“Do not drink intoxicating wine... when you come into the Tabernacle...” —Shemini 10:9

An intoxicated kohen (priest) may not serve in the Sanctuary. A kohen, therefore, was forbidden to drink wine on those days that he had to serve in the Sanctuary.

The Sages state that this law applies even today. A kohen who knows his schedule of service is even nowadays forbidden to drink wine on those days, because “the Beit Hamikdash may speedily be rebuilt, requiring the services of a qualified kohen” (Sanhedrin 22b)!

The effect of consuming the minimum amount of wine that is forbidden will wear off either by: (a) sleep; or (b) the passage of time it takes to walk a mil (2000 cubits). The longest estimate for walking a mil is 24 minutes.

This law proves, then, that Moshiach may appear very speedily, with a completed Beit Hamikdash, in maximum 23 minutes and 59 seconds from any moment!