In his letter to the pope, Rabbi Yonatan Shtencel points out that in year 3 תתכ”ח of the creation of the world according to the Jewish calendar the Romans entered the Temple on Har Habayis in Yerushalayim, the Kingdom of Judah in those years and led to the destruction of the Temple and took the holy vessels that were used by our people, the priests of the one and only G-d of Israel, the vessels that were in the Beis HaMikdash….and I can only appeal to you to return these vessels.
The return of these holy vessels especially by you will make amends especially in light of your position for the nations of the world and you will serve as a true pillar for Israel’s tefilla ביתי בית תפילה יקרא לכל העמים.
I therefore turn to you from the depths of my heart, first and foremost to your heart and conscience and only then to your mind and logical sense that run through all the dimensions of your knowledge and being.
Christian theological literature describes the gospel Luke…quotes Luke.
The time has come to change the status of these vessels which were taken during the difficult historical events by the Romans as war booty, found today under control of Vatican authorities.
You have the authority to take the leap to restore the honor of the holders on the one hand and the beneficiaries on the other and to benefit by returning the vessels when you come to visit the holy land.
For all of these reasons I ask that you devote some of your time to contemplate the matter, genuine introspection, the type that have directed you to your lofty position – taking advantage of this lofty position to collect and prepare them and bring them with you when you arrive in Israel, the vessels of the Temple – to return them to the Jewish People for safekeeping.
