Senior Rabbis Issue Rare Public Condemnation of Government Ministers’ Visit to the Temple Mount

Senior Rabbis Issue Rare Public Condemnation of Government Ministers’ Visit to the Temple Mount

Edited by: TJVNews.com

In a rare and highly significant public appearance, five of Israel’s most senior rabbis and halachic authorities have issued a sharp condemnation of recent visits by government ministers to the Temple Mount, a site of profound religious significance and intense controversy. According to a report on the Vois Es Nais web site, the appearance of these revered religious figures in a public video, subtitled in Arabic, shines a spotlight on the gravity of their message and the deep concerns it has sparked within the Orthodox Jewish community.

The visit in question took place on Tisha B’Av, one of the most solemn days in the Jewish calendar, which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. As per the information provided in the VIN report, on this day, Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s National Security Minister, along with Yitzhak Wasserlauf, the Minister for the Development of the Periphery, Negev, and Galilee, ascended the Temple Mount, a move that has drawn widespread criticism from religious authorities.

The Temple Mount, known in Hebrew as Har HaBayit, is the holiest site in Judaism, believed to be the location of the ancient Temples. However, many Orthodox Jews adhere to the belief that Jews are not permitted to enter the site due to the risk of inadvertently stepping into areas of great Kedusha (holiness) where entry is forbidden under Jewish law, as was explained in the VIN report. This position is based on the concern that, without the existence of the Temple and the absence of the necessary rituals of purification, it is impossible to determine where these holy areas are located, thus making any entry potentially sacrilegious.

The video, which was reportedly requested by Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion following a plea from security officials, features five prominent rabbis:  Rabbi Dovid Cohen, Rosh Yeshiva of Chevron and a member of the Council of Torah Sages, alongside Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, and Rabbi Shmuel Betzalel, the report on VIN indicated. Each of these rabbis holds a significant position within the religious community and wields considerable influence over religious practice and interpretation in Israel.

Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl, one of Israel’s foremost halachic authorities and the Chief Rabbi of the Old City of Jerusalem, delivered a stern warning in the video, emphasizing the consensus among leading rabbis against ascending the Temple Mount. “All the leading rabbis have signed – do not ascend the Temple Mount. It is strictly forbidden to enter the Temple Mount,” Rabbi Nebenzahl declared, as was noted in the VIN report. .

Rabbi Shmuel Betzalel, a member of the Council of Torah Sages and head of the prestigious Porat Yosef Yeshiva, echoed this sentiment, stating, “The majority of the leading halachic authorities of our generation forbid this, and no one should ascend the Temple Mount.”

Rabbi Dovid Cohen, a highly respected figure in the world of Torah scholarship and a leading voice in halachic discourse, did not mince words in his condemnation. Referring to those who ascend the Temple Mount as “hooligans,” Rabbi Cohen expressed a profound sense of obligation to protest against what he sees as a severe desecration of one of Judaism’s holiest sites. “We have an obligation to protest. This is something that cannot be ignored. These hooligans have desecrated the Temple publicly,” Rabbi Cohen declared, as was reported by VIN.

Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, who served as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel and is a prominent halachic authority, took his message beyond the Jewish community, addressing the nations of the world in a plea for understanding and restraint. The VIN report indicated that in a statement that reflects both humility and a desire for peace, Rabbi Yosef emphasized that the actions of a few should not be seen as representative of the broader Jewish community. “I call on the nations of the world not to see these government ministers as representatives of the Jewish people. They do not represent Israel. Most Jews in Israel and around the world do not ascend the Temple Mount,” Rabbi Yosef stated.

Rabbi Yosef’s appeal is also a call for unity among the nations and an acknowledgment of shared beliefs. “Please work to calm the situation; we all believe in one God and seek peace among nations. We must not let extremist fringes lead us,” he urged.

The overwhelming majority of halachic authorities have long forbidden Jews from ascending the Temple Mount. This prohibition is rooted in concerns about ritual purity and the sanctity of the site. The VIN report explained that according to Jewish law, certain areas of the Temple Mount are so holy that only the High Priest could enter them, and then only under specific conditions during the times of the Temples. Since the precise locations of these areas are no longer known, ascending the Mount poses the risk of trespassing on these sacred spaces, which is considered an extremely stringent sin.

This prohibition has been reinforced by generations of rabbis, who have issued rulings and public declarations warning against visiting the Mount. The recent actions of government ministers who chose to ignore these rulings have therefore been met with strong rebuke from the rabbinic establishment. These rabbis fear that such actions not only violate Jewish law but also undermine the unity and safety of the Jewish people, both in Israel and around the world.

The video condemning the ascension to the Temple Mount, featuring these senior rabbis, has been widely disseminated, including on PANET, a website aimed at the Arab-Israeli audience, the VIN report noted.