The Temple: To rebuild or not to rebuild? The arguments pro are political; the arguments contra – religious.
The book of Leviticus details many doubtful rites for the Temple observance. It was impossible for all Jews to gather in the Temple thrice annually for the major festivals: the journey was too long. Visiting the Temple to slaughter every animal was similarly impractical. Women days after childbirth or unusually strong menstruation could not undertake an arduous trip to the Temple to bring sacrifices. The priests could not slaughter thousands, theoretically even hundreds of thousands of animals during festivals.
Josephus quotes Hecataeus on the original size of the Second Temple as 150 by 50 meters. That size could not accommodate more than a few thousand people during festivals. The shortage of space can be explained in many ways, particularly by the people entering the Temple for a short time only and generally staying outside it, but the size clearly doesn’t provide for the movement of hundreds of thousands of worshippers with sacrificial animals. The Mishna, written within a living memory of the Second Temple, conjectures about the rites and Sanhedrin procedures rather than stating them matter-of-factly.
The major attribute of the Temple’s holiness, the Ark, was absent already from the Second Temple, making it largely devoid of sanctity. The Temple was repeatedly desecrated, the priests were as corrupt then as the rabbinical leaders now, and it is overall hard to expect the Divine Presence to descend into the Holy of Holies. I can’t imagine God being attracted to a golden menorah donated by the Ukrainian magnate Rabinovich. An element of holiness was lost. Or was it? The Bible depicts Jews as prone to paganism then as to atheism now, ancient rulers as evil as Shimon Peres, and prophets as rare as decent rabbis today. The laws of Torah retain their applicability precisely because modern people remain morally similar to their ancestors. Herod the Great of pagan views hardly imagined the Temple as a divine abode, but invested huge efforts into embellishing it. The Diaspora Jews did not bring the Temple sacrifices, but duly remitted a half-shekel or more for the Temple upkeep.
The Temple is a political institution. It asserts the Jewish character of the state, limits the authority of secular rulers, and unifies the Jewish nation. It is not really significant for our purposes whether the Divine Presence would reveal itself to the modern high priest: it is enough that the high priest exists. Israel leans to the left because there is no visible right; most rabbis are no more religious than the average MKs. The Temple, sacrifices, and hereditary priesthood will create enormous pressure for the right end of the Israeli political spectrum, fully offsetting the Kadima - Peace Now – Avodah – Histadrut influence. The Temple will stake the land for the Jews: it’s hard to talk of Arab civil rights when the smoke of sacrifices rises to heaven. Construction of the Temple will necessitate a major nationalist breakthrough: razing the Islamic structures on the Temple Mount. It’s hard to seek peace with Arabs by giving them Judea or the Golan Heights after you just razed the Aqsa.
The Temple will rally the Jews. The lawgiver installed the system of sacrifices to answer the deepest human urge for a clear-cut absolution of guilt. Sacrifices signified an individual’s return to moral purity: repent, restitute, bring sacrifices – and stop worrying about the past transgressions. Don’t be sorry for the sheep: we’ll eat them instead of cows. Sacrifices will reassure the Jews that absolute moral purity exists and is feasible to strive for.
The Temple will provide the sense of Jewish continuity, the connection with ancient roots which the beaches of Tel Aviv utterly lack. The Diaspora Jews will formally unite with Israelis by sending annual contributions to the Temple. The world will see the Jews again as an odd religious crowd rather than secular colonizers of Palestine.
Israel needs a political party with a single goal: rebuilding the Temple. The other goals can be inferred from that one. Let the Supreme Court try to ban the party or the MK ostracize it.
Forget about religion. Rebuild the Temple.
Waw! Ovadiah is writting again. But,read this Ovadiah before you write again "The book of Leviticus details many doubtful rites for the Temple observance" because you are not know what you express. Please investigate more about the meaning of "Princes of Israel" and heads of tribes, and then, you'll easily find out how they gathered. Now, about Josephus, take heed that sometime "cubits" are confused. There were common cubits and sacred cubits, as the ones in the temple measures. Happens to be sacred cubits were just twice than common cubits..
In my heart I would like to see the Temple rebuilt a sign of rebirth of Jewish nation. Just like it happened under Cyrus the Great.
However a rebirth must be going forward, not going backward. Trying to revive the old out-dated rites and priesthood is not a rebirth at all. Such opposition to change and clinging to the original form is what makes Islam the most idiotic religion in the world. They are still living in 7th century. We would not want for the Jews to live in 1000 Century B.C.E. Personally I think killing goats in the temple is simply disgusting and barbaric.
Still I like the idea of rebuilding the temple. I would like to see it as a symbol of not only national but also spiritual renewal.
