Due to Health Ministry restrictions relating to the coronavirus pandemic, the Sanhedrin was forced to cancel the korban Pesach (Passover offering) reenactment for the first time in nine years. As a result, the Sanhedrin is preparing for an actual sacrifice fully consistent with Biblical requirements, brought on the Temple Mount, as a means of ending the pandemic. The Sanhedrin has issued a formal request from the leaders of Israel and the U.S. to allow this to happen.
HEALTH MINISTRY REQUIREMENTS PREVENT THE REENACTMENT
“We received all of the necessary permits and with a great effort we could have performed a reenactment, limiting it to only the people necessary, Rabbi Hillel Weiss, the spokesman for the Sanhedrin, told Breaking Israel News. “But this would not have served any purpose so we chose not to.”
The reenactment of the Pesach offering has special significance as the commandment has great import. There are only two mitzvot (Biblical commandments) for which non-compliance receives the most severe punishment mandated by the Torah, karet (being cut off from the community, or excommunicated): brit milah (circumcision) and the korban Pesach (Passover sacrifice).
Rabbi Weiss explained that the reenactments originally served two purposes: to rediscover the practical details of the ritual that could only be revealed through actually performing the ritual, and to educate and raise awareness for the ritual.
“Both of these goals have been achieved to as great a degree as possible at this time,” Rabbi Weiss said. “For this reason, our goal is now to prepare for the reinstatement of the Temple service.”
ALL THE ELEMENTS READY FOR SACRIFICE
Most of the elements stand ready. The vessels have been prepared and merely need to be immersed in a ritual bath to be purified. Kohanim (Jewish men descended from Aaron the priest) are registered for service and their Biblically mandated clothes are ready. Wine and oil, prepared to the strictest requirements, are ready. A red heifer is being raised but lacking one, the halacha (Torah law) permits time-bound public sacrifices like the Korban Pesach and the Korban Tamid (twice daily offering) to be brought in impurity.
“Despite various issues of Jewish law, such as ritual impurity and lack of a high priest, Jews are still required and technically able to bring the sacrifice,” Rabbi Hillel Weiss, the spokesman for the Sanhedrin told Breaking Israel News. “The only thing preventing the Jewish People from performing the Passover sacrifice is the Israeli government.”
“We are preparing for the possibility that the actual Korban Pesach will take place on the Temple Mount on the eve of Pesach,” Rabbi Weiss said. “If the government decides to allow it, we must be ready to go up and begin the service.”
The rabbi cited the Prophet Haggai, noting a parallel to our current situation.
Thus said the lord of Hosts: These people say, “The time has not yet come for rebuilding the House of Hashem.”And the word of Hashem through the Navi Chagai continued:Is it a time for you to dwell in your paneled houses, while this House is lying in ruins? Haggai 1:2-4
“Hashem (God, literally ‘the name’)performed a miracle and brought the Jews back from the exile, making the desert bloom, and creating a flourishing country,” Rabbi Wess said. “Now we must do what is required, and for now that means being ready to begin the Temple service.”
The Sanhedrin recently performed an intense study concerning the current status of the Passover offering and concluded that at this juncture, one sacrifice made at the Temple Mount brought in the name of the entire Jewish people would suffice.
A lamb has already been acquired for the sacrifice and stands ready.
ALTAR REQUIRED
The Passover sacrifice can only be offered in one place; on the Temple Mount. The sacrifice does not require an actual Temple structure but it does require an altar that is built to adhere to the Biblical requirements. Such an altar was constructed last year and stands ready.
The square altar is nine feet square and five feet high and is constructed of aerated concrete. The material was ruled to be fit for use in the Temple. In the Talmud, it is explained that steel may not be used to cut the stones of the altar since the Temple Service brings life into the world and steel, as it is used in war, takes life. Stones for the altar may not be cut using steel since the Temple service brings life into the world and steel though not ideal, it is light and easily transported and sized to be loaded onto a truck. The altar was constructed on a metal frame designed also for purposes of transportability. The intent was to create an altar that could be taken to the Temple Mount at a moment’s notice should the need arise.
