My Aliya to Har Habayit
Details, Thoughts,
Feelings, Perspectives
Pre-Rosh Hashana 5764
Allen Krasna
For another article from someone else's visit to Har Habayit,
including pictures, please visit Sam Michaelson' s site:
http://www.younevercall.com/templemount/
One of my favorite Rabbis in BMT, 20 years ago, taught a
class in Jewish mysticism. He said one of the greatest challenges of Jewish
life and of
How much more so when going up to Har Habayit the site of the temple and where God’s presence rests. You have to “see” it. You have to look through the physical (which is sad and so offensive) and be able to see what is REALLY there. You have to feel the divine presence, even with someone 3 feet away, oblivious to its existence (both our enemies, and the innocent tourist who has no idea what he is seeing). You have to visualize what the temple looked like .. where the people walked, how the Korbanot were done, see the Sanhedrin etc., and feel the Shechinah
To deal with politics at one of the holiest moments of your
life is difficult. But going to Hart
Habayit they are unfortunately connected. Not only the bizarre rules that must
be followed to avoid an international incident, and to not give “excuses” for
more terrorist activities, but also knowing that the MAIN way to show the
world, and even our own government, that Har Habayit is ours (actually it is God’s,
but that is another story) is to go there and “properly” walk over the holy
ground showing our possession and right. Also just demanding to be able to go,
and showing our interest and pressuring for the ability, reminds our own Jewish
leadership how important this ground is. (The same ground that a previous
Jewish Prime Minister was willing to give away)
To those of you who know me, you know that brevity is not a skill I possess. Unfortunately for you, this letter will follow that model. I do feel though that my experiences involved in my visit to Har Habayit are important to share, even an obligation to share, so let me start with a shorter version, for the 90% who don’t have the time to read all the way through, and those interested can read some more details after.
(following the detailed version are notes from a shiur on the topic, and an email I sent out)
I need to start by saying that not all Rabbi’s permit Jew’s to enter Har Habayit. Many great people including great Pokskim and true Religious Zionists do not go. This letter is not about changing your opinion of this important Halachic decision. That is not my place. But rather to just share my experience.
If you remember the “excuse” for the current intifada was
Ariel Sharon’s visit to the
Not much more than a month ago, through a non-trivial political process, it was re-opened.
I had the opportunity to visit Kever Yosef about 4 years ago, almost as an afterthought. (Lets not even think now about the issue of if it is the correct site, that is not the point)
I went and was glad I did. When it was destroyed less than a year later, only then did I realize what a zechut I had. I also realized when you have a chance to do something of importance .. you don’t wait.
A group from our community decided to set up a visit and I know that I could not take a chance again and hope for a better time.
Without details, going up to Har Habayit is NOT to be taken lightly. You need to be educated and understand SEVERAL things (I will go into more details in the longer version below). The Main issues are
· Where are you permitted to walk today.
· Purifying yourself for going up
· Having the proper Kavana, understanding, fear etc. in your heart and mind when you go.
Our group was 25 male adults and 2 children. As we went up 3 others joined us. (2 may not have been religious, 1 of the 2 may not have even been Jewish)
We left at
We then all davened at the Kotel. I should say that the davening itself was really nice. Just being together as a community there was a unity and seriousness to our group.
At
The person who led us, a neighbor, Rabbi “Ari”, who has been up several times before, and knows the halachot and history very well, had informed the police (Israeli) at the entrance that we were coming a day or so beforehand. The police wanted to make sure that we would not do anything that could “upset” the Arabs of the mount, the wakf’s staff etc. as it would only lead to trouble. We had a problem as a few of our groups had ripped Kriya in preparation for going up, and Jews are not allowed to rip Kriya on Har Habayit or wear clothes that have Kriya ripped on them. (The rules are quite enigmantic .. as we were allowed to wear Kipot, several people had their tzitzit out, a few were bearfoot, and that was fine. I am sure a tourist with ripped jeans would not have a problem. a ceremonial rip in a shirt is not allowed, and as you will see later.. lips moving in what seems like prayer can be a very serious issue)
The police were tough in terms of not having trouble, but I understand the position they are in. I noticed that several of the police on the temple mount had bandages on their arms, possibly from the many conflicts in the last few weeks, including last Friday where rocks were thrown down at Jews at the Kotel.
