The Temple: Its Symbolism and Meaning Then and Now

by Joshua A. Berman

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. The minutiae of the Temple as portrayed in the liturgy and in the Bible often seem tedious and overritualistic. Classical sources of all genres abound to explain a particular passage or a particular rite. This book identifies broad themes that animate the meaning of the Temple, its rites, and the biblical passages that describe it. Details are probed as a larger conceptual whole. Animal sacrifice, particularly problematic to many on moral grounds, is examined in a new and revealing light. Many Torah commandments stand unchanged for all time regardless of historical events. Not so the commandment to erect the Temple. Social, economic, political, and religious currents were integral to the Temple's construction, destruction, and reconstruction. By probing these currents from the Bible's perspective, one can gain insight into the meaning of the times in which we live; we are in a process of rebuilding, even though we are far from redemption.

276 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

B.A. - Religion, Princeton University, 1987

PhD - Bible, Bar-Ilan University, 2002

Reviews

[D.G. Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Beit HaMikdash (Temple) in Jerusalem was the key focus of biblical Judaism. Approximately a third of the Torah (Pentateuch) is devoted to the Beit HaMikdash’s portable predecessor, the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the sacrificial service there and in the Beit HaMikdash, while the Beit HaMikdash forms a key part of several narratives in the later books of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). To this day Orthodox Jews pray for its rebuilding and recite descriptions of the sacrificial service in lieu of being able to perform it. Nevertheless, it seems like something of an embarrassment to many contemporary Jews, even Orthodox ones. The Temple service seems arcane at best, primitive and cruel at worst. Many Jews, myself included (at least in the past) switch off when the Torah reading cycle reaches parashat Terumah halfway through Shemot/Exodus and only wake up (bar a brief reappearance for the Golden Calf narrative) with parashat Shelach Lecha about a third of the way through Bamidbar/Numbers.

In The Temple: Its Symbolism and Meaning Then and Now, Rabbi Joshua Berman answers many of the questions that modern readers might have about the Beit HaMikdash and its relevance, alongside some that they might not have thought of: is animal sacrifice cruel and unnecessary? How can a transcendent G-d be immanent in one building? Is there a connection between sacrificial ritual and the ethical foundations of Israelite society? What was the difference between the Beit HaMikdash and the Mishkan? Why were Israelite kings forbidden to serve in the Beit HaMikdash (unlike many ancient Middle Eastern kings in their temples) and, given that they were forbidden, why is there nevertheless a strong link between the Davidic dynasty and the Beit HaMikdash? Why would God allow His House to be destroyed? And what significance should the Beit HaMikdash have for us today, now that Jews again have sovereignty over their land, but are still unable to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash?

These questions are answered in this excellent, informative book that uses ancient and modern sources to elucidate the meaning of the Beit HaMikdash and its rituals. We discover the differences between the different types of sacrifices and their symbolism as well as reading about the relevance of the Beit HaMikdash today. A must read for anyone who takes traditional Judaism seriously.