The traditional “rehearsal” of the Pascal sacrifice ceremony which the Temple Organizations Headquarters runs before Passover every year – just in case the Messiah would arrive and insist we revive the practice – this year was moved to the Kotel area, on Thursday afternoon, April 6, 2017.
In years past we’ve seen the same practice run carried out for the benefit of packed crowds in school yards and synagogues. The ritual back then was being pushed and often hosted by MK Yehuda Glick (Likud) in the days before he was an MK. Happily, the enthusiasm in Jerusalem has been growing to the point where it makes more sense to hold it at a central enough and big enough a location.
Also, should the Messiah actually show up, moving the whole thing up to the Temple Mountain should take only a few minutes, literally.
So, we’re all invited (alas, without the Messiah on hand this is still not compulsory) to the Pascal Sacrifice Demonstration and Drill, with white-clad Kohanim-priests, gold and silver elongated trumpets, blood sprinkling vessels, and, most important, the holy bar-b-cue.
A goat will be slaughtered, skinned and stretched on a spit fire – the Torah commands us not to break any of its parts, a show of our “holy chutzpa,” as Reb Shlomo would have put it, in the face of Egyptian idolatry (barbecuing a goat in April, the month ruled by Aeries, was tantamount to eating a cow in downtown New Delhi).
Chief rabbis from many Israeli cities, government ministers, Knesset members and members of the Jerusalem City Council will be on hand. The schedule, as per the poster disseminated online will be:
4 PM – Classes on the renewal of the Pascal sacrifice in our day at the Kotel Yeshiva auditorium. Turns out there are some halachic opinions suggesting we are obligated to carry out the sacrifice even before the arrival of the Messiah.
5:30 PM – The launch of the application “The Temple Mount Is in my Hands,” which one could play to accompany his or her ascent to the Temple Mount.
6 PM – The sacrifice drill at the Jerusalem Archaeological Park – Davidson Center, the Temple Mount Excavations, near the Dung Gate.
For assistance call 054-572-0066 or 054-534-3545