By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com
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Recently, it was widely reported that Ben Shapiro and others travelled to and entered he Temple Mount. While the sentiment that lies behind his action is certainly admirable in that he wishes to ensure Jewish sovoreignty over har habayis, the action itself lies in stark contrast to the position of the great poskim of the generation, Rav Edelstein shlita, Rav Elyashiv zatzal, Rav Chaim zatzal, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, Rav Ovadiah Yosef zt”l, Rav Yitzchok Yosef shlita, and so, so many others. What follows is a halachic analysis of why we should not, at this point, be praying on the Har Habayis. The author feels bad because Ben Shapiro is someone that the author admires greatly.
WHY IS IT CALLED HAR HABAYIS?
Har HaBayis is certainly the holiest place in our physical universe. Its name is not, however, a recent appellation. Where does it come from? The Rash in his commentary on the Mishnah (Midos 2:1) writes that the name “Har HaBayis” is based upon a verse in Isaiah (2:2), “Nachon yiheye har bais hashem b’rosh heharim – The mountain of Hashem will be on mountaintops.”
WHERE IS IT LOCATED?
In order to determine whether we may enter Har HaBayis, we must first get a background in the geography of the area and where Har HaBayis is located, and then some of the history.
THE GEOGRAPHY
The Kidron Valley, Nachal Kidron, is the valley on the eastern side of the Old City of Jerusalem, separating Har HaBayis from Har HaZeisim. It continues eastward through the Judean Desert, toward the Dead Sea. It travels some 20 miles, and descends a total of 4000 feet along the way.
In TaNach it is called “Emek Yehoshafat” or Valley of Jehosophat. It appears in the nevuos of Klal Yisroel regarding Moshiach, which include the return of Eliyahu HaNavi, followed by the arrival of Mashiach, and Milchemes Gog uMagog, and Judgment Day.
The Tyropoeon Valley (also known as the “Valley of the Cheesemakers”) is the name given by Josephus the historian (Wars of the Jews 5:140) to the valley within the Old City of Jerusalem. Once, this valley separated Har haBayis from Har Tzion Zion and emptied into the valley of Hinnom. The Tyropoeon Valley is now completely filled up with debris, and a plain of sorts. It is spanned by bridges including Zion Bridge. The bridges were the method of communication between Herod’s palace on Har Tzion and the Bais HaMikdash.
So where is Har HaBayi? It is what forms the northern portion of the narrow part of that hill that slopes from the north to the south. It rises above the Kidron Valley to the east and Tyropoeon Valley to the west. The slope from north to south is very sharp.
The peak of Har HaBayis reaches a height of 2,428 feet above sea level.
THE HISTORY
In around the year 19 BCE, Herod the Great extended the natural plateau of Har HaBayis by enclosing the area with four massive retaining walls and filling up the areas with earth and rocks.
This artificial expansion resulted in a very large flat area. This flat area is now what makes up the eastern section of the Old City of Jerusalem. The trapezoid shaped platform measures a total of 37 acres. Its dimensions are 488 meters on the west side, 470 meters on the east side, 315 meters on the north and 280 meters on the south side. In total it is approximately 150,000 square meters.
NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN WALLS
The northern wall of the Temple Mount, together with the northern section of the Kosel, is hidden behind buildings.
The southern section of the western side is open and is the Kosel as we know it. The plaza behind the Kosel was made by city planners after we had recaptured eastern Yerushalayim after 1967.
The retaining walls on these northern and western sides go down many meters below the ground. A northern portion of wall on the west may be seen from within the Western Wall Tunnel, which was recently excavated through some of the buildings.
SOUTHERN AND EASTERN SIDES
On the southern and eastern sides the retaining walls are almost completely visible to their full original height. The platform itself was separated from the rest of the Old City by the Tyropoeon Valley. This valley is no longer the deep valley it was, however.
The platform can be reached through a street in the Muslim Quarter called “Bridge Street” – a funny name. Presumably it is called that because it is a street on a huge bridge but the area that was below the bridge was filled up. However, you can still see that it was once a bridge from the view in the Western Wall Tunnel.
Now let’s get to the Halachic section.