We entered Har Habayit and had 4 companions, 2 Israeli police who were with us each step of the way, and 2 “wakf police” with a pistol and walkie talkie. Our group was the only group on the Mount at that time. No other tourists. (2 people who joined us seemed like tourists and stayed with our group the whole time)
When you enter the “green Gates” to Har Habayit from there you are not really on Har Habayit, but a Herodian addition which is added to the South part of Har Habayit. To your right is the Al Aksa Mosque (not on the real Har Habayit) we were allowed to walk straight but not to the right (as Arabs won’t let us go near their mosque) and not to the left (by Halacha we can be getting close to Makom Hamikdash which even though we went to mikvah we are not allowed to go to since we are still “tumat met”). Our path was:
· Enter to the Right on the women’s section
· Straight from West (like Western Wall) to the Eastern (West to East on the South side of the rectangle).
· At South-East a left following the Eastern Wall (to a degree this is the holiest side)
· We made another left And walked on the North side from East to West. The was the side where the Sanhedrin was.
· We Exited Har Habayit at the Green gates that if you walk straight from there .. you walk through the Shuk and Exit Shaar Yafo.
The step you take onto Har Habayit is surreal. You feel like you are going into a new dimension. It was a moment I did not take lightly, we had learned about the seriousness enough that everyone was silent and somber as we entered. It was hard to balance the Kedusha we felt with the wakf people and construction workers treading on our holy ground.
The whole visit is a balance of :
· “Feeling” the Kedusha. (el Hamakom Asher Ama lo Ha-elohim)
· Trying to understand and visualize where the various locations of the Bet Hamikdash were. (Oloteyhem vezivchehem, leratzon al mizbachi)
· The avelut of not having a Beit Hamikdash (Mipnai Chataenu Galinu M’artzenu)
· Seeing the “shualim” (foxes) trample over the ruins of the temple
· The rage of having our movements and what we can do at the whim of our enemy
· And although “Har Habayit Beyadenu” having the Israeli police force us to capitulate to the wakf’s demands, so we do not “enrage” them and give them an excuse to not allow us to come.
Going back to the enigma. You are not allowed to pray, mourn, bow, learn torah, etc. This is the wakf’s rules, which the gov’t and police agreed to. But you may give a tour. Rabbi “Ari” our “tourguide” was able to point out things and explain them. He, of course did it in a torah context, but was very careful about which words he said. He spoke about historically what would happen in about a week (Rosh Hashana) but did not say the words. He spoke about akedat Yitzchak which happened there. And how Avraham said “Shvu Lachem Po Im hachamor” to his non-Jewish companions, and went only with Yitzchak to the Har. The significance of them needing to stay back was not lost on anyone in our group. They were not listening carefully enough to understand exactly what he was saying and I am not sure his “historical” explanantion of various Mishnayot dealing with Korbanot and the Avodah was really allowed. Through his explanation we were able to “see” the Beit Hamikdash and follow the Avodah.
The Wakf group (which grew to 6 and by the end was closer to a mob of 30) was watching a listening carefully to what we said and did. 3 times we almost created incidents, as:
· They did not like that someone was “swaying” while listening to the explanation.
· They noticed someone’s ripped shirt (not that he ripped it then, that he was walking with a ripped shirt)
· As the group of Arabs grew they screamed to each-other and to the police – “look, that one he is praying” (not bowing or screaming Shma Yisrael) .. they didn’t like people closing their eyes with Kavana and not saying anything.
Each of these was followed by the police getting involved and a discussion. After the third incident for the rest of our trip we were followed by a growing group of Arabs. The police were a buffer between the groups and the tension was real.
