Ever since the Second Temple 's destruction , a prayer for the construction of a Third Temple has been a formal and mandatory part of the thrice-daily Jewish prayer services . However , the question of whether and when to construct the Third Temple is disputed both within the Jewish community and without ; groups within Judaism argue both for and against construction of a new Temple , while the expansion of Abrahamic religion since the 1st century CE has made the issue contentious within Christian and Islamic thought as well . Furthermore , the complicated political status of Jerusalem makes reconstruction difficult , while Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock have been constructed at the traditional physical location of the Temple . In 363 CE , the Roman emperor Julian had ordered Alypius of Antioch to rebuild the Temple as part of his campaign to strengthen non-Christian religions . The attempt failed , perhaps due to sabotage , an accidental fire , or an earthquake in Galilee
earthquake in Galilee
Galilee earthquake of 363
Temple in Jerusalem