Jewish thoughts re: Re-building the Temple

You are correct. Secular jews in Israel are not at all concerned with re-building the Temple. I've never heard this discussed. For the Orthodox, esp. the ultra-orthodox, the rebuilding of the Temple is a miracle closely tied to the coming of the Messiah. Messiah comes = political issues will disappear.

FYI, the majority of Israel's population today is secular.

Animal sacrifices, like many other mitzvot, are a non-issue today, but if the Messiah comes, then all things become possible.

American Jews – Orthodox through Reconstructionists, never mention this in regards to it actually happening. This is really a Christian concern. I realize than many Jews don't even realize that some Christian friends-of-Israel are only that way because they want the Jews to build the temple so Jesus will return to bring his people to heaven (depending whether they are pre or post millenimuists). Either way, it's not good for the Jews.

In Israel the majority of Jews are secular.

StephanieFox said:

American Jews – Orthodox through Reconstructionists, never mention this in regards to it actually happening. This is really a Christian concern. I realize than many Jews don't even realize that some Christian friends-of-Israel are only that way because they want the Jews to build the temple so Jesus will return to bring his people to heaven (depending whether they are pre or post millenimuists). Either way, it's not good for the Jews.

In Israel the majority of Jews are secular.

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Yup that pretty much speaks to us here in America. My major thoughts while in Israel were two-how beautiful is this land and its people-and shit-incoming!!!

PS-Either way, it's not good for the Jews-double yups!!!!

Jews do not need a temple with a high priest and lessers giving theological and theocratic commands throughout the world and demanding % of income. Hmmm. Sounds familiar, but I just cant place ....

Adding to what someone said above, it's one of the events that signals the messiah. Another is that every Jew observes the sabbath. There are a number of others.

EDITED-- I cut out the first part of my post because it was completely wrong. See Semilargeintestine's post below for correction.

I think most secular Israelis (the majority) would actually oppose the rebuilding of the temple because we would fear it would result in increased religious control. We're already rankling under some pretty restrictive marriage laws and Shabbat prohibitions.

mayamolly said:

The sect most actively awaiting the Temple are Chabad (Lubavitch) Jews, but I've never heard any suggestion from them that they destroy the Dome of the Rock. Rather, they think the temple will reappear miraculously, i.e. fall from the sky.

I think most secular Israelis (the majority) would actually oppose the rebuilding of the temple because we would fear it would result in increased religious control. We're already rankling under some pretty restrictive marriage laws and Shabbat prohibitions.

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This, as well as just about everything else that was said is completely untrue. Chabad is NOT the only branch of Judaism that longs for the rebuilding of the Temple. ALL Orthodox Jews pray THREE TIMES A DAY for the rebuilding of the Temple and the coming of Moshiach.

In addition, the concept that the Temple will fall from the sky is NOT a literal interpretation of what will happen. The belief is that when Moshiach (commonly mistranslated as Messiah) comes, he will rebuild the Temple himself. In fact, that is the one true test of whether or not a person is really the Moshiach. There has been someone in every generation who has shown true promise of being Moshiach (e.g., Bar Kochba, the Lubivitcher Rebbe, King Hezekiah), but we have not been worthy of his coming yet, so G-d did not push them "over the top" so to speak.

As far as the Dome of the Rock goes, it is unclear whether or not it would have to be destroyed in order to rebuild the Temple in the proper place. It should be noted though that when the Temple is rebuilt, Jerusalem and the Biblical Land of Israel will be completely restored to Jewish rule (the Moshiach is the Jewish King), and the worship of other gods will not be permitted on the Temple Mount. Therefore, it is likely that the Dome of the Rock will be destroyed; however, when Moshiach comes, the world will acknoweldge the soverignty of G-d, and so it is unlikely that it will be a problem for anyone.

In addition, even secular Jews will welcome the building of the Third Holy Temple, because there is something innate in the Jewish soul that longs to cleave to G-d and welcome the Moshiach. When he comes, he will restore the Jewish nation to Torah life.

It is a complete fallacy to say that Jews do not long for the building of the Third Temple and the coming of the Moshiach. The saddest day on the Jewish calendar, Tisha B'Av just passed this Thursday. It is the day that both the First and Second Temples were destroyed, as well as many other national tragedies occurring on that day (the sin of the spies and G-d's decree that the generation in the wilderness would not enter Israel, the final crushing of Bar Kochba's revolt and his death, the banishing of Jews from both Spain and England, the start of WWI that led to WWII and the Holocaust, as well as the start of mass deportation from the Warsaw ghetto). G-d told the Jews that because of the sin of the spies, we would experience a Tisha B'Av every generation until we are worthy of the Moshiach, whose potential was born the day the Second Temple was destroyed.

On this day every year, we fast and spend the entire day reading the Book of Lamentations. While it is now more difficult to really feel the loss of the Temple now, almost 2000 years after its destruction, we still hurt. I cried that day, and I cry or am close to tears every day when I pray for the rebuilding of the Temple--as do many Orthodox Jews. The day the Temple is rebuilt will be the happiest day of my life, may it arrive speedily and in our time.

Thanks for correcting me! Clearly, you know far more about this than I do. What I wrote is what my Chabad Rabbi had told me, but I'm sure that's incomplete and possibly a misrepresentation. In my experience, the Lubavitch are most actively anticipating the Moshiach as they were told he would come in their lifetime, but obviously they aren't the only ones mourning the loss of the temple and anticipating its rebuild. It's called the "Wailing Wall" for a reason.

As for whether secular Jews will welcome the building of the third temple... well... I hope we have opportunity to find out!

I am myself a Chabadnik. Unfortunately, some people believe that if you are not Chassidish, you are not really orthodox. Obviously, that is untrue. I do not attend shul at a Chabad House because I do not live near one with a daily mincha/maariv minyan, and that is the only time I can make it to shul during the week. I attend a modern orthodox shul, and believe me when I tell you that these people long for Moshiach, may he come speedily and in our time.

I'd love to hear your take on the Rebbe re: Moshiach.