To be honest .. of course we were davening .. either “b’lev” (in our hearts) or even slightly moving our lips. In our group there was always a subtle hum that we tried to cover up. How could we not pray. Never in my life have a felt an “urge” to bow down. We had ask our Rav, earlier in the week, if we do daven, what should we say. He said there is no set Nusach .. say what you feel. Besides the Tehillim that I know by heart (mimaamikim, and Esa Einai) the 2 things I felt a need to say were Aleynu … and also I kept repeating to myself – “Vahavioti El har Kodshi, vesimachtim bevet Tfilati …. Ki Hi Beeyti Bet Tefilah Yikarey le’kol haamim”
As I said, our last few minutes were tense. The Mufti (who
is “in charge” of the
When you leave a shul or the Kotel you are supposed to walk backwards to not have your back to the holiness. That is something I do as rote, I can’t say I feel it. This time I mamash felt that I was taking my leave from the Shechina, leaving the palace where we had been given a special audience.
Leaving, I felt like we were being corked into a bottle. We were walking out VERY slowly .. the group of Arabs was in a semi circle trying to push us out (with the Mufti in the center). And the Police were in the middle. It was like 3 arcs us, the police, the wakf people … we went out the small green doors. To me this was the most emotional time the combination of feelings was too much .. most of us were crying.
Once off the Har, while the door was still open and the last
people coming out, someone in the group started singing out loud “Ssheyibane
Bet Hamikdash” in a slow tune. We all joined in .. it was the only thing to say.
The Mufti was incensed. (It should be said the Mufti is the same person who at the Friday prayers gives speeches meant to incite people to riot) He took the green door and tried to slam it shut. The police .. who initially seemed to tolerate us but not support us, jumped into action. They pushed the door back open. A change to the Status Quo in not tolerated. He told them, we are doing nothing wrong we are “outside” their domain and are allowed to. We could see his pride in us.
After we were done what did we do? Most of us rushed to work that we were already late for. To me this was significant for many reasons.
· How life may be like in the time of the mikdash. You need to give a Korban. And then you go on to your job.
· Could this what we talk about with “Torah VeMada”, or the “Shveel Hazahav”. Up at 4, Mikve, daven at the Kotel, Har Habayit in a Torah context, and then making a paranasa and contributing to society.
· It was with great pride that I went to work.
To me, the whole day was special. It was mamash a YomTov for me. Maybe also because I was dressed in my Yomtov clothes and white kipa. There was a kedusha to the rest of my day.
The most interesting thing I can think of
.. is that instead of 30 people once a day every
few days, that we have people properly prepared, lining up, thousands a day,
following the silly rules, but not stopping. A constant flow.
Jews going on Har Habayit B’kedusha.
Besides the Kiddush Hashem that would be and the Mesirat Nefesh of all the people,
we all know policy follows FACTS on the ground. PosessionPossession
is 9/10ths of the law. With only a few crazy’s (like us) going every once in a
while this will not be a priority for the gov’t and
the world. With mass numbers going every day it creates facts. Uvdot.
And you know what? The Wakf people will not be
hawking each group the way they try to intimidate the few who come. So many
FACTS/Realities are just created by people making them important. What better
way to show our Ribonut on Yerushalaim.
Har Habayit Beyadenu.
Now I guess is where I am supposed to make some pitch, about going, or supporting, or something else but I think this speaks for itself.
Shana Tova
Allen Krasna
In thhise
section I just want to add some points to the above.
More detail in terms of Halachot and events.
Just to get all my thoughts down.
As I said, we had a few shiurim on this topic. In the first one the Rav brought the mekorot for figuring out geographically where Har Habayit it is. Then, where, relative to it, the Beit Hamikdash is. Since going where you are not allowed is chayav karet, the attitude is to take the most machmir, most conservative estimates. It reminded me of school when we had the circles with sets and groups and intersections etc. We took all the opinions and drew the perimeter around them ALL. We assumed everywhere we were was considered Har Habayit .. and were very machmir where we walked in terms of not walking on Makom Hamikdash. This included avoiding ANY chashash of going to the Ezrat Nashim.
At the second shiur, our Rav was stressing VERY strongly the seriousness of going to Har Habayit, both in terms of being in the proper tehara state and also in the Proper Kavanot.
