מלכים א, פרק ט׳, פסוק כ״ה

Once the physical construction of the Temple was finished, it needed to be infused with spiritual life to ensure its daily operation. King Solomon did not just stop at erecting the building; he took personal responsibility to establish and fund the order of service. The primary approach among commentators is that Solomon displayed great generosity by paying for the public sacrifices of the entire nation out of his own private funds [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד, רלב״ג].

These sacrifices were brought three times a year during the major pilgrimage festivals: Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles [רלב״ג, מצודת דוד]. Solomon provided both burnt offerings and peace offerings. While other biblical records focus only on the public burnt offerings, the addition of peace offerings here highlights the celebration and joy of the holidays, which the king supplied in abundance for everyone [רלב״ג].

The animal offerings were processed on the outer copper altar situated in the courtyard [רש״י, רד״ק]. At the same time, incense was burned before God on the inner golden altar located inside the sanctuary [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Commentators offer two main perspectives on how these services connected. One view suggests that the focus is simply on the location, noting that Solomon made sure the incense was burned directly upon the inner altar [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective views the connection as financial and procedural, explaining that along with the animal offerings on the outer altar, Solomon also paid for the incense burned on the inner altar from his personal wealth [מלבי״ם, רד״ק].

Ultimately, the completion of the Temple did not refer to the end of its physical construction, but rather to the perfection of its daily functioning. The primary approach among commentators is that just as Solomon built the structure, he brought it to true completion by organizing and financing all its ongoing spiritual needs. This included the daily sacrifices, the additional offerings for Sabbaths and New Moons, the oil for the lamps, the showbread, and the establishment of the priests and Levites in their regular work shifts [מלבי״ם, רלב״ג, רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].