Rabbi Shlomo Aviner
Rabbi Shlomo Avinerפלאש 90

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner responded Wednesday night to the voices calling to once again allow MKs to ascend the Temple Mount.

"Religious Zionism is important." Rabbi Aviner said on the Kol Barama radio station. "But the people who decide the halakha (Jewish law) are the talmedei hachamim (religious scholars), and on the issue of the Temple Mount (the people who decide the halakha) are the Chief Rabbis of Israel. Each year 8,000 Jews go onto the Temple Mount while 2 million Jews visit the Kotel. This shows that the Jewish public does not see going up to the Temple Mount as important."

Of the religious MKs who support ascending the Temple Mount the rabbi said "They are very important people. I really love and appreciate them. They have gone above and beyond for the Nation of Israel. But they have not reached the level to decide halakha. Everyone must work according to his profession. A carpenter does not work with medicine and a doctor does not build a bridge."

Rabbi Aviner reiterated that only the Chief Rabbis should decide if and when Jews should be allowed onto the Temple Mount, not the politicians or the government. "Almost all of Israel's great sages forbade it, even (religious Zionist rabbis) Rabbi Avraham Hakohen Kook and his son Rabbi Zvi Yehuda." The late Religious Zionist Chief Rabbi Avraham Shapira, Dean of Merkaz Harav Yeshiva, also was against ascending the Temple Mount.

"If I were to decide the halakha I would rule like Rabbi Kook. There is no commandment for us to ascend the Temple Mount now. When we rebuild the Holy Temple then we can go onto the Temple Mount."