WHY MOST POSKIM FORBID
As mentioned in the beginning, most major poskim forbid walking on Har HaBayis nowadays. Some Rabbis disagree with them, however. Those Rabbis who permit it draw a distinction between the current area of the Temple Mount and the dimensions of Har HaBayis that are discussed in the mishnah in Midos (2:1).
DISCREPANCY BETWEEN MISHNA AND NOW
The Mishnah in Midos tells us that Har HaBayis is 500 amos by 500 amos. The current area of Har HaBayis is 1,601 feet by 1,542 feet. On the north-south side, it is less (1,033 and 919 feet).
The first supposition that those who permit it make is that the current state of Har HaBayis is that it is double the size of what is mentioned in the mishnah.
TWO PROBLEMS WITH THE SUPPOSITION
There are two problems with this.
Firstly, Torah sources sometimes round off or approximate measurements. The number 500 by 500 can certainly be an approximation. It also may be a total square ammahage, so to speak.
The second problem is that we do not know the exact dimensions of an amah. Some say it is 18 inches; others say 21.25 inches or 23 inches; and a good argument can be made that it is less than 18 inches as well.
For 18 inches
1067 Amos by 1028 688 by 612
For 21.25 Rav Moshe 1.77 feet
904.5 Amos by 871 amos 583 by 519
For 23 inches chazon ish 1.92
833 Amos by 803 538 by 479
DID IT INCLUDE THE THICKNESS?
Another issues is that the midos discussed in the Mishna may not have included the thickness of the wall either which may have been 27 feet thick according to some sources – this could make it better or make it worse.
There is also the view of Rav Emanuel Rikki in his Aderes Eliyahu in a Kuntrus Mei Niddah #37 that for Kodesh an Ammah is different – it is an Ammah and 2/3. Now we may think that this ridiculous, but Rav Rikki is the author of one of the fundamental sfarim in Kabbalah. The Vilna Gaon held him in very high esteem. If Rav Rikki is, in fact, correct then we have to re-analyze what Herod did exactly and the expansions that he made.
A NEW ISSUR
The second supposition made by those who permit entry onto Har HaBayis is that Rashi’s p’shat in the Gemara in Yevamos (7b) is in error. Most Poskim contend, however, that Rashi’s p’shat is the authoritative understanding of the underlying issue, and has been the normative halachah for many centuries.
But let’s give a brief background.
Yehoshafat, the king of Yehudah, was under intense pressure. The powerful armies of Ammon, Moav, and Seir had combined forces to attack Eretz Yisrael (see Divrei HaYamim II 20:5).
WHAT IS CHATZER CHADASH?
Frightened, Yehoshafat turned to Hashem, declared a fast, and gathered the people to Yerushalayim to the Beis HaMikdash to daven fervently to Hashem. He davened in the “new courtyard.”
There are three interpretations to the term “new courtyard.”
The RaDak and Metzudas Dovid both suggest that it is possible that some sort of improvement was made in the courtyard.
The Gemara in several places, according to Rashi, tells us that there was a new enactment involving the Beis HaMikdash, promulgated at that very time, forbidding a t’vul yom from entering into the Camp of the Levi’im-the Temple Mount. This additional enactment endowed the entire Makom HaMikdash with a higher level of sanctity. The term “new courtyard” refers to this new enactment, and the courtyard that is referenced is the entire area.
The third interpretation is that the “new courtyard” refers to the ezras nashim only.
AUTHORITATIVE PSHAT
The Kaftor Vaferach (a Rishon who tells us the minhagim of the Jews in Eretz Yisrael and the Makom HaMikdash) in chapter six tells us that Jews observe the second definition of “new courtyard” as being the exact walls of the then current Har HaBayis. Since he lived in the 1300s, the reference is to our contemporary wall dimensions.
The Teshuvas Ramoh (#25) cites this ruling as authoritative and, until very recently, it has always been observed.
The Sefer HaManhig (s.v. “Baal keri”), citing the rulings of the Geonim, explains that it was only during the Temple times that a t’vul yom could immerse and wait a day. However, nowadays, when it is impossible to rid ourselves of the impurity of the dead, removing the tumah of baal keri is impossible while we still retain the impurity of the dead.
Why?
