A third Temple is not mentioned in the Torah

Synopsis

We hear how a gentile told Rabbi Eliezer that the people of Yisrael were not close to God, citing various kinds of evidence, whereupon the Rabbi turned him into a heap of bones. Rabbi Eliezer recounts the answers that Elijah once gave him when he raised the same issues as the gentile. We hear an explanation of the First and Second Temples, and how God will reveal the Temple at the time of the final redemption.

Relevance

The final Temple will not be a physical structure erected by the hand of man. Rather, it's a spiritual and physical Temple actualized by the will of God in the moment we complete our correction. Any structure in our world that does not include the workmanship and Light of God is doomed to destruction.

This dissertation imbues all of our endeavors, all that we build, with the sacred craftsmanship of the Creator. The spiritual foundation, columns, and pillars of the Temple rise up in this passage. And although our eyes do not observe its construction, the Light generated by its presence illumines the planet, banishing forces of darkness, sin, death, and destruction. The Final Redemption unfolds with great kindness, for this ancient book is a book of kindness; and its every page bespeaks compassion, mercy, and leniency.

Eliezer Temple, The Torah

143. Rabbi Aba said: I have remembered a certain matter I heard from the Holy Luminary, RABBI SHIMON, who heard it said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer. One day a clever gentile came and said to him: Old man, old man, I have three questions that I want to put to you. The first is: You say that another Temple will be built for you, but the Temple is not to be built more than twice. The First Temple and the Second Temple ARE MENTIONED, but you will not find a Third Temple in the Torah, and that which you had to build has already been built, and there will never be another one, for Scripture has referred to the two Temples of Yisrael, AND ABOUT THE SECOND TEMPLE it is written: "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former" (Chagai 2:9).

143. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא, אִדְכַּרְנָא מִלָּה חֲדָא, דְּשָׁמַעְנָא מִבּוּצִינָא קַדִּישָׁא, דְּשָׁמַע מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. יוֹמָא חַד, אָתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ חַד חַכִּים גּוֹי, א"ל סָבָא סָבָא, תְּלַת בַּעְיָין בָּעֵינָא לְמִתְבַּע מִנָךְ. חַד, דְּאַתּוּן אַמְרִין דְּיִתְבְּנֵי לְכוּ בֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא אָחֳרָא, וְהָא לָא הֲווֹ לְמִבְנֵי אֶלָּא תְּרֵי זִמְנִין, בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן וּבַיִת שֵׁנִי, בַּיִת שְׁלִישִׁי לָא תִּשְׁכַּח בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְהָא מַה דַּהֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִבְנֵי, כְּבַר אִתְבָּנוּן, וּלְעוֹלָם לֵית בֵּיהּ יַתִּיר, דְּהָא תְּרֵי בָּתֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל קָרָא לוֹן קְרָא. וּכְתִיב, גָּדוֹל יִהְיֶה כְּבוֹד הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה הָאַחֲרוֹן מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן.

Fear

144. Also, you say that you are closer to the supernal King than all other peoples. Whoever is close to the King is forever rejoicing, without pain, without fear, without troubles. But you are perpetually in pain, trouble and agony, more than anyone else. Look at us - no pain, trouble nor agony approaches us at all, from whence it follows that we are close to the supernal King and you are far from Him, and this is why you have pain and trouble and sorrow and agony, which we do not have.

144. וְתוּ, דְּאַתּוּן אַמְרִין, דְּאַתּוּן קְרֵבִין לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, יַתִּיר מִכָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין, מַאן דְּמִתְקְרִיב לְמַלְכָּא, אִיהוּ חַדֵּי תָּדִיר, בְּלָא צַעֲרָא, בְּלָא דְּחִילוּ, וּבְלָא דְּחִיקוּ. וְהָא אַתּוּן בְּצַעֲרָא וּבְדֹחֲקָא וּבִיגוֹנָא תָּדִיר, יַתִּיר מִכָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. וַאֲנָן לָא אִתְקְרִיב לָן צַעֲרָא וְדֹחֲקָא וִיגוֹנָא כְּלָל. אֲנָן קְרִיבִין לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה, וְאַתּוּן רְחִיקִין מִנֵּיהּ, וע"ד אִית לְכוּ צַעֲרָא וְדֹחֲקָא אֶבְלָא וִיגוֹנָא, מַה דְּלָא אִית לָן.

Animals Body Eliezer Eyes

145. Further: You do not eat of an animal found dead or an animal not ritually slaughtered so that you will be healthy and your body healthy. We eat anything we want and we are physically strong and healthy and all our limbs are fit. You do not eat and all are sick with bad illnesses and broken more than all other peoples. You are a people whom Hashem hates above all. Old man, old man, do not say anything to me because I shall not listen to you, nor accept it from you. Rabbi Eliezer lifted up his eyes, looked at him, and turned him into a heap of bones.

