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Why isn't there an effort underway to rebuild the Temple?

by Rabbi Naftali Silberberg

  

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In Exodus1 it is said concerning the third Temple "the sanctuary which Your hands, O Lord, have established."2 This is why the third temple will be everlasting for - unlike the first two temples which were built by Man - it will be built by G-d.

Maimonides writes3 that the messiah will rebuild the holy temple. (This is not a contradiction; whereas the structure itself will be built by G-d, certain elements of the temple will be added by the messiah).

May we merit seeing this with our eyes very soon!

Footnotes

  • 1. 15:17.
  • 2. See Rashi's comments on this verse.
  • 3. Laws of Kings 11:4.

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COMMENTS

Third Temple article

Posted by: Wayne Lee, Hinesville, GA on Feb 03, 2005

I find it interesting that the author of this article discusses the third temple in the future tense as a fulfillment of prophecy. I have not asked (as I could at this web site) but I can imagine that perhaps the author might not consider Herod’s temple (of Jesus’ time) anything more than a mockery because Herod was a Moabite, not a Jew, and therefore the building not counted as the third temple. The first temple was Solomon’s and the second Zerubbabel’s if my studies serve correctly.

Editor's Comment

"Herod's Temple" wasn't a new edifice. He merely spectacularly renovated the Temple which was built when the Jews returned from Babylon. It still is considered the 2nd Temple.

Web site

Posted by: Sonny (Hiram) Lofton, Albany, GA on Aug 17, 2005

As a student of the bible I found this site by accident. What a great wealth of biblical information for me to find. As a non jew the history of the Nation of Israel has always been important to me. We Christians are understanding our close relationship with Israel. If there were no Abraham, Moses, etc. there would be no US! I have several close friends (reformed)and one who was raised orthodox. We meet once a month and some of us have gone to the local Temple for classes on history and practices. The Temple even has a small "Holocaust" memorial. That touched me most. I hope that we never again allow this evil to gain control. We must stay vigilant and loyalties must remain between Christians and Jews.

One of my friends asked me if I was trying to convert her to Christianity because I was alays talking about Bible history and Jewish traditions. I smiled and said "No and Hell No."

Israel was here thousands of years before we late-comers. She should be trying to convert me! Thanks!

Temple sacrifice

Posted by: Dorothy O Higley, West Valley, UT, United States on Nov 23, 2005

Will the Messiah institute sacrifices in the new Temple?

Editor's Comment

Certainly.

Should we try to build the Third Temple?

Posted by: Michael Makovi on Jan 01, 2006

The way I see it, we ought to do our best to prepare for the building of the Third Temple (such as by trying to find the needed artifacts, tools, etc., and especially the red heifer we need to clean our ritual uncleanliness). We also should try to build the Third Temple itself if we can. If the Third Temple isn't to be built by us, we will fail, simple as that. But we shouldn't just sit by and do nothing. If we did that all along, the state of Israel wouldn't exist today! We should do everything we can ourselves, and G-d will supplement our efforts, or totally thwart them if His "efforts" are to override ours. Hey, if during the Chanukah wars, we sat back and said "Oh, G-d will beat the Greeks, so let's just sit back and relax", we'd have lost, because G-d wouldn't have helped us! But when we did our best to fight the Greeks, however puny our military might may have been, G-d supplemented our efforts. In the words of Rabbi Benjamin Blech, "G-d helps those who help themselves!"

RELATED CATEGORIES

Israel » Messiah
Israel » Holy Land
History » The Holy Temples » About
Maimonides
Moses son of Maimon, born in Spain in 1135, died in Egypt in 1204. Noted philosopher and authority on Jewish law. Also was an accomplished physician and was the personal doctor for members of the Egyptian royalty. Interred in Tiberius, Israel.
Exodus
1. The miraculous departure of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage in 1312 BCE. 2. The second of the Five Books of Moses. This book describes the aforementioned Exodus, the giving of the Torah, and the erection of the Tabernacle.
Temple
1. Usually a reference to the Holy Temple which was/will be situated in Jerusalem. 1st Temple was built in 825 BCE and was destroyed in 423 BCE. The 2nd Temple was built in 350 BCE and was destroyed in 70 CE. The 3rd Temple will be built by the Messiah. 2. A synagogue.
G-d
It is forbidden to erase or deface the name of G-d. It is therefore customary to insert a dash in middle of G-d's name, allowing us to erase or discard the paper it is written on if necessary.