The Temple Institute
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The Temple Institute, known in Hebrew as Machon HaMikdash (Hebrew: מכון המקדש), is an organization in Israel focusing on the controversial endeavor of re-establishing the Third Temple. Its long-term aim is to build the third Jewish temple on the Temple Mount, on the site currently occupied by the Dome of the Rock, and to reinstate sacrificial worship. It aspires to reach this goal through the study of Temple construction and ritual. [1] It was founded and is headed by Rabbi Yisrael Ariel.[2] Its Director General is Mr. Yehuda Glick, and the International Department is headed by Rabbi Chaim Richman. It identifies with the right wing of Religious Zionism.
Contents |
[edit] Building of Temple ritual items
| Temple Institute - Ritual Objects | |
| Item | Purpose |
| Copper laver | For Kohanim to wash at start of day |
| Mizrak | Holds blood from sacrificial animals |
| Large mizrak | Holds blood from larger animals |
| Three-pronged fork | To arrange offerings on the altar |
| Measuring cup | To measure meal offerings |
| Copper vessel for meal offerings | To prepare meal offerings |
| Silver shovel | To remove ashes from the altar |
| Silver vessel for wine libation | For wine accompanying offerings |
| Lottery box | For Yom Kippur |
| Silver altar cup for water libation | For Sukkot |
| Silver libation vessels | For Sukkot |
| Sickle | To reap the Omer barley |
| Other offering implements | To offer the Omer barley |
| Abuv | To roast the Omer barley |
| Menorah cleansing vessel | To clean the Menorah |
| Oil pitcher | For replenishing the Menorah |
| Small golden flask | For replenishing individual Menorah lamps |
| Frankincense censer | |
| Incense chalice | For Ketoret or incense offering |
| Incense shovel | For Ketoret or incense offering |
| Menorah | See Menorah |
| Table of the Showbread | See Showbread |
| Incense altar | For Ketoret or incense offering |
| Ark of the Covenant (mock up) | See Ark of the Covenant |
| Crown | Crown worn by the High Priest |
| Garments of the High Priest | See High Priest |
| Silver trumpets | Announce special occasions and offerings |
| Gold-plated shofar | For Rosh Hashanah. See Shofar |
| Silver-plated shofar | For fast days. See Shofar |
| Harp | Used by the choir of Levites singing psalms |
| Lyre | Used by the choir of Levites singing psalms |
As part of its ongoing effort to prepare for a future rebuilt Temple, the Temple Institute has been preparing ritual objects suitable for Temple use. The Temple Institute has collected tens of thousands of dollars from American donors for the project. [3] Several items to be used in the Temple have been made by the Temple Institute. [1]
[edit] Education programs
The Institute holds educational programs for priests and Levites on Temple duties. [4]
[edit] Red Heifer
In addition to a variety of items required for service within the Temple, the Institute has attempted to locate a parah adumah (Red heifer) consistent with the requirements of Numbers 19:1-22 and Mishnah Tractate Parah for purposes of taharah (purification) necessary to enter the Temple sanctuary proper in most circumstances. [5] In recent years, the Institute identified two candidates, one in 1997 and another in 2002.[6] The Temple Institute had initially declared both kosher, but later found each to be unsuitable.
[edit] Controversies
[edit] Rebuilding a Jewish temple on the Temple Mount
Although Orthodox Judaism generally agrees that the Temple in Jerusalem will and should be rebuilt, there is a substantial disagreement about whether this should occur by human or divine hands. The Temple Institute interprets the opinion of the Rambam (Maimonides) as saying that Jews should attempt to build the Temple themselves, and have a mitzvah (obligation) to do so if they can. The Rambam's opinion, however, is a controversial one and has aroused substantial opposition.
The Temple Institute's view of the Rambam's opinion is not universally accepted by Maimonides scholars. According to seventeenth century Rabbi Yom Tov Lipman Heller in his commentary on the tractate Yoma, the Rambam did not say that any Jew can build the future Temple, only the Messiah. [2] According to Maimonides, any Jew who starts rebuilding the Temple is a potential Messiah.
[edit] Ascending the Temple Mount
The rabbis associated with the Temple Institute hold (also following the Rambam) that it is, under certain conditions, permissible under Jewish law for Jews to visit parts of the Temple Mount, and periodically organize groups to ascend and tour the Mount. The view that Jews may ascend the Temple is highly controversial among Orthodox rabbis, with many authorities completely prohibiting visiting the Mount to prevent accidental entrance into and desecration of the Holy of Holies or other sacred, off-limits areas.
[edit] Foreign support
In October 2007 a delegation from Papua New Guinea donated several thousand dollars to the institute. [7]
In February of 2008 a small donation of 26,66 Dollars was made to the Temple Institute by Ciprian Pater of Norway. This act being noticed on the Donors Wall at the Temple Institute website and confirmed on other networks by some Christians / Messianics who associate the numbers with the mark of the Beast in Revelation, while those dealing Jewish Gematria note that the number 26 represents the name Hashem and relates to the Gematria of the Red Heifer. The peculiar aspects of heredity that are debated concerning the "Pater"(Latin for Father) families across the world and relations to the words of Jesus in the Bible in "John 5:43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive",these remain a mystery with serious religious overtones and unanswered questions due to the birth and establishment of a New World Order agenda through “Unigod” headed by the same person in question.
[edit] Prominent members of the Temple Institute
- Rabbi Yisrael Ariel
- Rabbi Chaim Richman
- Yehuda Glick
[edit] See also
[edit] References and footnotes
- ^ "A House of Prayer for All Nations" Jerusalem Post, October 11, 2005
- ^ Rebuild Herod's Temple? A Few Israelis Hope New York Times, April 9, 1989.
- ^ Rebuild Herod's Temple? A Few Israelis Hope New York Times, April 9, 1989.
- ^ "'Reunion' of Priests Spurs Talk of a Third Temple". Jewish Exponent, July 27, 2007.
- ^ http://www.templeinstitute.org/red_heifer/red_heifer_contents.htm Temple Institute: Red Heifer
- ^ Red Heifer born in Israel Temple Institute, 8 April 2002
- ^ Papua New Guinea delegation donates gold for rebuilding Temple