Because regarding a tvul yom it says uvah hashemesh v’taher – he needs to be completely tahor and on account of the fact that nowadays we have no way to purify this person cannot because he is still tamei mais. Let’s not forget, however, that in the times of the Mishna and the early yerushalmi there was still a way to be metahair and it was only lost much later.
So even though the mishnah in Keilim indicates that the impurity of the dead does not necessarily directly impinge upon going onto Har HaBayis itself, it does do so by not allowing our tumas keri to be completely removed.
Those that advocate treading upon Har HaBayis either disagree with this Sefer HaManhig, with the Geonim he cites, or have figured some other reading of this Sefer HaManhig.
This position fits the normative practice cited in Rav Ovadiah Bartenura’s letter to his father that Jews would not go up to Har HaBayis even if the Muslims would have allowed them (the letter is cited in the responsa by Dayan Weiss).
[It should be noted that Rav Moshe Feinstein I.M. O.C. vol. II #113 does seem to disagree with the Sefer HaManhig’s understanding of undoing impurity, but the other issues are still relevant. Also, most of the other poskim seem to abide by the Sefer HaManhig.]
HIGHER THAN IT WAS
A third supposition that is made is that the area of Har haBayis has placed layer after layer and it is much higher than it was originally. The Gemorah in Psachim 85b cites Rav as ruling that Gagin v’aliyos lo niskadshu.. Rashi explains that this refers to the roofs of Yerushalayim regarding kedushas yerushalayim for kadshim kalim or to the lishkos of the azarah roofs. In Shavuos 17b, Rashi writes that the gagin and aliyos were never sanctified – just the floors up to the roofs.
There are a number of answers to this. The first is that this concept is misunderstood because it refers to the original buildings. However, after the buildings are gone, the floored area still has kedusha and therefore when a building is built afterward the kedusha is not blocked. This is clear in the Radbaz itself (Siman 691). Furthermore, Rav Zelig Reuvain Bengis in his liflagos Reuvain volume 6 writes that this is only when there was a space, but if it is made of solid material there is still kedusha there.
Some, believe it or not, question the whole archaeology of it because it says “aru aru ad hayesod bah” – that it was entirely destroyed down to the foundation. They suggest that it is not higher than it was.
IS THE AL SAKARA THE EVEN SHESIYA?
Another supposition made by those who advocate going onto Har HaBayis is that their measurements are accurate based upon the idea that the current rock known as the al Sakara is one and the same as the Even Shesiya discussed in the mishnah in Yuma. Many Torah authorities as well as secular archaeologists question this identification.
Some say that it is the Makom HaMizbeach (Rav Shlomo Goren). Others say that it is, in fact, the Even Shesiya.
If it is the Even Shesiya, another question arises. When the second Bais HaMikdash was rebuilt, why did they need neviim prophets to establish its location? Why couldn’t they calculate based upon this Even Shesiya that was known? This question is brought down in the Sefer Avodah Tamah. Some Poskim have concluded from the strength of this question that it is not the Even Shesiya.
WHERE WAS THE EVEN SHESIYA?
But even if it is the Even Shesiya, where was the even shesiya in terms of the Beis HaMikdash? Was it in the center, the west side of it or the east side of it? Perhaps this was the safaik that they had when they built the second bais haMikdash and now it is known. The problem with this is that the debate is still after Bais HaMikdash #2.
Another problem is that the water coming in, which was used as a mikvah for purifying the Kohanim does not correlate well to this location as the even shesiyah. Drawing water from it would produce the problem of drawn water.- mayim she-uvim. There are a few solutions to this problem, but who knows which one is true?
THE RADBAZ
While some of those who advocate going onto the Temple Mount cite the Radbaz (responsa #691), who does make this identification with the even shesiya, there are some very serious discrepancies in the responsa of the Radbaz that have been pointed out by the leading poskim of the generation, including Rav Ovadiah Yoseph, Rav Waldenberg, zt’l (Tzitz Eliezer vol. X #1), and Dayan Weiss (vol. V #1).
ISSUES OF KAREIS
When dealing with an issue of Kareis the custom in K’lal Yisrael has always been to be stringent. Here we have three leading poskim who tell us with very stern warnings, “Stay Away!” Also, when it was first recaptured in 1967, a letter went out signed by 52 of the top Poskim in eretz Yisroel. Why ignore them?
