Ingabe Bewazi?
Ngekhulu lokuqala, abapristi basethempelini babelilahla kuphi igazi lemihlatshelo yezilwane?
NJALO ngonyaka abapristi bakwa-Israyeli wasendulo babenza izinkulungwane zemihlatshelo yezilwane e-altare lethempeli. Ngokusho kwesazi-mlando esingumJuda sangekhulu lokuqala uJosephus, ngePhasika kwakwenziwa imihlatshelo ngamawundlu angaphezu kuka-250 000, okwakwenza kube negazi eliningi okwakudingeka lilahlwe. (Lev. 1:10, 11; Num. 28:16, 19) Lalishonaphi lonke lelo gazi?
Ososayensi bathole ukuthi ethempelini likaHerode kwakunemisele esebenza kahle eyayisetshenziswa, kwaze kwaba yilapho kubhujiswa ithempeli ngo-70 C.E. Ngokusobala leyo misele yayisetshenziselwa ukulahla igazi elisuka ethempelini.
Cabanga ngezinto ezimbili ezazenza le misele isize ekugcineni i-altare lihlanzekile:
Kwakunemigodi ngaphansi kwe-altare: IMishnah, incwadi endala yemithetho yamaJuda namasiko eyabhalwa ngasekuqaleni kwekhulu lesithathu C.E., ichaza indlela imisele ekhipha igazi eyayenziwe ngayo. Ithi: “Kwakunemigodi emibili ekhoneni eliseningizimu-ntshonalanga ye-altare . . . kokubili igazi lemihlatshelo namanzi ayesetshenziselwa ukuhlanza i-altare kwakuhamba ngaleyo migodi, kuqhubeke kuhambe ngomsele kuze kuyofika esigodini saseKidroni.”
Abavubukuli banamuhla bayavuma ukuthi endulo kwakusetshenziswa “imigodi” ukuze kulahlwe igazi. I-The Cambridge History of Judaism iyakuqinisekisa ukuthi “kwakunemisele esebenza kahle” ngasethempelini. Ithi: “Cishe leyo misele yayisetshenziselwa ukukhipha amanzi axubene negazi lemihlatshelo okwakuvela eThempelini.”
Kwakunamanzi anele: Abapristi babedinga amanzi amaningi ukuze imisele okuhamba kuyo igazi naphansi e-altare kuhlale kuhlanzekile. Ukuze bakwazi ukwenza lo msebenzi obalulekile, abapristi babehlale benamanzi ahlanzekile avela edolobheni. Amanzi avela edolobheni ayefika e-altare ngemisele nangemizila yamanzi, bese egcinwa emithonjeni yamanzi nasemachibini. Usosayensi uJoseph Patrich uyachaza: “Alikho elinye ithempeli langaleso sikhathi elalinendlela enhle kangaka yokuletha amanzi ethempelini neyokususa amanzi angahlanzekile.”