A petition is currently being considered by Prime Minister which, if accepted, will permit a Jew to blow the shofar on Rosh Hashanna on the Temple Mount. Since the first day of Rosh Hashanna is on the Sabbath, it will be the only place in the entire Jewish world that a shofar will be blown and it will mark the first time since the destruction of the Temple that a Jew will be permitted to perform this powerful act at the holiest site in the world.
The Organization of 70 Nations, headed by Rabbi Hillel Weiss, and the Land of Israel Organization (Mateh L’Maan Eretz Yisrael)headed by Aviad Vosoli, petitioned Prime Minister Netanyahu to permit the blowing of the shofar on the Temple Mount on the holy day of Rosh Hashanna.
“Jews are only permitted to enter the Temple Mount five days a week: Sunday to Thursday. This year, the first day of Rosh Hashanna is on Saturday, the Sabbath. According to Jewish law, it is forbidden to blow the shofar on the Sabbath except for on the Temple Mount. So we submitted a request to permit a group of Jews to do so; to blow the shofar on the Temple Mount on the first day of Rosh Hashana.”
If they succeed, this will be the first time a shofar will be blown on the Temple Mount since the destruction of the Temple 1,950 years ago. In contravention of the law, the Israeli police forbid any non-Islamic symbols, non-Palestinian national symbols, or non-Muslim rituals on the Temple Mount. This policy is an attempt to lessen Arab violence.
Visoli emphasized that according to the Israeli Basic Law of Human Dignity and Liberty which mandates equality and freedom of all religions, this should be permitted. He also noted that permitting Jews to perform this Biblical commandment on the Temple Mount is consistent with Trump’s Peace Plan which states:
“People of every faith should be permitted to pray on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, in a manner that is fully respectful to their religion, taking into account the times of each religion’s prayers and holidays, as well as other religious factors.”
The formal request was also submitted to the Minister of Internal Security, and the Chief of Police. They were promised by Friday and if they do not receive an answer or their request is denied, the group intends to submit a petition to the Magistrate’s Court.
“This is not a legal issue,” Visoli said. “The law mandates that we are permitted to do this. Our request is that the police be instructed to permit this religious ritual to take place.”
Rabbi Hillel Weiss emphasized that on Rosh Hashanna the world is judged and that aspect of the holiday is taking on dire meaning under the current conditions.
“Blowing the shofar that is specific to the Temple is a cry out to God to prevent the division of His land and the loss of His house. This shofar will topple anyone who is set on dividing God’s land and opposing the establishment of a House of Prayer for All Nations in Jerusalem, just as the sound of the shofar toppled the walls that stood between the Jews and entering the Promised Land.”
When I saw this it sent shivers down my spine... Just wow!
ReplyDeleteMaranatha!