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Oct 27, 2016
Gafni's backwards logic regarding Har Habayit
MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ) sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu imploring him to not lift the ban on MKs from visiting Har Habayit.
In Gafni's letter he writes (my translation):
It sounds like backwards logic. Keeping us away from it shows how great our connections is. I can think of many examples in which keeping us away from something does not indicate any strong connection, though there is a certain logic, backwards as it may be, in saying that keeping the distance shows our respect for it more. By that logic he should accept the UNESCO findings and encourage the Prime Minister to keep the Jews away from the Kotel - and our distance from the Kotel will prove our deep connection to it. That has diplomatic issues, and the security issues could be relevant in a moments notice, if the Muslims decide to rally around the UNESCO decision.
His argument does not hold much weight though, If the police are recommending to allow them back on, it means they have evaluated the situation and have decided that it poses no security threat any longer. Who is Moshe Gafni to come and say it still poses a threat?
From a halachic perspective it is also inaccurate. There was never any "chiyuv kares" to ascend Har Habayit. Even if one says that Jews should not today do so for any of a variety of reasons, one cannot just make things up. There was never a chiyuv kares for this, and nobody can create one. There is a chiyuv kares for being in the azara in a state of impurity, but not on Har Habayit.
Gafni should keep arguing his real position that the rabbonim have banned it and halacha is against it (which is debatable, but at least it is a real position to get behind) and not just make things up.
In Gafni's letter he writes (my translation):
Temple Mount is the holiest place to the Jewish nation. That's where the servic eof the Bet Hamikdash was, the sacrifices were offered there, the Holy of Holies was located there into which the Kohen Gadol entered on Yom Kippur... Because of our sins the Temple was destroyed and there is a "chiyuv kares" for going up to Har Habayit. We now pray "our eyes should see your merciful return to Zion". Not ascending Har Habayit is the deepest proof of our connection to this holy place to which all the prayer s around the world are directed.sources: INN, NRG
Recently it has been publicized that the police, under certain conditions, are recommending to allow MKs to ascend Har Habayit, and the decision is in your hand.
I hereby turn to youand request you take the decision to continue preventing the ascent to Har Habayit, both for the diplomatic reasons of how states around the world relate to this, and for the security reasons due to the incitement in the arab world, and not just there, because of this, and especially because there is no reason for [ascending] - it does not show authority. Just the opposite. It is a desecration of the holiness at the most holy place to Jews....
It sounds like backwards logic. Keeping us away from it shows how great our connections is. I can think of many examples in which keeping us away from something does not indicate any strong connection, though there is a certain logic, backwards as it may be, in saying that keeping the distance shows our respect for it more. By that logic he should accept the UNESCO findings and encourage the Prime Minister to keep the Jews away from the Kotel - and our distance from the Kotel will prove our deep connection to it. That has diplomatic issues, and the security issues could be relevant in a moments notice, if the Muslims decide to rally around the UNESCO decision.
His argument does not hold much weight though, If the police are recommending to allow them back on, it means they have evaluated the situation and have decided that it poses no security threat any longer. Who is Moshe Gafni to come and say it still poses a threat?
From a halachic perspective it is also inaccurate. There was never any "chiyuv kares" to ascend Har Habayit. Even if one says that Jews should not today do so for any of a variety of reasons, one cannot just make things up. There was never a chiyuv kares for this, and nobody can create one. There is a chiyuv kares for being in the azara in a state of impurity, but not on Har Habayit.
Gafni should keep arguing his real position that the rabbonim have banned it and halacha is against it (which is debatable, but at least it is a real position to get behind) and not just make things up.
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Labels:
Har Habayit,
Moshe Gafni
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Well said, especially: "By that logic he should accept the UNESCO findings and encourage the Prime Minister to keep the Jews away from the Kotel - and our distance from the Kotel will prove our deep connection to it." Shkoyach!
ReplyDeleteYou are being misleading. What he clearly meant was the fact that we revere it so much that we do not dare go up on it Bzman Hazeh is proof of how Holy it is today to us. Not to the rest of the world (whether because its a Chiyuv Kares, or a concept similar to a Naazir where you tell him stay FAR away from accidentally being Over this Issur)
ReplyDeleteI said there is some logic to it, but it is backwards (in my opinion)
DeleteThere is a mitzva of mora mikdash. part of the mitzva is going to Har Habayit in the proper fashion. according to toras kohanim, this mitzva is even after the mikdash has been destroyed (perhaps derabanan according to some opinions).
how can staying away from that show more of a connection to it than by performing the mitzva of aliya l'har?
that is from a halachic aspect. it is backwards because it contradicts the mitzva.
from a logic standpoint it is backwards because it means that we should stay away from anything we have a connection to, especially if it upsets others. Leave eretz yisrael and stay away. we will be more ocnnected to it, and the arabs and world are upset at us for being here. Stay away form the Kotel, as UNESCO claims it isnt ours, and we will thereby be more connected to it as well.. etc.
There are people who don't learn Torah during the year so they don't come to learn Torah on Tish B'Av. I had no idea how deep their connection to learning Torah is. Thank you for clarifying.
ReplyDelete