Korbanos in the Present Age

Ask the Rov: Can one bring a korban today?

By Rabbi Chaim Hillel Raskin – Rov of Anash in Petach Tikvah

Although the Beis Hamikdosh is destroyed, we find certain Rishonim, notably Reb Yechiel from Paris, who supported the idea of bringing a korban today.

Their reasoning was partially based on the Rambam’s ruling that the location of the Beis Hamikdosh retains its kedusha to this day, and, according to the Rambam and most Rishonim, it is permissible to offer a korban at the location where the mizbeiach once stood, even in the absence of the Beis Hamikdosh structure.¹ Thus, halachically, one could theoretically bring a korban today.²

What about the fact that we are all t’mei meis and we lack the ashes of the para aduma for purification? Some applied the rule that korbanos with a fixed time may be brought in a state of tumah if the majority of the Yidden offering it are t’mei’ei meisim. This includes all communal korbanos, as well as the korban Pesach.³

Around two centuries ago, there was a major debate among Acharonim on the practical application of this.⁴ The discussion revolved around several shailos, including the abovementioned issue of tumah, the lack of kohanim meyuchasim (kohanim with proven ancestry) to bring the korbanos, the indefinite location of the mizbeach, and the lack of confirmed t’cheiles for bigdei kehunah.

For most of Jewish history after the churban, it was entirely impractical to offer a korban on Har Habayis, as it was under foreign control. After the Six Day War, when Har Habayis came under Jewish hands, the Rebbe wrote that due to the possibility that an obligation exists — and failure to do so would incur kares — it was best for G-d- fearing Yidden not to be in the vicinity of Yerushalayim on erev Pesach, and again on 14 Iyar.⁵

However, at a later date, after the Yom Kippur War, the Rebbe wrote that due to the change in the political and security situation, it was no longer practical to bring the korban and it was unnecessary to stay away from Yerushalayim on those dates.⁶

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From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash