The Temple: Its Symbolism and Meaning Then and Now

About this book

When thinking of the ancient Temple of Jerusalem one often conjures up images of animal sacrifice pilgrimages to the Holy City on religious festivals and the High Priest solemnly entering the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. Indeed each of these observances was a staple of Temple ritual but it is easy to lose sight of the Temple as it impacted and impacts upon the daily life of Jews and their physical and spiritual responsibilities. Building the Temple is not merely one commandment of many; it cannot be examined in isolation. This volume shows how the Temple relates to the notions of Shabbat the land of Israel monarchy Jewish independence and sovereignty education justice covenant Sinai the garden of Eden the Jewish relationship to the gentile world and the very way the Jew relates to God. From a biblical viewpoint the Temple is not only the central institution of the ideal Jewish society but also the central concept that binds and organizes all others. Many Torah commandments remain unchanged for all time regardless of historical events but this is not so for the commandment to erect the Temple. Social economic political and religious currents were integral to the Temples construction destruction and reconstruction. By probing these currents from the Bibles perspective one can gain insight into the meaning of the time in which we live; we are in a process of rebuilding even though we are far from redemption.