How heavy was the temple veil that tore when Jesus died?
The context does not provide an exact weight for the temple veil. It describes the veil as so thick and so heavy that, according to a possible indication from Josephus, a team of oxen could not have ripped it apart. Scripture records it was torn from top to bottom.
Les explains that the veil in the tabernacle and later the temple separated the sanctuary where priests ministered daily from the Holy of Holies, where the Ark of the Covenant, the presence of God, and the Shekinah Glory were. Only Aaron the High Priest entered behind the veil once a year on the Day of Atonement. In Solomon's temple, the veil was so thick and so heavy that, as Les notes, Josephus gives an indication a team of oxen could not have ripped it apart. Yet the account says it was ripped in two from top to bottom. Les emphasizes that the top-to-bottom direction proves men had nothing to do with it; it was a miracle working God. This indicated that the way into God's presence had been made possible by His death, because the veil symbolized His body of flesh.