5786/2026
Parashat BeShalach contains the Shirat HaYam, where Klal Yisrael praises Hashem with the words: Tevi'emo Vetita'emo BeHar Nachalaticha Machon LeShivtecha Pa'alta Hashem Mikdash Hashem Konenu Yadecha - "You will bring them and plant them around the mountain of Your inheritance, the place that You, Hashem, have prepared for Your abode. May Your hands, Hashem, establish this Sanctuary" (Shemot 15:17). The phrase “Mikdash Hashem Konenu Yadecha” - "May Your hands, Hashem, establish this Sanctuary", implies that the Beit HaMikdash will be established by the "hands of Hashem." This Pasuk touches on a fundamental question that is debated amongst the Rishonim: Will the third Beit HaMikdash be built miraculously by divine intervention (Bidei Shamayim), or will it be constructed through human effort?
Tosafot (Shevuot 15b, s.v. Ein) cites this Pasuk from Shirat HaYam as proof that the third Beit HaMikdash will be built Bidei Shamayim, without human involvement. Tosafot brings additional support from Midrash Tanchuma (Noach, #13), which states that Hashem swore to Klal Yisrael that He Himself will rebuild Yerushalayim. Tosafot understands this to refer specifically to the Beit HaMikdash, indicating a miraculous divine construction.
Rashi similarly supports this view in multiple places. In Rosh HaShanah (30a), the Gemara entertains the possibility that the Beit HaMikdash could be rebuilt on the 15th of Nissan, the first day of Pesach, which is a Yom Tov. Rashi raises a question: How could the Beit HaMikdash be built on Yom Tov, given the Halachah (Shevuot 15b) that prohibits constructing the Mikdash on Shabbat, Yom Tov, or at night? Rashi resolves this by explaining that these restrictions apply only to a human-built Mikdash. The third Beit HaMikdash, however, will be constructed Bidei Shamayim, miraculously, and thus is not subject to these limitations. Rashi elaborates in Succah (41a, s.v. I Nami), stating that the third Beit HaMikdash will descend from heaven fully intact, again citing the Pasuk "Mikdash Hashem Konenu Yadecha" as proof.
In contrast, the implication of the words in the Rambam in several places indicates that he holds that the third Beit HaMikdash will be built through human effort, specifically by Melech HaMashiach.
In his introduction to Peirush HaMishnayot on Masechet Middot, the Rambam explains the significance of Masechet Middot, which details the measurements, structure, and construction of the Beis Hamikdash. He writes: “Ve'ein Bo Inyan Acher Ela Sippur Shehu Zocher Midat HaMikdash Vetzurato U’Veinyano VeKol Inyano VeHaTo'elet SheYesh BeMin Ahu Ki KeSheYibaneh Bimheira BeYameinu Yesh Lishmor VeLa'atot HaTavnit HaHu VeHaTavniyot VeHaTzurot VeHa'erekh Mipnei SheHu BeRuach HaKodesh” — "Its only topic is a description of the measurement of the Temple and its shape and its building... so that when the Temple will be built – soon, in our days – there is a need to preserve and replicate that model... because it was given with the holy spirit" (I Chronicles 28:19). The Rambam emphasizes the importance of studying these measurements to guide the future construction, implying human involvement in replicating the original model as given through Ruach HaKodesh.
Mishneh Torah and Practical Halachot: Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, citing Rav Yerucham Fishel Perla, notes that the Rambam’s detailed inclusion of the halachos of the Beit HaMikdash’s construction in Mishneh Torah indicates that these laws remain relevant for the future. The Rambam’s approach is to codify only halachos applicable in the present or future, suggesting that the third Beit HaMikdash will be built by human hands, adhering to these guidelines.
The Role of Mashiach: The Rambam explicitly states in Hilchot Melachim (11:1) that one of the tasks of Melech HaMashiach is “U’Voneh HaMikdash U’Mekabetz Nidchei Yisrael” - "He will build the Mikdash and gather the dispersed of Israel." This clearly indicates that the Mashiach will oversee the construction, reinforcing the idea of human effort.
How does the Rambam interpret the Passuk: “Mikdash Hashem Konenu Yadecha” and the Midrash Tanchumah, which seem to suggest the construction will be Bidei Shamayim? Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank offers the following explanation: He suggests that the Rambam understands the Passuk as referring to the Mikdash Shel Ma’alah, the heavenly counterpart to the earthly Beis Hamikdash, the Mikdash Shel Matah. According to this view, when the earthly Mikdash is rebuilt by human hands, its parallel in heaven will be established by Hashem, as reflected in the Passuk. The Shitah Mekubetzet (Ketuvot 5a) explicitly supports this interpretation, stating that “Mikdash Hashem” refers to the Mikdash Shel Maalah.
Regarding the Midrash Tanchuma, the Tiferet Yisrael (Boaz, beginning of Maseches Middos) explains that, according to the Rambam, the Midrash should be understood in a general sense. Hashem will facilitate the rebuilding through miracles and divine assistance, but the physical construction will be carried out by humans, led by Mashiach. Thus according to the Rambam, in the building of the third Beit HaMikdash there will be a combination of divine involvement without negating human effort for the actual construction.
Interestingly, the Tiferet Yisrael points out an apparent contradiction in Rashi’s own writings. While we saw above that Rashi in Rosh HaShanah and Succah advocates for a miraculous divine construction, in his commentary on Yechezkel (43:13, s.v. V’Yishmiru), Rashi suggests that the third Beit HaMikdash will be built by human hands. Anyone who has an answer to this contradiction, please let me know!
May we soon see the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash speedily in our days!