[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
While police permitted Jews on Har Habayis on erev Shavuos 5774, Israel Police did not keep a promise to keep the holy site open to mispallalim on yomtov. This elicited the ire of so-called Temple Mount activists amid reports many people came to the Kosel on yomtov just to ascend onto Har Habayis.
While many who visit the site regularly in line with the piskei halacha of rabbonim who permit doing so after learning the halachos and toiveling, sadly feel compelled to follow despite not having any knowledge of these halachos or taking the steps required to prepare. They are simply engulfed in the nationalistic political aspect of visiting Har Habayis, clueless to the kedusha of the site, the halachos governing a visit and the isur of kores incurred by one who goes when one is prohibited from stepping.
Activists vowed to return on isru chag to visit Har Habayis as they remain tenacious in efforts to compel police to open the site to Jews to daven on a regular basis.
It must be reported that while there are some rabbonim who permit visiting areas of Har Habayis after toiveling, Gedolei Hador over the generations prohibited and continue to prohibit visiting Har Habayis, including the Steipler Gaon ZT”L, Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv ZT”L, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L, HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Halevy Wosner Shlita, and the chief rabbis of Israel to name a few.
Police try arresting a 10-year-old boy.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
I’m glad you finally acknowledge that there are pikei halacha of rabbonim who permit going. That Israel does not allow Jews to utter a tefillah there is insane.
A step in the right direction.
You finally recognize the fact that they have on who to rely yet you still slander them baselessly when you say (in an almost incomprehensible sentence):
“sadly feel compelled to follow despite not having any knowledge of these halachos or taking the steps required to prepare. They are simply engulfed in the nationalistic political aspect of visiting Har Habayis, clueless to the kedusha of the site, the halachos governing a visit and the isur of kores incurred by one who goes when one is prohibited from stepping.”
These people know where they can go and take good care not to toe the line (get too close) just like you don’t get close to a cliff edge.