How Herod the Wicked Could Build the Temple
King Herod did horrible things including killing many great sages of his time. Bava Ben Buta, a sage whom he spared, convinced Herod his actions were wrong and Herod then felt remorse asking how he could do teshuvah. Bava Ben Buta suggested one who kills the light of Torah may do teshuvah by building the light of Torah, i.e. the Temple. Herod set out to fortify and beautify the Second Temple in such grandeur that the sages say those who never saw Herod’s Temple never saw such a beautiful building. And yet, the question remains: how did God let someone like Herod build His house? God didn’t even let King David, known for his military prowess, build the First Temple! Join Rabbanit Shira Mirvis as she explores this story in the Gemara (Bava Batra 3b) and the lessons it teaches for our time.
Rabbanit Shira Marili Mirvis serves as the sole spiritual leader and halachic authority for the Bet Knesset, Shirat Tamar, in Efrat. She is the first woman ever to serve in such a role in Israel. Rabbanit Shira is a graduate of the Susi Bradfield Women’s Institute of Halakhic Leadership (WIHL) at Ohr Torah Stone’s Midreshet Lindenbaum. She also holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and teaches Torah for various religious institutes in Israel. Rabbanit Shira lives in Efrat with her husband, Shlomo, and five children.