The 3rd Temple

[Harel13]

What's the Reform view on the 3rd Temple? Are you awaiting its building? If so, how should it be in your view: complete with all animal sacrifices, only male kohanim and levi'im working there, etc, or something else?
And if not, what do Reform see as a sort of 'endgame', so to speak? Where is the world heading to?

 

[Harel13]

No takers? Going once, going twice?

 

[dybmh]

No takers? Going once, going twice?

Repost it somewhere else?

 

[Harel13]

Repost it somewhere else?

Maybe, though I basically know the Orthodox views. I don't personally know any Reform Jews, though, so I was hoping someone could enlighten me.

 

[Harel13]

Reformed Jews are analogous to unitarians and fairly liberal and I don't know what they would say. My guess is highly symbolic.

Who knows? We'll just have to wait for one of them to answer.

 

[Rival]

Hi guys, this is the REFORM JUDAISM DIR and if you're not a Reform Jew or asking a respectful question you're not invited to the tea party, so please rise, push your seat under and leave in an orderly fashion. ​

 

[IndigoChild5559]

What's the Reform view on the 3rd Temple? Are you awaiting its building? If so, how should it be in your view: complete with all animal sacrifices, only male kohanim and levi'im working there, etc, or something else?
And if not, what do Reform see as a sort of 'endgame', so to speak? Where is the world heading to?

When I brought up the fact that some people in Israel wanted to rebuild the temple as a way of bringing on the coming of the messiah, the Rabbi said, "Heaven forbid!"

 

[Harel13]

When I brought up the fact that some people in Israel wanted to rebuild the temple as a way of bringing on the coming of the messiah, the Rabbi said, "Heaven forbid!"

Did he explain further?

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Did he explain further?

No, and I felt slapped down, so I simply retreated and said nothing more. I really don't like making waves.

 

[Harel13]

No, and I felt slapped down, so I simply retreated and said nothing more. I really don't like making waves.

Okay, thank you.

 

[RabbiO]

When I brought up the fact that some people in Israel wanted to rebuild the temple as a way of bringing on the coming of the messiah, the Rabbi said, "Heaven forbid!"

I assume you are speaking of a Reform rabbi. May I ask how long ago this incident occurred and how old the rabbi was?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

This from a 74 year old non-rabbi: heaven forbid.

 

[RabbiO]

What's the Reform view on the 3rd Temple? Are you awaiting its building? If so, how should it be in your view: complete with all animal sacrifices, only male kohanim and levi'im working there, etc, or something else?
And if not, what do Reform see as a sort of 'endgame', so to speak? Where is the world heading to?

A fair set of questions.

Your attitude, when three hours after posting you had not received a response, is more problematic.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Best I can tell, this Wiki article seems accurate. Certainly I've never encountered a URJ-affiliated rabbi who preached the importance of a third temple.

 

[Harel13]

Your attitude, when three hours after posting you had not received a response, is more problematic.

Yeah, you're right.

 

[Harel13]

Best I can tell, this Wiki article seems accurate. Certainly I've never encountered a URJ-affiliated rabbi who preached the importance of a third temple.

Based on this, if a temple were to be built, what would the Reform reaction be? Disaffiliation? Indifference? Something else?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Based on this, if a temple were to be built, what would the Reform reaction be? Disaffiliation? Indifference? Something else?

We're a fairly heterogenous tribe, but my response would be somewhere between disaffiliation and utter contempt.

 

[Harel13]

We're a fairly heterogenous tribe, but my response would be somewhere between disaffiliation and utter contempt.

If so, do you have a definition of a messianic era?

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

If so, do you have a definition of a messianic era?

I view it as aspirational -- the goal of an age characterized by peace and justice.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I assume you are speaking of a Reform rabbi. May I ask how long ago this incident occurred and how old the rabbi was?

Yes, a Reform rabbi. About five years ago; he was in his late forties. He was literally horrified that I would say such a thing. Don't get me wrong, though. He was a great rabbi. I liked him a lot. Fantastic sermons. That's why this threw me.