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Temple Institute

Coordinates:31°46′31.73″N35°13′59.16″E/ 31.7754806°N 35.2331000°E/31.7754806; 35.2331000
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The Temple Institute
Map
Established1987
LocationJerusalem
Websitewww.templeinstitute.org

TheTemple Institute,known in Hebrew asMachon HaMikdash(Hebrew:מכון המקדש), is an organization inIsraelfocusing on establishingthe Third Temple.Its long-term aims are to build the thirdJewish templeon theTemple Mount,on the site occupied by theDome of the Rock,and to reinstateanimal sacrificialworship. It aspires to reach this goal through the study of Temple construction and ritual and through the development of actual Temple ritual objects, garments, and building plans suitable for immediate use in the event conditions permit its reconstruction.[1]It runs a museum in theJewish Quarterof theOld CityofJerusalem.[2]It was founded and is headed by RabbiYisrael Ariel.[3]Its current director general is Dovid Shvartz. New York billionaireHenry Swiecahas supported the institute.[4]The Israeli government has also provided funding.[5][6]

Activities

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Building of Temple ritual items

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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. Many of the over ninety ritual items to be used in the Temple have been made by the Temple Institute.

As of June 2008, a major project of the institute was the creation of the sacred uniform of theKohen Gadol,the High Priest, and the ordinarypriests.This project, the culmination of years of study and research, had already been underway for several years. The High Priest'sHoshen(breastplate) andEphodhave been completed. TheTzitz,the golden crown of the High Priest, was completed in 2007. The Temple Institute is designing the garments for the lay priests intended for purchase byKohanim.

Levite Singers also sing on the Temple Mount[7]

Silver trumpets for use on the Temple Mount have also been made[8]

Red heifer

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Main article:Red heifer

In addition to a variety of items required for service within the Temple, the institute has attempted to locate aparah adumah(red heifer) consistent with the requirements ofNumbers19:1–22 andMishnahTractateParahfor purposes oftaharah(purification) necessary to enter the Temple sanctuary proper in most circumstances.[9][10]Previously, the institute identified two candidates, one in 1997 and another in 2002.[11]The Temple Institute had initially declared bothkosher,but later found each to be unsuitable. More recently in September 2022, 5 perfect unblemished red heifers were brought to Israel from the USA and found to meet the qualifications after being inspected by rabbis. The heifers will be fed and cared for until the time that they can be slaughtered and used to create the necessary ashes for purification.[12]

Controversies

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Rebuilding a Jewish temple on the Temple Mount

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Main article:The Third Temple
The model of the Temple Menorah next to the Temple Institute
the Menorah Square and viewpoint to the Temple Mount next to the Temple Institute

Although Orthodox Judaism generally agrees that theTemple in Jerusalemwill 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 theRambam(Maimonides) as saying that Jews should attempt to build the Temple themselves, and have amitzvah(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 theMessiah.[13]

Ascending the Temple Mount

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Main article:Temple Mount

The rabbis associated with the Temple Institute hold (also following the Rambam) that it is, under certain conditions, permissible underJewish lawfor Jews to visit parts of theTemple Mountand periodically organize groups to ascend and tour the Mount. The view that Jews may ascend the Temple is controversial amongOrthodoxrabbis, with many authorities completely prohibiting visiting the Mount to prevent accidental entrance into and desecration of theHoly of Holiesor other sacred, off-limits areas.

The Temple Institute conducts aliyot (literally, "ascending"; "making a pilgrimage" ) to the Temple Mount. The institute claims that these aliyot are conducted in accordance withhalachicrequirements.

See also

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References

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  1. ^"A House of Prayer for All Nations"[permanent dead link]Jerusalem Post,October 11, 2005
  2. ^Wright, Lawrence."Forcing the End: Why do Pentecostal cattle breeder from Mississippi and an Orthodox Rabbi from Jerusalem believe that a red heifer can bring change?".Frontline at PBS.Retrieved11 July2014.The Temple Institute operates a small museum in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City.
  3. ^Rebuild Herod's Temple? A Few Israelis HopeThe New York Times,April 9, 1989.
  4. ^Booth, William; Eglash, Ruth (December 2, 2013)."Jewish activists want to pray on Jerusalem's Temple Mount, raising alarm in Muslim world".The Washington Post.RetrievedAugust 15,2016.The project was funded by Henry Swieca, the billionaire American investor, and his wife, Estee.
  5. ^Tobin, Andrew (August 12, 2016)."The third Jewish Temple is coming to your Facebook feed".Jewish Telegraphic Agency.RetrievedAugust 15,2016.The Israeli government provides some funding to the Temple Institute – though not reliably or significantly, according to its directors – as it does educational and research institutions, and allows women to do their national service as tour guides at its exhibition.
  6. ^"Report: State funds groups that advocate building Third Temple".The Jerusalem Post.April 8, 2013.RetrievedAugust 15,2016.Over the course of the last decade, the Education Ministry and the Culture and Sport Ministry have transferred between NIS 300,000 and 700,000 to a non-government organization known as The Temple Institute. Just last year, the group received NIS 282,000 from the Education Ministry and another NIS 134,000 from the Culture Ministry.
  7. ^levites-sing-at-temple-mount Israel 365 News Oct 3,2023
  8. ^first-in-2000-years-silver-temple-trumpets-sounded-on-temple-mount Israel 365 News August 14,2024
  9. ^Temple Institute: Red Heiferat theWayback Machine(archived 2020-02-23)
  10. ^"Apocalypse Cow".The New York Times.March 30, 1997. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-01-08.RetrievedDecember 21,2013.
  11. ^Red Heifer born in IsraelArchived2020-02-23 at theWayback MachineTemple Institute, 8 April 2002
  12. ^"From Texas to Israel: Red heifers needed for Temple arrive".The Jerusalem Post | Jpost.2022-09-20. Archived fromthe originalon 2022-09-24.
  13. ^""And they shall make Me a sanctuary." (25:8) "(PDF).Parsha Pearls (Parashat Terumah 5768 (the basis for the estimated source date February 6, 2008) ed.). Jews Against Zionism. February 6, 2008. p. 1. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2010-09-26.
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