Misnagdic doyen R.Eliyashiv: "Jews forbidden to ascend Har Habayis!"

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I'm reading it again now, and hopefully I am not misinterpreting what Rabbi Melamed is quoted as saying.   He is saying Jews can go up "if pure."    Does that mean after a mikveh immersion?    I know that some people will say we are all impure today even regardless of going in a mikveh.... I assumed he would not be saying along those lines, but reading it carefully I'm not sure exactly what Rabbi Melamed is saying here.

[Spectator]

Rabbi Melamed actually calls to ban gentiles from the Mount, which I have not heard before and was rather surprised by.   I thought goyim came and offered up something for sukkot, or is it that we offered on their behalf?   Here's the article:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133758

Acording to the source quote in one of my previous posts, the goyim could approach as far as the outer zone of the Temple Mount.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Also, INN makes a similar point to what you saw in the Hebrew press, Zelhar.

[Spectator]

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133758

Well, when such great Torah scholars agrue, I can only stay away. But I think the compromise solution might be to ban both Jews and Gentiles from the Temple Mount until Mashiach comes.  

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

Rabbi Melamed actually calls to ban gentiles from the Mount, which I have not heard before and was rather surprised by.   I thought goyim came and offered up something for sukkot, or is it that we offered on their behalf?   Here's the article:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133758

Acording to the source quote in one of my previous posts, the goyim could approach as far as the outer zone of the Temple Mount.

Oh, so he's talking about one of the more inner sites, I see.

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133758

Well, when such great Torah scholars agrue, I can only stay away. But I think the compromise solution might be to ban both Jews and Gentiles from the Temple Mount until Mashiach comes.  

For sure they should ban Arabs/Muslims, but that probably WOULD cause a huge uprising... unlike Jews going up the Mount, which does not seem like it would - nor does it now, when some Jews already do go up there at times.

[Spectator]

Too bad Israel didn't level that damned mosque in Six-day war. I am sure it wouldn't have done too much noise then as it could do today.

[Dr. Dan]

I don't know for sure but maybe these levels of sanctity and access limitation are still valid today, despite the fact that the Holy Temple is destroyed (may G-d restore it soon).

Rabbi Melamed is quoted saying Jews can go up to the Mount.  Rabbi Moshe Tendler has gone up and is on youtube video doing so with the Temple Institute.   A lot has happened since 40 years ago, and the Temple Institute rabbis and others have been able to search out places that are definitely NOT at risk of being the site of the holy of holies, where they assert that people are permitted to go, and other places that might actually be the site of the holy of holies, they leave off limits according to halacha -  So when Rabbi Melamed and others say that people can go up with proper preparation (mikveh beforehand), they mean only to these sites that we now know are NOT the site of the holy of holies.    There are some rabbis and some Jews, who do not really care about the evidence or the search that was done, and they will say that any site is still suspect because  "we can't possibly know" even though many leading rabbis and the Temple Institute assert that we do know certain information.  So this type of person will say that it is forbidden entirely.    And Rav Eliyashiv is only repeating that opinion from 40 years ago that has not changed by certain people no matter what new information comes about.

What is written here makes sense...many rabbis have concluded that certain spots on the Temple Mount are not the holy of holies and therefore can be walked on by Mikvehed Jews.  On the other hand, couldn't it be possible that other haredi rabbis say for Jews not to go on the mount in order to build a fence around the Torah...basically, just to be sure to be safe, don't go there at all?

[Kahane-Was-Right BT]

I don't know for sure but maybe these levels of sanctity and access limitation are still valid today, despite the fact that the Holy Temple is destroyed (may G-d restore it soon).

Rabbi Melamed is quoted saying Jews can go up to the Mount.  Rabbi Moshe Tendler has gone up and is on youtube video doing so with the Temple Institute.   A lot has happened since 40 years ago, and the Temple Institute rabbis and others have been able to search out places that are definitely NOT at risk of being the site of the holy of holies, where they assert that people are permitted to go, and other places that might actually be the site of the holy of holies, they leave off limits according to halacha -  So when Rabbi Melamed and others say that people can go up with proper preparation (mikveh beforehand), they mean only to these sites that we now know are NOT the site of the holy of holies.    There are some rabbis and some Jews, who do not really care about the evidence or the search that was done, and they will say that any site is still suspect because  "we can't possibly know" even though many leading rabbis and the Temple Institute assert that we do know certain information.  So this type of person will say that it is forbidden entirely.    And Rav Eliyashiv is only repeating that opinion from 40 years ago that has not changed by certain people no matter what new information comes about.

What is written here makes sense...many rabbis have concluded that certain spots on the Temple Mount are not the holy of holies and therefore can be walked on by Mikvehed Jews.  On the other hand, couldn't it be possible that other haredi rabbis say for Jews not to go on the mount in order to build a fence around the Torah...basically, just to be sure to be safe, don't go there at all?

In my opinion, it's a philosophical problem.   They have an outlook where an attitude like "to be safe, cancel mitzvah x y or z" is ok even if it undermines one of the foundations of Judaism.   I say this in regard to those who would not like to hear the evidence from study that was done to determine the holy places, etc, and would rather ignore it all and just say no one go up.   But even these people should not allow muslims up there if that's the case.   So their opinion is not consistent if they say only Jews are not allowed, as a fence, but Muslims sure go ahead and defile it and themselves....

[wonga66]

Even though he's somewhat more right-wing than R.Eliyashiv, the "Kotel Rabbi" Shmuel Rabinovitz is also against Jewish ascent to the Har Habayis http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1255547732836&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[Ulli]

In response to the rabbi's warning, Peres replied, "The nation has ears and you must let your voice be heard. Your voice is heard, you are a Torah sage and you are respected by the public. We must ensure that your position is heard."

This is hypocritical. As if Peres would believe in the bible. He uses religion for his own purposes.

Palestinian leaders on Thursday called for a one-day general strike and warned of more street protests over Jerusalem, but Israel played down the risk of an uprising despite two weeks of tension in the disputed city.

Who cares? But on the other hand this strike is perhaps a good thing for the civilized citizens of Israel. Perhaps this strike includes the main Arab Muslim buisinessfields like murdering, stealing, robbing and raping.