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The Temple building in Jerusalem outside the Temple Mount

שו”תCategory: generalThe Temple building in Jerusalem outside the Temple Mount
asked 7 years ago

To Rabbi Shalom,

I’m in London and Shabbat hasn’t even started yet, so I’m writing.
(I am in London and my heart is in Jerusalem…)
I think the prevailing opinion today is that the Temple on the Temple Mount must be built in a precise location.
I agree that this is how all opinions come out, but-
A. I did not find any obligation in the Gemara to build a temple.
on. It seems that the commandment is learned directly from the Bible – “And let them make Me a sanctuary, and I will dwell in the midst of them.” And also from the commandments to offer sacrifices, which are explicitly stated in the Bible and Talmud and are a real obligation.
third. In the Bible, naturally, when there was no time to build the Temple, they did not hesitate to build the Tabernacle of Shiloh and other places in the Land of Israel.
D. In a brief review, I did not see a place for the Sages to sacrifice in Jerusalem other than on Mount Moriah. The wording is constantly about “the holiness of Jerusalem” and “between the scenes,” and I did not see it on the Temple Mount in the context of sacrifices.
E. The only place I have seen about this is in the Rambam, who spoke of Mount Moriah as the place of the sacrifice of Isaac and therefore also the place of the external altar. Although he cites verses that are so difficult to understand from them that this is what is meant (one verse speaks of Zion and not the Temple Mount at all), and in the Gemara this is not mentioned.
6. If the obligation of the Temple from the Gemara’s perspective is a house of God to offer sacrifices in it, and it is difficult to see what the Rambam relies on, it seems that the Rambam’s midrashic statements do not hinder, while we miss the positive commandment of sacrifices, which is a complete obligation from the Bible and the Gemara. Therefore, from halachic considerations, it seems that it is obligatory to build a Temple outside the Temple Mount and to offer the sacrifices to which we are obligated.
7. Regarding the expectation of the Temple Mount, it is clear that this is a mitzvah from the chosen one, but the Bible teaches that we are not afraid of lowering the people’s hopes of building the Temple with a mitzvah from the chosen one. The people of Israel will not be satisfied with this. The Bible teaches that a temporary tabernacle should be built. Both in the days of Eli and in the days of David and in all the signs in fact. Even about the Temple of Hunyah there are positive opinions. The idea of ​​ruling according to a legend as Maimonides did is a crazy idea bordering on the manic Jerusalem syndrome of finding hints in the verses. But we say, “I have sworn to you, daughters of Jerusalem, that love should not be aroused until it desires.” Maimonides went crazy. See his words about the man who works out of love who goes mad from his love for that woman. Maimonides reaches a tremendous desire and it potentially exists in all the people of Israel. The Temple is the very abode of desire and mating, but the halakha rules with a clear mind.
H. Regarding “The mountain of the Lord shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, etc.” I repeat that I still think that this is a commandment of the highest order, only that a temporary solution must be found. On the contrary, from the inspiration of holiness, the way will be paved for the Gentiles as well. And from peace. The Arab fear of the building of the Third Temple may have ignited at least one intifada. And besides, the verse does not speak of a temple at all, but of teaching ways and a straight path. In this regard, the Muslims who are there also believe in the God of Israel and may teach righteous judgment. Interreligious cooperation can be blessed as a light for the Gentiles. Even obligatory.
I. For these reasons, I believe that such a building would contribute to peace because Muslims would feel less threatened and therefore there is also potential for political-Jewish-secular help in the mission.

I would love to hear your opinion on this. Mainly from the legal perspective, but I would also like to hear your opinion on the connection of the idea to reality, feasibility, and from a political perspective.

Have a good week..


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0 Answers
מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago
Have a good week. I prefer questions via the website. A-B. There is an obligation to build a temple that also appears in the Gemara and all the Poskim. C. From the time the Temple was built in its place, altars were again forbidden. Sacrifices are only made in the Temple area. D-E. I didn’t understand the question. 6. There is a dispute as to whether the purpose of the Temple is sacrifice or the inspiration of the Divine Presence (Rambam and Ramban). Rabbi Ram HaCohen elaborated on this in his book Bedi HaAron. 7-9. See 3. As for improving the situation with Muslims, I don’t think the issue is the Temple Mount.

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א' replied 7 years ago

1. From the platforms I brought a religious idea that does not fear forgetting the purpose of building the Temple in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount.
2. The main question is – What is the Bible and the Gemara's prohibition on building the Temple among the scenes not on the Temple Mount? And if there is no prohibition but only the order to build it on the Temple Mount, do we not have an obligation to build it somewhere in Jerusalem for the sacrifices?

מיכי Staff replied 7 years ago

I said that the location of the Temple is fixed on the Temple Mount and as far as I know it cannot be built anywhere else. In any case, in my opinion it will not change anything on the political level.
We can talk about offering sacrifices without a Temple (offerings even though there is no Temple), and we have already discussed this quite a bit.

Gil replied 7 years ago

“I'm in Jerusalem, not London, and Shabbat has already begun, so I'm not writing”

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