Laitman.com » Building the Third Temple

A question I received: I heard that plans to build the Third Temple are underway, and that there are even Kohanim and Levites being prepared to perform services there. Where can I find out more about how to be admitted to perform services, and when will the construction begin?

My Answer: I think that before we rush to build the Temple, we should first take care of our unfounded hatred of each other, as this was the reason for the fall of the Second Temple. We have to correct this hatred to the level of unconditional love for everyone – love without receiving anything in return. Then we will become the Kli or vessel for the revelation of the Creator. He will become revealed in it according to the principle of equivalence of form – “He is merciful and you are merciful; He forgives and you forgive.” As soon as He becomes revealed to us, we will become “wise of heart” – attain the spiritual level of Bezalel, the builder of the Temple. Then, based on our spiritual attainment of the Temple, we will be able to build the Temple on the material level as well. This is the meaning of the verse which says that the Third Temple will descend from above.

However, if we only try to build it on the material level, without correcting ourselves, then we are like children who are playing without knowing what the game is. It’s good to do this, but only when we know what is really important – to live by the law of the Temple, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s because the Temple is the gathering or unification of all the souls into one soul, and it was destroyed because people fell from “love thy neighbor as thyself” to “unfounded hatred.” It’s unfounded because it doesn’t have a reason (such as someone hurting you); it comes from envy and the desire to rule over others.

If you want to prepare for working in the Temple, then study Kabbalah and correct yourself to the level of the Temple. Then you will discover that the Temple already exists in your spiritual attainment – Matzav Gimel, the third state. (See the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar ^[1].”)

It’s written than the Third Temple will be better than the first two, because the Light of Chaya in the First Temple and the Light of Neshama in the Second Temple are smaller than the Light of Yechida of the Third Temple. It’s because the Third Temple will incorporate all the souls of all the people in the world, whereas the First Temple incorporated only the souls of Israel, and the Second Temple – only two tribes out of 12 tribes of Israel. This is why the Light of the Second Temple was lower than the Light of the First Temple.

It’s written about the Third Temple: “My house will be called the house of prayer for all the nations of the world” (Beiti – Beit Tfila Ikare Le Kol HaAmim). By disseminating Kabbalah throughout the whole world, we will attain the union of all people in love, in the single soul of Adam.