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Bill Hogan
Reflection Paper
4/1/16
Mr. Morgan
Word Count: 1085
Throughout this semester we have studied the major religious traditions of the world. I
have found it very interesting that almost all religious traditions vary and are distinct, but at the
same time-share a commonality amongst one another in some sort of fashion. For this reflection I
am choosing to stray away from beliefs and values to avoid confusion and disorientation. Instead
I will inform and explain the significance of the First Temple (Solomon’s Temple), which comes
from the Judeo religious tradition. The outline for the rest of this essay will be as follows:
introduction, construction and description, intellectual and cultural significance, ceremony and
sacrifice, rebuilding of the temple, and significant Judaism views today on the Temple renewal.
Solomon’s Temple was built in ancient Jerusalem in 10th century B.C.E (Temple). It
would become the national center for Jewish religious life, it was well known for offering of
sacrifices, but also as a cultural and intellectual center. It was located on Jerusalem’s Temple
Mount, and housed one of the most famous artifacts, the Ark of the Covenant. The Temple
although destroyed at one time but was rebuilt, is an important focus of Jewish prayers and is a
sacred place of pilgrimage to this day.
Although scholars have argued about the construction and description of the temple for
some time due to the enormous project size and wealth, this is the account from the Old
Testament (Complete Jewish Bible, 1 Chron. 22:14; 29:4; 2 Chron. 3:1). King David before his
death provided many materials for the building of the Temple on the summit of Mount Moriah.
He chose to build the Temple on Mount Moriah because this was the traditional location of
Abraham’s preparation to offer his son Isaac to God as a sacrifice (Complete Jewish Bible, Gen.
2:22).
After King David’s death, King Solomon his son prepared additional materials for the
construction, which included quarry stone from Jerusalem for the walls and timber from Lebanon
(CJB, 1 Kings 5). The King also provided a sufficient water supply to the Temple by
constructing large cisterns that brought forth water from Bethlehem. Phoenician workmen built
the vast construction project in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign (Temple). The Biblical
account recorded 3,000 tons of gold, 30,000 tons of silver, and thousands of laborers (Temple).
Finally in the eleventh year of Solomon’s reign the Temple was completed. However the
dedication of the Temple did not take place for several more years. Eventually the Ark of the
Covenant was brought into the Temple to the Holy of Holies (the inner most chamber) where it
is said Solomon prayed one of the most memorable prayers in the Bible to God. The Temple was
newly consecrated and a great feast took place lasting seven days and also marking a new era in
the history of Israel (Temple).
Why was Solomon’s Temple of importance or significance, it was an important symbol
of national Jewish unity and also a place of literacy and learning (Temple). Priests studied,
wrote, prayed, and worshiped in the Temple. It also provided a center for political movements
against adversaries of the Jewish religion (CJB, 2 Kings 11). In the courts of the Temple famous
prophets such as Jeremiah “denounced religious complacency, warning that social justice is even
more important to God than sacrifices” (Jeremiah 7). It provided shelter for royal infants from
the murderers that lurked around their palaces to kill them. In time, sacred scrolls were
discovered that launched dramatic religious reforms.
Solomon’s temple became the consolidated national shrine, where ceremonies and
sacrifices of various types became central to the Temples function. Priests offered animal, food,
and wine sacrifices for the atonement and grace of people (Temple). Specifications on these
sacrifices can be found in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy (CJB).
Other liturgical works derive a rich tradition of religious festival, song, dance, processions, and
priestly devotions centering on the Temple.
The Temple was sacked and destroyed in 70 c.e. and ever since Jews have prayed for
God to allow the rebuilding it (Temple). Prayer for the rebuilding of the Temple is a formal part
of Jewish prayer service. Not all Rabbis agree on if the Temple should actually be rebuilt at all.
Traditionally the belief of the Temple being rebuilt would include some sort of animal sacrifices
and ceremonies to be reinstituted. However there has been more speculation that God
deliberately moved Jews away from sacrifices and towards prayer as a higher form of worship
(Temple).
The significance today of this speculation leads to the modern day Judaism divisions on
this matter between Orthodox, Conservative and Reformist Jews. Orthodox Jews believe and
pray for the Temple to rebuilt. They also pray that sacrificial services and ceremonies will once
again continue. Orthodox Jews feel “that the Temple should only be rebuilt in the messianic era,
and that it would be presumptuous of people to force God's hand by rebuilding it themselves”
(Temple).
Meanwhile Conservative Jews have modified their prayers for the restoration of Temple.
They do not call for the restoration of sacrifices. Likewise instead of rebuilding the Temple they
pray for the restoration and acceptance of the traditional Temple into modern day culture. Most
of the notions Conservative Jews have relating to sacrifices have been replaced by the Talmudic
teaching that deeds of loving and kindness now atone for sin (Temple).
In a different spectrum, Reformist Jews pray for neither the reestablishment of sacrifices
nor the rebuilding or restoration of the Temple. Reform Judaism has a liberal attitude toward
traditional Jewish law and rejects for the most part virtually all ceremonial, dietary, and
sacrificial practices (Temple). The reformist movement seeks to update and liberalize Jewish
tradition in modern day society.
Solomon’s Temple was created for the purpose of strengthening Jewish religious life
specifically through the practice of sacrifice and ceremony frequently practiced during the era. It
was also a cultural and intellectual center for Jewish lay persons and Rabbis. Throughout time
the Temples significant importance and historical practices have been changing to suit and meet
the needs of modern day Jews and the secular world. To cope with changing ideals on devotion,
sacrifice, and ceremony major sects (Orthodox, Conservative, Reformist) of Judaism have arisen
with different prayers and callings dealing with the rebuilding of the Temple. The ideals are left
in the hands of the main branches of Judaism to line up with what God wants for them and to
decipher his true calling.
Works Cited
"Temple of Jerusalem." New World Encyclopedia, 18 Nov 2015, 21:18 UTC. 19 Mar 2016,
17:14
<http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Temple_of_Jerusalem&oldid
=992075>.
Stern, David H. The Complete Jewish Bible: An English Version of the Tanakh and B'rit
Hadashah. Clarksville, Md: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1998. Print.