THE OLD PICTURE
A fourth assumption made by those who advocate treading upon Har HaBayis is based upon an old picture that was found of Har HaBayis. The assumption is that the raised platform in the photo is the actual Har HaBayis referred to in the mishnah. This too, however, has numerous problems.
There are further indications from various sources in the Acharonim that the walls extend past the areas pointed to in the picture (Pe’as HaShulchan by a student of the Vilna Gaon, Rav Yisroel of Shklov, Eretz Yisrael 3; addendum to Kaftor Vaferach).
RAAVAD VERSUS OTHERS
Many of those whose opinions promote going onto Har HaBayis do rely to some degree on the opinion of the Raavad, who rules that the sanctity of the Temple Mount is not as in force as it was when the Temple stood. Rambam, of course, disagrees, and the Mishnah Berurah and magain avrohom 561:2 rule fully in accordance with the Rambam.
THE RISHONIM
This is also the overwhelming opinion of the Rishonim – I will list them: Sefer HaTruma in his Hilchos Eretz Yisroel, SMag mitzvas assei 163 – he writes that what made it kadosh was the shechina and that never gets undone, whereas other issues were kadsh only leshaasa – a kivush for example regarding trumos and maasrosm Rashi avoda zara 13a venishchatai mishchat – we are obligated on shechutei chutz mideoraisa nowadays – like the rambam, Rash miShantz shviis 6:1, Tosfos Yuma 44a, shvuos 14b, Tosfos HaRosh yevamos 82b – gives a reason because it is called a nachalah which can never be undone, Yereim siman 277, Chinuch in ten different places 284, Tashbatz vol III #201, Rashba megillah daf yud , Ramban shavuos 14b, Ritvah Megillah 10b, and Kaftor vaFerach. Plus, we have the opinion that the Raavad was only referring to the deoraisa aspect of things but miderabanan he was machmir.
Who, among the Rishonim, rules like the Raavad? There is one tzad in the Meiri like this, but elsewhere he says that the psak is like the Rambam.
There is also the notion fund in Rav Chaim Soloveitchik zatzal that there are, two denim, two types of laws, in the issue of the Temple’s holiness – kedusha. The Raavad was only referring to the kareis din but the other din of kedusha is still in effect even though there is no karais.
WHO IS A ZAV?
There is also the issue of whether everyone in contemporary times has the halachic status of a zav. Both Dayan Weiss and the Tzitz Eliezer rule that everyone does. Those who advocate for treading on Har HaBayis disagree with this contention.
Finally, Rav Kook (Mishpat HaKohein #96) himself writes that even according to the view of the Raavad, there is still a Rabbinic prohibition of entering the Temple Mount. He explains that Chazal felt that the reverence and respect for the Makom HaMikdash is greater in not going there, than in visiting it.
REALLY? DOUBTFUL THAT RAV KOOK WOULD HAVE CHANGED HIS MIND
Modern advocates of treading on Har HaBayis indicate that Rav Kook would have changed his mind if he had been given their new evidence. But intellectual honesty would yield quite a different theory.
In short, the overwhelming view of poskim, chareidi and otherwise, simply do not agree that Jews may or should go up to Har HaBayis. Ben Shapiro should not have gone up. It is still a very serious issue.
The author can be reached at [email protected].
It is correct that the vast majority of poskim prohibit going up and I myself do not. However, in fairness, it must be noted that some poskim, such as Rav Dov Lior, permit going to certain areas after going to a mikva. I believe that as a frum Jew, Shapiro should be judged favorably that he relied on those poskim, which is his right.
Shalom Rabbi Yair,
You are certaintly entitled to your view, but with all due respect, I encourage you to take a few extra minutes to google the topic and you will find many many great Talmeidi Chachamim and Rabbonim (hundreds of them) who disagree and themslves go up to har habayis, so why are you pretending they don’t exist?
RABBI HOFFMAN RESPONDS: PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THE MISHNAH BRURAH (561:5) RULES THAT THERE IS A CHIYUV KARAIS FOR GOING UP. TRUE, THERE ARE OTHER VIEWS, BUT WHO COMPARES TO RAV ELYASHIV ZT”L, RAV SHTEINMAN, RAV CHAIM, THE CHAZON ISH, RAV SHLOMO ZALMAN AUERBACH AND SO MANY MORE?
