[Avodah] Where on the Mount of Olives would the Para Aduma be prepared?

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Apr 25, 2021 at 09:57:57AM +0200, Arie Folger via Avodah wrote:
> The Para Aduma was slaughtered and burned to ashes on the Mount of Olives
> (shehakohen hasoref ota 'omed beHar haMishcha - cf. Yoma 16a), and he
> did so perfectly east of the Mikdash, so he could see the door of the
> Heikhal (umekhaven veroeh keneged pitcho shel heikhal).

They found broken plates and kosher animal bones in locations all
along the mountainsides that overlook Shilo from the north. One of the
indications for the currently theorized location of the Mishkan.

> To that end, the Gemara explains that the height difference between
> the floor of the Temple Mount had to be less than 20 amot from the floor
> of the Heikhal, otherwise the wall of the Har haBayit over the eastern
> gates would obstruct the view of the Heikhal. All this analysis follows
> the view of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov.

That was BEFORE Hadrian had the top of Moriah lobbed off.

So, I don't know if Har haZeisim was as much higher than Har haBayis was
*THEN*.

And if so, we have reason to believe that in an earlier era, at least,
it was common to use the mountsides that saw the maqom hamiqdash across
the valley.

>                       (IIUC uvein keteifav shakhen refers to the two
> nearby mountains that are taller, Mount of Olives and Har haTzofim).

/KTF/ has two meanings: shoulder or gentle slope. You'll find the
latter in Bamidbar 34:1 "kesef Yam-Kineres" and repeated use in Yehoshua
15:8-9. Therefore, I don't think the reference is necessarily to anything
as specific as a pair mountains on either side, like shoulders. I think
it's wordplay -- Hashem rests on Binyamin's shoulder and the Miqdash
rests among his land's gentle slopes.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Today is the 30th day, which is
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   4 weeks and 2 days in/toward the omer.
Author: Widen Your Tent      Gevurah sheb'Hod: When does capitulation
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF                result in holding back from others?