Gateway to Eternity

Driving through the streets of Rome, Rav Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman turned to his driver and said, “I would like you to take a detour, take me to the Arch of Titus.” The year was 1953, eight years after the Ponevezher Rav had lost absolutely everything during the Holocaust. But now he was rebuilding the glory of Torah in Eretz Yisrael, the land that the Romans had destroyed. He got out of the car and walked toward the Arch. Shaking with emotion, he paused as if addressing an assemblage of thousands. With all his strength he roared, “Titus! Mir zenen noch du! Avu bist du? Titus! We’re still here! Where are you?”

The Arch of Titus is an eternal symbol of the Churban, built to celebrate the destruction of our Holy Beis Hamikdash. Its walls depict the menorah and other precious keilim being paraded triumphantly in Rome. It’s the most infamous of illustrious arches that grace world capitals, such as the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and Marble Arch in London.

Simple question: What’s the point of a ceremonial arch? It’s a glorified door or gate, much like Shaar Yafo at the entrance to the Old City. Walk through a ceremonial arch and you’re basically in the same place where you started.

I have a similar question (l’havdil) about Shabbos. Yechezkel Hanavi (46:1) describes a shaar in the Beis Hamidash that was only opened on Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh. Our holy seforim reveal that there is a mystical shaar that we can only access on Shabbos (Pardes Rimonim 16:5). I understand the concept of accessing a holy place — but why would one want to access a gate?