Below is the link to the third shiur on the topic of berchas "Ve'Lerushalayim Ircha" in Shmoneh Esrei given by Reb Yerachmiel this past Sunday night at the Baltimore Community Kollel. In this shiur, Reb Yerachmiel focused on the words "Tashuv" and "Sishkon", which appear to imply that Hashem's Shechina is not currently present in Yerushalayim or the Makom Ha'Mikdash. In doing so, Reb Yerachmiel discussed many sources in Gemara, Medrash, Rishonim and Achronim which address the concepts of Shechinta Be'Galusa and the different levels of Hashem's Divine Presence that can be found in our homes, our shuls, our yeshivos, our Kosel and our Har Habayis even today!
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6 comments:
Chipasti be'ad hahaklata shel Reb Yerachmiel etmol, v'hayiti atzuv kshelo matzati meumah. Aval, hayom ani omer todah rabba bishvel hahaklata!
After the Six Day War, when the State of Israel gained control of the Temple Mount, leading rabbis from both the Chareidi and Religious Zionist communities issued a halachic proclamation reminding Jews that, due to the special holiness of the Temple Mount, it is forbidden to go up to this area.
Rabbi David Goldenberg, a teacher of Talmud at Yeshivat Machon Meir, a religious Zionist yeshiva, told me that his own rebbe, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Hakohen Kook - the Rosh Yeshiva of Merkaz Ha-Rav and the son of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook - was among those who issued this proclamation. This proclamation reinforced the rulings of the gedolim (leading sages) of the previous generations regarding the prohibition to go on the Temple Mount, and Rabbi Goldenberg told me that the majority of the followers of Rabbi Kook observe this prohibition. This is also the main view within the Chareidi communities, as the gedolim who guide these communities observe this prohibition.
I live in Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem, and the majority of the residents in my neighborhood are Chareidi. They include those who are part of the Lithuanian Yeshiva world, Chassidim, followers of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Sephardim, and Yemenite Jews. Guided by the gedolim of the Chareidi communities in Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel), most residents of Bayit Vegan do not go up to the Temple Mount. And a very close friend of mine in Jerusalem, who is a follower of Rabbi Kook, follows the gedolim of his community who uphold this very serious prohibition.
I am grateful for the opportunity to listen to the wonderful teachings cited by Reb Yerachmiel, and I have benefited from the recordings of his shiurim which appear on this site. When I listen to these recordings, I feel both love and respect for Reb Yerachmiel. I feel obligated, however, to express my concern over the fact that in this shiur on the Shechinah, Reb Yerachmiel focused on the minority view which says it is okay to go up to the Temple Mount under certain guidelines (which are not easy to follow), and that he did not give proper attention to the view of the majority of the leading sages who uphold the prohibition. If Reb Yerachmiel would like more information on the view of the majority of our leading sages, he can discuss this issue with my own rebbe, Rav Aharon Feldman, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ner Yisrael in Baltimore and a member of the Council of Sages of Agudath Israel of America.
May the Temple be rebuilt soon, and may we all meet in Jerusalem!
Shalom Rav,
Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen
I would like to respond to the very informative comment Yosef Ben Shlomo HaKohen wrote. I too greatly enjoy Rabbi Goldman's Shiurim and am greatful that they are also posted online. As a weekly attendee, what triggered your comments did not ring a bell to me. I re-listened to the shiur and my recollection was confirmed.
Rabbi Goldman did not "focus" on the subject of going up to Har Habayis in this day and age. He mentioned the topic for approximately one minute (in a 65 minute shiur) and only discussed that "for those who do" hold that one can go up to Har Habayis, one must undergo the proper preparation and have the proper kavanos in going up, for example, for the purpose of fulfilling the mitzvah of "morah mikdash", a point consistent with the Rambam he previously quoted (which Rambam he read only to bring out the point that the Makom Hamikdash retains its Kedusha even in times of churban). In fact, Rabbi Goldman explained that the topic of whether it is even permitted to go up to Har Habayis in this day and age is a complicated inyan (read between the lines- a huge machlokes) which was way beyond the scope of that particular shiur.
I do not know if Rabbi Goldman reads these comments, but I just wanted to clarify the issue as I understand it.
A Baltimore Talmid
I did not say that the shiur itself focused on the subject of going up to Har Habayis in this day and age. I indicated that when he brought up the subject of going up to Har Habayis, he spoke mostly about the minority view of those who go up to the Temple Mount today. The view of the majority of our gedolim - one which prohibits us from going up to the Temple Mount today - should have been clearly mentioned, as well.
Lechavod Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen,
Shkoach for your comments.
Since the inyan of the permissibility of going up to Har Ha'Bayis b'zman hazeh, while an important and interesting inyan, was simply not the focus of the shiur, I did not want the shiur to get sidetracked with a detailed discussion on the subject. Nonetheless, I apologize for not more clearly delineating all opinions. However, it should be noted that I did acknowledge during the shiur that the entire inyan was one of dispute. Once again, thank you for your thoughtful and thought provoking comments.
Cognizant of the Hashgacha Pratis involved in the above comments, now appears to also be the appropriate time to thank all of you who listen to these audio shiurim, the commenters, and of course, the hanhala of the Baltimore Community Kollel as well as our chashuvah oiylam of regular shiur attendees (particularly the loud singers).
Acharon acharon chaviv, I must be makir tov to the Dixie Yid for his harbatzas ha'Torah and for all the kindness he has shown me on a personal level. May Hashem Yisbarach bentch you to always go may chayil el chuyil, ad beas Goel Tzedek, bimhaira beyamainu.
Chag Kasher Vesameach to all.
Respectfully,
Yerachmiel
Reb Yerachmiel!!!
Thank you for these wonderful shiurim.
I've been meaning to ask you:
1) I really appreciate it when you begin your shiurim with a melody and verse from Tanach, and then explain the words and tie it in to your lecture. From whence did you develop this technique?
2) What is your favorite Jewish melody/song?
3) Do you know Rav Shimshon Pincus' favorite melody/song?
Any guidance you can provide would be appreciated!
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