145. וְתוּ, דְּאַתּוּן לָא אָכְלֵי נְבֵלָה וּטְרֵפָה, בְּגִין דִּתְּהֱווֹן בְּרִיאִין, וְגוּפָא דִּלְכוֹן לִהֱוֵי בִּבְרִיאוּתָא. אֲנָן אָכְלֵינָן כָּל מַה דְּבָעֵינָן, וַאֲנָן תַּקִּיפִין בְּחֵילָא בִּבְרִיאוּתָא, וְכָל שַׁיְיפוֹן דִּילָן בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ. וְאַתּוּן דְּלָא אַכְלִין, חַלָּשִׁין כֻּלְכוּ בְּמַרְעִין בִּישִׁין, וּבִתְבִירוּ יַתִּיר מִכָּל שְׁאַר עַמִּין. עַמָּא דְּסָנֵי לְכוֹן אֱלָהֲכוֹן בְּכֹלָּא. סָבָא סָבָא, לָא תֵּימָא לִי מִדִּי, דְּלָא אַשְׁמְעִינָךְ, וְלָא אֲקַבֵּל מִנָךְ. זָקִיף עֵינוֹי ר' אֱלִיעֶזֶר, וְאַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ, וְאִתְעָבֵיד תִּלָּא דְּגַרְמֵי.

Earth Elijah Firmaments Torah Wicked Wickedness

146. When his anger had subsided, he looked back, cried, and said: "Hashem, our Master, how majestic is Your name in all the earth" (Tehilim 8:2). How strong is the power of the Holy Name that is strong in all the earth, and how beloved are the words of the Torah, for nothing is so minor that it will not be found in the Torah, and even the smallest thing in the Torah issued from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He. Those matters that that wicked one asked, I too, once asked of Elijah, and he replied that in the Yeshivah of the firmament THESE VERY MATTERS were laid out before the Holy One, blessed be He, as follows:

146. כֵּיוָן דְּנָח רוּגְזֵיהּ, אַהְדָּר רֵישֵׁיהּ וּבָכָה, וְאָמַר, יְיָ' אֲדוֹנֵנוּ מָה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ. כַּמָה תַּקִּיף חֵילָא דִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא, תַּקִּיפָא בְּכָל אַרְעָא, וְכַמָּה חֲבִיבִין מִלֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּלֵית לָךְ מִלָּה זְעֵירָא דְּלָא תִּשְׁכַּח לָהּ בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְלֵית מִלָּה זְעֵירָא דְּאַתְיָא בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דְּלָא נַפְקַת מִפּוּמֵיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. מִלִּין אִלֵּין דְּשָׁאַל הַהוּא רָשָׁע, אֲנָא שָׁאַלְנָא יוֹמָא חַד לְאֵלִיָּהוּ, וְאָמַר דְּהָא בִּמְתִיבְתָּא דִּרְקִיעָא, אִתְסְדָּרוּ קַמֵּיהּ דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְהָכִי הוּא.

Angels Egypt Form Hands Heavens Mountains Sanctuary Temple, The

147. When Yisrael came out of Egypt, the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to establish them in the country as are the holy angels on high, and He wanted to build a Temple for them, bring it down from the upper heavens, and plant Yisrael in the land as a holy planting, after the pattern of the heavenly form, as it is written: "You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance" (Shemot 15:17). And where would that be? "in the place, Hashem, which You have made for You to dwell in" (Ibid.). In that PLACE which You, Hashem, have made, and in no other. "The place, Hashem, which You have made for You to dwell in" refers to the First Temple, and the continuation of the verse, "in the sanctuary, Hashem, which Your hands have established," refers to the Second Temple. Both of them are the work of the Holy One, blessed be He.

147. דְּכַד נַפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד לוֹן בְּאַרְעָא, כְּמַלְאָכִין קַדִּישִׁין לְעֵילָּא, וּבָעָא לְמִבְנֵי לוֹן בֵּיתָא קַדִּישָׁא, וּלְנַחְתָּא לֵיהּ מִגּוֹ שְׁמֵי רְקִיעִין, וּלְנַטְּעָא לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, נְצִיבָא קַדִּישָׁא, כְּגַוְונָא דְּדִיּוּקְנָא דִּלְעֵילָּא. הה"ד תְּבִיאֵמוֹ וְתִטָּעֵמוֹ בְּהַר נַחֲלָתְךָ. בְּאָן אֲתָר בְּמָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ יְיָ.' בְּהַהוּא דְּפָעַלְתָּ אַנְתְּ יְיָ,' וְלָא אַחֲרָא. מָכוֹן לְשִׁבְתְּךָ פָּעַלְתָּ יְיָ,' דָּא בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן. מִקְּדָּשׁ יְיָ' כּוֹנְנוּ יָדֶיךָ, דָּא בַּיִת שֵׁנִי. וְתַרְוַויְיהוּ, אוּמָנוּתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִינּוּן.

Jerusalem Sin Solomon Temple, The

148. But when they angered Him in the wilderness, they died, and the Holy one. blessed be He, brought their children into the land, and the Temple was constructed by man, which is why it did not last. FOR THE BUILDING HAS TO BE THE WORK OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. King Solomon knew that the Temple that he built was built by man and would not therefore last, which is why it is written: "Unless Hashem builds the house, they who build it labor in vain" (Tehilim 127:1) And indeed it no longer exists. In the days of Ezra, because of the sin, they had to rebuild THE TEMPLE, which is why it had no lasting existence. And up until now the first building of the Holy One, blessed be He, has not been placed in the world, but concerning the future it is written: "Hashem builds Jerusalem" (Tehilim 147:2). He WILL BUILD and no other. It is for this building that we are waiting, and not for a man made structure which has no permanence.

