Otzma Yehudit chairman and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited Har Habayis again Monday, davening at the site even as he seeks to broaden his political support on the right, including among Chareidi voters.
The visit has renewed a longstanding halachic debate surrounding Jewish entry to Har Habayis and raises a political question for Ben Gvir as he attempts to present himself as a national leader representing a broad segment of the Jewish public.
In recent years, Ben Gvir has worked to expand his electoral base and has increasingly sought support beyond Otzma Yehudit’s traditional constituency. That effort potentially places him at odds with Chareidi voters over Har Habayis, where his position differs sharply from that of leading rabbinic authorities whose rulings Chareidi voters follow.
For decades, Israel’s Chief Rabbinate has prohibited Jews from ascending Har Habayis because of the serious halachic concerns associated with entering areas of the site where entry may be forbidden.
Among the prominent rabbinic authorities who upheld that prohibition was Rishon LeTzion Rav Mordechai Eliyahu. His son, Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, has likewise stated that he personally does not ascend Har Habayis, in accordance with the position of the Chief Rabbinate.
The issue has also affected another member of Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, Minister Amichai Eliyahu, a grandson of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu. Eliyahu’s ministry previously promoted tours of Har Habayis despite his grandfather’s position, prompting criticism from rabbis within the Religious Zionist community.
Against that backdrop, Ben Gvir’s continued visits to the site present a broader question as he seeks additional support from Chareidi voters: How will those voters weigh his positions on security and other national issues against his willingness to publicly follow a course on Har Habayis that conflicts with the rulings of major rabbinic authorities?
The question surrounding Ben Gvir, therefore, extends beyond the immediate controversy over his decision to ascend Har Habayis. As he seeks to expand his political influence and attract voters from communities deeply committed to rabbinic authority, his position on one of the most sensitive halachic issues in Israel could become an important consideration.
For Chareidi voters, the debate over Har Habayis is ultimately more than an electoral or political issue. It touches on questions of leadership, responsibility and adherence to the rulings of leading Torah authorities.
{Matzav.com}
