Jewish tradition definitely understands that feeling, especially when it comes to the Land of Israel and, even more specifically, the Temple in Jerusalem.
Where does that sense of elevation come from? Well, Sifrei Devarim 153, a very early halakhic midrash on the book of Deuteronomy, gives us a clue. It's a concise but powerful statement, derived from the verse "and you shall arise and you shall go up" (Deuteronomy 17:8). What does that verse imply? It teaches us, the Sifrei tells us, that Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel, is higher than all other lands. And furthermore, that the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple, is higher than all of Eretz Yisrael. It's not just a physical height being described here. It's a spiritual hierarchy, a ladder reaching toward the heavens. The Land itself possesses a unique holiness, a concentration of divine presence that elevates it above all other places. And the Temple, the focal point of Israelite worship, sits at the very pinnacle of that holiness.
The text continues with another important point. The verse "And you shall come" (Deuteronomy 17:9) isn't just a general instruction, it's specifically including the beth-din, the rabbinical court, in Yavneh. After the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Yavneh became the central place for Jewish learning and legal decision-making.
So, what's the connection? By including the beth-din in Yavneh, the Sifrei Devarim implies that even in the absence of the Temple, the pursuit of justice and Torah study maintains a connection to that elevated spiritual state. The spirit of the Temple, its dedication to divine law and ethical conduct, continues to reside where those values are upheld.
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? What does it mean for us today? We may not all be able to physically ascend to the Land of Israel, let alone the Temple Mount. But perhaps we can strive to elevate our own lives, our own communities, to embody the values associated with those sacred places. Maybe that's the true "going up" that's being asked of us.