Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, chief rabbi of Tzfat, addressed the meaning of the prayer verse “For You, God, set it aflame with fire, and with fire You will rebuild it”—a reference to Jerusalem and the Temple, both destroyed by fire.
In his lesson, Rabbi Eliyahu pointed to those today who try to ignite “the fire of division” among Jews—something that brings destruction—alongside the recent arson attacks at Havat Gilad, which he called “remnants of the fire of destruction.” Addressing how we build Jerusalem and the redemption “with fire,” the rabbi explained there are two central aspects to this rebuilding.
The first is the fire of enthusiasm—Torah, commandments, love of Israel, building the land, and self-sacrifice for the Jewish people. This is the fire that builds redemption from within. The second aspect is the fire that God unleashes on our enemies and haters, as is happening now in Iran. The destruction of this evil, he said, is what builds the Temple and fulfills the prophecy of “the fire with which You will rebuild it.”
“What is happening now in Iran is part of building the Temple,” Rabbi Eliyahu said.