Animal Sacrifices in the Messianic Period

According to this Pasuk, the Yetzer Tov will be strengthened in man during the times of Moshiach to such an extent that individuals will be drawn towards Torah rather than physical desires.

Since the heart during these times will become 'circumcised,' there will be no desire to sin, so no private sin offerings will need to be brought-- only sacrifices of praise to G-d.

A primary source for the view that the Third Temple will lack animal sacrifices. Rav Kook believes that when all of humanity becomes enlightened of G-d's power, so will the animals of the world. Therefore, says Rav Kook, we will have no justification to sacrifice anything G-d fearing.

Many who argue that animal offerings won't be sacrificed use this excerpt from Maimonides's writings as a primary source. According to this interpretation, animal sacrifices will not be necessary in the times of Moshiach, as times have changed. Not only do religions in this day and age connect to their faiths in ways other than sacrificing animals and idol worship, but during the times of Moshiach, everyone will be aware of G-d's omnipresent existence, causing, in this opinion, animal offerings to become obsolete.

The Ramban, however, takes issue with this Rambam, arguing that animal offerings predated idolatry, as both Hevel and Noach offered to G-d. Rather, answered Nachmonides, animal offerings allowed a sinner to use an animal to replace him in punishment, causing him to reflect upon his own mortality and result in Teshuva.

Rashi, in line with the above Rambam, explains that it was not originally G-d's wish to be sacrificed to, but it was the Jews' choice to do so since other nations around them sacrificed to their gods. The Jews wished to anoint a king for similar reasons.

These excerpts from Isaiah suggest drastic changes to the food chain during the times of Moshiach, noting how the lion and ox will become herbivores. Many arguing for solely plant-based sacrifices in the Third Temple interpret these verses to call for an end to eating meat entirely during those times.

We are often taught that Hashem doesn't "need" our sacrifices and prayers, an argument used by this point of view against future animal sacrifices.

Those who refute the claims against animal sacrifices in the times of Moshiach prove that the Rambam did, in fact, argue that we will indeed offer animals to G-d, as he writes in the Mishna Torah. According to this opinion, this excerpt from the Mishna Torah and the one from Moreh Nevuchim don't contradict one another. The Rav Soloveitchik, who agrees with this Mishna Torah, notes in his work "The Halakhic Mind" that the Jewish People have in general ignored many of the Rambam's rationalizations in Moreh Nevuchim, including the previous excerpt.

Another Nevuah that indeed suggests the continuation of sacrifices as they were in past Temples.

We learn that a Sotah offering is indeed made up of frankincense and animal food, rather than offering a whole animal, in order to demean her. This particular sacrifice, according to Rav Kook, might actually return to the Third Temple. However, if we look towards the previous excerpt from Devarim, the continuation of the Sotah process in the future is worth questioning, due to the "circumcising" of our hearts, i.e., the ridding of sinful acts.