During his weekly motzei Shabbos shiur, Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef explained there are two members of the Chief Rabbinate Council who wish to change the Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s position opposing visits to Har Habayis.
The ban began following the liberation of Har Habayis during the June 1967 Six Day War, after which the Chief Rabbinate placed a sign explaining it has ruled one may not visit the Har Habayis. Rav Yosef added that in addition, Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv ZT”L posted a person there to personally inform visitors of the prohibition.
While Rav Yosef would not reveal their names, he explained during a recent meeting of the Chief Rabbinate Council, two rabbonim expressed their opposition to the continued prohibition. Rav Yosef explained that he reminded them and the others that the prohibition began with the gedolim of the previous generations, including HaGaon HaRav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook ZT”L and his son HaGaon Rav Tzvi Yehuda. Rav Yosef explained the gedolim were always against visiting the site; aware the prohibition involves karess.
Rav Yosef further detailed that if frum people visit in accordance to halacha, others unaware of halacha see them walking around, unaware of the halachic preparations and limitations governing the visit, questioning which talmid chacham would accept such responsibility.
Back to the Chief Rabbinate Council, when a request was made for a special session on the subject, the matter was voted upon and all opposed a change in policy other than the two rabbonim who felt a change is required.
Rav Yosef then attacked the Reform Movement and their ongoing efforts to establish themselves here, citing the worrisome intermarriage that exists in the United States today because of the Reform.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
Rav Yosef further detailed that if frum people visit in accordance to halacha, others unaware of halacha see them walking around, unaware of the halachic preparations and limitations governing the visit, questioning which talmid chacham would accept such responsibility.
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So accordingbto this logic you should be able to do many things , like carrying within an eruv etc.
Correction :
So according to his logic you should NOT be able to do many things , like carrying within an eruv etc.
others unaware of halacha see them walking around, unaware of the halachic preparations and limitations governing the visit This concern would only even be thought of, thru the lens of such great Gedolim:- How dare we try and be smarter than them. Enough places in the world [and even in Israel] to visit, without making ourselves Chayov Koreiss on Har haBayis.
‘Rav Yosef further detailed that if frum people visit in accordance to halacha, others unaware of halacha see them walking around, unaware of the halachic preparations and limitations governing the visit..’
That could be avoided by: a. clearly delineating which part was permitted to enter; b. publicising the halachic preparations and limitations, putting up signs, etc.
At least, i’ts good to see that the haredi yeshiva world refers to HaGaon HaRav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook ZT”L
in proper, respectful terms, and not other disparaging words that I have seen in the past
What was the holding of the Rav’s father, Ovadya Yosef, Ztl, on the issur of going up to har habayis?
@mattzerino
The Israeli Charedi world doesn’t study his works because the Hebrew isn’t the typical “Yeshivish” parlance and a number of bans by Rabbanim in the past (who were probably fed misinformation), but they generally respect the man and what he stood for.
American Charedim are a completely different story and are disrespectful in the extreme.