor of Ornan, the Jebusite.”

2:2. It is universally accepted that the place on which David and Solomon built the Altar, the threshing floor of Ornan, is the location where Abraham built the Altar on which he prepared Isaac for sacrifice.

Noah built [an altar] on that location when he left the ark. It was also [the place] of the Altar on which Cain and Abel brought sacrifices. [Similarly,] Adam, the first man, offered a sacrifice there and was created at that very spot…

Rabbi Mendel Blau delivered this amazing illustrated lecture at the 14th annual National Jewish Retreat in 20’22.