One of the largest Orthodox organizations in North America has publicly endorsed a Temple Institute letter writing campaign to demand freedom of expression for Jewish visitors to Har Habayis. The Orthodox Union (OU) released a call to action, in their weekly newsletter to Rabbis and community leaders across the United States, encouraging them to support the campaign that has generated thousands of e-mails to Israeli parliamentarians, demanding an end to the “anti-Jewish racism on Har Habayis”. The OU newsletter encouraged Rabbis to inform and educate their congregants about the ongoing incitement against Jews on the site and call on them to write to the Israeli government to demand a change of policy.
Following thirty years of Halachic research and educational activities by the Temple Institute, Orthodox visitors to Har Habayis have almost doubled in the last five years, according to recent police figures. Despite the increase and mainstreaming of the movement, Jews are still segregated, followed and intimidated by Islamic Waqf Guards and paid Islamic movement instigators, while being banned by Israeli police from partaking in any form of Jewish worship on the holy site. In recent weeks, Jews were even banned from drinking from water fountains or carrying fruit, lest they make a blessing, before consumption, while gangs of Muslim inciters follow the Jews around taunting and on occasion physically attacking them.
Rabbi Chaim Richman, International Director of the Temple Institute commented: “We commend the brave stance that the Orthodox Union has taken in supporting the Temple Institute’s campaign to restore Jewish rights on Har Habayis. We call upon all Rabbis and Jews of conscience to stand-up and be-counted as their people are attacked and harassed on our holiest site on a daily basis. Had this type of anti-Jewish sentiment been expressed anywhere outside of the Jewish State, there would have already been outcry and thousands of people would have taken to the streets. The daily incitement and racism demonstrated to Jews has already led to bloodshed and its time that Jewish leaders worldwide take a stand, before more Jewish blood is spilt.”
The Temple Institute is the center of research and preparation for Beis Hamikdash. In addition to educational activity focused on the centrality of Har Habayis and Beis Hamikdash, they have also recreated over 60 sacred vessels for use in the Third Beis Hamikdash, which can be seen at their Visitors Center in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Gedolei HaPoskim throughout the ages including Gedolei Hador Shlita today have ruled it is absolutely forbidden to visit Har Habayis, even if one does so in line with Halacha including tevila. This is also the ruling of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. This is an Issur Kares.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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19 Responses
Maybe they do NOT support going up as qouted at the end of tht article, however they fell whoever for some reason does go up they should be protected and in the next world Hashem will take care of them. There should be no reason to arrenge that ‘meeting’ earlier
Rather a loaded headline and article. Wouldn’t it be better for YWN, as an alleged news blog, to contact OU and get clarification from them?
There are two issues here.
Halakha and politics.
Whether or not, according to hilchos tumah and tahara, Jews are forbidden to visit parts of or all of the Har HaBayis. A person should ask his Mora Hora’ah to pasken. That is Halakha.
Then there is politics. Does the government of a so-called Jewish state have a right to tell Jews: “You can’t daven in the holiest place in the world because it would offend non-Jews.
A government that permits gay-rights parades, abortions, shopping centers that desecrate Shabbos should be the last one in the world not to permit Jews from davening in the place that is kidsha leshata vekidsha leAsid Lavo.
Its one thing to say “I won’t go to or support someone going to har habias because of what my Rabbi says.”
Its another thing to say you won’t do it because of what the walf says.
People go up to har habias to make a statement that this was the site of the Beit Hamekdashim and that they were real historical buildings.
Obviously there are minority views. But in any case, one can support the right of Jews to go, vis a vis the Arabs, while at the same time saying it’s ossur.
Disgusting headline by YWN. Nowhere does the OU say that they endorse going up to Har Habayis. Like #1 said, they just feel that people shouldn’t be killed.
Insinuating that they are going against major poskim is unsubstantiated and an awful accusation.
The disclaimer at the end of the article is not entirely correct. The last line is not true because not all areas are an issur kareis if entered after going to the mikva even bizman hazeh. Many of the Gedolim have ossured going on Har HaBayis, and even forbade going after going to the mikvah. Rabbanim can do that. But they can’t create an issur kareis where one doesn’t exists. Parts of the Har HaBayis has an issur kareis while parts of it don’t.
Where do you see that the OU has endorsed going up to Har Habayis? Is this an assumption on the part of the author of this article, is this writer trying to create a new issue where there isn’t, or was this a title of an article written incorrectly?
“one can support the right of Jews to go, vis a vis the Arabs, while at the same time saying it’s ossur”
If they hold it’s assur (like all other legitimate rabbonim) then they can’t support the right of Jews to go.
What does it mean “before more jewish blood is being spilled..”? Jewish blood has been spilled r”l exactly because of these idiots provoking our enemies and no worldwide outcry will stop them.
wait…now you care about the Chief Rabbinate?
There should be NO INCITEMENT, NO HARRASMENT, & NO BULLYING of Jews on Har habayit.
Beginning & end of STORY!!
“Gedolei HaPoskim throughout the ages “– I’m not saying that you should go up on Har Habayis and it is true that the Poskim of today say not to go up but to say that the gedolei haposkim throughout the age have Assured going up is patently false. Unless the Rambam is not gedolei Haposkim.
The medina said “Har Habayit B’yadaynu,” and HKBH said, “NO IT ISN’T TILL I SAY SO!”
I thought Yeshiva World News was “news.” Now they are beit din? kudos to HolyMoe and bklynmom, nikuda, whether one agrees or not, whether one intends to ascend or not, each according to the instruction of his or her rabbi, the point is that the waqf should not be dictating Jewish halacha and those who do receive permission to ascend and follow all of the requirements related to tahara, should not be assaulted, verbally and physically by arabs and our own mostly druze police force, I applaud the stance taken by OU, it was a brave decision.
It is nice to see reasonable positions regarding the issue, that while we may not go up to the Har Habayis ourselves, there are many opinions that with the proper preparation, Jews are allowed in certain locations. Jews need to establish our rights and not let the Arabs control what is ours.
Then you have comments like this: “If they hold it’s assur (like all other legitimate rabbonim)”
It is a very arrogant position to imply that Rabbonim whose views differ are NOT “legitimate rabbonim.”
What you are in effect saying that any Rov who doesn’t agree with your Rov, is illegitimate.
I won’t go up to the Har Habayis myself, so I am not saying this because my position on the issue differs, but we should have respect for those who are qualified to render a Psak (and there are many) that doesn’t agree with our position.
Why do you keep punishing misleading information? Even the most machmir rabbis do not say that it is a chiyuv Keres to be anywhere on Har Habayit. They may say that they don’t know exactly where or that it’s not worth the risk. But not that anyone, in any state is chayav Keres!
As I have discovered in other cases, the executive (lay) leaders of the OU do NOT consult with their Rabbanim before issuing policy statements. Once a policy has been declared, the OU Rabbanim know that they lack the power to modify it in accordance with Halachah.
So if my gedolim, like Rav Tachtel, Rav Kook even Rav Kahene even Rav Chaim Kaniyevsy think that Jews do NOT belong in Chutz Laaretz, they belong in Israel, does that mean it’s ok for people and the gov. to discriminate against you in America as a JEW? because my rabbi says you don’t belong there.