(יב) וְהִגְבַּלְתָּ֤ אֶת־הָעָם֙ סָבִ֣יב לֵאמֹ֔ר הִשָּׁמְר֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם עֲל֥וֹת בָּהָ֖ר וּנְגֹ֣עַ בְּקָצֵ֑הוּ כָּל־הַנֹּגֵ֥עַ בָּהָ֖ר מ֥וֹת יוּמָֽת׃
(12) You shall set bounds for the people round about, saying, ‘Beware of going up the mountain or touching the border of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death:
והגבלת. קְבַע לָהֶם תְּחוּמִין לְסִימָן, שֶׁלֹּא יִקְרְבוּ מִן הַגְּבוּל וָהָלְאָה:
והגבלת AND THOU SHALT SET BOUNDS — set boundary marks for them as a sign that they should not approach the mountain from the boundary and beyond.
What else in history had holiness and still retains holiness? The Beis HaMikdosh. Even the place where it once resided still retains that holiness. What is the name of that place? The Har HaBayis. There have been and still are stories of wayward, misguided, fanatic or extremist Jews, who ‘look’ very religious, but completely ignore and violate the words of our Gedolim not to go on the Har HaBayis!
(א) וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ. יֵשׁ שָׁמַע וְהִפְסִיד. וְיֵשׁ שָׁמַע וְנִשְׂכַּר...
(1) Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Some hear and lose (their reward), while others hear and are rewarded...
וְהַתּוֹרָה נִקְנֵית בְּאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה דְבָרִים. וְאֵלוּ הֵן... בִּשְׁמִיעַת הָאֹזֶן
but the Torah by forty-eight things... Attentive listening...
(יז) הַ֥ט אׇזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃
(17) Incline your ear and listen to the words of the sages;
Pay attention to my wisdom.
Pay attention to my wisdom.
Unfortunately, their emotions (i.e. heart) have dominated their intelligence (i.e. mind).
(י) הַשְׁמֵן֙ לֵב־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְאׇזְנָ֥יו הַכְבֵּ֖ד וְעֵינָ֣יו הָשַׁ֑ע פֶּן־יִרְאֶ֨ה בְעֵינָ֜יו וּבְאׇזְנָ֣יו יִשְׁמָ֗ע וּלְבָב֥וֹ יָבִ֛ין וָשָׁ֖ב וְרָ֥פָא לֽוֹ׃
(10) Dull that people’s mind,
Stop its ears,
And seal its eyes—
Lest, seeing with its eyes
And hearing with its ears,
It also grasp with its mind,
And repent and save itself.”
Stop its ears,
And seal its eyes—
Lest, seeing with its eyes
And hearing with its ears,
It also grasp with its mind,
And repent and save itself.”
They sincerely ‘believe’ and ‘feel’ that the Gedolim are ‘depriving’ them of having a relationship with G-d. Just like Moshe Rabbeinu made boundaries around Har Sinai, our Gedolim have made boundaries of how close one is permitted be to the Har HaBayis.
What’s the cause of their dangerous movement?
(יז) מַֽיִם־גְּנוּבִ֥ים יִמְתָּ֑קוּ וְלֶ֖חֶם סְתָרִ֣ים יִנְעָֽם׃
(17) “Stolen waters are sweet,
And bread eaten furtively is tasty.”
And bread eaten furtively is tasty.”
מים גנובים ימתקו. אין טעם ביאת פנויה כטעם א"א אף לענין המצוה מים גנובים ימתקו שהיו יראים לעשות בגלוי ועושין בסתר:
Stolen water is sweet The pleasure afforded by intimacy with a single woman does not equal that afforded by intimacy with a married woman. Also, regarding the commandments (other editions: sectarianism), stolen water is sweet, for they were afraid to do it in public, but did it in secret.
גנובים - כלומר דבר האסור לו יצרו רודף אחריו:
A man naturally desires and pursues that which is forbidden to him.
When our Gedolim ban things, people find more of a need to ignore their words and do as they please.
