The Temple: Its Symbolism and Meaning Then and Now

by Berman, Joshua

• ISBN13: 9781608997763
• ISBN10: 1608997766
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-10-01
• Publisher: Wipf & Stock Pub

Summary

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.

Author Biography

Joshua Berman is Director of Admissions and a lecturer in Bible at Nishmat-The Jerusalem Center for Advanced Jewish Study for Women. He holds a bachelor's degree in religion from Princeton University and received his ordination from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate following extended study at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shevut, Israel. His articles on biblical theology and on contemporary issues in Jewish life have appeared in the pages of Amit Woman, The Jerusalem Post, Judaism, L'Eylah, Megadim, Midstream, and Tradition. He has lectured widely on these topics in Israel, the United States, and Great Britain. Rabbi Berman, his wife, Michal, and their son now reside in Beit Shemesh, Israel.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. xi
Introduction	p. xv
The Temple as Symbol	p. xx
Hermeneutics: A Modern Approach to Traditional Exegesis	p. xxi
What Is Kedushah?	p. 1
Not "Holy," Not "Sacred"	p. 1
Many Jewish Meanings	p. 2
A Biblical Definition	p. 3
Kedushah and Covenant	p. 7
Covenanted Time and Space	p. 10
Linking Sabbath and Temple	p. 13
Temple as Garden of Eden	p. 21
Man in God's Domain	p. 22
Israel as Eden	p. 23
Temple as the Ideal of Eden	p. 26
Temple as Eden after the Sin	p. 28
Sinai and Sanctuary	p. 35
Sinai-An Uncommemorated Event	p. 35
Exodus, Chapters 24 through 40: From Sinai to Sanctuary	p. 38
The Ark-The Divine Voice Continues	p. 43
The Altar of Incense-Immanence and Transcendence	p. 45
The Altar of Burnt Offerings-Beholding Revelation	p. 48
Pilgrimage-Reliving Sinai	p. 52
Political Prominence-The Prerequisite to Solomon's Temple	p. 57
Babel-Exalting the Name of Man	p. 59
Abraham-Exalting the Name of God	p. 61
"A House for God's Name"	p. 63
Secure Borders and Stable Rule	p. 64
Welcoming Non-Jews to the Temple	p. 69
The Incompatibility of Temple and Bloodshed	p. 73
Between Tabernacle and Temple-Particularism versus Universalism	p. 75
A Multifaceted Center and Its Problems	p. 83
Social Unity	p. 84
Education	p. 86
Justice	p. 91
Overexpansion	p. 94
Personal Expression and Centralized Worship	p. 98
The Kingship of God-Kingship of the Davidic King	p. 101
God Destroys His Own House?	p. 105
Making Sense of Sacrifices	p. 111
Four Objections to Animal Sacrifice	p. 112
"Korban"-"Not Sacrifice"	p. 114
Symbols of Penitential Spirit	p. 116
Semikhah-Transferring Identity	p. 117
Chatat-Purification	p. 120
Asham-Indemnity	p. 122
Olah-Complete Dedication	p. 123
Blood-Symbol of the Soul	p. 124
Covenantal Gestures	p. 126
Rededicating the Covenant	p. 127
Zevach-The Covenantal Feast	p. 128
A God Who Eats?	p. 130
Feasting at Sinai	p. 131
Salt as Symbol	p. 133
Breaking Bread with God	p. 136
The Blood Bond of Sinai	p. 138
Expiation and Covenant	p. 141
A Distinct Form of Commandments	p. 143
The Morality of Animal Sacrifice	p. 145
Man and Animal in the Modern World	p. 146
The Evolution of Animal Rights	p. 148
The Low Estimation of Man in the Modern World	p. 149
Man and Animal-A Jewish View	p. 151
Why May Man Use Animals?	p. 152
Minchah-Attributing Material Possessions	p. 154
The Lessons of Rebuilding	p. 159
Two Visions of the Return	p. 160
Second Tabernacle and Second Temple	p. 161
The Book of Esther-Its Second Temple Context	p. 165
Chanukah-Its Biblical Roots	p. 171
Epilogue: The Temple Today	p. 179
Relating to the Temple in a Post-Temple Age	p. 180
Simulating the Temple Experience	p. 180
Perpetuating a Sense of Loss	p. 185
Commandments "Equal" to the Temple	p. 187
The Modern Age in Light of the Temple	p. 196
Jerusalem-Its Meaning without the Temple	p. 197
Looking toward the Third Temple	p. 203
Notes	p. 209
Glossary	p. 229
Bibliography	p. 233
Index of Biblical Verses	p. 237
General Index	p. 245
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