Korban
In Judaism, the korban (קָרְבָּן, qorbān), also spelled qorban or corban, is any of a variety of sacrificial offerings described and commanded in the Torah.
The term korban primarily refers to sacrificial offerings given from humans to God for the purpose of doing homage, winning favor, or securing pardon.
According to Orthodox Judaism, the coming of the messiah will not remove the requirement to keep the 613 commandments, and when the Temple is rebuilt, sacrifices will be offered again.
In Hebrew it is found in a number of words, such as qarov, 'close', qerovim, 'relatives', and the hifʕil verb form hiqriv, 'he brought near; offered a sacrifice'.
The New Testament preserves korban once as a transliterated loan-word for a vow, once also a related noun, κορβανάς ('temple treasury'), otherwise using δῶρον, θυσία or προσφορά and other terms drawn from the Septuagint.
[19] In addition, korbanot generally had no expiating effect without sincere repentance[20] and restitution to any person who was harmed by the violation.
[32] Sacrifices were only to be offered by the Kohanim (hereditary priesthood), whom the Hebrew Bible describes as descendants of Aaron who meet certain marital and ritual purity requirements.
[37] Sacrifices outside the main sanctuary are recorded at Beit Shemesh,[38] Mizpah,[39] Ramah,[40] Gilgal,[41] and Bethlehem,[42] among other locations.
[a] The Mishnah and Talmud devote a very large section, known as a seder, to the study and analysis of this subject known as Qodashim, whereby all the detailed varieties of korbanot are enumerated and analyzed in great logical depth, such as qodshim kalim ('of minor degree of sanctity') and qodashei qodashim ('of major degree of sanctity').
Yoma contains a detailed discussion of the Yom Kippur sacrifices, and there are sections in Seder Moed (Festivals) for the special offerings and Temple ritual for other major Jewish holidays.
This view is controversial since the Torah also forbids worship of foreign idols and practices of pagan religions as "detestable" before God including their sacrifices.
Nahmanides cites the fact that the Torah records the practices of animal and other sacrifices from the times of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and earlier.
[58] Through a non-all encompassing view of the ritual life of "Abraham [sic] as it is presented in the book of Genesis, the evolving philosophical theology that seems to underlie the modes of worship that [he] develops over time [...] is reconstruct[ed.]"
[60]Nonetheless, Abram also engaged in the covenant of the pieces which was based on this divine set of promises accompanied by obligations and an animal sacrifice ritual to the extent that it physically symbolized irrevocability.
]"[63] Then, starkly contrasting a diminutive effect resulting from Abram's altar building and call-outs, animal sacrifice was institutionalized in the era of Moses in the Book of Numbers 28:1-30:1.
The seeming all-time peak occurred with his conclusive victory as Yahweh when Elijah challenged worshippers of the Canaanite deity Baal to pray for fire to light their respective bull animal sacrifices.
Despite subsequent intermittent periods of small Jewish groups offering the traditional sacrifices on the Temple Mount, the practice effectively ended.
[69]Nonetheless, numerous texts of the Talmud stress the importance of and hope for eventual re-introduction of sacrifices, and regard their loss as a tragedy.
Partaking of sacrificial offerings was compared to eating directly at one's Father's table, whose loss synagogue worship does not entirely replace.
"[70]Another example is in Sheqalim: Rabbi Akiva said: Shimon Ben Loga related the following to me: I was once collecting grasses, and I saw a child from the House of Avitnas (the incense-makers).
"[71]Non-Orthodox branches of Judaism (Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist) regard the korbanot as an ancient ritual that will not return.
Consistent with its view that priesthood and sacrificial system will not be restored, Conservative Judaism has also lifted certain restrictions on kohanim, including limitations on marriage prohibiting marrying a divorced woman or a convert.
Conservative Judaism does, however, believe in the restoration of a Temple in some form, and in the continuation of kohanim and Levites under relaxed requirements, and has retained references to both in its prayer books.
Numerous details of the daily religious practice of an ordinary Jew are connected to keeping memory of the rhythm of the life of the Temple and its sacrifices.
In a later period, some communities began to add the following (all or some of the paragraphs): The prevailing belief among rabbinic Jews is that in the messianic era, the Messiah will come, and a Third Temple will be built.
"[77] Maimonides and Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, despite some claims, believed that sacrifices would be resumed in the messianic era.
[79] Rabbi Hayim David HaLevi suggested that the future sacrificial service might be limited to grain-offerings, with no animal sacrifices being performed.
The debate on this topic involves numerous complex halakhic questions, among them:[84] During the early 20th century, Israel Meir Kagan advised some followers to set up special yeshivas for married students known as Qodshim Kolelim that would specialize in the study of the korbanot and study with greater intensity the qodshim sections of the Talmud in order to prepare for the arrival of the Jewish Messiah who would oversee the rebuilding of the original Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem that would be known as the Third Temple.
His advice was taken seriously and today there are a number of well-established Haredi institutions in Israel that focus solely on the subject of the korbanot, qodshim, and the needs of the future Jewish Temple, such as the Brisk tradition and Soloveitchik dynasty.
Josephus records (2.9.4) that the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate expended the money given to the temple treasury as Corban on the construction of am aqueduct.
