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I've occasionally seen people claim that korbanos won't resume in the time of Mashiach. The people I usually see mentioned in association with this claim are Rambam and Rav Kook.

The obvious difficulty in this position is that korbanos are a Torah obligation, and we're required to bring them every day. I've never seen anyone even try to reconcile this position with the halachic obligation to bring korbanos, which is clear in the Torah and through the Mishnah, Gemara, Rishonim (Rambam included), and Achronim.

Does anyone explain how this claim can even make sense? Or is it just another, less visible version of "Shabbat/kashrut/whatever may have made sense in the Old Country, but isn't feasible or relevant in America"?

I am not looking for:

  • Answers that only contain philosophical statements about why korbanos are not an optimal state of affairs. I'm aware of the Rambam's reason for korbanos in the Moreh, though I haven't seen it inside. If you can bring a reason why this can override a halachic obligation I guess that would be an answer, though I'm skeptical of that possibility.
  • Answers that say that the Rambam and Rav Kook didn't actually believe korbanos won't continue. That may be (/probably is) true, but it's not relevant to this question.
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    Do you think you little of those who maintained this opinion that they themselves didn’t reconcile it with the “Torah obligation”? See this related q, and here, with the links in comment section. This is close to a dupe.
    – Oliver
    Jul 30, 2019 at 13:12
  • @Oliver I'm sure they did. I just haven't seen it. If you repost some of those comments here that would be an answer.
    – Heshy
    Jul 30, 2019 at 13:23
  • Agree with Oliver. For clarity, related questions are: judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/83131/… , judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/99020/… and judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/53224/rambam-on-sacrifices
    – Avrohom Yitzchok
    Jul 30, 2019 at 16:17
  • I would flag your question as insincere - you're not really interested in knowing other opinions, you only aim to prove yours. Canceling sacrifices makes a lot of sense, but we should follow "אַל תּוֹכַח לֵץ פֶּן יִשְׂנָאֶךָּ הוֹכַח לְחָכָם וְיֶאֱהָבֶךָּ"
    – Al Berko
    Oct 22, 2019 at 22:24
  • @alberko I am interested in seeing justifications for the other opinions.
    – Heshy
    Oct 22, 2019 at 23:20

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An OU.org article by R' Ari Zivotofsky titled "The Korbanot" brings many methods/ sources as how to reconcile the Rambam's and R' Kook's positions.

However-- while perhaps not as thorough or as sourced as we may like-- he also brings the reasoning for those who accept the position of the Rambam & R' Kook at face value:

Some who support the claim that Rambam and Rav Kook believe animal sacrifice will have no place in the Third Temple attempt to argue that sacrifices were always a concession and that God actually disdains the practice. Examples of oft-cited verses from Tanach that they use are: “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” (Isaiah 1:11); “For I spoke not unto your fathers . . . concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifice. But this thing I commanded them: ‘Obey My voice and I will be your God’” (Jeremiah 7:21); “For I [God] desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings” (Hosea 6:6) and many others.

Would recommend reading the article to see how their seemingly contradictory opinions can be resolved.

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    This is a GREAT article on the subject....but also precisely what the OP said he wasn't looking for ("I am not looking for: Answers that say that the Rambam and Rav Kook didn't actually believe korbanos won't continue. That may be (/probably is) true, but it's not relevant to this question".)
    – יהושע ק
    Jul 30, 2019 at 14:56
  • @JoshK yep- which is why I didn't quote any of that in the answer (merely put as a sentence at the end). The OP asked "Does anyone explain how this claim can even make sense?" which the highlighted segment addresses
    – alicht
    Jul 30, 2019 at 15:03
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    I'd consider that part you quoted as part of my first "I am not looking for" bullet. It's evidence (strong or weak) that korbanos are not ideal, but doesn't answer the question.
    – Heshy
    Jul 30, 2019 at 15:16

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