ALSO, THOSE POSKIM WHO SAY THAT IT IS PERMITTED TO GO UP DO NOT EVEN WARN PEOPLE OF THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF GEDOLEI YISROEL WHO HELD IT WAS KARAIS. THIS IS UNCONSCIENABLE.
IT IS WRONG AND IMMORAL FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE UPON THEMSELVES A VIEW THAT OTHERS CAN INNOCENTLY FOLLOW WHICH CAN CAUSE PEOPLE TO VIOLATE KARAIS.
And why does Ben Schapiro have to follow the opinion who identify with? He obviously follows the poskim who’s view on this matter permit and encourage to go up on har habayis.
Aside from this I hooe to respond to each and every point you made and provide a counter side, I just need more time to do this.
We sometimes get overly giddy when someone wearing as yarmulka (kapel) becomes a celebrity.
Ben Shapiro is an American, conservative, modern orthodox Jew, he is is NOT a Charedi. he does believe in science, he does not believe the world is only 5782 years old, he criticized Charedim not going to the army, he said he thinks the Israeli government should not fund Charedi Yeshivas.
Let keep it all in perspective. we should not turn him into some Charedi hero, which is definitely NOT
Many have said that, in life, you can either go up or go down. However, this is not completely true, because if you hold that going up to the Har HaBayis is forbidden, then it is indeed possible to go up and to go down at the same time.
As far as Ben Shapiro is concerned, we need to give him a lot of credit and the fact that he always always wears his yarmulke, no matter what. Unlike all the other shomer Torah u’mitzvos who’ve worked in radio and now television, they have all appeared without their yarmulka. Ben Shapiro is the only one to always wear it. A tremendous YASHER KOACH to him for that.
As far as is going up on Har Habayis, let us hope that one day soon, he is able to go through the sugya with somebody who is able to explain to him why it would probably not be a good idea to do that ever again unless Moshiach came.
The bottom line is that there are plenty of poskim, going back to Rishonim, definitely long before before the Zionism ideology came to be, who allow ascending certain areas of Har Habais. Unfortunately, those that scream against going up, do so not because of halachic concerns, but because of their perverted misunderstanding of political issues.
Isn’t this lashon hara?
guys loshon harah is never a good thing.
Hi rabbi Hoffman you should quote rav Ovadia Yosef and rav Yitzchak Yosef along with many other sefardi gedolim who were extremely outspoken against going to hat habayis. These are leading halachic figures of our generation who dealt with this issue consistently and were also excepted by the mizrachi communities
Why didn’t you call out Rabbi Tendler for going up?
Why is this instance and yid worth calling out versus all the other.
Also Rav Kook in Mishpat HaKohein #96 does NOT mention the word “HAR HABAYIS” even once, he only talks about the “Makom Hamikdash”.
The widely known Kol Koreh by Rav Kook zt”l was done to prevent Jews from ascending without purity and without paying attention to the “Makom Hamikdash” as was done by many secular Jews at the time. RK never spoke against frum Jews going up in purity for proper purposes (such as Kibbush, Morah Mikdash or Davening) and by paying attention not to enter the “Makom Hamikdash”.
That Teshuvah that you mentioned is the biggest proof, Rav Kook zt”l did not lump together Har Habayis and Makom Hamikdash into a single entity, as the Halacha clearly separates the two, every Cheder boy knows that, and no Posek today can come make the whole Temple Mount into a one big area of Issur Kares, it simply doesn’t make any sense. The Poskim who forbid are only concerned that one wouldn’t know where the Makom Hamkidash is and enter it. Fact however is that even if one would WANT to go into the Makom Hamkidash the Police wouldn’t allow them, so its technically impossible and this is all thanks to the many Poskim who are not afraid of life, Hashem, Torah and Mitzvos, and just like within Marriage and Pesach, there is a way to figure out how to observe Ratzon Hashem and still avoid the dangerous areas that are questionable.
