Holy of Holies

The Holy of Holies (Hebrew: Kodesh HaKodashim, קֹדֶשׁ הַקּדָשִׁים), also known as the Holy of Holies, was the innermost sanctuary of the ancient Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem, the most sacred place in Judaism. It was accessible only to the High Priest, and only once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The Holy of Holies housed the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Tablets of Stone given to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. In the context of the Tabernacle, the Holy of Holies was a square chamber (10 cubits, or approximately 4.5 meters, on each side) covered with curtains of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, adorned with cherubim. In the Temple in Jerusalem, it was a larger chamber (20 cubits by 20 cubits, or approximately 9 meters by 9 meters) located at the western end of the building. The term "Holy of Holies" is also used metaphorically in various contexts to denote the most sacred or inviolable part of something. In other languages, the term is translated as follows: Latin: Sanctum Sanctorum, French: Saint des Saints, German: Allerheiligste, and Arabic: القدس الأقدس (Al-Quds Al-Aqdas).