Q&A: Sacrifices in Our Time
Sacrifices in Our Time
Question
Hello Rabbi Michi,
I wanted to know why we do not offer sacrifices today on private altars. After all, “sacrifices may be offered even though there is no Temple.”
And also, a positive commandment overrides a prohibition (if the definition is that this applies when the commandment is fulfilled at the time of the transgression).
And if we focus on one sacrifice, then according to what is said in the book of Exodus, the Egyptian Passover sacrifice was supposed to apply for generations, and only afterward, after the fact, it was transferred to the Temple.
So the obvious conclusion is that when there is no Temple, at least we should offer it, each person in his own home, according to what is said in Exodus (which might even be the ideal, the preferred way from the outset…).
I know there are several answers for why we do not offer sacrifices (like the issue of ritual impurity and the lineage of priests), but I also heard that answers were given to all of them. So I want to know which of them remains, if any.
Another point is that there are always explanations, but “It is a time to act for the Lord; they have voided Your Torah,” and if we really wanted to, I think we would find a way.
Answer
This is a complicated topic. Beyond the question of whether there is a Temple, sacrifices have to be offered at the site of the Temple, and there are issues of ritual impurity, etc. If you want to look into it more seriously and not rely on rumors, there are surveys online and you can find the material.