Due to Popular Request: Preview of the Har HaBayit Aliyah Guide
Ben and I are in the process of compiling a halachic e-guide to ascending the Temple Mount. In the meantime, I am posting these maps, some testimonials (
1,
2) and an incomplete guide for the benefit of the person posting in the comments section who asked if the photos did not show Jews traversing on forbidden ground.
Here are some halachic guidelines as well.
This map demonstrates the route taken so as to only traverse on parts of the Temple Mount added by King Herod. (recommended route for one who is not knowledgeable regarding the permissible areas)
I would be happy to bring you through the process of ascending Har HaBayit should you be in the neighborhood. We have
come a long way.
(Ezra at Kumah.org)
A Glimpse of a Jerusalemite's Yom Yerushalayim
Prayed at the Wall this morning after a night-long concert at Emek Tzurim (a former Arab garbage dump that was rehabilitated as a national park in the City of David) and before my third ascent to our Holy Mount Moriah.
The concert was great - could have used some more cow-bell.
Real jubilation in the air as hundreds of Jews from all religious paths ascended Har HaBayit.(file photo)
Soul-wrenching to stand opposite the spot where the Leviim sang and will sing the songs of ascent - the steps of the Holy Temple.
Would have liked to have brought a shofar, but...
"Holy Items Not Permitted"
The future of Israel.
Despite Ariel Sharon's undying wish to surrender Aza (Gaza), the untiring enemy in our midst just somehow doesn't want to befriend him. Gee, that seems so illogical...
You'd think that these wouldn't be the images that we'd be seeing of someone who's handing them a huge chunk of our land on the backs of our dead soldiers.
But then again, maybe we're just not being fair. I mean, all they want is a small, reasonable state carved out of land that's mostly being used by them. It's not like they want Tel Aviv, or Beersheva, Jerusalem or Tzfat, right? You right wingers are such overdramatic EXTREMISTS! Geez...
I mean, don't be unreasonable, people. With a little bit of sacrifice on our part, one day, we'll live side by side with them - us in our state, them in theirs....
We just need to see if we can renegotiate for Uganda...If you don't come and claim your land, someone else less desirable would be happy to take your share. Loving Israel from 5700 miles away isn't making an impact here. Supporting Israeli Jews, even through cash donations, hasn't eased our fight to defend YOUR land from the dark intentions of our bloodthirsty cousins here. I'm going to put it in the bluntest terms possible: You're not helping. We love you and we need you, brothers and sisters. Change your life. Change history. Be our future. Move to Israel.
Now Hair This
[Just one week left to the Parade. Scroll down for info on marching with Kumah! It's gonna rock this year! See ya there.]
So by now you've heard the news. It even made the
front page of Friday's New York Times. (Below the fold but still the front page.) So it seems the Indian hair used in wigs sold around the world is often first used for idol worship practices. Therefore Jews can't derive any benefit from them.
It's a proud commentary on the commitment of G-d fearing Jewish women.
Bonfires fueled by the wigs in question erupted in Israel as soon as the
ban was issued. Similarly on the streets of Borough Park, Jewish women could be seen only in snoods this past Shabbat. The collective price tag for this ban will easily be well in the millions of dollars, but when it comes to idolatry G-d fearing Jews just don't take any chances.
With this in mind, as a public service, Kumah! presents a small section of the Talmud taken from Tractate Kethuboth, 110B:
Out Rabbis taught: One should always live in the Land of Israel, even in a town most of whose inhabitants are idolaters, but let no one live outside the Land, even in a town most of whose inhabitants are Israelites; for whoever lives in the Land of Israel may be considered to have a G-d, but whoever lives outside the Land may be regarded as one who has no G-d. For is it said in Scripture,
To give you the Land of Canaan, to be your G-d. Has he, then, who does not live in the
Land, no G-d? But [this is what the text intended] to tell you, that whoever lives outside the Land may be regarded as one who worships idols. Similarly it was said in Scripture in [the story of] David.
For they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave to the inheritance of the L-rd, saying: Go, serve other gods. Now, whoever said to David,
Serve other gods?? But [the text intended] to tell you that
whoever lives outside the Land may be regarded as one who worships idols.