Going to the mikvah is required and much more closely follows the halachot that a woman needs to do than how men are used to going. I found out how much I need to floss. Making a brocha with Shem Hashem to me was a very significant thing. Showing that this is the “real” thing, not a game.
There is a concept called “More’ Mikdash” ‘fear’ of the Mikdash. Fear/awe/seriousness
Here are some of the items he mentioned relating to that.
· No “light discussion”
· Kavana at all times
· Do not bring cameras (unless you feel there is an important purpose in taking pictures)
· Dress like you are going to an important business meeting. Or literally to see Malchut. In our group we were really like that. White Shirts, Shabbat Kipot, some sports jackets, ties
At the end of this I will attach a mail I sent of the details of the shiur.
I want to take you through the whole day.
·
We set to be at the Mikvah in Yerushalayim at
·
Driving through my neighborhood at
· We went to a mikva in Sanhedria. My first surprise was at how many people were there going to the Mikva as their daily task.
· Sign on the Mikva door near the turnstile where you pay. Coming in the Mikva and not paying is considered Tovel VeSheretz Beyado
· The Regulars were curious why there were so many outsiders. And why we were making Brachot. When we explained, I did not get the impression that they were supportive of people going up to Har Habayit.
·
Parking is easy at the old city at
· We got to the Kotel and it was packed. Huge groups of people go for Vatikin, it got silent in the course of 5 seconds.
· Since we were starting later we were not vatikin but about a half hour later. By the time we were finished we were the only people at the Kotel. At first I was so happy at how many people go there, but then it emptied. As I said above, it was just so nice to have our own minyan with our own special minyan at the Kotel. (As a Chiyuv it was my first time as Chazan for Shaharit at the Kotel in my life.)
· We met at the gate .. were given direction by police and entered as above.
· At one point our “guide” was talking to us, but we were to close to a Moslem site, the police came over and said “you CAN move down there”.
·
At the SouthEast
Corner of Har Habayit we could see the Herodian
addition to our south (remember south of HH is NOT the same as south of what is
today enclosed as
· There was one Israeli policeman who was videotaping everything. He also panned very carefully on each person. I am sure that as of today I am on some subversive list of crazy right-wingers. I hope I was smiling.
· As I said, praying was not permitted. Our guide though was brilliant. As he was explaining things he quickly switched and spoke about Rav Solovetchick in Al-Hateshuva (all the while pointing like he was talking about some historical issue), and that true tfilah is Tfilah shebalev .. Hamevin Yavin. And we all did
· You needed to have seen the sadistic pleasure the Arabs had, complaining about the most trivial thing, knowing they could play this game, literally with our heartstrings. They loved the control. How they must laugh at us and our politically correct Western life. They have control because we ceded control to them.
·
One thing that went through my
mind while there, was that I wished Moshe Dayan was there with me. So he could see what happened
since he gave the keys back to the Mufti in ’67. (Nafal
Pachad Hagoyim) That this
is what the Jews get for being benevolent to our enemies after their loss at
the hands of God. The day the Arabs get control of our holy sites is the day we
will be banished from them. And I assure you this is true for Christian sites
too. How great is God in his wisdom. I shutter to think if
I can’t say I was 100% successful with my Kavana and my More’ Mikdash. The politics and shualim were too strong. I hope to go again soon and try to ignore the extraneous issues, to not get upset and to just try to reach the level of kavana needed for this kedusha.
Last night my girls went with school to the Kotel for Slichot. I think yesterday was the kind of day I had imagined I would have, when I first idealistically thought of Aliya when I was 18. I go to Har Habayit in the morning, my kids to the Kotel in the evening. It was good to have this day to remember why we are really here, and why we need to be here.
I want to end with the Story I started with, Of the Orange Grass.
Besides our enemies who celebrate their “impurifying” of our holiest of sites, I was wondering, while planning to go, about the regular tourist. Even a Jew. I prepare with Shiurim, I go to Mikva, I don’t walk to places that halacha tells me I can’t, even though the Arabs ‘let’ me. And believe me my preparation, carefulness and Kavana ALL leave much to be desired.
What kind of sucker am I?
