LITTLE ROCK — Solomon’s Temple - its historic past and its possible future - will be the focus of a presentation by Rabbi Chaim Richman in Rogers next week.
Richman, director of the international department of the Jerusalem-based Temple Institute, will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Embassy Suites convention center, 3303 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Rogers. Richman’s talk is part of an eight-state speaking tour sponsored by the group. The goal is to raise awareness about the temple and its spiritual significance, and to build support for restoring it.
The Temple Institute is one of several groups interested in rebuilding the ancient structure. The so-called Temple Mount movement includes Jewish and evangelical Christian proponents, some with competing interests.
“The temple is like a magnet and it means so much to so many people,” Richman said, noting that for many Christians the temple is linked to biblical end-times prophecy.
“But we aren’t interested in building the temple in order for the Messiah to come or to set a scenario in motion. It’s a question of honoring the will of God,” he says.
The original temple on Mount Moriah, built under the leadership of King Solomon, was completed around 1000 B.C. and destroyed by the Babylonians around 587 B.C. According to 2 Chronicles, Solomon assigned 70,000 to work as laborers and another 80,000 as stonecutters. Theinterior was ornately decorated with gold and precious gems, the Bible says. The temple contained the Ark of the Covenant, which held the tablets inscribed with the commandments of God, and it was the site where sacrifices were offered to God.
The Second Temple was built in 515 B.C. and stood until A.D. 70 when it was torn down by the Romans during a Jewish revolt. The only portion remaining is an expanseof stonework called the Western Wall. Also known as the Wailing Wall, it’s a sacred place for Jews. But the land on which the temple once stood is now dominated by Islamic structures - the gold-topped Dome of the Rock, built in 691, and the Al-Aqsa mosque.
For Muslims the site is known as the Noble Sanctuary and is where the Prophet Muhammad made his night journey to heaven.
Richman said talk of rebuilding the temple shouldn’t be construed as warmongering.
“My God says this is the place,” he said. “On the other hand, it’s important to emphasize that how it’s going to happen, I really don’t know. We’re not calling for confrontational tactics.”
For now, the institute’s focus is on re-creating the holy vessels needed for worship in the temple, as well as the vestments for the high priest. Artisans have made a gold menorah as well as a golden altar and other pieces based on the specifications described in Exodus. Doing so is an act of faith, Richman said.
“If we believe the temple must be rebuilt, one way we can show God we feel something is missing in our lives is by at least doing the part we can do, building the vessels,” Richman said. The rebuilding of the temple of itself will come about in God’s time, he said.
Not all Jews agree on the need for a temple.
“Even in the Jewish world there are a lot of Jewish people who feel it’s archaic,” he said.
For Richman, however, the temple is his life’s work.
“Some people look at this as pretty insane,” he said. “But as Jews we’ve been through a lot and we’re not done yet. I believe God has plenty of gasto get us through this.”
Information about the Rogers event is available by calling (479) 935-8655. Information about the Temple Institute and pictures of the temple vessels are available at templeinstitute.org.
Religion, Pages 13 on 01/08/2011