I’ve been playing Civilization IV and noticed that all of the other “wonders” have a mini-movie that plays upon completion–but not the Temple of Solomon. It portrays the sepia-toned blueprint model rising up, but then stops.
So a General Question: is there some prohibition or sensitivity in some quarters against portraying the Temple of Solomon?
I have the impression that orthodox Judaism still carries some taboo words, and I think historically Judaism also held a ban on “graven images” if I’m not mistaken. Would this extend to the Temple nowadays? On the other hand, maybe the Muslim community would be sensitive about depictions of a building that supplant the Dome of the Rock.
Actually, in Civilization IV, all the great religions buildings (Temple of Solomon, Church of the Nativity, the Mahabodhi, etc.) are rendered in the sepia-toned line drawings. The animated “build” scenes are only for the World Wonders constructed by cities–the religious buildings are (optionally) built by Great Prophets.
That said, I don’t think there is any prohibition on drawings of the Temple. Graven images are idols, not simple pictures of people (though I don’t think portraiture was common, historically). But IANAOJ (I am not an Orthodox Jew), just a wishy-washy Conservative one.
This is probably not a very helpful information because you’re asking if there are any groups with a prohibition to depict the Temple of Salomon, but I’ll mention it nonetheless. Solomon’s Temple plays an important role in Masonic symbolism; every Masonic temple is designed to be a representation of the old Temple. In every Masonic temple, you’ll find two columns named Jachin and Boaz which represent columns of this name in Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 7:21). Frequently, the proportions of width, length and height of Masonic temples are chosen to be the same as the ones given for the old Temple, and Hiram, the architect who built the Temple for Solomon, also plays an important role in Masonic symbolism.
I also remember reading (but I don’t have a cite, sorry) that the Sistine Chapel in Rome was built in the same proportions as the ones the Bible gives for the Temple. So I’d say that there are plenty of reconstructions of it around, which goes to show, IMHO, that the prohibition to depict it can’t be a very widespread one.
Don’t think so, at least not the outside… While I was working at SGI one of our big PR projects was a 3D reconstruction of the temple mount, that was done in partnership with the Isreali antiquities authority.
Though I only remember it showing the outside of the temple, not the inside, so its possible showing the inside (the “holy of holies”) was not OK.
There is no prohibition in Judaism on depicting the Holy Temple or any portion thereof. There are plenty of books published that have drawings, diagrams, and even pictures of models. On top of that, there is a place in Jerusalem called the Temple Institute which is dedicated to creating vessels intended for use in the Messianic third Temple, modelled on the originals, and this has Orthodox Rabbinic approval.