<div>Shoshana wrote that:</div>
<div><br clear="all"><em>you can't even move your<br>lips in prayer on the Temple Mount -- without getting thrown in jail.</em> </div>
<div>Actually, you just get very unceremoniously removed. But the point is well taken, the Waqf controls the Temple Mount as a religious/holy site and despite the fact that Jews consider it sacred to be treated according to religious instructions, like putting up signs where one can enter and where one can't, for example, a Jew is "identity-less" there. He is but a tourist but as someone with claims - nada. Even the Ministry of Religious Affairs does not define the Temple Mount as a
<u>Jewish</u> holy site.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Micha wrote:</div>
<div> </div>
<div><em>This may explain why RALichtenstein would be opposed to going up to Har haBayis. Even if he thought the science was theoretically correct, it carries no halachic weight.</em></div>
<div>My guess is that he opposes ascending to the Har Habayit mainly because he feels that it is an improper act that might encourage "Messianic" theology as I am sure that with a PhD in English literature, he respects science and its contribution to Halachic resolutions of problems. Even he would admit that a little archeological digging, measurements, etc. would probably reveal to us, at the very least, where the 500 cubit square wasn't within today's Temple Mount compound even if to exactly locate each and every particular including the Altar would be perhaps too difficult. But if we do have that information, that would would mean we could ascend to certain portions, which would lead to heightened Mikdash cognizance which would lead to further Mikdash studies, which would not sit well with RAL's outlook of the political world.
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But maybe someone on this list could simply ask him.</div>
<div><br><br>-- <br>Yisrael Medad<br>Shiloh<br>Mobile Post Efraim 44830<br>Israel </div>