Our Gemara on Amud Aleph discusses the Halachos of Chermei Kohanim, which is the ability to declare objects as sacred for the kohanim. Unlike declaring something sacred for the structure of the Temple (cherem bedek habayis), which can be redeemed if the owner changes his mind, Chermei Kohanim cannot.

The Ralbag (Vayikra 26:3) explains that this is to allow the kohanim to build real estate holdings in Eretz Yisrael, whereas they were not included in the assignment of land when Israel was conquered by Yehoshua and company. The kohanim are generally to be freed from the mundane burdens of farming and property maintenance, though it seems some degree of holdings are desirable. In essence, a tension between being totally devoted to spiritual pursuits and practicality, with kohanim focused more on religion and service, while the rest of the tribes focusing more on economic development, though neither one is absolute. We shall discuss this tension in a different dimension later in this piece.

The verse in Yechezkel (44:29) prophesies regarding the Third Temple in messianic times and refers to “all cherem shall go to the kohanim.” There is a discrepancy because it seems in the Third Temple there will be only one kind of cherem, that is the dedications to kohanim, and not for maintenance of the Temple (bedek habayis). Ahavas Yonasan (ibid) answers because the Third Temple will not be built by humans and therefore not require any maintenance.

The Tradition that the messianic Third Temple will miraculously descend from heaven is based on a Midrash Tanchuma (Ki Tissa 13): “The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world you erected a Tabernacle and a Sanctuary which were walled about, but in the world-to-come I will build a Sanctuary that will be encircled by a wall of fire, as it is said: For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire (Zech. 2:9).”

Rashi (Succah 41a) states “The future Temple will be built and established from Heaven as it states, (Shemos 15:17), ‘The Mikdash of Hashem will be established with his hands.’” Rashi (Rosh Hashanah 30a) states it similarly. However, the Rambam (Laws of Kings 11:1) states that the King Moshiach will build the Temple, and in general the Rambam holds that the post-Messiah world will be a natural one without unusual miracles (ibid 11:3 and 12:1). He states the miracles described in our tradition are metaphors for a state of world peace and political dominance and autonomy for the Jewish people allowing them to excel in serving God.

And there is the middle opinion of the Aroch Laner (ibid 41a) that the saying “May the Mikdash be rebuilt speedily” (Rosh Hashanah 30a) implies that it is to be built, otherwise it should state “May the Mikdash be revealed speedily…” However, the verses that imply that the third temple will be a heavenly manifestation are also true. First, the humans will build the structure. However, upon that structure, the heavenly Temple will descend and superimpose itself.

Regardless of which opinion one holds, we can see this too as a tension between the value of mundane physical life and process versus the supernatural spiritual existence. The Aroch Laner proposed a compromise, which might also be representative of his theological ideas. Two of his students, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch and Rav Azriel Hildesheimer, became renowned for the approach of Torah im Derech Eretz, which sought meaningful engagement with secular knowledge and pursuits that held value while remaining absolutely faithful to Torah law and life..