The interesting aspect would be the reaction of the Evangelical Christians. On one hand they would strongly support rebuilding the Temple as they believe that this is the precondition for Jesus’ return to Earth. On the other hand, they might have an interesting reaction when they find that even after the Temple is rebuild, Jesus is showing no inclination to return to this planet…
I'm sure after the temple is built, some Jew will pop up and call himself Jesus, just so he would become famous.
Speaking of the Temple being rebuilt, I wish to take this opportunity to tell you about my latest novel, "Like a Thief in the Night" released here in the USA in the last week.
I realize that most of the readers here are Jewish and possibly uninterested in a Christian point of view book, however I think you will find it refreshingly pro-Israel and
pro-Judaism in it's stance. I have drawn the characters from my own experiences in Israel, Australia, and throughout the world. In fact the temple is rebuilt in this novel and Israel didn't have to destroy the Aqsa or Dome mosques at all. The Arabs accomplished that themselves, but you have to read the book to find out. The events are also derived from real-world events but obviously changed to suit the purposes of the story. Many of you who no doubt know Israel well will recognize many sequences and sites mentioned in the story. Thank you for your interest in this, my first novel of this genre.
Thank you for your interest. Books are available at the url below
Books online: http://www.authorhouse.com
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muppt:
Many have and will claim to be The Christ. We are the temple and The Kingdom of God is within us. And those with The Holy Spirit know His voice and will not follow another. But, I would love to see the ancient temple rebuilt.
Enzo: Would you have been one of the merchants Jesus drove from His temple?
This is truly insane talk - if you want a "new" temple with all that it entails, then build it elsewhere - in modern Israel - or even in the USA - the true promised land of the Jews. Look, the Mormons have their temples all over the world - as does the Bahá’í religion - and how many countless Hindu & Buddhist temples do we have here in the US alone! The point of this - you can build another Jewish Temple - not in Jerusalem!
Mary, is this the court of the gentiles? ???
And if any joker shows up calling himself a Latin name, he can be pretty well be disqualified from being ha moshiach.
Ovadiah, a woman in her blood, either from childbirth or monthly flow was not permitted to enter the temple, so could hardly have been expected to make the trip. There is more like this–the temple was real, the cult was real, the command is real.
But I would be really, really, REALLY nervous about building the temple merely as a political structure. Yes, building it would have tremendous political ramifications, mostly good. But the unity that you bespeak would only be if there was agreement on how the cult would opperate. That can also be treated as a political issue, and one with serious problems.
Evangelical Christians belive the the anti-christ will broker a peace between the jews and arabs. part of the "peace aggrement" is the constuction of the third temple. Where he will enter it and proclaim himself g-d.
only the temple will bring us together as a nation and will give us legitimate connection to the land of israel…. no temple no nation no israel
it is absolutely true: only the temple will unite the Jews, as is supposed to be the case. I resent the writer above who foists her Christianity upon our readership. She is, at best, rude and arrogant. Keep your beliefs to yourself, and show the commono courtesy when in a neighbor's house, which is what this site is, in fact.
It matters a good deal whether the temple exists; and it matters a good deal that it exists in Jerusalem. References to other religions with many temples has absolutely no relevance to Judaism.
We Want Moshiach Now!
May the temple be rebuilt speedily and in our days! Just want to wish all readers good Elul tidings and pray your High Holy Days are full of awe and enlightenment, I know mine usually are. I am new to this site and find that I disagree with a great amount of the content. I too am very disappointed at modern day Israel. I am a Baal Teshuva who returned shortly after surviving three tragedies. My brother was a victim of the terrorist attack in NY on 9/11, I lost my job a year later, and then went through a divorce a year later. I find great strength in my Jewish identity. Last year I took on the mitzvah of wearing tzittzits and I wear them and my kippah each day. I also wear peyos {side-curls}.
I daven each morning for the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash and the triumphant coming of Moshiach Ben David.
Moshe:
I agree with you and am Christian.
The temple WILL I believe be built in Jerusalem. IT IS THE HEART OF THE JEWISH FAITH.
I must be one of the few Christians that does not seek to convert Jews-only to support the right of Israel to exist in peace and security.
THERE ARE some of us who have no hidden agenda-but we do believe that our religions are connected. The Holy Land is REALLY the land of 2 great faiths-( not 3 as the world would lead us to believe) One from Abraham and Issac and the other from Yeshua bar Josef.
I have been to Israel and will continue to go.
Shalom.
The temple will be rebuilt - I think within 20 years.
Nothing can stop it.
The temple will have a significant part in the events of the future days.