Sacrifices Now
We May Bring Sacrifice Even Though The entire Temple Is Not yet Built
We see in the book of Ezra (3:3) that even though Zerubavel had permission to rebuild the Temple when he returned from Bavel (Babylonia), the first thing that he did was build the Mizbeach (the Altar) so that the Temple Service could be started again immediately. It wasn't for another 20 years that he was able to build the Temple, but in the meantime the sacrificial service was performed.
Rambam (Maimonides)
The Rambam (Maimonides) rules (Hilchoth Beith Habehirah 6:15)
"Therefore we bring all of the sacrifices even though the Temple is not built...."
We also have a principal that at a time when the majority of the Jews are impure due to contact with a dead body, every Korban (sacrifice) which is obligatory (as opposed to voluntary) and has a specific time, such as the daily offerings, the additional offerings for holidays, and the Passover sacrifice, can be brought even while we are impure.
We therefore would like as a first step to prepare stones to rebuild the Mizbeach.
The Altar must be built in the correct shape and must have the ramp, but it does not have to be the full size. (See Rambam Beit Habehirah 2:17).
Stones For The Mizbe'ach (Altar)
The stones for the Mizbeach must be perfectly smooth (so that even a fingernail would not be caught in a crack or a blemish). They do not need to be square. The altar is not made of one large stone, it must be made of at least three stones. The squareness of the Altar can be achieved by covering the stones with plaster and other fillers. No iron may touch the stones, not in quarrying them, not in shaping or cutting them, not in smoothing them, and not in transporting them.
We estimate that for the Altar and the Ramp (must have both) using the minimum allowed size we will need at least three tons of stones.
There are differences of opinion as to whether natural stones are required, or whether the stones can be quarried and smoothed with non-iron tools. There is also some doubt about using tools made of other metals.
We need help in getting or preparing these stones. We will be glad for either technical help or financial help.
Ideally, we want stones which are naturally perfectly smooth. They must come from a place where we can be certain that no iron ever touched them. Anyone who knows of such stones is requested to contact us by e mail.
If we can't get natural stones, the next best is stones which are polished smooth with no contact with metal of any kind. Anyone who can help us in such preparation is requested to contact us by e mail.
If we can't get stones prepared without any metal contact, we will make the stones without using iron (or steel) tools.
We have a source who is willing to quarry the stones for us, but it will require preparation of a special saw which will cost between $50-100,000. We don't have that money.
Anyone wishing to donate for this project can either contact us by email or press here. Mercaz Har haBayith
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No gifts are accepted as Hekdesh or dedications for the Temple. All gifts are to be given for the organization, and when the time is right, we will dedicate the things to the Temple as necessary.
