A Third Temple? Now? Impossible! We'll hear the usual objections: "It would harm animals," "We can't return to paganism," "Why pick a fight with 1.5 billion Muslims?" These are the standard excuses religious Jews make whenever the Third Temple shifts from prayer to practical discussion.
We've grown too comfortable in exile, addicted to a Judaism defined solely by the four sections of the Shulchan Aruch (Jewish legal code). We might have continued this way indefinitely if not for, surprisingly, non-Jews speaking up.
Donald Trump's dramatic return to the White House brought unexpected appointments. After naming Mike Huckabee - who views Judea and Samaria as the "Promised Land" - as U.S. Ambassador to Israel, he's nominated Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense (though Senate confirmation remains doubtful).
Following a Western Wall visit, Hegseth made these striking comments: "It made me think of another miracle that I hope you don't see as far-fetched. Because 1917 was a miracle (Balfour Declaration), 1948 was a miracle, 1967 was a miracle, 2017's Jerusalem capital declaration was a miracle. There's no reason to think the miracle of rebuilding the Temple isn't possible."
How shameful that what's clear to a Bible-educated American - that Israel's destiny includes rebuilding its spiritual center - seems so complex to us. While we rationalize and dismiss portions of Torah we don't "connect with," Bible enthusiasts worldwide see the Temple as a natural progression of Israel's restoration.
Imagine the media storm if Ben Gvir suggested the Temple as a feasible project. How fortunate for Hegseth that he's not Jewish.
The past year's war has highlighted the religious dimension of this conflict. Every home in Gaza displays an Al-Aqsa picture - they know exactly what they're fighting for.
And us? We're busy overthinking. The simple, straightforward faith of generations of ordinary Jews proves truer than our sophisticated rationalizations.
The world awaits Judaism's message. For millennia, the mother of Christianity and Islam has been silent, ineffective. The Temple should be a global beacon of justice and righteousness.
Our role now is to advance the conversation, to create endless international dialogue about rebuilding the Temple, making clear that Jews want a Temple meant to elevate all humanity. "And all nations shall flow unto it." If we don't mobilize global support for its construction, Hegseth might just beat us to it.
