MIKDASH-BUILD

29 Tishrei 5758
Volume II, Number 3

Table of Contents

1. ASCENSION OF THE RAMBAM AND HIS FAMILY TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT
2. IN THE NEWS
3. CORRESPONDENCE

ASCENSION OF THE RAMBAM AND HIS FAMILY TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT

By Rav Elitzur Segar
(Translated by Mayer Grosser)

The Rambam was born to his father R. Maimon, the Dayan (rabbinical judge) in Cortoba in Moslem Spain in the year 4895. In the year 4920, when the Rambam was 25 years old, his family began a series of wanderings. A Moslem sect called the Almuchden took over Spain and North Africa.

During those times, many Jewish communities were force to convert to Islam and many others died sanctifying the name of G-d. Many of the sages of Israel like the Raavad, the author of Sefer Hakaballa, died under torture together with their communities. Others packed their belongings and dispersed to wherever they could. Among those were R. Maimon the Dayan, and his two sons, R. Moshe (Rambam) and R. David and possibly their two sisters.

They fled to Morocco in North Africa and stayed for a period of time the capital city - Fez. There, the Rambam wrote the famous “Epistle of Forced Conversion” and his father wrote the “Epistle of Comfort”. It was during these years of wanderings that the Rambam began writing his commentary of the six books of the Mishna (Oral Law), which was completed only when he reached Egypt.

In the year 4925, with the persecution of the Moslems reaching new heights, the family fled to Israel, which was at the time under Christian Crusader rule. Their stay did not last long and they emigrated to Egypt. R. Maimon, physically and emotionally drained from all the fleeing and persecutions, died a few months after the family reached Egypt. His family, with the Rambam at its head, stayed in Egypt for their remaining years.

Their flight from the terror of forced conversions was traumatic for the Rambam and he never was able to fully escape from that trauma..

In the “Epistle to (the Jews of ) Yemen”, he writes that never was there an enemy more heinous to the Jews than the Ishmaelites (Islam) and never was there any other nation who had so humiliated and frightened and in their utter hatred toward us as them. In the end of the “epistle”, he writes that the receiver of the letter make sure its contents are not divulged to the non-Jews for fear terrible consequences for the Jewish people, G-d forbid. “ And I am very fearful of this but I felt that for the good of the many, the danger of publishing this letter was worth it”.

It is quite possible that due to his wanderings, the Rambam concluded that only a military force could protect the Jews. And so he wrote in his Responsa to Montpelier in southern France that the reason for the destruction of the temple was that our fathers did not deal with war and conquering the nations. Rather they thought that “astrology” would help them and that’s why the prophets called them fools and dolts.

The Rambam and his family, having fled from the rage of the Moslem persecutions, intended to enter the land of Israel and ascend the temple mount. They reached Israel at the Acco port on Saturday night, the 3rd of the month of Sivan. Five months later, on Tuesday, 4th of Heshvan, R. Maimon and his two sons, R. Moshe and R. David, reached Jerusalem. Together with them was R. Yefet, the Acco Dayan. They went despite the danger involved in this travel. They prayed on the temple mount on Thursday, 6 Heshvan. From the temple mount they continued south to Hebron and on 9 Heshvan they prayed in the Tomb of the Patriarchs.

The Rambam writes:

On Sunday, the 3rd of Sivan, we reached Acco in the Land of Israel and so I eluded the religious persecutions and forced conversions and reached Israel. I vowed that this day be one of rejoicing and celebration and of gifts to the poor for myself and my family for all generations to come.

On Tuesday 4 Heshvan in the year 4926 we left Acco to ascend to Jerusalem in a trek that constituted great danger. I entered the Great and Holy House and prayed there on Thursday 6 Heshvan.

On Sunday 9 Heshvan I left Jerusalem for Hebron to kiss the graves of our forefathers in the Caves of the Patriarchs. On that day I stood in the cave and prayed, praised be the L-rd for everything.

