When we talk about the rebuilding of the Jewish temple of Jerusalem, to me, we need to understand it, in its mythical as well and ideological framework.

Judaism was, and is, revolutionary in its belief in ONE G-D. A belief, that was coined by Moses, but has its roots in the superiority of Egyptian theology, mainly the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten. (According to Freud).

It’s the superiority of Egyptian thought COMBINED with the traditional g-d of the Isrealites, that REALLY makes g-d what he really is; a universal g-d (belief in one g-d as opposed to many g-ds) and the characteristic of Hashem of the isrealites. A g-d that cares for the weak, dispossessed and ethics.

So the historical, ideological tradional understanding of g-d, IS the core of building a new temple.

It is dedicated to one g-d, that cares for the weak and dispossessed. Add to this a very important value of being good and righteous.

There is the understanding of an early state made by David, as a reflection of the Philistines, (that David fought against), as a Greek polis structure heavily influenced by the northern culture (the philistines were Vikings according to the Danish historian Grønbech). But g-d himself exists in an Egyptian/Babylonian cultural framework.

My point is, that BENEATH the stories of the Thorah lie a very fertile cultural framework, and it is through the understanding of this framework we can see and understand the Thorah on a deeper level.

By understanding the world of Babylon and Egypt, in its mythical and theoretical roots.

This again we do by reading the sources AROUND the Thorah. The sources of ancient Egypt and Babylon.

We have a lot from Babylon (the Talmud), but Egypt is less (traditionally) covered by religious study. The sources are there, we just need to read them.

Let me give you an example. Moses divided the waters and let the Israelites out of Egypt. There are sources that I have read, of powerful prayers that could do that, at the time.

Also the ideas of Akhenaten are extremely illuminating to the Torah, since Moses, most probably, was inspired by these ideas (as a range of other cultures inspired us in the ancient times).

Seeing the Thorah in its cultural framework of its inception is therefore a way to find and understand the Thorah on a whole new level.

G-d bless the UNDERSTANDING of the Thorah. And may it save us.