B'nei No'ach and Korbanot There is a Talmudic discourse which reads, "The master said, 'Non-Jews (unlike Jews) are permitted [to offer sacrifice] these days [i.e. after the destruction of the Temple]. How do we know this? Because our rabbis taught, [When introducing the prohibition of offering sacrifices outside the central sanctuary, the Torah says], 'Speak unto the Children of Israel' (Vayikra 17:2). The Children of Israel - Jews - are enjoined against offering sacrifices outside [the Temple], but non-Jews are not enjoined against offering sacrifices outside [the Temple]. Therefore, every [non-Jew] may build a Bama (a private altar, lit. a "high place") and sacrifice on it whatever he wishes." However, "R Ya'akov b. Aha said in the name of Rav Assi, 'It is forbidden [for an Israelite] to assist them [physically, in building the altar or offering the sacrifice] or to act as their agent. [However], Rabba said, 'We may instruct them' [how to sacrifice]. Then Rabba cited an incident that proved his point. "[This happened with] Ifra Hormiz, mother of King Shabur (a Sassanid Shah of Persia) who sent an offering to Rava with the request, 'Offer up [a sacrifice] for the sake of Heaven.' Rava said to R. Safra and R. Aha b. Huna, 'Go fetch two young men - non-Jews - of similar age, find a spot where the sea has thrown up alluvial mud. (The mud, when dry, would be utilized to construct the altar. This would guarantee that the building material had not previously been used for mundane purposes) [Furthermore], take new [unused] twigs; light a fire with a new flint, and offer [the sacrifice] in honor of heaven.'" Upon hearing this, Abaye asked Rava on whose authority did he permit this highly unusual action. Rava answered that he ruled "in accordance [with the view] of R. Eleazar b. Shammua… who said, 'As the altar must not have been used by a layman [for mundane purposes], so the wood also must not have been used by a layman…" (Zevachim 116b). That non-Jews could legitimately sacrifice was not even a question! Rashi, the great medieval commentator on Bible and Talmud, adds that the choice "of two young men of like age was to add beauty to the service". The concluding Halacha - legal ruling - in Ma'asei Hakorbanot, Rambam's "handbook" on sacrificial procedure reads, "Today, a Nochri, i.e. a Ben Noach, is permitted to offer Olot - burnt offerings - to G-d anywhere he chooses". Quoting Zevachim 116a, the Rambam continues, "Therefore every Ben Noach may build himself an altar and offer upon it whatever he wishes." However the altar itself must be artificially constructed as it is said, "And Noah built an altar…" (Bereishit 8:20). Consequently, using a large flat rock found in nature as an altar would not be acceptable. The Rambam continues, "It is forbidden for a Yisrael - a Jew - to help them (physically) … because we are not permitted to offer sacrifice outside of the Mikdash. We are, however, permitted to teach them [B'nei Noach] how to offer sacrifice to G-d." The Mishneh Lemelech, one of the classic commentaries on Rambam, notes that the Ben Noach's sacrifice may consist of "cattle and other animals orbirds, perfect or blemished. The sacrificial animals must be pure (i.e. Kosher) …" In full cognizance of what they are doing and why, there are non-Jews today who do offer sacrifice to the G-d of Israel "for the sake of Heaven". However, this practice is exceedingly rare. I personally see the issue of a Ben Noach offering sacrifice in the present, more as a Halacha Lo Lema'aseh; an act theoretically permitted, but practically speaking in today's world, inadvisable. The Psalmist sang, "I will praise the name of G-d with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. And it shall please the Lord more than a bullock" (69:31, 32). The prophet Hosea said, "So we will render for bullocks the offering of our lips" (14: 3). Upon receiving Steven's email, I conferred with Rav Yehoshua Friedman of Kochav Hashachar, longtime mentor and teacher of B'nei Noach, and this was his reply. "Before the Temple was built, there were periods in which people of Israel were permitted to bring sacrifices on a private altar, called a "Bama". From the time of the dedication of the Temple, there was never again an option to bring sacrifices in a private venue, only in the "place which the L-rd shall choose", i.e. the Temple in Jerusalem. The prohibition of Bamot continued even after the destruction of the Temple, since its sanctity continued forever. These restrictions never applied to anyone except the people of Israel, since they are not part of the Seven Laws of Noah. A non-Jew, or Ben Noach, could, in the time of the Temple, bring a burnt offering to the Temple. The Kohanim would sacrifice it according to the laws of the Temple sacrifices and spiritual benefit would accrue to the person who brought it, just as is the case with a Jew. The prophets (Isaiah Ch. 1 and others) stated their displeasure in general with the person who put his spiritual energy into bringing voluntary sacrifices as opposed to correcting moral deficiencies, especially between oneself and one's fellow human being. Anyone who brought a voluntary sacrifice was within his rights but was wise to make this inner spiritual consideration." "After the destruction of the Temple, a non-Jew has the theoretical option to perform a sacrifice according the laws of the Torah concerning non-Jews. I discussed the subject with Rav Yoel Schwartz, a distinguished Jerusalem rabbi who has been involved with the subject of Bnei Noach for many years. He is now the head of a special Beit Din (court) for Bnei Noach established by the developing Sanhedrin group. Rav Schwartz's response was that he did not believe that people were in the spiritual state that would warrant bringing sacrifices and therefore did not advise it. He also pointed out that there were opinions that animal sacrifices would not take place in the Third Temple because the people would not need that vehicle for spiritual development. He refers us to Rav Avraham Yitzhak HaKohen Kook for the explanation of this idea. Rav Kook (1865-1935) was the first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael from 1919 until his passing. In a series of articles called Afikim Banegev (Streams in the Desert), he discusses a number of educational issues including whether one should eat meat. He points out that human beings were originally created as vegetarians and only after the Flood were allowed to eat meat as part of the moral distinction between the life of a human being and that of an animal. The eating of meat is a part of man's baser nature which is necessary to channel the lower human desires away from the shedding of human blood. He also discusses the animal sacrifices and determines that only the meal offerings will be actually brought in the future Temple. In fact the Temple service will primarily consist of prayer." [Ed. notes. [1] On the last point, there are many authorities who hold that all sacrifices will be restored. [2] We have an interesting video clip of a Ben No'ach offering korbanot.] Catriel's book in progress: The Temple of Jerusalem, A Pilgrim’s Perspective; A Guided Tour through the Temple and the Divine Service [The
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