These two days, the 6th and the 9th of Heshvan, I vowed that the be for me as holy days filled with special prayers rejoicing, food and drink. May G-d help me with everything and help me fulfill my vow, Amen. As I merited to pray in its destruction, so may I and all of Israel see in its comfort, Amen.

After the Rambam’s brother, R. David, drowned at sea, the Rambam wrote a letter to R. Yefet , the Dayan of Acco, reminiscing about their journey to the temple mount in these words:

When he [R. David], father zt”l, you and I, the four of us went to ‘the house of G-d in ecstasy’.

It would seem that the prayers on the Temple Mount were the primary purpose of R. Maimon and his family’s visit to the land of Israel, as can be understood from what the Rambam wrote in the “epistle from Yemen”:

...when we left the West to behold in the beauty of the L-rd and visit his Holy place ...

In other words, even as they left Morocco in the west, they had in mind their visit to the “Holy place” - the temple mount.

The Rambam also concludes in the laws of the Temple, chapter 7, paragraph 7:

Even though the Temple today is still in ruins because of our sins, one is still commanded to fear it even as it was when it was in all its glory. One is prohibited from entering anywhere that was previously prohibited, not can one sit in the courtyard nor may he act in a light-hearted manner near the eastern wall. As is written “you shall keep the Sabbath and fear my Temple”. Just as the Sabbath must be kept forever, so to must the temple be feared forever, even though it may have been destroyed, the holiness surrounding it still stands.

The Rambam implies that in those places where one may enter, it would be a great Mitzvah (commandment) and uplifting experience to pray there, just as R. Maimon the dayan and his family and R. Yefet, the dayan of Acco. And the day of prayer on the Temple Mount the Rambam ordained as a day of thanksgiving for himself to the end of his years.


Table of Contents

IN THE NEWS

Arutz Sheva News Service
Monday, October 13, 1997 / Tishrei 12, 5758

POLICE CHIEF ACCUSED OF TAMPERING WITH GOV'T TEMPLE MOUNT DOCUMENT

A Jerusalem Magistrates Court justice has instructed the State Attorney's Office to "investigate with all seriousness" charges that former Jerusalem District Police Chief Aryeh Amit tampered with government documents in order to prevent Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount. Yehuda Etzion of the Chai Vekayam movement submitted a complaint today, detailing at length how Amit blanked out two paragraphs of an August 1967 government decision and circulated only the third paragraph, thus giving the impression that the government had forbidden all Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount. Etzion told Arutz-7 today, "As strange as it sounds, there has never been a government decision forbidding Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount. Rather, the government once denied a specific request by Rabbi Shlomo Goren to pray there on Tisha B'Av following the Six-Day War. The government decision mentions Rabbi Goren by name in the first two clauses, and only his followers in the third clause. Amit blanked out the first two clauses, thus giving the impression that the decision was applicable for every request of Jews to pray on the Mount, for all time." Etzion says that the tampered document was presented in court on at least one occasion, in one of the many court cases against Chai Vekayam members for the "crime" of attempting to pray on the Temple Mount. Etzion notes that the law sets a punishment of up to three years in prison for a public servant who tampers with a document, "the implementation of which he is authorized."

SNS News Headlines
October 15, 1997.. 14 Tishrei 5758..Volume III, Number 151.

Wakf Construction on Temple Mount

(IINS News Service -Israel-10/15)

The prime minister is being constantly updated regarding Wakf construction on Jerusalem's Temple Mount.

According to Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, the construction is taking place in the area of Solomon's Stables, under the Mount.

Despite the construction being illegal, Israeli authorities will most probably refrain from attempting to halt it, due to what is being called the "sensitive political situation involved."

Officials of the Jerusalem Municipality visited the Mount this week and confirmed reports of the ongoing construction.

Government officials are monitoring the construction and will act appropriately , but with consideration for the delicate nature of the area involved.

Arutz Sheva News Service
Sunday, October 19, 1997 / Tishrei 18, 5758

IMAM RESPONDS TO CHIEF RABBI: "NO"

The imam at the El Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount rejects Rishon Letzion Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron's call to Moslem leaders to condemn terrorism and violence against Israeli citizens. In his most recent Friday speech, Sheikh Hiyan Al-adrisi said that the rabbis and the religious Jews are those who are behind the demand to raze Al Aqsa and to build the Holy Temple in its place. He calls upon the Chief Rabbi to condemn demolition of Arab structures.

