Novominsker Rebbe, shlita: “Stay Off Har HaBayis”

In a stirring, passionate address at the Motzoei Shabbos keynote session of Agudath Israel of America’s 92nd National Convention, the Novominsker Rebbe, shlita, spoke of numerous pressing issues facing Klal Yisrael.

The Rebbe addressed what he referred to as a painful aspect of our situation.

“A number of misguided individuals insist on going to Har HaBayis, in clear violation of the psak  of Gedolei Hador that it is assur  for a Yid to be on Har HaBayis. Without  discussing the halachic imperatives for this psak, the presence of Jews there incites the Arabs and induces them to wild sin’ah that can lead directly to shefichas damim,” the Rebbe said.

“We ask our fellow Jews: Stay off the Har HaBayis,” the Rebbe pleaded.

“Daven in your shul, your yeshivah, at the Kosel Maaravi. Do not generate the redifah on Yidden. Have rachmanus on your own lives and the lives of others. This is not the way to become close to the Shechinah. There are other ways, better ways.”

The Rebbe also addressed the shidduch crisis, the “new plague of Open Orthodoxy,” the role that American Jewry must play in helping the mosdos haTorah and bnei Torah survive in Israel, and the crucial work of Keren Hashviis.

Full coverage of the convention will, be”H, appear in the weekly edition.

This article appeared in print on page 1 of the November 17th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.