Ben Shapiro did a phenomenal act by going up with proper respect to the Har Habayis, without leather shoes and after going to Mikvah with proper guides, and thus bringing awareness to Hashem’s Home that is sitting in total ruins while our cousins are playing their soccer and the Jewish nation for the most part spending their time in total apathy with all kinds of Halachic excuses. The Ohr Hachaim Hakodesh already writes on this: ועל זה עתידין ליתן את הדין כל אדוני הארץ גדולי ישראל ומהם יבקש ה’ עלבון הבית העלוב G’d will hold those Torah scholars responsible for the continued disgrace suffered by the Holy Temple. (Ohr Hachaim Viyakra 25:25).
Much like Elkana the father of Shmuel Hanavi who woke up the Jewish nation when they ignored the Mishkan or King David when he woke up the Jewish nation when they ignored the the building of the 1st Mikdash, or the Navi Chagai who cried out to the nation to wake up the Jewish nation when they ignored the the building of the 2nd Mikdash, so to we are obligated not to listen to all the naysayers who would rather that ignore the Har Habayis (remember the Meraglim???? They were also the MOST MAJOR GEDOLIM of their time, but only the very few Yehoshua and Caleb were right.
Ben Shapiro did the right thing and we should all be jealous of his Zechus
@Authot Yair Hoffman, I’m quoting from the following article.
https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/1966704/chabad-rabbanim-condemn-itamar-ben-gvir-for-visiting-har-habayis.html
Thank you for pointing out a problem, but probably should’ve not posted a picture nor mentioned whom it was either.
The Rabbanim also quoted the Lubavitcher Rebbe who was adamantly against even discussing the question of a heter to go up to Har HaBayis “‘since the very discussion will cause more and more people to go there, and to places that are definitely forbidden, rachmana litzlan, and their numbers will increase, rachmana litzlan.’”
“In the language of the Tosefta (פ”א דשבועות ה”ב): Reb Shimon would say: ‘Tumas Mikdash v’kodshav is more severe than all the aveiros in the Torah, for all the aveiros in the Torah are atoned for with one goat, and tumas Mikdash v’kodshav is atoned for with 32 goats.’”
***
Instead of bringing negative attention to yidden, let’s try to add in Torah & Mitzvos, so that we may merit a simchasdike tisha baav this year in Yerushalayim with Moshiach!
Some of commenting above is nothing short of flabbergasting. If the Rishonim and גדולי הפוסקים maintain that the איסור כרת is still in force how dare anyone even attempt to ascend the Har Habayis!! Some of the posts above even suggest that some even feel on par with, say Rav Shlomo Zalman and a whole array of contemporaries, and can render judgements on par with these עוקרי הרים, aside from the Rambam, other Rishonim and, more recently, the משנה ברורה. During the seventh inning stretch of the all star game I’ll dial up Chacham Ovadia and also Rav Shlomo Zalman and set them straight once and for all. I’ll tell them that Hagaon Rav Itamar Ben-G’vir, Hagan Rav Yehudah Glick and Hagaon Rav Ben Shapiro have listened to all the evidence and have all plastered differently.
I do not think the views of the “Chareidi” Poskim of the last 150 years or so are dispositive on the issue. They have, with respect, been almost uniformly wrong in their views of Eretz Yisroel, including men whom the Chareidi world has almost deified.
Also, it seems that you wrote this piece in a hurry (understandable time pressures, deadlines etc.). Parts are garbled and unintelligible. At least have someone proofread it once before publishing it.
I am not aware of a Rash on Middos. To my knowledge his peirush was written only on Zeraim and Taharos which do not contain Maseches Middos.
There is much else to take issue with but I’ll leave it at that.
Search on Youtube
“Rabbi Avi Grossman Rebuts Rabbi Yair Hoffman on Ascending the Temple Mount”
Don’t be cowards and censor this and other posts about this. What type of EMET are you following where you can’t alow people to respond when they dont agree with you?
Rabbi hoffman – You bring the Rambam who is the one who claims the kedusha did not leave. I am sure you are aware that the Rambam went onto Har ha’bayes, as he writes so himself (maybe only to the parts you are allowed to go). If you are a serious scholar you would have noted that in your article.
Anyway if it is okay for the Rambam and the thousands of other Yidden who went up, in the first hundreds of years after the chruban (as we have records of them going up especially on Tisha B’av) – then I suppose it is okay for me!