Look anyone can go, its no big deal. Just goes up. Wants where he wants,
takes a few pictures. The only comparison I can think of, LEHAVDIL ELEF ALPHAI
HAVDALOT, is an art student and any “Joe” off the street at a museum. The
un-educated “Joe” looks at a picture, maybe even is stupid enough to touch it.
Maybe he says .. this is kind
of pretty. The student sits in awe at
the greatness seeing much more, can’t even get words out of his mouth.
May Hashem grant me the ability to
clearly see the
May anything that anyone learns from this article be a zechot for the Neshomo of my mother Chaya Sima Bat Shalom.
Shan Tova Lekol Am yisrael
Allen
Here is the Shiur Summary:
(this is my best effort - taking
notes of the Rav’s Shiur
Elul 5763 regarding Aliya to Har Habayit. All
mistakes and misunderstandings are mine.- Allen
Krasna)
Intro
I will try to
talk concisely.
I am very happy that people are interested in going to Har
Habayit.
I see the interest as an aliya ruchanit and a sign of geula
Talk will be in 3
parts
Importance
of going to HH
1. Why its good/important
to go
2.
Understand
the seriousness -Get care that needs to be taken
3.
Tachlis – issues.
How and What to do. (including Mikvah)
Importance:
Many important Mitzvot going up
to har ha bayit and
importance
·
If we
are not there it gives a sign we are giving up our ownership
·
Mevo mikdash – Ramabam says it is avodat hashem
·
Showing we
want to restart korbanot
·
Preparing
for future many mitzvoth for clal Yisrael
lulav korbanot …
·
Today
also go as part of our Avelut for no Bet Hamikdash
·
To
remove the “Chilul hashem”
of what is there now. (by going in Taharah)
When people go up we are
“watching”/protecting. And it is a kidush heshem to go up
To be careful
·
You must
know exact details of how to do and where to go. (like when we made matza, its not a “Simple” matter)
·
It must
be done leshem mitzvah.
·
Don’t
let emotion take over you need to follow halachot
3 ways to ensure you
do it correctly.
·
Be as Machmir as you can – don’t take chances (example: the Ratvas says we can go much closer than where we say we can
go today .. but we are conservatively careful).
As time goes on and more people do this lehalacha
we can progress even more (example in future we may get a para
adumah and then be able to go other places)
·
Machmir on Mikvah –details below .
·
Mora Mikdash – “Fear” of Mikdash.
Solemnity. We don’t go for “kef” .. it is for a ruchani reasons (fear, paachad,
seriousness) it’s a mitzvah to fear the Makom Hamikdash (fear in the presence of Hashem)
Tachlis Issues
·
Don’t
eat on HH
·
Can only
go for “need”. - Need in our case is the mitzvah
·
No Sichat Chulin no Conversation
chatting. Can ask about things and point out places but kavana
on the fact that we are in a very kadosh place. (You
can choose to say Tehilim to yourself. For political
reason don’t be seen. Or just say in your head. )
·
No cell
phone that is on. (prob should not take at all)
·
No Makel (walking stick - this is in the gemmora)
·
Weapons
should not be visible (It was pointed out you will not be allowed up with
weapon)
·
No
leather shoes .. better having no hard soul (slipper)
·
Mechubad clothes – Like
you are going to an important meeting (no shorts etc.)
·
No belt
with a pouch …
·
Can have
a wallet inside your pocket .. but should not stick out (It was pointed out TZ required)
Can have car keys ..should not stick out as above
·
No tik –backpack
·
Should
bring a tissue
·
Do not
bring Tfillin up with you
·
Should
not be dirty dusty …
·
Don’t
spit …
·
If you
can you should make the circle via the right and leave should not double back.
The Kohanim always went in a right direction
·
Cameras
– Ravs opinion/suggestion is to NOT bring one.
Complex question. Rav Areil
told him no. Deals with the seriousness of going. If you are taking pictures
for a purpose then it may be allowed- A question should be asked.
Taharah - Mikvah
·
Zav/Bal Keri can not
go to Har Habayit.
·
Mikvah will Metaher Keri. Zev is more complicated although does not really exist
today.
