The Honor of the Temple Mount
02
Nov
2009
[from the Israeli newspaper "Makor Rishon"]
Like many other things, the subject of the Temple is beyond all human intellect. We must therefore stand before it in trembling and not assume that we can understand its holiness with our human capabilities. But the opposite extreme is also destruction, and we must learn with our intellect as much as we can, to try to understand, to study and analyze. We must learn about the Temple from the perspective of Halachah and thought as individuals and in conference and public lectures.
Many great Torah scholars expressed their opinion in a clear and unambiguous manner that one should not even touch the Temple Mount. For example, our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah, was not less idealistic, courageous and dedicated than those pushing to allow visits to the Temple Mount, and he spearheaded the entire settlement enterprise, and at the same time, he ruled that it was forbidden to touch the Temple Mount. One who says to stay away from the Temple Mount is not necessarily weak, and one who is passionate about going up is not necessarily strong.
The claim that in relation to the Temple Mount we are like the G-d-fearing, Anti-Zionist Jews in relation to the Land of Israel is correct. But what does it matter? Is everything of equal value? Have we reached the state that we are incapable of distinguishing between different levels of holiness? There are certainly many great things about those who are passionate about going on to the Temple Mount, but the idea itself – in my view – is a complete mistake and dangerous.
The Temple Mount – it time has not arrived yet. What time has arrived? To increase building the Nation through love and faith.
Like many other things, the subject of the Temple is beyond all human intellect. We must therefore stand before it in trembling and not assume that we can understand its holiness with our human capabilities. But the opposite extreme is also destruction, and we must learn with our intellect as much as we can, to try to understand, to study and analyze. We must learn about the Temple from the perspective of Halachah and thought as individuals and in conference and public lectures.
Many great Torah scholars expressed their opinion in a clear and unambiguous manner that one should not even touch the Temple Mount. For example, our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah, was not less idealistic, courageous and dedicated than those pushing to allow visits to the Temple Mount, and he spearheaded the entire settlement enterprise, and at the same time, he ruled that it was forbidden to touch the Temple Mount. One who says to stay away from the Temple Mount is not necessarily weak, and one who is passionate about going up is not necessarily strong.
The claim that in relation to the Temple Mount we are like the G-d-fearing, Anti-Zionist Jews in relation to the Land of Israel is correct. But what does it matter? Is everything of equal value? Have we reached the state that we are incapable of distinguishing between different levels of holiness? There are certainly many great things about those who are passionate about going on to the Temple Mount, but the idea itself – in my view – is a complete mistake and dangerous.
The Temple Mount – it time has not arrived yet. What time has arrived? To increase building the Nation through love and faith.
Originally posted by Torat HaRav Aviner
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