(יג) כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה מָרְדֳּכַי כָּךְ עָמַד וְהִכְרִיז עֲלֵיהֶם וְאָמַר לָהֶם לֹא תֵלְכוּ לֶאֱכֹל בִּסְעוּדָתוֹ שֶׁל אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ... וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ לְדִבְרֵי מָרְדֳּכַי וְהָלְכוּ כֻּלָּם לְבֵית הַמִּשְׁתֶּה.
(13) When Mordekhai saw this, he arose and proclaimed, saying to them: ‘Do not go to eat at the banquet of Aḥashverosh... They did not heed the words of Mordekhai, and they all went to the banquet house.
Why is that? The Torah tells us that we are “a stiff-necked people.”
(ט) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יקוק אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף הֽוּא׃
(9) יקוק further said to Moses, “I see that this is a stiffnecked people.
(ג) אֶל־אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָ֑שׁ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א אֶֽעֱלֶ֜ה בְּקִרְבְּךָ֗ כִּ֤י עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֙רֶף֙ אַ֔תָּה פֶּן־אֲכֶלְךָ֖ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃
(3) a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go in your midst, since you are a stiffnecked people, lest I destroy you on the way.”
(ה) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יקוק אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אַתֶּ֣ם עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֔רֶף רֶ֧גַע אֶחָ֛ד אֶֽעֱלֶ֥ה בְקִרְבְּךָ֖ וְכִלִּיתִ֑יךָ וְעַתָּ֗ה הוֹרֵ֤ד עֶדְיְךָ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְאֵדְעָ֖ה מָ֥ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לָּֽךְ׃
(5) יקוק said to Moses, “Say to the Israelite people, ‘You are a stiffnecked people. If I were to go in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now, then, leave off your finery, and I will consider what to do to you.’”
(ו) וְיָדַעְתָּ֗ כִּ֠י לֹ֤א בְצִדְקָֽתְךָ֙ יקוק אֱ֠לֹקֶ֠יךָ נֹתֵ֨ן לְךָ֜ אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַטּוֹבָ֛ה הַזֹּ֖את לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ כִּ֥י עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף אָֽתָּה׃
(6) Know, then, that it is not for any virtue of yours that your God יקוק is giving you this good land to possess; for you are a stiffnecked people.
(יג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יקוק אֵלַ֣י לֵאמֹ֑ר רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף הֽוּא׃
(13) יקוק further said to me, “I see that this is a stiffnecked people.
This can either be a blessing or curse. When the nations of the world want to make, us forget Hashem’s Torah, then we are supposed to be a stiff-necked people. However, when we act like stiff necked people towards our Gedolim, then it’s a curse.
קשה ערף. מַחֲזְרִין קְשִׁי עָרְפָּם לְנֶגֶד מוֹכִיחֵיהֶם וּמְמָאֲנִים לִשְׁמֹעַ:
קשה ערף STIFF-NECKED — They turn their stiffened necks towards those who reprove them (i e. they turn their back upon them) and refuse to listen.
(יז) הַ֥ט אׇזְנְךָ֗ וּ֭שְׁמַע דִּבְרֵ֣י חֲכָמִ֑ים וְ֝לִבְּךָ֗ תָּשִׁ֥ית לְדַעְתִּֽי׃
(17) Incline your ear and listen to the words of the sages;
Pay attention to my wisdom.
Pay attention to my wisdom.
These ‘Jews’ don’t realize that “Our Gedolim’s words are like fiery coals!”
(י) וֶהֱוֵי מִתְחַמֵּם כְּנֶגֶד אוּרָן שֶׁל חֲכָמִים... וְכָל דִּבְרֵיהֶם כְּגַחֲלֵי אֵשׁ:
(10) And [he also said:] warm yourself before the fire of the wise... and all their words are like coals of fire.
