MK Michael ben-Ari holds Har HaBayit Conference in Knesset
Barbara Ginsberg
On Thursday the 26th of July a conference on Har HaBayit took place in the auditorium of the Israeli Knesset. An appropriate time as motzi Shabbat was the start of Tisha B’Av. Rabbis, MKs and Professors presented in speeches their thoughts, feelings, prayer, rebuilding of the Temple and much more. One hundred and fifty guests were invited by MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari who hosted the event and was the Master of Ceremonies.
The opening event showed the film entitled “The Children Are Ready”. Children building a detailed Har Habayit on the beach in Tel Aviv and showing this to their stunned father. This film upset the Arabs naturally. What doesn’t upset them?
MK Michael ben-Ari opened with, “Har Habayit is the heart of the Jewish people.” There is no halachic reason that a Jew cannot pray there.
I will not relate what each individual said; only the main points of rebuilding and prayer on the Temple Mount. These I divided into separate paragraphs for clarity of reading.
All prayers from around the world from the sick and the well go in the direction of Har HaBayit before it reaches the heavenly throne. Rambam prayed on Har HaBayit in times of danger and then went to pray in Hebron. He made these days a holiday, because he was able to pray at the 2 holiest places on earth. Rambam celebrated with a meat meal.
How can we comprehend that we cannot prayer on Har Habayit today? Today, when we are told that the Temple Mount is in our hands. It is not in our hands, if Muslims are allowed to control and pray there and Jews are not allowed to even move their lips.
Muslims not only don’t want Jews to pray on the Temple Mount. They don’t want Jews to walk or talk there. They don’t want Jews entirely.
Korban blood was poured on the Mizbayach . People poured out their nefesh (soul) in prayer to Hashem on Har Habayit. This pouring out of ones soul in prayer is compared to the pouring of blood from a Korban. When Avraham went to Mt. Moriah to offer Yitzchak, he poured out his soul in prayer to Hashem and then he saw the ram to use as a Korban, thus saving his son.
Rabbi Moshe Tendler from Yeshiva University in New York was on his visit to Israel and came to say: Everyone hates us and wants to kills us and we are not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount. But I go up twice a year to the Temple Mount and feel that I am privileged because Moshe Rabbeinu never had this privilege to go up.
A film was shown of women visiting the Temple Mount who said that they felt strong energy on the Mount. Rabbanite Rivka Shimon conducted the tour and continues to so for women.
A nation without the Har Habayit is not Israel. G-d’s glory, as of old will not be seen until Har Habayit is rebuilt. Who stands in prayer on Har Habayit stands before Hashem.
A film was shown by Prof. Mordechai Kedar of Bar Ilan University, after he told of his experience on the Temple Mount. The Professor’s son was getting married, he went to the mikveh and then up to the Temple Mount accompanied by his father. Prof. Kedar spoke to the Wakf as he entered and asked him to prove that this place was his. “Your place is in Mecca” said Kedar. Anything you are telling me is just political. Kedar’s son kept on walking and then his father heard a commotion as his son was being carried out for trying to pray. The following film explained the position of the Muslims. The Wakf was interviewed by the media and he said: “This place belongs to us. No Jews are allowed up here.” The Muftah went further when he said: “Jerusalem does not belong to the Jews, Israel does not belong to the Jews it is ours. What they call the Temple Mount belongs to us. Jews should not be living, walking or praying in the land that belongs only to the Muslims.”
What Prof. Kedar would tell them with the media present is the following: “Have a drink, get your belongings and get out of here and go to Mecca where you belong.”
“From Zion shall go forth the Torah” We have 9 days of repentance to start the rebuilding of Har Habayit. We have to prepare as David did when he was told by Hashem that not him, but his son will build the Temple. Get ready, and pray that next year we will go up to a rebuilt Har Habayit.
The speakers were: Rabbi Yisrael Ariel from the Temple Mount Institute, Rabbi Dov Lior, Rabbi Yaacov Maden, Rabbi Dr. Avraham Wolfish, Rabbi Yehuda Kroizer, Rosh Yeshiva Ha’Ra’yon HaYehudi, Rabbi Ram HaCohen, Prof. Ephraim Inbar, Rabbi Elitzur, Rabbi Yoseph Elboim, Rabbi Yehuda Glick, Rabbanite Rivka Shimon, Prof. Mordechai Kedar, Moshe Feiglin, Surprise speaker Rabbi Dr. Moshe Tendler, Kadima MK Otniel Schneller