Heart of the Old City

In 5732 (1972), the Nebenzahl family built its home in the Old City, on the plot of land that was closest to where the Temple had stood. They did so on the strength of a legal assurance that nothing would stand between their home and the site of the Temple. When the Porat Yosef Yeshiva, a beautiful building, was constructed opposite Rav Nebenzahl’s home several years later, its uppermost floor blocked the view of the site of the Temple from Rav Nebenzahl’s home. When some people tried to persuade Rav Nebenzahl to stand up for his rights and prevent the construction of the yeshiva, Rav Nebenzahl said only: “I would rather see a Temple standing [referring to the Torah study taking place in the yeshiva] than a Temple in ruins.”

Forty years later, hundreds of Rav Nebenzahl’s students study in the same halls that supposedly blocked the view of the site of the Temple from his home.