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One Is One Allowed

on
One to Visit the Rabbi Rabbi
Temple Mount? Shlomo Riskin Ya’akov Shapira

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin Rabbi Shlomo Goren drew up a precise eyes, and they laid out a path to praise and
map as to where one may walk on the thank God for it, imprinting a religious seal
ur tradition speaks of the Temple Mount, and since many rabbinical on Israel’s revival.
sanctity of the Land of Israel and leaders – like Rabbi Shear Yishuv Cohen
O the additional sanctity of the and Rabbi Dov Lior – have urged Jews to Nevertheless, they were insistent not
Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Maimonides visit, many of us feel it is important to visit, to enter areas on the Temple Mount, as
distinguishes between these two sanctities, taking all the necessary preparations of instructed by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel
maintaining that the sanctity of Israel sanctifying ourselves properly. since Rav Kook’s time. They wouldn’t have
depends upon the presence of the Israeli dreamed of saying that going up to the
nation. If Israel is exiled from the Land, And, as the Americans say, if you don’t use Temple Mount was the test of our loyalty
the Land loses its sanctity, whereas the it, you may lose it, God forbid. to Eretz Yisrael.
sanctity of the Temple Mount is eternal,
for its sanctity is dependent only upon the 1 Mishneh Torah, Laws of the Chosen Temple, 6,16. The site of the Mikdash belongs to the
Shechina (Divine Presence), and that can 2 Ibid. Jewish people. Of course we have the
never be nullified. 3 Iggrot HaRambam, Shilat Edition, 224. capability of going up there but we don’t
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because of its excessive sanctity. And the
“I shall lay waste their sacred Temples” Rabbi Ya’akov Shapira same Torah that is the basis of our religious
(Leviticus 26:31), declares our Holy Torah, world view is the same Torah that teaches
and “even though they are laid waste, they still hen Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook us such great care in relation to sanctity.
retain their sanctity.” 2 was shown a booklet dealing
W with the clarification of the The opinion that says we need to find a
One possible reason for this distinction is borders of the Temple Mount, he cried out: Torah-based solution to the public’s desire
that the Land of Israel is Israel’s homeland “Another piece of karet (Divine punishment by to go up to the Mount is an approach that
while the Temple Mount is God’s home, as untimely death or eternal excommunication), turns weakness into error and undermines
it were, wherein the leaders of all nations and another piece of karet… is it right that we the public’s relationship to Jewish values.
will gather to learn God’s commands from play with estimated measurements of a place
Israel. This Divine Home will eventually into which someone who enters receives karet?” This discussion is a religious and national
expand into a redeemed world of love and one of the highest significance and must be
peace, of compassionate righteousness and My late father (Rabbi Avraham Shapira), in founded solely upon halachic tradition.
moral justice, accepted by all humanity. his final talk at Merkaz HaRav, quoted this
Hence many great authorities forbid going story, adding that we should be shocked
up at all, even to the general area, lest one at those who organize trips on the Temple Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is Chief
even accidentally overstep the specific Mount. Even those who permitted it never Rabbi of Efrat and Founder and
boundary of permissibility and wander into imagined it would become a tourist walk- Rosh Yeshiva of the Ohr Torah
the actual perimeter of our Holy Temple, way. Where has the “awe and trepidation of Stone network of educational
which is the forbidden area. the Mikdash” gone? and social institutions

However, since the Temple Mount is the These rabbis – and others – educated thou- Rabbi Ya’akov Shapira is Rosh
holiest place in the world for us, and since sands to see the State of Israel as the fulfill- Yeshiva of Yeshivat Merkaz
Maimonides himself prayed in a synagogue ment of a Divine vision. They believed in HaRav in Jerusalem and
there (obviously not within the exact place the Redemption of Israel beginning with a member of the Council
upon which the Temple stood), and since the processes unfolding before our very of the Chief Rabbinate
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Photo – Rabbi Riskin: Chaim Snow