Shabbat Parshat VaYikra - 5763
Animal Sacrifices in the Future – Part II

Parshat VaYikra introduces the subject of animal sacrifices. The question arises, as mentioned in the title, “Will animal sacrifices be instituted in the Third Temple (or before – see below) or not?” This was actually discussed in 5759. Here I’ll review some highlights from that essay and add some points.

The Rambam (1135-1204), in Moreh Nevuchim Chapter 46, seems to indicate that animal sacrifices were incorporated into the Divine worship only to wean the Jewish People away from heathen practices. However, it was pointed out that the Rambam wrote the Moreh for a prized student who was then engaged in a difficult philosophical debate with the Muslims, and indeed he would subscribe to many of the philosophical notions stated therein. However, his real opinion with respect to sacrifices is stated in Mishneh Torah, where in Hilchot Melachim 11:1, he states unequivocally that in the time of the Mashiach, who will build the Third Temple, all the laws of the Torah will be restored, including animal sacrifices.

It was also pointed out that the Torah itself in so many words states that its body of commands will never be augmented nor diminished.

Examples were provided from the Siddur, where we recite “Restore the ‘Avodah’ (the Divine Service) to Your Holy Habitation, and may the Burnt Offerings and the prayers of Israel be received by You in love and good will.” And also from the Machzor and from the Haggadah, from which we recite, as one of the highlights of the Seder, “Therefore, HaShem, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, may You bring us to other festivals and holidays... And we will eat there from the holy sacrifices and from the Pesach sacrifice whose blood will be sprinkled on the wall of Your altar, according to Your will... Blessed are You, Who redeemed Israel.”

Rabbi Yissachar Yaakovson, Z”L, in his contemporary work, Binah BaMikra, on the parshiot of the Torah, mentions some additional information relevant to our topic. Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi (1080-1141), poet laureate of Jewish history, writes:

“... My dream brought me to the Temple of G-d,
And I saw His beloved angels –
And the Olah (Burnt Offering) and its Minchah (Grain Offering) and Ne-sachehah (its Libations);
And roundabout pillars of heavy cloud.
And I delighted when I heard the songs of the Leviim
In their choirs, accompanying the Divine Service.
I woke up and I was still with You, O G-d;
And I thanked You, and it is appropriate to give You thanks.”

The Rambam in Hilchot Beit HaBechirah (6:15) writes, “Therefore we may offer all the sacrifices, even in the absence of the rebuilt Temple... and we may eat Kodshei Kodoshim (a class of sacrifices) in the entire Courtyard, even though it is in ruin and is not surrounded by a mechitzah (a ‘fence’ or ‘barrier’), and we may eat Kodshim Kalim (a class of sacrifices, with a slightly lower degree of holiness) and Ma’aser Sheni (the Second Tithe) in all of Yerushalayim, even in the absence of walls, for the first consecration consecrated it at that time, and consecrated it forever.”

Rabbi Yaakovson adds, “And also at the time of our national revival, the question of reviving the practice of sacrifices came up for discussion. The father of ‘Chibat Tziyon’ (Love of Zion – a religious Zionist organization) and its religious leader, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kalischer (1795-1874), after careful analysis of the problems inherent in the religious laws involved in the reinstituting of the sacrificial worship (questions also debated by Rabbi Akiva Eiger (1768-1838) and the Chatam Sofer (1763-1840)), came to the conclusion that ‘first there will be an ingathering of the faithful without a prophet, then we will bring sacrifices on the Altar of HaShem, and after that Gog (King of Magog) will come (and be defeated miraculously), and finally Eliyahu will come as the harbinger of the complete Redemption.’ ”

The Chofetz Chayim (1838-1933), who was a kohen (a priest), insisted that the Laws of the temple, the sacrifices and the priests, be studied in his yeshiva, so that the Jewish People would not be “in the dark” when the great light of redemption shone upon them.

Rabbi Shlomo Goren (1917-1994), fourth Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel and Chief Chaplain of the Israel Defense Forces at the time of the Six Day War, issued a halachic decision that the Jewish People should begin to offer sacrifices on an altar to be built at the exact site of the original altar in the temple that he had calculated, but unfortunately for political reasons, that wondrous scenario was never carried out.

An organization called Ateret Kohanim (Crown of the Priests), has researched and carefully recreated most, if not all, of the garments of the priests and the vessels of the temple, that will be put into use when the construction of the third Beit HaMikdash becomes, we pray soon and in our days, a reality.

Rabbi Pinchas Frankel

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