148. וּמִדְּאַרְגִּיזוּ קַמֵּיהּ בְּמַדְבְּרָא, מִיתוּ, וְאַכְנָס לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לִבְנַיְיהוּ בְּאַרְעָא. וּבֵיתָא אִתְבְּנֵי עַל יְדָא דְּבַר נָשׁ, וּבְגִין כַּךְ לָא אִתְקְיָּים. וּשְׁלֹמֹה הֲוָה יָדַע, דִּבְגִין דְּהַאי עוֹבָדָא דְּבַר נָשׁ לָא יִתְקָיָּים, וְעַל דָּא אָמַר, אִם יְיָ' לֹא יִבְנֶה בַיִת שָׁוְא עָמְלוּ בוֹנָיו בּוֹ, דְּהָא לֵית לֵיהּ בֵּיהּ קִיוּמָא. בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּעֶזְרָא, גָּרַם חֲטָּאָה, וְאִצְטָרְכוּן אִינּוּן לְמִבְנֵי, וְלָא הֲוָה בֵּיהּ קִיוּמָא. וְעַד כְּעַן, בִּנְיָינָא קַדְמָאָה דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לָא הֲוָה בְּעָלְמָא, וּלְזִמְנָא דְּאָתֵי כְּתִיב, בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלַםִ יְיָ,' אִיהוּ וְלָא אָחֳרָא. וּבִנְיָינָא דָּא אֲנָן מְחַכָּאן, וְלָא בִּנְיָינָא דְּבַר נָשׁ, דְּלֵית בֵּיהּ קִיּוּמָא כְּלַל.

Temple, The

149. The Holy One, blessed be He, will bring down the First Temple and the Second Temple from on high simultaneously. The First Temple, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO BINAH, will be concealed, and the Second Temple, WHICH IS PARALLEL TO MALCHUT, will be in the open. That house that is called 'the Second Temple' will be in the open so that the art of the Holy One, blessed be He, will be visible to the whole world. AND THEN THERE WILL BE perfect rejoicing, and goodwill in all its existence.

149. בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן, וּבַיִת שֵׁנִי, יָחִית לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּחֲדָא מִלְּעֵילָּא. בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן בְּאִתְכַּסְיָא, וּבַיִת שֵׁנִי בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא. הַהוּא בַּיִת לֶהֱוֵי בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא, דְּאִתְקְרֵי בַּיִת שֵׁנִי, דְּיִתְחֲזֵי לְכָל עָלְמָא אוּמָנוּתָא דְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. חֶדְוָה שְׁלִים, וּרְעוּתָא דְּלִבָּא בְּכָל קִיּוּמָא.

Cloud Heavens Temple, The

150. הַהוּא בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן בְּאִתְכַּסְיָא, אִסְתְּלַּק לְעֵילָּא, עַל גַּבּוֹי דְּהַהוּא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָא. וְכָל עָלְמָא יֶחֱמוּן, עֲנָנֵי יְקָר דְּסָחֲרָן עַל גַּבֵּי דְּהַהוּא דְּאִתְגַּלְיָיא, וּבְגוֹ דְּאִינּוּן עֲנָנִין, הֲוֵי בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן, בְּעוֹבָדָא טְמִירָא, דְּסָלִיק עַד רוּם יְקַר שְׁמַיָּיא, וּבִנְיָינָא דָּא אֲנָן מְחַכָּאן.

Dwellings Egypt End of Days Fire Jerusalem Redemption and Salvation Temple, The Walls

151. So far this has not happened in the world, for even the city of Jerusalem will not be the result of man's skills, for it is written: "for I, says Hashem, will be to her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her..." (Zecharyah 2:9). If this is what is written about the city, how much more so will this be the case for the Temple, which is His dwelling place. And this action OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, should have been seen at the beginning, when Yisrael came out of Egypt, but it was delayed for the End of Days, for the final Redemption.

151. וְעַד כְּעַן, לָא הֲוָה בְּעָלְמָא, דַּאֲפִילּוּ קַרְתָּא דִּירוּשְׁלֵם לָא לִיהֱוֵי אוּמָנוּתָא דב"נ, דְּהָא כְּתִיב, וַאֲנִי אֶהְיֶה לָהּ נְאֻם יְיָ' חוֹמַת אֵשׁ סָבִיב וְגוֹ.' אִי לְקַרְתָּא כְּתִיב הָכִי, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן בֵּיתָא, דְּאִיהוּ דִּיּוּרָא דִּילֵיהּ. וְעוֹבָדָא דָּא, הֲוֵי אִתְחֲזֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּרֵישָׁא, כַּד נַפְקוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, וְאִסְתְּלַּק עַד לְסוֹף יוֹמִין, בְּפוּרְקָנָא בַּתְרָאָה.