Ben Shapiro shouldn’t have gone there for all the obvious reasons. He’s a great debater, “Halacha expert” Not so much. As a matter of fact for brilliant man he could be a real goyish kop form time to time. But he’s an exceptionally proud Jew that more or less supports the Torah way of life..
Thank you Rabbi Hoffman for reminding me why it is important to have a Rav, and not some person writing an article on the internet. While you may have your opinions, it does not be the “velt” follows it. RABBI HOFFMAN RESPONDS: IT IS THE VIEW OF THE MISHNA BRURAH AND THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF GEDOLIM – NOT TO GO UP ON HAR HABAYIS.
1. Those who otherwise claim to follow Rabbi Kook, only do so when convenient for their Israeli nationalism/Zionism.
2. Ben Shapiro has no authority or even basic knowledge of Halachic issues.
Hagoan R’ Yisroel Yakov Fischer ztl Ravaad of Eida Hacheiradis clearly paskens in his Tehuva Sefer in Siman 163 that the issue of Zav in regards to ascending Har Habayis is not a concern nowadays.
Is he not from contemporary times??? Or you conveniently left this out?
For those interested in a substantive discussion on this topic, see the following:
https://yhb.org.il/shiurim/7068/
You admire him greatly? Shouldn’t such words be used very carefully?
As was pointed out, the Rambam himself went on Har Habayis. Putting a din Zav on everyone is a rediculous stretch. You didn’t explain why the water coming out… makes a problem for identifying the roch as the even shesiya.
WHY IS IT CALLED HAR HABAYIS?
Just for your reference, the name “Har HaBayis” is already mentioned in Tenach, in Michah 3:12 and in Yeremiah 26:17
WESTERN WALL
The plaza behind the Kosel was spearheaded by Moshe Dayan, to divery our attention from the Har Habayis, it was made in a way that frum Jews should forget from their destiny, which is beyond the wall above the mountain, we are obligated to make sure that the Mountain is ALWAYS in Jewish hands, we are also obligated to make sure that Goyim and Jews who are not pure do not ascend the Makom Hamikdash, and we are obligated to build the Beis Hamikdash and reinstitute the Sanhedrin and the Avoda.
The Kotel Plaza attempt was and is quite successful sadly, the government is still pouring in Millions each year to improve and expand the Plaza so as to make sure we are as comfortable as possible with this laughable section of the retaining Wall of the Temple Mount, instead of us opening our eyes to pay attention to the what is above.
The Kotel is a very holy place of Tefilah and has been for generations, but should never be a substitute for the Ratzon Hashem, which is to serve him upstairs. We should never lose sight of our mission.
Now let’s get to the Halachic section.
You said: WHY MOST POSKIM FORBID
Correction: WHY ‘MANY’ POSKIM FORBID
You said: most major poskim forbid walking on Har HaBayis nowadays. Some Rabbis disagree with them, however.
Question: Which Halachic aspect makes one Rabbi a “Major Posek” and another a just “Some Rabbi”?
Those Rabbis who permit it simply follow the clear mishnah in Midos and the Pesak of the Rambam in Hilchos Beis Habchira, there was never a Machloko in Halacha on the fact that a Temai-Mes is permitted to go up on the Har Habayis, it’s a straight forward Halacha and indeed Jews throughout the generations after the Chorban kept going up to Har Habayis as is well known to anyone who studies the history (one example is the Mieri in Mesectha Shavous 16) and learns Chazal. Also the general consensus was that the Even Shesiya is the place of the Kodshei Kodeshim.
I will just quote one Translate example from Tanai Eliyah Raba 28: “Once Rabbi Zadok entered the temple and saw that the temple is destroyed. He said: My father in heaven, did you destroy your city and burn your temple and sit in peace and in quiet? Once again, Rabbi Nathan entered the Temple, and found that the temple is destroyed and one wall standing. He said, what is the nature of this wall? So one said, I will show you…
ISSUES OF KAREIS
You Said: When dealing with an issue of Kareis the custom in K’lal Yisrael has always been to be stringent.
