Why don't Jews offer sacrifices?

Question

Even though the Temple was destroyed, the Israelites offered sacrifices for countless generations before it was built. Look at Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they all offered sacrifices without the Temple; so did all the Judges, Samuel, Saul, and David. If David, the great king, didn't need one big central Temple, why do modern Jews? Didn't that Temple represent a monopolization of piety by the priestly caste?

Was Abraham a Levite? Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim, and he offered sacrifices.

Answer 1

They will start again in the Great Tribulation... They are preparing to rebuild the temple

Answer 2

Simple answer:

Before the Temple was built Jewish people did indeed sacrifice animals on makeshift altars, usually a pile of rocks. These types of sacrifices were almost exclusively done out of praise to God, rather than for atonement of sin. After the Jewish people were enslaved in Engypt and subsequently delivered by Moses, God gave the Jewish people the plans to make a Temple from which all "official" sacrifices would be made from then on. There was no need to sacrifice apart from that Temple, since that is where the ark of the covenant was, which was a physical representation of God's presence.

All the prophets and judges before the Temple was built sacrificed animals on altars they built themselves because there was no central place to offer such a form of worship.

The Temple was also the one and only place that God decreed that all Jewish people (as well as non-Jewish) could go to sacrifice an animal for the forgiveness of sins.

After the Temple was destroyed (the second time in 70 AD) there was no place to offer up an official sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins anymore. But in the Old Testament God promised (as He did with the second Temple) that one day He will build up a Third Temple which will not be destroyed again. Until then no Jew believes that there is any merit in sacrificing animals by themselves apart from the Temple because they believe God will not recognize it. Interesting to note though that there are certain ultra-orthodox Jews that do still offer up sacrifices on the day of Atonement. Though far limited from the original sacrifices they sacrfice a chicken as a way to prepare for the day when God will restore their central place of worship.

I'm not sure about your question on the Temple being some kind of monopoly. It was God's plan to create the Temple and unify His people.

And as to your question of Abraham's lineage, no, he was not a Levite. If anything he was the ancestor of the Levites, indeed, the ancestor to all of the tribes of Israel.

I hope this answered your question and helps.

Answer 3

In 66 AD, the Jewish War ended with the destruction of Jerusalem including King Solomon's rebuilt temple. Unlike the first destruction where the Jews were exiled, this second destruction included the infrastructure. The Jews no longer had a central government or hope that their would return to their homeland. The temple represented a centralization of all religious sites, and once destroy, Judaism change to the present rabbinic form.

Nineteen centuries later, the state of Israel (a Jewish state) exists; however, the temple site is now a Mosque (third holiest shine in Islam). Judaism does not allow destroying a religious shine, even to build its own instead.

When the Solomon's temple was destroyed, no more sacrificial offerings were made. King David centered Jewish worship to Jerusalem, and his son Solomon built the temple.

The roles of priest and Levi's can be found in Book of Leviticus. It is not a monopolization of piety, it is how the religious life is divided according to the Torah (enlighten teaching or Law).

Bottom line: Modern Jews believe in observing the commandments, all 613. Those that require a temple are not observed, but they are still on the books.

Answer 4

The Jews of modern times stopped actual sacrifices but still do traditions which symbolize the sacrifices. I am sure it has a lot to do with changes of our society. Many Rabbis in the world get together to set up rules and regulations, and Judiasm is probably the one religion with the least deviations from the original Jews. They all still follow the Torah, (five books of Moses, and first five books in the bible), still observe the Sabbath, and only minor differences are found from one Temple to the other.

The world is much larger now and people spread out. I do not think it would be possible to have one main temple, it is easier to spread out to reach the people.

Talk show host, Dennis Prager is a wonderful person to listen to, and very knowledgeable about these things. You might want to contact him, he has a web site. Be well.

Answer 5

Your question comprises of several parts- heres a quick answer in generalities:

1)They need control of the Holiest of Holies- not gonna happen with the Dome of the Rock Mosque at its current location. Book of Revelation says that the new Temple will however be built next to where the Mosque is located.

2)They (Isreal's gov't) is quietly archologically excavating all of the orginal items from the Temple using a copper scroll- they've managed to find roughly 3/4ths of the items

3)They need a "Red Heffer and its ashes" to restart the Temple worship- the Government is spending a LOT of money to develop using gene splicing/dna manlipulation to make a Red Heffer.

4)They need to come up with the Preistly Caste- once again, DNA is being used to trace who is from the tribe of Levi to be the new Preists.

These 4 things in a condensed form, is what they're trying for.

Answer 6

The Israelites learned early on (Abraham/Isaac) that human sacrifice was forbidden to God's chosen people. Other Gods demanded human sacrifice, but never the Israelite God. Leviticus specifies offerings of oil, grains, and little critters, but only the "aroma" was for God.

The Levites didn't inherit any land and, therefore, could not support themselves. The sacrifices themselves were meant for the Levites to consume.

Shalom

Answer 7

After the building of the temple, the Jews were to only offer sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem, and nowhere else.

Cordially,
John

Answer 8

The Jews "Do" offer scrifices, almost every day.....!!!!!

Just look at all the Inocent Women and Children they
murder every day, not just Palastinian, and Lebanese,
they have also killed, Americans, English, French and
Swiss who were all in a Peace Convoy, carrying White
Flags.....!!!!

These are thier modern day Sacrifices.......

Answer 9

No Levites,.
After the burning of the great Library at Alexandria, the provable lineage of the Levites was forever lost.

Answer 10

Offers are not for temple it is for God. Can you stop following your religion just by a burning incident. Offering were started by the desire of God. How could some one stop.

Scarifies are to please God as it was first asked by God and Abraham was about to scarifies his son.

Muslim do offers animals in their annual Pilgrimage in Arabia.
Hindus to offer, same like Buddhists. Just nature of offers are different.

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