Senior Chabad Rabbanim in Israel sent a letter to Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben-Gvir this week, condemning his visit to Har HaBayis last week on Yom Ha’atzmaut. Ben-Gvir has received many Chabad votes over the years as many see him as the candidate who will most preserve “shleimus Eretz Yisrael.” As is well known, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, z’tl instructed his chassidim in Eretz Yisrael to vote for the most Chareidi candidate who will preserve sheleimus ha’eretz. “We were greatly pained to hear that you publicly entered Har HaBayis, something that has been forbidden by all Gedolei Yisrael,” the Rabbanim wrote. The Rabbanim also quoted the Lubavitcher Rebbe who was adamantly against even discussing the question of a heter to go up to Har HaBayis “‘since the very discussion will cause more and more people to go there, and to places that are definitely forbidden, rachmana litzlan, and their numbers will increase, rachmana litzlan.’” The Rabbanim continued by asking Ben-Gvir to refrain from visiting Har HaBayis in the future. “We request that you do not repeat this and we’re warning you and the public against this very serious prohibition. Don’t view this matter lightly. You should know that Tumas Mikdash is exceedingly serious.” “In the language of the Tosefta (פ”א דשבועות ה”ב): Reb Shimon would say: ‘Tumas Mikdash v’kodshav is more severe than all the aveiros in the Torah, for all the aveiros in the Torah are atoned for with one goat, and tumas Mikdash v’kodshav is atoned for with 32 goats.’” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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