[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
Despite the prohibition on visiting Har Habayis by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and Gedolei Yisrael throughout the generations, the numbers of Jews visiting the holy site continues to increase.
On Sunday morning 19 Cheshvan alone 45 Jews visited and as one can see from the photos, the Arab photographers were on hand to watch their every move. The visits passed without incident.
MK Yehuda Glick in a weekend interview with the Arutz-7 affiliated BaSheva newspaper spoke of his ongoing efforts to persuade Jews to visit the site in line with poskim who not only permit it but encourage it. For Glick, the Kosel is somewhat of a distraction as he puts it for so many hundreds of thousands of tears are spilled in tefilos at the Kosel when they should be on Har Habayis.
He feels the despite the prohibition from Gedolei Yisrael throughout the ages on visiting Har Habayis, Glick points out there are gedolim such as HaRav Dov Lior Shlita today, who encourage visiting Har Habayis in line with halachic restrictions and preparation.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
Sad! And even sader is that YWN promotes this underhandedly by always reporting on this and giving their viewpoint legitimacy!!! SHAME ON YOU YWN!
Mr. Gluck. I don’t get you hundreds and thousands of tears shed by the Kosel is invalid for Hashem . Only at the har habays Hashem has the power to listen
I do not think YWN should print pictures of individuals. Some chareidi institutions will ask members to leave their moissad if they know they go up to Har Habayis. Bachurim can get kicked out of yeshiva, kids from school etc.
@crgo
And so they should be kicked out. The gedolim specifically state that we are not allowed up there as one is chayav kareis.
YWN – thank you for acknowledging that there are Gedolim such as Rav Lior, Shlita, who are Matir going onto the Har haBayis with proper preparation.
Each individual should follow his own Posek in this, as in all areas of Halacha, but one should not feel the need to denigrate those who follow another legitimate Shita.
an Israeli Yid
Moderators Note: YWN has never acknowledged that. Glick did. YWN acknowledges that there is an Issur Kares for those ascending the Har Habayis.
Moderator – are you saying that MK Glick is not accurately reporting Rav Lior’s Shitta? I was thanking you for reporting that point only.
As to whether there is or is not an Issur Kares for going on the Har haBayis – as a matter of Halacha, there is no question that there are areas on the Har where one who is Tamei Meis only is allowed to go – only the Azara and inward were Assur to a Tamei Meis. As such, if one were to properly prepare oneself, there are areas that would be technically permissible.
That being said, that’s the Sevara – the Metzi’us is where there are disagreements. There are those – including the Rabbanut, Chareidi Gedolim, and many others – who hold that for a variety of reasons, one should NOT go on the Har haBayis b’zman hazeh. Such reasons include lack of knowledge of the precise area of the Azara, such that there’s a risk of one going into places that are Assur; concerns that that those who are not knowledgeable in Halacha (or don’t care about it) will go up without proper preparation; or the issue of Sakana on account of the Muslim reaction. These are all good reasons for the Psak that YWN follows, and should be followed by those whose Poskim follow this view.
There are, however, other Poskim who are acknowledged Gedolim in their own right who Pasken otherwise. These include Rav Lior, Shlita, and Rav Nachum Rabinovitch, Shlita – neither of whom is known as a Meikil in general. They are a minority, but those who follow their Piskei Halacha in other areas are entitled to follow them in this area as well – and are also entitled to not be called names for following their Rabbanim. Disagreeing is fine, but there is no need for name-calling – and definitely no need to be Poge’a in the Kavod of acknowledged Gedolim whom one does not follow.
This was an issue a bit over a week ago when there was the whole rumpus over Mishpacah showing a picture of Hillary on its front page and Hamodia bashed them – the editor of Mishpacha wrote quite eloquently about how Mishpacha had its Rabbanim and Poskim that it followed, and it was wrong for Hamodia to try to impose ITS Gedolim’s views on another Tzibur that follows a different Shitta. Is it too much to ask that the same courtesy be extended to another Kehila of Shomrei Torah uMitzvos that follows its own Gedolim?
an Israeli Yid