For what I guess is the second time, as last year they announced it "for the first time in two thousand years", some people from Yeshivat Hamikdash broke into Har Habayit via Shaar Hatzon, an ancient gate into the walls of Har Habyit via which the sheep were generally brought into the mikash for sacrifices, and performed the sacrifical rite of waving the "2 loaves" on Friday on the holiday of Shavuos. The "hanafat shtei halechem", the waving of the two loaves is the central korban of the Shavuos holiday (in addition to other korbanos that are less possible to bring or perform today).

It is hard to find too many details about this incident but the "Har Habait News" mentions it saying 14 people broke in to Har Habayit through Shaar Hatzon on Shavuos, 9 of whom succeeded in getting in, including Ariel Cohen, to the area of the azara, the inner courtyard of the mikdash where korbanos would be sacrificed. Once there, Cohen, dressed in the Priestly Garments, waved the two loaves, performing the ritual as prescribed.

Ariel Cohen did the same last year as well.

They were all captured and detained.

Har Habayit was closed to Jews on the shavuos holiday, so they really had to break in somehow. I would really like to discover how they got in. Har Habayit is an extremely secure and locked down area.

Can the "Two Loaves" be brought nowadays? I don't really know, I am no authority on this, but form what I understand it is considered a public offering which is generally allowed when the entire, or majority of the, community is impure (similar to Korban Pesach), but there are connected requirements that are more problematic. I found this rundown of the issues on the Har Habait News site if you are interested in learning more about it.

Are these a bunch of delusional kids making trouble, getting involved in dangerous matters (bringing korbanos could be trouble if not done properly - of which there are many aspects)? Are they heroes forcing a matter few want to talk about but some think the time has come? Can it be considered a korban tzibbur, a public offering, if the tzibbur, the public, isn't aware of it, isn't interested in it, and maybe largely even opposes it? Does it matter, if there is an obligation and this Cohen fellow is fulfilling it? I know several years back I would have thought this was a great thing, while now I just don't know. I do think it is good from the perspective of bringing awareness and raising discussion. And I still want to know how they circumvented to police and successfully broke into the most secured strip of land in the country with enough time to do this ritual.

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