In the article, “The Chief Rabbi of Israel versus Ben-Gvir” (July 20, 2023), many reasons are given for not being allowed to ascend the Temple Mount. Those who advocate for this ability are deemed to lack support in halacha. However, certain points were not reviewed.
When Ezra the Scribe and 40,000 Jews returned from Persia, the Temple Mount they rebuilt was much smaller than today. That they got to work as soon as given permission (by a non-Jewish king) was a normal Jewish response to the situation, not unlike the return of the Jewish people to the land today. The Temple Mount was subsequently expanded, most impressively under Herod the Great. Herod solved a major expansion issue by creating arches and then a plaza above it. This is seen to this day from the Mugrabi gate (the only entrance allowed to Jews, which is above the Western Wall) and to the right. The mosque occupying the area formerly known as “Solomon’s Stables” is situated on this later added area.
The areas added by Herod do not have the same sanctity as the original mount. There is further archeological evidence that non-Jews were allowed onto many areas of the Temple Mount because signs exist from that era demarcating the areas permitted to them.
The Temple Warning inscriptions were hung along the balustrade outside the Second Temple complex in Jerusalem. Two have been found. Greek and Latin inscriptions on the Temple’s balustrade served as warnings to pagan visitors not to proceed under penalty of death. But they were clearly allowed up on the mount itself or there would be no need for the signs. If uncircumcised, idol-worshiping pagans could go to the periphery of the mount, what arguments can be used against Jews to visit those same areas?
Therefore, it is obvious that even pagans were allowed onto the Temple Mount when the Temple stood and it is obvious that there are areas clearly added much later by Herod. The arguments to prohibit visitation of these areas lose validity with these facts.
The devastating impact of the lack of Jewish presence on the mount is seen by the general ignorance by the overwhelming number of Jews in the world today. Indeed, Moshe Dayan was so lacking in his understanding of Jewish history he literally gave the keys to the mount back to the Waqf, which work very hard to maintain the area as Judenrein.
So, if you do not want to ascend the Temple Mount, that is up to whatever authority by which you hold; however, those who do so have solid ground upon which to base their very sincere actions.
Scott David Lippe, MD
Teaneck