Arutz Sheva News Service
Wednesday, October 22, 1997 / Tishrei 21, 5758

WAQF TEMPLE MOUNT BUILDING TO BE STOPPED

Minister of Public Security Avigdor Kahalani is planning to order the use of force against illegal Temple Mount building by the Moslem Waqf. In an interview to the Jerusalem weekly Kol Ha'ir, Kahalani said that the police would tear down the intended Waqf building at the Moghrabi Gate entrance to the Temple Mount. Kahalani does not plan, however, to stop the Waqf from laying a floor over the Solomon's Stables area there, although this activity has been termed both illegal and destructive by Antiques Authority Director Amir Drori. In a letter to Attorney-General Rubenstein, Drori recommended that it be forbidden to bring in construction materials and workers to the Temple Mount grounds. The Chai Vekayam movement has petitioned the Supreme Court to order the enforcement of Antique Authority director's recommendations.

Arutz Sheva News Service
Sunday, October 26, 1997 / Tishrei 25, 5758

TEMPLE MOUNT TO BE DISCUSSED "SOON" BY GOV'T

Ministers Moshe Katzav and Yuli Edelstein complained vociferously at today's government meeting that the ministers have not been updated about the illegal Waqf construction on the Temple Mount. Edelstein warned of "apathy" regarding the building, and said that it could cause "sharp reactions from Jewish extremists." Prime Minister Netanyahu promised that the government would discuss the issue in the near future. The Waqf has warned that if the Israeli police execute their authority on the Temple Mount against the Waqf, Arab violence would ensue.

Transportation Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Levy (NRP) told Arutz-7 today that he is in favor of Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount - the first government minister to say so openly. He said that it is illogical that the only holy site in which not everyone is permitted to pray is that which is the holiest site in Judaism, the site of the Holy Temple. Rabbi Levy said we must talk openly with the Waqf about the actualization our right to pray there. Meanwhile, seven members of the Chai Vekayam movement were violently arrested today, when they attempted to pray at the Temple Mount.

Arutz Sheva News Service
Monday, October 27, 1997 / Tishrei 26, 5758

POLICE CASE FOUND WEAK

The seven Chai Vekayam members who were forcibly arrested yesterday for allegedly attempting to pray on the Temple Mount were ordered unconditionally released today by a Jerusalem Magistrates Court judge. The judge found that there was no need to arrest them, as they did not attempt to enter the Temple Mount, nor did they disturb the public order. The judge said that claims by the police that the group represents a danger to the public safety are "devoid of content."


Table of Contents

CORRESPONDENCE

Shalom Yirmi,

I was wondering what is the Amuta approach to Tuvia Sagiv's theory of the location of the temple? Is it taken in consideration when you ascend the temple mount?

...

I have another question. I still don't know your official policy about the temple mount. I understand that the amuta is encouraging alya to the temple mount. But what would the policy would be if we had a government leadership that would do anything the Amuta lechinum Hamikdash recommends. Would it be building the temple (like R.Ysrael Ariel wants) or just "cleaning" the temple mount and having it ready for the temple or just even just build the Mizbeah like in the begging of the Second Temple.

Kol Tuv,

Zachi Zweig

Zachi,

Yasher koack on your well thought questions.

The Tenu'ah does not give Tuvia Sagiv's theory halachic endorsement. Nevertheless, our route is outside of Tuvia Sagiv's proposed Mikdash area.

Our ultimate goal is to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash.

All the best,

yirmi

Table of Contents

HaTenu'ah LeChinun HaMikdash

Gathering en masse to arouse consciousness among the People, its rabbis, and its leaders to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash and return the Kohanim to their Service

P.O. Box 31336, Jerusalem, ISRAEL
Telephone: +972-2-5371904
Email: Yirmiyahu Fischer


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