וכל דבריהם. (אמר המעתיק לפי הנראה חסר כאן איזה תיבת והענין מובן) ולומר גם יש בי רוח חיים אעשה סברות כמוהו ואין חכמה בידך ופן תחטא על סברתך. כי דבריהם בחרו ופלפול מחכמתם השורפת בקרבם. וזה הדבר אינו מן השלשה שמונה ר' אליעזר אומר כי לא היה אומר בכל יום ובפעם אחת שישית אל לבו ליזהר בכבוד חכמים די לו זמן מרובה. כי איננו דבר הצריך זכירה בכל יום כשלשה הראשונים:
and all of their words are like burning coals: (The editor said, "According to what appears, there is a word missing here, but the matter is understood") And to say, "I also have a living spirit and I will make arguments like him." But [you should be concerned that] the wisdom is not in your hand, lest you are mistaken in your argument. As their words are chosen and there is sharpness in their biting wisdom that is inside of them. And this thing is not from the three things that are counted that Rabbi Eliezer said, as he did not say it every day. And one time that he places into his heart to be careful about the honor of the sages is enough for him for a long time; as it is not something that needs reminding every day, like the first three.
How far back have the Gedolim banned going onto the Har HaBayis?
(ה) (ה) בית המקדש - והנכנס עתה למקום מקדש חייב כרת שכולנו טמאי מתים וקדושה הראשונה קדשה לשעתה וקדשה לעתיד לבוא [מ"א] ועיין בליקוטי הלכות זבחים בפרק השוחט והמעלה מש"כ שם מענין זה:
(5) The Holy Temple - One who enters a holy place suffers karet because we are all tamei met and the original holiness is holiness for the future.
Rav Avraham Yitzhak HaKohein Kook in the 1920s banned Jews from visiting the site out of a concern that they may inadvertently step into an area which in Jewish law is forbidden to enter unless a specific ritual purification ceremony is performed. On August 23rd, 2008, Rav Kanievsky adds, “Entrance to the Temple Mount and the defilement of the Holy of Holies, is more severe than any of the violations in the Torah.”
On January 15th, 2015, Israel Police Chief Yochanan Danino fears the recent upsurge in Jewish identity with the holy site and the yearning to visit and daven will lead to catastrophe. Rav Elyashiv zt”l, foresaw Danino’s fear.
אמר להם אידין מתקרי חכים אמרו ליה איזהו חכם הרואה את הנולד...
Alexander said to the Elders: Who is truly worthy of being called wise? They said to him, citing a tradition (see Avot 2:9): Who is the wise person? The one who sees and anticipates the consequences of his behavior...
Perhaps we can read the Gemara, “Who are the חֲכָמִים, wise men - i.e. sages? They are the ones who see a future development.”
On October 8th, 2009, he stated, “Halacha forbids going onto Har HaBayis but today, it is more than this, it is an act that may lead to a religious war."
[See Rambam, Sefer HaMitzvos, Mitzvah #78. See also Entering the Temple Mount - in Halacha and Jewish History by Gedalia Meyer and Henoch Messner, page 34].
Rav Shimon Schwab zt”l, said at an Agudah Convention, “Don’t fight, provoke, anger or embarrass them (i.e. the nations).” Eisav never forgets. Only harm can come from it. If our sonei yisrael (enemies of Israel) in Austria want to elect one of their ilk - a former Nazi criminal as their president - let them do it, don’t mix in! That’s like one who seizes a dog’s ears, [so is] one who grows wrathful over a dispute that is not his (Mishlei 26:17).
Rav Elyashiv zt”l, is telling the same concept, “Do not go on Har HaBayis because you’ll provoke the Arabs and put the rest of our nation in jeopardy!”
On October 30th, 2014, a Har HaBayis activist used the words of our beloved Novi to justify his wrongdoing. He said, “The Har HaBayis is prophesized to become ‘a house of prayer for all nations.’”
(ז) וַהֲבִיאוֹתִ֞ים אֶל־הַ֣ר קׇדְשִׁ֗י וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית תְּפִלָּתִ֔י עוֹלֹתֵיהֶ֧ם וְזִבְחֵיהֶ֛ם לְרָצ֖וֹן עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י כִּ֣י בֵיתִ֔י בֵּית־תְּפִלָּ֥ה יִקָּרֵ֖א לְכׇל־הָעַמִּֽים׃
(7) I will bring them to My sacred mount
And let them rejoice in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
Shall be welcome on My altar;
For My House shall be called
A house of prayer for all peoples.”
