Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef
Rabbi Yitzhak YosefYonatan Sindel/Flash90

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has cancelled a planned meeting with Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef.

The meeting was scheduled for last Monday and was canceled at the last minute. Rabbi Yosef's office said that "attempts were made to coordinate a meeting that were unsuccessful due to schedule constraints, it will be clarified at the same time that the Rishon Letzion (Sephardic Chief Rabbi) will meet with any minister who is interested."

Minister Ben-Gvir's office stated that "the meeting with the chief rabbi was canceled due to security preparations," which were necessary in light of Ben Gvir's intention to ascend the Temple Mount on Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday, Rabbi Yosef addressed a scathing letter of rebuke to Ben-Gvir following his visit to the Temple Mount.

"I heard with sadness about your decision to go up to the Temple Mount, today, the day of the Tenth of Tevet, and by virtue of my position as the Chief Rabbi of Israel and as the successor of the Chief Rabbis throughout the generations, I feel obliged to warn you of the severity of the ban on going up to the Temple Mount, and to ask you, on behalf of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, to refrain from going up to the Temple Mount in the future, so as not to cause the masses to err, particularly in the case of a government minister whose influence and potential to lead the public astray is greater," Rabbi Yosef wrote.

Rabbi Yosef cited the opinions of multiple former Chief Rabbis, including Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, in establishing that the majority rabbinical opinion forbids visiting the Temple Mount.

At the end of his letter, the rabbi noted that "Even if there is a claim that there is some minority of rabbis who allowed you personally, it is clear that as a minister in the government of Israel you cannot act against the instructions of the Chief Rabbinate which has been consistent for generations, and what will the masses of the people say when they see a minister, an observant Jew who acts contrary to the position of the Chief Rabbinate? I hope you will find a way to correct this matter and sanctify the name of heaven."