Jerusalem – Yated Ne’eman, a newspaper directed to the Jewish ultra-orthodox community in Israel, published a commentary Thursday stating Israel must prohibit Jews from entering the Temple Mount area.
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AIC.com (http://bit.ly/1AsDjZY) reports the commentary reads, “The Jews who speak of ‘prayer in the holiest place for Jews’ are not referring to prayer,” the paper writes. “They are presenting their political plan as a religious wish, and use their ‘teachings’ as an ax to grind out political achievements. This is not a struggle for the right of prayer but a type of political demonstration.”
For the ultra-orthodox paper, the entry of Jews to the al Aqsa compound is religiously forbidden. Tradition relates that this was the site of the biblical temples, which held the ‘holy of holies’ that could be entered only by the high priests.
“Over time the precise place of the Temple has been lost to us and all who enter the area of the Temple Mount are unknowingly liable to enter the holy of holies,” notes Yated Ne’eman, continuing to state that all leading rabbis are united in the prohibition of Jews entering the area.
The newspaper calls the use of religious rights by secular Israeli’s to enter the area is a “smokescreen” to cover underlying political goals, not spiritual ones.
“The truth must be forcefully declared,” continues the commentary, “Those who act to bring Jews to the Temple Mount are sinning and causing others to sin. Every one able must act on this issue. The government of Israel must close the Temple Mount (to Jews)!”
Information taken from AIC.com
I agree with them to the extent that I don’t believe Jews need to force their way onto the Temple Mount. Its enough – for now – that we have the Kotel and that the Temple Mount itself is under Jewish control. Let the Arabs control the mount itself, although Israel still needs to keep a police presence up there to ensure that they don’t throw rocks. IY”H will be returned to us soon when Hashem rescues us from Golus.
Finally something that the Yated writes that actually makes sense. They are 100% correct. Stop provoking the Arabs. Stop entering Har Habayis and stop building settlements.
The biggest mistake of the charedi world after 1967 war was to push for a total ban on entering the har habayis. This allowed for the area to be solely under arab control. If the proper halachic guidelines were taken we would have certain areas where an open air shul could have been created as with the plaza below.
Yated is surely wrong as they are also using this for their own political gain and if you look through history after the churban yidden would visit har habayis on tisha beav & the ramban & others write of their visits to the site.
a pity that no proper action was taken after the 6 day war, from the secular gov side of implementing full israeli control & as mentioned the chief rabbinate/charedi side of establishing correct boundries al pi halacha
Arabs shouldn’t be there either.
These women are a much greater danger than the Women of the Wall who want to daven by the kosel. They should be kept as far away from al Aqusa as possible or locked away if they try to sneak up there.
I am skeptical of a newspaper who claims “The truth must be forcefully declared,” and worried about “causing others to sin”, when this same newspaper bemoaned the unity and solidarity Jews displayed during the recent GAZA war. (VIN august 7 2014).
Also worrisome: “The government of Israel must close the Temple Mount (to Jews)!”, which sounds a lot like Abbas and Hussein and not a orthodox publication.
In truth, if you believe the Mount still has Kedusha, then some Korbanos (offerings/sacrifices) can and SHOULD be brought. (RambaM Beis HaBechira 6:14-16). If However you disagree (Like the Ra’avaD) and maintain there is no longer Kedusha on the Mount and no heavenly penalty for ascending the mount -No Kares, then going up on the Mount is not problematic. Arguably, ceding control of the Mount would incur a violation of לֹא תְחָנֵּם.
If the Yated was honest it would disclose its own political agenda and not hide behind Halacha.
What bothers me is that no one seems to care that the Arabs defile the Har HaBayis every day, even without their terrorist activity there. They use it as a picnic ground, a soccer field and a playground. When they bow in prayer, they turn their backsides to it and face Mecca.
While I won’t go up to the Har HaBayis for mostly the same religious reasons, Jews who do go there have a Psak for doing so and it is to re-establish our rights. If we turn our backs to it, as is suggested, we turn our backs to Eretz Yisroel too.
Most people do not realize what is assur about going up on the Temple Mount. As I understand it, there are 3 things.
1. There is the area of the Mikdash where a person must be tahor and we do not have the ashes of the parah adumah.
2. there is the periphery which is actually permitted to visit.
3. there is the fear of angering the Arabs by walking in the periphery that many rabbis say we should not do.
Note that numbers 1 and 2 are Torah halachas, whereas number 3 is merely an eitza tova, ‘good advice’ but not binding.
In my humble opinion, we Jews are entitled as much as the non Jews to visit all places (in respect to our honoring the Torah law.)
As a Frum FFB Jew, I say that since none of you are part of the Israeli government or even the Israeli Rabbinate, sit down and shut up. it is not your business what other people do. look in a mirror if you are trying to keep people from doing things they shouldn’t.
If you have time to read and comment on VIN articles, there is room for improvement in your religious observances. walk away from your computer and pick up a sefer.
I, at least, admit what I am doing by spending time on the internet, and know many of my own imperfections.
You people apparently don’t.