In the wake of the coronavirus, Rabbi Baruch Kahane who acts as the Kohen Gadol in most of the reenactments and is active in training the priests, requested that stones for a new altar be prepared in a manner that adheres to the more stringent requirements of a permanent altar.
The Bible specifies that the altar must be made of unwrought stone. The mishna (oral law) explains that this is due to steel, commonly used to carve and hew stone, is used in weapons and therefore meant to shorten life and the altar is intended to lengthen life.
And if you make for Me a mizbayach of stones, do not build it of hewn stones; for by wielding your tool upon them you have profaned them. Exodus 20:22
The Sanhedrin assigned the task of collecting the stones to Aryeh Lipo from the region of the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert. According to the guidelines of Maimonides, the minimal size for a stone altar is 1.5 meters height and .5 meter square. Volunteers joined in and the stones were gathered.
The original altar stands ready and is packed away in storage, should it be needed.
PRESIDENT/PRIME MINISTER SIGNATURES NEEDED TO HEAL CORONAVIRUS
“The project is of the utmost importance for all of mankind,” Rabbi Weiss said. He noted that the original Passover sacrifice offered in Egypt on the night before the Exodus was intended to stop the final plague which was described as a נֶגֶף (negef: disease). In addition, King David purchased the Temple Mount, built and altar, and offered a sacrifice to stop a plague.
The Sanhedrin emphasized that the plan to bring the altar to the Temple Mount was entirely consistent with President Trump’s recently released Deal of the Century which recognized Israel’s full sovereignty over the site.
“People of every faith should be permitted to pray on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, in a manner that is fully respectful to their religion, taking into account the times of each religion’s prayers and holidays, as well as other religious factors” the text of the deal reads.
In keeping with this announcement by the President of the United States, the Sanhedrin sent a request to President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, requesting permission to bring a korban Pesach for the sake of the world and for the purpose of ending the pandemic.
To the very respected President of the USA
Mr Donald Trump.
To the very respected Israel Prime Minister
Benyamin Netanyahu
Twenty days ago we sent you a letter requesting a permit for the sacrifice of one Passover lamb on the Temple Mount, a copy which is also enclosed here in this letter.
In these last twenty days the world has been changed by the occurrence of a pandemic Covid 19 also which we have classified as a modern day plague .
As it is written in the Book of Samuel as well as the Book of Chronicles, we see that two times the God of Israel canceled a plague inflicted on the Nation of Israel. Once, this divine act of mercy was brought about after Israel offered the Passover lamb in Egypt and the second time was when King David acquired the site of the location for the Temple and built the altar on this exact site in the yard of the Temple Mount
Twenty one days from now, the 14th of the month of Nissan, will be the time for sacrificing the yearly Passover lamb. Like the original Passover sacrifice ended a plague and opened the door for Israel to go out into freedom, the same sacrifice brought this year will be intended to free all of humanity from the yoke of evil and sins, preparing them to receive the Divine support, and healing them from this harsh pandemic.
As in happened in Egypt, this sacrifice which stopped the plague at the doors of sons of Israel and set them free from slavery in the time of Moses again now will stop this modern day plague by renewing the work of the Temple for the first time in over 2,000 years.
Mr President , you and Mr Netanyhu can immediately install the right values and laws for the entire human race and all of creation in this world by letting Israel obey the laws of the Torah of Israel which requires us to sacrifice the Passover lamb.
It is written in Zachariah and Isaiah that the remnants which God will call from all the nations will ascend to the Mountain of the God of Israel. We humbly ask, let this be so before a greater war will come. This is an opportunity to change history and move all of mankind towards the light of mercy and justice.
Sincerely,
Dov Stein
Secretary
The Court of Sanhedrin
Jerusalem Israel