·
If you
have had urinary or kidney surgery or other
medical items that lead to discharges you need ask a Rav.
·
A Chumara is to not going to bathroom after mikvah before going up to HH
The Mikvah details (
·
Chafifa wash body ..Remove hairs off body check before you go in
·
Chatiza wash well,
no ink etc on body ..
·
Careful
with food particle in teeth (not just brush .. floss)
·
Ears and
eyes fingernails ..toenails. If you have temp fillings
ask a Rav)
·
Bracha – some say no .. but others say yes. Rav says yes As it is a mitzvah to go when you go to HH ..(as long as not safak – like went to mikva day
before) we should make bracha . (Kishanu
be mitvotav vetzivanu al Hatvilah)
·
If the mikva is in a room with the showers ..
you should go to another room for the brocha (but cover your body and cross your arms and use it
as a separator between upper and lower body).
·
If no
showers in that room then make bracha in the mikva itself ..
·
(Ari Shames says the one we are going to
have showers in the same room)
·
Water
should get everywhere in your body
·
Should
dip twice.
·
Don’t
shower after … and don’t go to bathroom as above.
Question asked:
·
Kriya - Anshe Yeryshalim hekilu at kriya bekotel (poverty and see it all the time) today most people
don’t do kriya.Rav said everyone should do once in
their life at least this may be a time to do it (if not 30 days) – (Allen:
As I said this ended up being a problem)
-------------------------------
Rabanim
who support going up to Har Habayit
Shmuel Eliyahu, Rav of
Tzfat
Yaakov Ariel, Rav of Ramat Gan
* David Dudkevitch, Rav of Yitzhar
* Chaim Druckman, Rosh Yeshivat Ohr Etzyon
* Eliezer Waldman, Rosh Yeshivat Nir
* Moshe Tendler, Son in law of R=2E Moshe Feinstein
Sh'ear Yashuv Cohen, Rav of Haifa
* Elyakim Levanon, Rav of Elon Moreh
* Dov Lior, Rav of Kiryat Arba
* Yaakov Meidan, Rav of Alon Shevut
Eliezer Melamed, Rav of Beracha
* Yehuda Amital, Rosh Yeshivat Har Etzyon
Nachum Rabinowitz, Rosh Yeshivat Ma'ale Adumim
* Yisrael Rosen, Head of Mechon Tzomet
Avraham Shapira, Chief Rabbi of Israel
* - indicates Rabbanim who have been up themselves
This is very old
information
Here is a mail I sent last night.
We have another groups going next Tuesday
I
was very careful in all my posts about Har Habayit to not make it a big
political deal or give an opinion etc.
I
even had Meshulam's Article be a link
http://www.alsonetworks.com/~aviv/Harhabayit.htm
(includes pics)
so you had to choose
to look at it. I don't want to make my list political on the national
level or to be my opinion list ..
But
there is one thing I would like to say ....
IF
you are considering but not sure about going to Har Habayit next week and your
reason for NOT going is
NOT
a Halachic one (if you feel, or your Posek says it is assur
that is a very legitimate reason to not go):
Then
PLEASE for yourself, go next week.
If
you don't want to go because of logistics, or you want to wait until your Kavana may be better,
or you just don't think it is a good time. Please reconsider.
I
will not say how wonderful spiritual meaningful eye-opening etc. it was for me , and it was all of that.
I
will say (and forgive the defeatist-ness of this) that from going there
and seeing the tension and fragility of the agreement that
allows us to go now.
I
can see how easy it would be, Chass Veshalom, for us not to be able to go.
The
Wakf and his people are looking for ANY excuse to
stop this.
I
was planning on going 3 years ago .. and then it got closed down
about a month before I was planning on going.
I
hope to be able to go many times and I hope anyone who wants to go can go many times .. but I think you need to
say to
yourself if I ever want to go .. I want to go now while
it is easy to do, well planned and allowed. (the
logistics worked out great)
Worst
case you go one extra time in your life .. and you laugh about it when you bring your first Korban Pesach.
Bivrachat Geula Shelema
Allen