In this week’s Haftara we read the words from Yishayahu
40:1-2: “Comfort, comfort My people says your God. Speak to the heart of
her that her time (of exile) has been fulfilled…”
After a difficult day of mourning for both the First and
Second Beit HaMikdash (
we are told that the exile will come to an end. At that point the Third Beit
HaMikdash will be built.
Will there be kornabot at the time of the Third Beit
HaMikdash?
The Rambam (Maimonides) in The Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Beit
HaBechira opens with the words: “It is a positive commandment to make a house
for God where we can bring sacrifices.”
Each day, in the Shmoneh Esrei we ask God to restore the
sacrifices to the Beit HaMikdash when we recite the words in the 17th
Bracha : Retzei- “Be favorable, God towards Your people
to the Holy of Holies of your
The fire-offerings of
and their prayer accept with love and favor and may the service of Your people
be favorable to You.”
Rabbi Munk explains that since we don’t have the Beit
HaMikdash today, studying about the Korbanot and praying about the Korbanot
takes the place of bringing the offerings. However, these are only temporary
substitutes and once the Beit HaMikdash is built we will go back to the act
itself, we will once again bring the Korbanot.
Ramban (Nachmanides) explains that animal sacrifice is the
most meaningful form of Divine service since the transgressor designates an
animal, brings it to the Temple, leans on his head and declares: “My intellect
failed to control my impulse and I behaved like a senseless beast, not a Godly
human being. When I sinned, I resembled the animal upon which I am leaning. I
will therefore slaughter this animal to symbolize that in the future I will
overcome and slay the animal impulse that attacks me.”
In Moreh Nevuchim, Rambam rationalizes why there are
Korbanot in order to help those estranged from Judaism understand their
purpose. He explains that the different nations brought sacrifices to different
Gods wherever and whenever they wanted while the Jewish people were only
commanded to bring them at certain times and in certain places with the
supervision of the Kohanim and Leviim. Once the Beit HaMikdash stood, they were
only allowed to bring the sacrifices there and the “bamot”, private places
where people brought sacrifices were no longer allowed to be used. Rambam
explains that the sacrifices are important. However, prayer is more important.
He also explains that God does not want sacrifices from people who do not
believe in one God and who bring sacrifices to other Gods (a major problem
during the time of the prophets). He describes the fact that when B’nai Yisrael
left
they were given the first commandments at Marah- Shabbat and civil laws. The laws of the Korbanot were only given
later and therefore they were of secondary importance.
We see from here that the sacrifices will be restored when
we rebuild the Third Beit HaMikdash but prayer will still be more important.
May the Third Beit HaMikdash be rebuilt speedily in our days.
