Why We Don't Have the Temple
Rabbi Chaim Richman of the Temple Institute warns the public not to get overly caught up in Birkat Hachamah. There is no Biblical requirement to bless the sun.

by Staff, Arutz Sheva
April 2, 2009

Rabbi Chaim Richman of the Temple Institute warns the public not to get overly caught up in Birkat Hachamah, the rare once in 28 years Blessing on the Sun set to take place on the day before Passover. There is no Biblical requirement to bless the sun, he says, while on the other hand, the Jewish People are failing to uphold a tremendously important commandment – that of the Passover offering.

The crucial significance of the Passover offering is not always understood, Rabbi Richman says. “I honestly believe that the reason we don't have a Temple and the reason we're not bringing the offerings is that for the most part we really don't care that much,” he worries.

However, he says, the Jewish People's confusion should be understood: After 2,000 years in exile, he feels, we have become cut off from our true identities and true purpose.

In the above video, Rabbi Richman talks about what G-d really wants from us, how we can affect change, and the problem with the widespread idea that the Temple will appear miraculously from Heaven.