The Attitude to the Temple in Our Day

Hello Rabbi,

I read your words about the attitude towards the Temple in our day, and I would like to respond to some of the things. I would love to hear your opinion on that.

A. Regarding the halakhic matter, the commandment in the matter – you are trying to rely on the words of Rashi and Tosafot that the Temple came down built from heaven, but it is clear that these words are not a halakhic statement that the commandment to build the Temple is nullified, but rather a legendary statement.
The words about a heavenly sanctuary are apt to justify a question that arises from the words of the Gemara. This is a statement that there is a miraculous possibility that things will happen this way, and this possibility justifies the words of the Gemara. However, it is clear (to my understanding) that this is not a statement that one must passively wait until this miracle occurs, and after all, one does not rely on miracles, and after all, every mitzvah in the Torah is a mitzvah for us – not a mitzvah for the Blessed One.
Rashi himself writes that the words of the prophet Ezekiel were written so that we would know how to build the Temple.
In other words: the statement that the Temple came down from heaven is a possible answer to the question of how the building of the Temple will actually take place. The law remains as it always has been – the mitzvah is imposed on the people of Israel.

I think the things are simple and logical, and I think that if it weren't for the difficulty in understanding this mitzvah in our day, you too would not have imagined that there was a reason to cancel a mitzvah because of this puzzling legendary statement.
not?

on. Even if we "get along" with the halakhic matter, it is still impossible to ignore the fact that a significant part of our Judaism is a longing for the Temple and the return of the work. Even if we are exempt from actually building the Temple. Still, from an essential point of view, being a Jew includes wanting the building of the Temple, since all our prayers are filled with requests for the return of the work to the Lord of His House and there we will ascend and bow down, which teaches us that we must want this and expect this.
Would you say that we can ignore this and treat prayer as a text that we must say without any real intention just to fulfill a duty?

third. You are referring to the words of the Maimonides (in Mora Nevuchim) that sacrifices were given in a world that worshipped idols, which is the only way to worship God that he knows. By virtue of this, you want to say that today, when the work of sacrifices is far from our world, it turns out that we can manage without it.
You also talk about how you are not looking for a religious experience and that for you it is a primitive feeling.
First, the Rambam himself writes that the Messiah will restore the work of sacrifice, so despite his understanding in the Mishnah, it is still possible to understand that this is a mitzvah in the future as well. (I know that there are those who divide between the Rambam of the Mishnah and that of the Mishnah Torah, I don't know what your opinion is on this matter, but anyway -).
I think that perhaps the issue can be understood this way (perhaps this is also the intention of the Rambam, or perhaps not): Humans have a need for spiritual experiences, it is a very basic need for the soul, and the Torah directs this spiritual need in a healthy direction, to the sanctuary, just as it directs us regarding every need and inclination we have (food, sexuality, etc.). The need for spiritual experiences and a place of holiness is a basic need, and this is what motivated the ancient worshipers of the Holy Spirit.
Has this spiritual need, which is apparently indeed something primal as you say, something fundamental and basic (as can also be said about the need for food and sexuality) passed from the world? Absolutely not. Go out and see what happens among the people of Israel when there is no Temple: grave rituals in Meron and Uman and so on and so forth. (In contrast, in order to enter the Temple, it is necessary to purify oneself from the impurity of a dead person, meaning that the Temple is the opposite of this and distances a person from grave rituals).

You may not feel such a need, but for most, or at least a large portion, of humans this need and attraction exists. So it can be said that even in our generation there is a need for a temple.

I would love to hear your thoughts on these points,

Best regards,