Correct and notice we never stayed away from getting married and we never locked ourselves into a total fast during Pesach, we are stringent and careful, yet we do not give up on our obligations because of this, we have many obligations when it comes to the Har Habayis and Makom Hamikdash as pointed out in addition to the Mitzvah of Morah Mikdash, which is why we go up with the proper preparations and intentions and are very careful not to go to questionable areas, which is known and have been measured by many great Torah Scholars who ascend the Mount and have been able to measure and see the facts from up-close.
In addition we also have to concern ourselves with Gentiles who up and defile our holiest place, does it bother you? Are you so outspoken against that as you are against Jews going up in holiness and purity? The vast amount of awareness that the ones who do go up bring to this matter is huge, compared to ones who would rather bury their head in the sand and pretend that we can allow this Chilul Hashem to continue.
Also, the letter that went out when it was first recaptured in 1967, was done without quoting any halachic reason and was done without a meeting and serious Halachic discussion, it was a phased track kol koreh. Rav Yisroel Ariel has written a long article to show why this letter is meaningless from a Halachic point of view,
The known Halacha of “Tuma Hutra Btzibur” dictates that one still has to be purify themselves from Tumas Keri, despite the fact that they are still Tuma-Meis.
According to The Sefer HaManhig you quoted how is that possible??
The Sefer HaManhig you discovered is clearly not accepted Halacha
In Shulchan Aruch Ohrach Chaim 88, the problem brought down by the Sefer HaManhig is not mentioned at all, and the Mishnah Brura who you keep quoting as your go to posek, talks there on the minhag of going to the Mikvah to be purified from Tumas Keri, didn’t the Sefer HaManhig say that it is impossible to Tovel today?
write for or write against.
either way, we who ascend are winning the war of the jewish people’s hearts.
What makes Yair Hoffman’s views so important? Who is he? Does he have a following? What has he done for the Jewish people? Am I mistaken or is the only thing he has done is promote himself as an ‘important’ voice? Is he a respected Rav somewhere? Ben Shapiro is out there fighting for us. Sorry, but I as far as I can tell, Yair Hoffman is a self impressed self promoter who pontificates. He couldnt touch Ben’s shoes.
Pikachu Nefesh doche kol hatorah kulah. Not claiming Har habayis and settling it as jewish i.e. proudly going up and able to do there as we wish, not kicking out people that claim it as theirs i.e. arab muslims and also allowing their symbols and buildings on a place you claim as your own holy place provides the impetus for their claim to the land and further attacks against jews.
Ariel Sharon went up and that was used as a blame for the second intifada claiming many jewish lives. Had it been settled as jewish prior to him ascending that could never have happened.
Arab presence there and the potential loss of it is used by Hamas and other such groups to use as an emotional appeal for a call to arms against jews. Let’s once and for all stop this absurdity.
Pikachu nefesh docheh kol hatorah kulah even issur Kareis! As one is required to eat on Yom Kippur and Tishabav and the like if they are not feeling well so much more so when it comes to this situation.
Rabbi Hoffman really believes that Shapiro is a Halacha person. He is probably a proud Jew but not someone who is stringent about Halacha.
Without even going into Halacha, a sane Yid should not go up to the Har Habayis because it angers and infuriate Arabs to the point of killing Jews.
Only flaming right wing Zionist have this twisted idea of angering blood thirsty Arabs on a daily basis. This is more important to them than Jewish lives.
if only the same rabbis that forbid jews to go up had the same conviction to forbid the goyim go there, perhaps the message would be better received. Is that the same halacha that all the goyim on har habayis are chaiyv misa? Why don’t we talk about that first, because they go up there to pray with impunity. The curse should be on them first and foremost, and then we can go into duykim about the thickness.
“While the sentiment that lies behind his action is certainly admirable
in that he wishes to ensure Jewish sovoreignty over har habayis…”
This is not emes.
First, it is the Zionists, not Jews, who claim “sovereignty” over Har HaBayis.
Two, even that is limited by the Zionists’ own ceding of political control of that to the Jordanian Muslim “Waqf”.
who cares about ben shapiro? a guy who supports an ex-president who watched t.v. for 3 hours, while the coup to destroy our democracy was in full swing, and he did absolutely nothing – that’s who you support? shame on you. i dont care how religious you are. shame on you, benny boy.