[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
A group of chareidim including rabbonim, adults, teens and younger boys went onto Har HaBayis to daven for the well-being of Am Yisrael, an end to bloodshed in Eretz HaKodesh, and an end to the rocket attacks – a move that was met with much criticism among the chareidi tzibur.
The visit was met by words of praise and support from HaRav Dov Lior Shlita and HaRav Yitzchak Brand Shlita. Rav Lior explains that the return of Har HaBayis to the control of the Jewish People “is a gift from HaKadosh Baruch Hu” and if we fail not to take advantage of this precious gift, it is wrong. “They all yell ‘isur kores isur kores’ but not a single one of us came close to any place that is even a sofek of kores”, Rabbi Lior stressed. The rabbi points out that areas of the southern and northern area of the Mount are additions from King Herod, and all are in agreement these are not areas that are prohibited as they do not maintain kedusha of Har HaBayis.
Rabbi Lior feels that not only are such visits permitted, but essential, explaining that the powers that be prefer to close the entire Mount to Jews and return it to foreign control, and therefore the visits are imperative towards thwarting any such occurrence. Rav Lior, the Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Arba and a Dayan serving on the Chief Rabbinate of Israel Supreme Rabbinical Court stressed chas v’sholom that anyone would think of visiting any areas that are even sofek kores, remaining a strong advocate of preparing oneself properly and visiting those areas that are undoubtedly permitted. Rabbi Lior added that he hopes that the permitted areas will become a place of gathering for tefilos, and a shul will be established towards serving this necessary reality, adding anyone who visits the Mount to daven as one should fulfills a mitzvah and works towards ending the golus.
During the visit, Waqf officials and followers did their utmost to interfere with the rabbonim and the other members of the group. Police were not on hand to assist the rabbonim towards ending the disturbances and heckling against them.
Rabbi Brand explained a Tosfos (Gemara Shavuos, 16:A) towards expounding on the requirement to ascend Har HaBayis today towards solidifying Am Yisrael’s ownership and control over the area during a time where such proprietorship is being challenged. The Rav also detailed the need to prepare oneself in accordance with Halacha, and not chas v’sholom visiting Har HaBayis in an improper state. Also quoted was the Halacha that a tomei meis may visit Har HaBayis (Rambam, Bias HaMikdosh; Chapter 3, Halacha 4).
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In a directly related matter, Kikar Shabbat reported (13 August) that HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita announced that persons visiting Har HaBayis are indeed “chayav kores”. The Gadol HaDor’s remarks came a number of days after 9 Av, when it was reported that yidden visited Har HaBayis.
During a gathering held in the Geula area of Yerushalayim on the eve of 9 Av, it was stated that HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Wosner Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita all permit visiting Har HaBayis, Kikar adds in the report, adding that upon hearing of the visit and the use of his name, Rav Ovadia Shlita used his weekly shiur forum to make his statement, adding “we are all tomei meis and therefore prohibited from such visits, quoting the Rambam as saying anyone visiting Har HaBayis is indeed chayav kores.
The Kikar report concludes that Posek HaDor HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita and other “Gedolei rabbonim” are in agreement, and one may not visit Har HaBayis.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Typical Zionist provocateurs.
Although I can certainly understand the desire to go up on Har HaBayit, there is an additional problem that has not been addressed…
Even assuming that the areas visited are not any safek of being prohibited, AND even assuming that those that go up DO prepare properly (i.e. no leather shoes, go to the mikveh, etc.) there is yet another issue. By making it more common for Jews to go there, OTHER Jews will follow, other Jews who may NOT be knowledgeable or careful about where you can and can NOT go, and who are not knowledgeable or careful about the proper preparations before going. Thus, even IF the Jews mentioned here are not doing anything wrong, they may be the cause of others being chayav kares.
If Rabbi Yosef, Shlita, added his signature to the 1967 document that says it’s forbidden to ascend Har HaBayis, and if he still says so today,
why was it needed to lie about him on Erev 9 Av, that he permits ascending Har HaBayis?
Hacham you might or might not be, but a Baal Lashon [or keyboard] Hara you certainly are…[Or is it Motzi Shem Ra?]
Ain Ohd – Taking your logic further, if one permits a Jew to Shecht a bhema so he can have Kosher meat, other Jews might follow them & not do it properly, thereby causing them to be over an Issur D’Oraysa! As our Sages would say:
אם כן, אין לדבר סוף
When our leaders can not agree, what are we supposed to do? Or is this what was foretold would indeed happen towards the end?
“Typical Zionist provocateurs.”
That’s uncalled for. R’ Dov Lior shlita and R’ Yitzchak BRand shlita are gedolim in their own right. It’s a machlokes haposkim. I’m sure if you would ask R’ Ovadiah shlita he would say your comment is uncalled for.
Every rabbi is not a godol.
There’s a lot of gaps in the logic behind this endever.
If the place they went to is not the real Har Habayis, what then is the point in davening there? isn’t davening by the Kosek much better, where Chazal say is the Shaar Hashomayim?
And if a big part of the mountain is B’issur Koreis, and those are the places that really matter to us, why is it so important that we show control and ownership on the rest of the mountain?
To MDshweks
Chazal never ever say that the Kosel is the Shaar Hashamayim. Yaakov Avinu declared that BaisEl is the Shaar Hashamayim and Rashi says that the place was the Har Hamoriya – not the Kosel.
If properly prepared by toiveling and not wearing shoes one is allowed to walk on the Har Habayis. The place of the Azara is forbidden to Tamei Masim which we are today but it is a small part of the har Habayis.
The only reason yidden davenned all the years by the kosel is because the Arabs forbade us to go daven on the Har Habayis itself.
Now that BH those evil yishmaelim can be controlled. Why shouldn’t we daven in a place that definitely has a much greater kedusha than the kosel.