The Surviving Gates of the Har Habayis

   The Medrash in various places (Sh'mos Rabba 2:2, Bamidbar Rabba 11:2) says that the shechinah even today rests on the western wall (the Kosel), and it therefor will never be destroyed. This is also brought down in Shir Hashirim Rabba, although the Medrash there is slightly different, and says the following:
הִנֵּה זֶה עוֹמֵד אַחַר כָּתְלֵנוּ, אַחַר כֹּתֶל מַעֲרָבִי שֶׁל בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, לָמָּה שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּע לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָרֵב לְעוֹלָם, וְשַׁעַר הַכֹּהֵן וְשַׁעַר חוּלְדָה לֹא חָרְבוּ לְעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁיְחַדְּשֵׁם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. מַשְׁגִּיחַ מִן הַחַנוֹת, זוֹ זְכוּת אָבוֹת. מֵצִיץ מִן הַחֲרַכִּים, זוֹ זְכוּת אִמָּהוֹת.
“Behold, he is standing behind our wall,” behind the Western Wall of the Temple. Why? Because the Holy One blessed be He took an oath that it will never be destroyed. and the Kohen's Gate (Sha'ar Hakohen) and Chulda Gate (Sha'ar Chuldah) will never be destroyed until the Holy One blessed be He refurbishes them.
​ Now, what are these two gates that will never be destroyed? Seemingly, the Chuldah gate is easy to identify, as the Mishnah (Middos 1:3) mentions the Chuldah gates in the southern wall of the Har Habayis. However, this raises a question, as that Mishnah is referring to the gates of the square 500 amah Har Habayis, of which none of the walls or gates have survived. To answer this, we must say that both the Kohen's gate and the Chuldah gate are referring to gates of the expanded Har Habayis, part of which still stands (which is why the Medrash says the Chuldah Gate, singular, as it is not referring to the two Chuldah gates of the Mishnah). But there many gates from the times of the Beis Hamikdash whose remains are still extant in these outer walls, which gates is the Medrash referring to?

Read More