Conservative Judaism/Animal Sacrifice

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Expert: - 6/3/2007


Question
Dear Rabbi,
I know now that animal sacrifices stoped in 79 CE when the Temple was destroyed. My questions are; Why did it stop and who decided it was no longer appropriate?
Thnak you
Joe Naas

Answer
Dear Joe,

Thanks for writing.

Animal and all sacrifices ceased in 70 CE when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

The "Rabbis" or Sages at that time who then debated the laws which became the Mishnah in 200 CE concluded that the tradition had ruled out sacrifices anywhere else and by anyone except the Kohanim=priests who were ritually pure.In the Gemara or Talmud these conclusions were confirmed. The only hope for sacrifices would be for the restoration of the Temple, as had happened once before when the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile beginning in 516 BCE.

In the stead of sacrifices, the Rabbis provided for Jews to become close to God through (1) the study of the tradition, especially the traditional texts; (2) worship in verbal prayer which began the creation of the siddur or prayer book; and (3) the performance of ethical and righteous acts in the community for all, Jews and non-Jews.

Best wishes

Rabbi Dov

Conservative Judaism

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Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner

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Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history, philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.

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I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)

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