Mar 10, 2014
today's visit to Har Habayit
I went to Har Habayit this morning. Having a bris in Jerusalem gave me an opportunity to go early to Har Habayit and then to go to the bris...
No, I did not immerse my clothes in the mikva this morning when I went. Among other things, I davened (can I be arrested for admitting this?) for both peace in Bet Shemesh and that after the elections people will be able to respect each other again and live together peacefully.
The pictures are not in any particular order, but that is the fault of Google + and I did not yet have time to organize it properly.
We had a small group of 7 - 4 from Bet Shemesh, another 2 from Chashmonaim, and a woman from Jerusalem joined our group. I was surprised to see the Har so busy, with many tourists and Arabs. Often on days when the weather is cold and rainy the Har is mostly empty - today it was pretty busy. The police were a bit tense at the beginning, moving us along quickly and not letting us linger. When we got to the eastern side they calmed down and then pretty much let us have as much time as we wanted.
No, I did not immerse my clothes in the mikva this morning when I went. Among other things, I davened (can I be arrested for admitting this?) for both peace in Bet Shemesh and that after the elections people will be able to respect each other again and live together peacefully.
The pictures are not in any particular order, but that is the fault of Google + and I did not yet have time to organize it properly.
We had a small group of 7 - 4 from Bet Shemesh, another 2 from Chashmonaim, and a woman from Jerusalem joined our group. I was surprised to see the Har so busy, with many tourists and Arabs. Often on days when the weather is cold and rainy the Har is mostly empty - today it was pretty busy. The police were a bit tense at the beginning, moving us along quickly and not letting us linger. When we got to the eastern side they calmed down and then pretty much let us have as much time as we wanted.
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| a bar mitzva boy of Bucharian descent near the Kotel |
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| the navy had a group of teens at the Kotel |
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| we all got patted down after emptying our pockets |
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| view of the Kotel from the bridge to the Mugrabi Gate |
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| the policeman curiously asked me about my footwear |
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| Japanese tourists |
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what is with the shoes?
ReplyDeleteit was too cold and wet for me to go barefoot, so I wore my vibram fivefinger shoes (non-leather)
DeleteI am mostly ignorant of the issue involved and am asking out of curiosity. You linked a post that Rabbi Mazuz permits it, so I can understand that there is a difference in opinion in halacha.
ReplyDeleteHowever my understanding was that the overwhelmingly "stam minhag" was not to go on to har habayit. Has that changed? It's been, unfortunately, many, many years since I've been in Israel; and from your matter-of-fact tone, it sounds like it may have.
If not, I was wondering what was your motivation for doing this, given that this is (I think) a quite serious issue.
there is no such thing as stam minhag to not go. some say dont go because of ti being assur and others say you can go. there is no minhag to not go.
Deletea comparison that comes to mind is gid hanashe, and eating from the hindquarters when nikkur was done by an expert (usually a sefardi). many rabbis say there is no minhag to not eat from the hindquarters, it was just a lack of expertise, so if you find an expert you can eat. some rabbis say there is a minhag not to (I took a poll of many rabbis on this issue many years ago, and the number of rabbis who claimed a minhag was extremely small relative to those who said no minhag).
meaning, just because something is considered prohibited due to lack of knowledge (in this case, where the kodesh kodashim is) doesnt turn it into a minhag.
it is far from standard for people to go, though the numbers of people following the psak that it is allowed, obviously adhering to certain guidelines of preparation and where one can go, has been increasing. I have gone many times. my rav allows it.