And let them rejoice in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
Shall be welcome on My altar;
For My House shall be called
A house of prayer for all peoples.”
Note, the verse does not say, “For My House is called a House of Prayer for all the nations” but rather it “will be called a House of Prayer for all the nations,” signifying that this event hasn’t taken place yet. Christians are still praying in their churches and Muslims are still praying in their mosques.
(ג) הַטּ֤וּ אׇזְנְכֶם֙ וּלְכ֣וּ אֵלַ֔י שִׁמְע֖וּ וּתְחִ֣י נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וְאֶכְרְתָ֤ה לָכֶם֙ בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֔ם חַֽסְדֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד הַנֶּֽאֱמָנִֽים׃
(3) Incline your ear and come to Me;
Hearken, and you shall be revived.
And I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
The enduring loyalty promised to David.
Hearken, and you shall be revived.
And I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
The enduring loyalty promised to David.
Rav Dovid Yosef says, “Entry to Har HaBayis for tefillah as it were, is prohibited by halacha and one who davens, his tefillos are an abomination to Hashem are not welcomed but blasphemous and one who is guilty of this commits a major avreira...”
This activist doesn’t understand that when a Tzaddik bans people from going onto the Har HaBayis, he will not end up succeeding:
כְּשֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים גּוֹזְרִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַיֵּם דִּבְרֵיהֶם...
When the righteous decree, the Holy One, Blessed be He, fulfills their words...
(יט) רְצוֹן־יְרֵאָ֥יו יַעֲשֶׂ֑ה וְֽאֶת־שַׁוְעָתָ֥ם יִ֝שְׁמַ֗ע וְיוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃
(19) He fulfills the wishes of those who fear Him;
He hears their cry and delivers them.
He hears their cry and delivers them.
(ח) חֹפֵ֥ר גּוּמָּ֖ץ בּ֣וֹ יִפּ֑וֹל וּפֹרֵ֥ץ גָּדֵ֖ר יִשְּׁכֶ֥נּוּ נָחָֽשׁ׃
(8) He who digs a pit will fall into it; he who breaches a stone fence will be bitten by a snake.
Rav Dovid Yosef stresses, “Some may view closing Har HaBayis as relinquishing sovereignty, so it is necessary to state emphatically this is not the case and we are not relinquishing our rights. Quite the contrary, entry to Har HaBayis is prohibited because of its “awesome kedushah that exceeds the kedushah of all else.”
(ג) מִֽי־יַעֲלֶ֥ה בְהַר־יקוק וּמִי־יָ֝ק֗וּם בִּמְק֥וֹם קׇדְשֽׁוֹ׃
(3) Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD?
Who may stand in His holy place?—
Who may stand in His holy place?—
During a Knesset Committee session on September 17th, 2013, addressing Jews visiting Har HaBayis during Sukkos, Arab MKs stated, “Jews have no business there...”
His words are not his words. He is merely being a mouthpiece for what our Gedolim have told us. However, one day to our shock and disbelief, he himself along with the rest of the world will also be conversing with the same G-d that we do.
In the merit of listening to our leaders, may Hashem soon fulfill:
(ז) וַהֲבִיאוֹתִ֞ים אֶל־הַ֣ר קׇדְשִׁ֗י וְשִׂמַּחְתִּים֙ בְּבֵ֣ית תְּפִלָּתִ֔י עוֹלֹתֵיהֶ֧ם וְזִבְחֵיהֶ֛ם לְרָצ֖וֹן עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִ֑י כִּ֣י בֵיתִ֔י בֵּית־תְּפִלָּ֥ה יִקָּרֵ֖א לְכׇל־הָעַמִּֽים׃
(7) I will bring them to My sacred mount
And let them rejoice in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
Shall be welcome on My altar;
For My House shall be called
A house of prayer for all peoples.”
And let them rejoice in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
Shall be welcome on My altar;
For My House shall be called
A house of prayer for all peoples.”