Page 41 - Satan in the Sanctuary

Opening Pandora's Box—Prayer on the Mount 43

appropriate for memorial prayers on the mount; on this "day
of sorrow" both past Temples were destroyed. Something
of a local debate ensued on that occasion, but nothing like
the rioting that followed the 1976 decision. The Post re-
ported:

POLICE BAN TESTED BY PRAYERS ON
MT. MORIAH
JERUSALEM POST REPORTER causing a potential disturbance.
Jerusalem City Councillor Rab- Dr. Halevi said the police officer
bi Louis Rabinowitz and Knesset tried to shut his siddur to pre-
Member Binyamin Halevi, a for- vent him praying, whereupon he
mer Supreme Court Justice told the officer that he was violat-
prayed and recited Lamentations ing his Knesset immunity.
for Tisha B'Av on the Temple Rabbi Rabinowitz invited the
Mount yesterday, despite police officer to take his name and
efforts to expel them. identity number and have him
Dr. Halevi went along with his summoned as a lawbreaker.
Gahal colleague, who had been "This will be a test case," the
expelled from the Mount by po- rabbi told the officer. "The law
lice last year to help him force may prohibit public prayer but I
police to make a test case out of am praying privately and quietly,
his pray-in. while it is the police who are
Rabbi Rabinowitz and Dr. causing a disturbance and mak-
Halevi showed up at the Mount ing a crowd collect."
around 11 a.m. They sat on the The police officer persuaded
steps not far from the western the two worshippers to move a
parapet overlooking the Western little towards the Moors Gate,
Wall, and began their recitation which gives access to the West-
in low voices. They had not in- ern Wall. He took their partic-
formed the press, or asked any- ulars, shooed away a handful of
one to accompany them. curious onlookers, mostly Arab
Dr. Halevi told The Post that children, and kept close watch
after Moslem Council inspectors on them till they finished their
and Arab policemen informed prayers and left.
them they were infringing the Rabbi Rabinowitz told The
law a Jewish police officer Post that as far as he was con-
warned them they were praying cerned, the halacha did not for-
in a place where the halacha pro- bid him praying on that part of
2
hibited prayer, and were also the Temple Mount.