Jerusalem – For First Time: Birchas Kohanim on Har HaBayis on Jerusalem Day

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    Jerusalem – Hundreds of religious Jews from all streams were able to happily commemorate the 44th anniversary of the first-ever entry of Israeli soldiers onto the Temple Mount.

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    For the first time in the history of Israeli restrictions on Jewish entry to the Temple Mount, the recitation of the Priestly Blessing was permitted there.  It happened on Wednesday, Jerusalem Reunification Day, when hundreds of visitors – all of whom immersed in a mikveh (ritual bath) prior to coming and took other precautions required by Jewish Law – were allowed to enter the Temple Mount in groups of 30-40.

    Among them were several Cohanim (descendants of Aharon the Priest).  They spread their hands in the customary manner and recited, “May G-d bless and watch  over your… May G-d shine His countenance upon and show you grace… May G-d raise His countenance towards you and grant you peace” (Numbers 6, from the portion to be read aloud this week in synagogues throughout the Jewish world).

    Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, head of the Temple Institute and one of the paratroopers who helped liberate the Temple Mount in 1967, and who was miraculously saved from death at the time, recited aloud the blessing.

    Despite the close proximity of the Moslem Waqf policemen and their obvious anger, the visit went off nearly without a hitch. One Israeli policemen yelled angrily and threatened the Jewish visitors, but that incident ended relatively quickly.


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    22 Comments
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    einer
    einer
    12 years ago

    רחמנא ליצלן…….. טמאי מתים…….. חיוב כרת…….

    jnuss
    jnuss
    12 years ago

    Whoever enters the Har Habayis and is “Tomeh” (which we all are) is Chayav MISA r”l.

    itzik18
    itzik18
    12 years ago

    Al pi halachah, someone who is tamei meis may go onto the outer parts of the Har HaBayis, but the minhag is not to do so, because we don’t know which parts. However, this is a stupid thing to do today even if we know which parts are ok with only a mikvah (plus they have to check themselves for mikvah the same as women do, not just dunk like men usually do). Pikuach nefesh is doche everything, and angering the Arabs is 100% assur. We are still in galus. If they really wanted to do this properly, theh should have asked permission from the Wakf authorities. The Arabs allow Jews to enter certain parts of Maaras HaMachpelah to pray certain times of the year, I wouldn’t doubt that they would do the same for Har HaBayis, if we ask in a humble way, as the Torah expects us to act with our gentile neighbors in galus.

    Barzilai
    Active Member
    Barzilai
    12 years ago

    Interesting opinion einer and jnuss, but not a belief of Orthodox Judaism. Orthodox Judaism holds that tumas meis is muttar on the har habayis. Only tuma yotzei meigufo is assur, which can be removed by tevilla in a mikva, or, in the rare case of ziva, with tevilla in a maayan.

    DemsBeBabies
    DemsBeBabies
    12 years ago

    Sorry, mr. know it all, but when we are all tomei, we are allowed. Learn a shtickle malaga before you think to open your mouth in public.

    HolyRoller1
    HolyRoller1
    12 years ago

    Galus Jew. Learn your halachos better.

    yklbp
    yklbp
    12 years ago

    It is ossur to go to certain parts of the area within the walls but certainly not the entire area…. I was told that the people (frum) who go up, remain in an area where there is is no sofeik… People who are ignorant of the halachos should not go up at all and people who are stam ignorant should not criticise those who do.

    Mayer
    Mayer
    12 years ago

    Read the article you will see that they all went to mikvha before so there shouldn’t be any problem

    GG_Jew
    GG_Jew
    12 years ago

    Even if you hold that there is no problem al pi halacha if they only go to certain areas, this is still a clear provocation of the arabs, -dont forget that the second intifada was sparked by Sharon visiting the Temple Mount- and for what purpose? If they were doing a mitzva then fine, but just to go there stum to daven? Why risk starting up with the arabs for no reason?

    einer
    einer
    12 years ago

    Btw the “chazan ish’ holds that ur not allowed to go even too close to the kotel and of course not touch it

    anonymous123
    anonymous123
    12 years ago

    This has nothing to do with if we “know” the Muttar places or not … It is completely ASSUR according to our Poskim/Gedolei Hador! End of story!

    LouKay
    LouKay
    12 years ago

    I’d like to ask a Sheilah from all the paskudnyaks…err… I mean poskim here if they know – not guess- How were the Maccabees allowed to go and light the menorah after they “KILLED” and vanquished the the Greeks ? They were Tumie Meiss Too!!

    sam123
    sam123
    12 years ago

    (Reply to 11) In the Igros Moshe its brought down it is fine.It is also brought down by Rav Chaim in Shailos Rav that it is mutar.Not to argue just to cite other views.

    sam123
    sam123
    12 years ago

    The siman in the Igros Moshe is OH Siman 113 towards the end.