Around two hundred protesters convened at the Mughrabi entrance to Har Habayis on Wednesday morning, 2 Rosh Chodesh Elul 5773 to protest the closure of holy site to non-Muslims for practically the entire month of Ramadan. The police decision is an unprecedented move to appease Islamist threats against Jewish visitors to the holy site.

The protesters held a prayer vigil by the locked gates to Judaism Holiest site and blew the shofar as is customary in Elul.

Rabbi Chaim Richman, International Director of the Temple Institute spoke at the protest and released the following statement at its conclusion:

“Today is the first day of the Jewish month of Elul; it is a very special time focused on fixing our relationship with the Almighty. The one place where that relationship is manifest is the place of Har Habayis. Ironically this is the one place where Jews are currently prohibited from entering. The Main theme of the month if Elul is repentance. On a national level we need to repent for the terrible collective sin of disdain that we show for Har Habayis and the erosion of Jewish sovereignty at our only holy place.”

It must be noted that according to the Poskei Hador one is absolutely forbidden to visit the Temple Mount, and there is an Issur Kares for one that goes there.

Four years ago on Sukkos, Israeli President Shimon Peres paid a visit to the Sukkah of Maran Hagon Rav Elyashiv ZATZAL, where Rav Elyashiv called on the President to prevent Jews from visiting Har HaBayis, stating it is an act that that is viewed as extremely provocative by the goyim. Maran stated everything possible must be done to avoid a religious war, and the provocateurs are playing with fire.

Maran is quoted as explaining to the president that Halacha forbids going onto Har HaBayis but today, it is more than this, it is an act that may lead to a religious war and bloodshed.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)