Petition: Allow Shofar Blowing On Temple Mount On First Day Of Rosh Hashana

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — This year Rosh Hashana falls on Shabbos and Sunday. On the first day we don’t blow shofar at all, and the second day blowing will only be “drabanan”- rabbinically required. However the Mishna tells us that in the Mikdash they would blow the Shofar even on Rosh Hashana which falls on Shabbos.

In an attempt to arrange a way to have a shofar blowing on the first day, as commanded in the Torah, a group of people who ascend Har Habayit (Temple Mount) have requested permission to ascend on Shabbos Rosh Hashana, the first day of Rosh Hashana, and to be allowed to blow shofar there, according to a report by the Srugim site. Normally Har Habayit is closed to Jews on Shabbos, and normally blowing shofar is not allowed, as any signs of Jewish worship are not allowed there, so this would require special permission.

However, in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, they made the request and pointed out that the police leadership has always claimed that they are prepared to enforce any orders issued for Har Habayit by the political leadership. In other words, don’t claim the police are opposed because it might cause riots – if you tell the police to allow it, they claim they will be able to keep control of the situation.

Being that ascending Har Habayit and blowing shofar on Shabbos Rosh Hashana is the only way and place to fulfill the mitzva D’Oraisa this year, the group, represented by attorney Aviad Wissoly, claimed that based on the constitutional laws of Israel which grant freedom of religion to all religions, they should be allowed to ascend to Har Habayit and blow the shofar.

Wissoly warned that legal action would be taken to require the police to permit ascent to Har Habayit to fulfill the requirement of blowing shofar if permission is not granted.