To all whom I may have offended or hurt over this past year, I beg your forgiveness as it was entirely unintentional. My prayer is that I may be forgiven as I have freely forgiven all who have wronged, offended or hurt me.
May our fast be easy and our atonement be complete.
~ Chag Sameach! ~
(Source: Temple Institute)
7 Tishrei 5787
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Ha'azinu - Shabbat Shuvah
The Shabbos between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is called Shabbos Shuvah, because its special haftarah reading begins with the words Shuvah Yisrael ("Return O Israel"), from the prophecy of Hoshe'a. It is referred to as Shabbos Shuvah because it falls during the Ten Days of Teshuvah - Repentance.
...It is customary in almost all Jewish communities for the rabbi of the city or the congregation to expound on teshuvah, and to emphasize the severity of transgression so that the people turn their hearts toward repentance. Our Sages have said that when the wise address the people, God forgives the sins of Israel.
The Shabbos was given to Israel as a time for Torah study and prayer, and, although one should always take care not to pass the time idly or in inappropriate conversation, on Shabbos Shuvah one should be especially careful to concentrate entirely on Torah, prayer, and reflection on teshuvah, thereby attaining forgiveness for whatever unfitting behavior may have marred other Sabbaths. (Book of Our Heritage)
~ Shabbat Shalom ~
6 Tishrei 5787
"...and the king of Persia returns and lays waste to the entire world and the nations of the world are shaken and terrified and fall on their faces, and pangs seize them like the pangs of a woman in labor, and Israel is shaken and terrified."
6 Tishrei 5787
Never - ever - take anything at face value, especially when it comes to politics. Since their inception, the intelligence services have been experimenting with methods of mind control and manipulation. The term psy-ops has become a catch-all term that describes these activities which are carried out all over the world.
"Psyops, short for psychological operations, is the planned use of communication and information to influence the emotions, motives, and behavior of target audiences."
It is so prevalent and widespread that a case could be made for every headline of our news being some form of manipulation. But, because HKB"H still runs His world, the truth may still be determined if you ask the right questions. Many people prefer not to be bothered. They feel helpless and cynical and view it all as a waste of time, but it is encumbent on us as Jews to always be searching out the truth of every matter that confronts us.
Every situation has a kernel of truth at its core, else it could not exist at all. We don't live in a bubble. We, both as individuals and as a nation, are affected by everything that confronts us each and every day. Living in the information age means that we have to spend a lot of our time and thoughts on sorting through the information; understanding it and knowing how to act upon it in accordance with our covenant obligations to HKB"H.
I'll give you a case in point.
We are told that the international community is appalled by "the extremist" Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and that his inclusion in the government lowers Israel's standing in the world. We are led to believe that Netanyahu is not happy with him and is looking for a way to disengage.
True to the "us-or-them" dynamic, the so-called "right-wing" thinks he is their champion (because maybe that is the role he has been assigned) and the "left-wing" has a "Jewish extremist" monster to villify. Everybody is happy - and distracted!
I think there is more to this than meets the eye. Remember, take nothing at face value and ask questions. Let's go back to the Otzma Yehudit party's beginnings...
Otzma Yehudit was founded in 2012 as Otzma LeYisrael by Members of Knesset Aryeh Eldad and Michael Ben-Ari.Founders
- Aryeh Eldad: A secular politician and former MK who split from the National Union.
- Michael Ben-Ari: An Orthodox Jewish activist and former MK associated with the Kahanist movement.
Disqualified Leaders
- Michael Ben-Ari: In March 2019, Israel's Supreme Court disqualified Ben-Ari from running in the upcoming Knesset elections due to racist incitement. This marked the first time the court barred an individual candidate rather than an entire party list under Basic Law: The Knesset.
- Baruch Marzel and Bentzi Gopstein: In subsequent election cycles (such as late 2019), additional prominent figures and associates tied to the party's Kahanist lineage, like Baruch Marzel and Bentzi Gopstein, were also barred or pressured off electoral lists by court rulings or legal challenges regarding racism and incitement, though Ben-Ari remains the primary historical precedent of a party leader directly disqualified by the Supreme Court. (Current party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir was cleared by courts to run in past key elections, despite historical petitions against him). (Gemini)
Important question #1: Why was Ben Gvir not also disqualified?
This brought to mind the following...
Barry Chamish claimed that Itamar Ben-Gvir was a Shin Bet agent and a provocateur.
- The Claim: In 2005 articles on his website, Chamish wrote that Ben-Gvir was a secret agent for Israel's security service. He alleged that Ben-Gvir faked opposition to the 2005 Gaza pullout to undermine real protests, incited violence, and repeatedly escaped legal trouble on technicalities.
- The Lawsuit: Ben-Gvir sued Chamish for libel in the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court.
- The Ruling: In 2008, the court ruled in favor of Ben-Gvir, stating the claims portrayed him as a traitor and a fraud. The judge ordered Chamish to pay NIS 36,000 in damages. (Source)
Important question #2: Why did Ben Gvir invite the likes of Yishai Fleisher to join his list? His universalist "Abrahamic Faith" initiatives do not appear to adhere to the Kahane ideology of Otzma Yehudit. (The media often links them together due to their mutual connections to Hebron.)
Important question #3: If Ben Gvir is truly the bogey man many people love to hate, why did he and his wife occupy a seat of honor next to US Ambassador Huckabee, the host of the 250 Years of America event held September 8, 2026 at the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem?
6 Tishrei 5787
I personally would draw it a lot earlier, but at least one exists here.
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4 Tishrei 5787
...Went along on what appeared to be a pilgrimage visit with a group of Israeli rabbanim to seek out cult-leader Adnan Oktar.
Muslim TV preacher sentenced to 8,658 years in jail by Turkish courtAn Istanbul court Wednesday sentenced a Muslim televangelist who surrounded himself with scantily clad women he called “kittens” to 8,658 years in prison in a retrial, local media reported.Adnan Oktar led television programs surrounded by women wearing lots of makeup and little clothes as he preached creationism and conservative values.Last year, the 66-year-old was sentenced to 1,075 years for crimes including sexual assault, sexual abuse of minors, fraud and attempted political and military espionage.But that ruling was overturned by an upper court.During the retrial, Istanbul high criminal court sentenced Oktar to 8,658 years in prison on several charges including sexual abuse and depriving someone of their liberty, the Anadolu news agency reported.
Oktar, whom critics see as the leader of a cult, gained notoriety for his programs on the online A9 television channel and had regularly been denounced by Turkey’s religious leaders....Oktar, also known by his pen name Harun Yahya, has authored numerous books promoting creationism against Darwin’s theory of evolution as well as conspiracy theories.He has been criticized in the past for publishing books featuring antisemitic conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial, but in recent years has renounced them and held events to combat those phenomena in the Muslim world. He has been embraced by some high-profile Israelis.In a 1986 book he penned called “Judaism and Freemasonry,” he claimed both groups were making use of their power “to erode the spiritual, religious, and moral values of the Turkish people and make them like animals.”He was later slammed over a 1996 book titled “The Holocaust Lie” published under his pen name, which claimed that “what is presented as Holocaust is the death of some Jews due to the typhus plague during the war and the famine toward the end of the war caused by the defeat of the Germans.”Oktar has hosted many Israelis on his TV show, including Temple Mount activist and former MK Yehudah Glick, former minister Ayoub Kara, and several Orthodox rabbis. He has been lauded for pro-Israel views, including affirming the connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem and the Land of Israel.He has supported the rights of Jews and Christians to pray on the contested Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem, the holiest site in Judaism and third-holiest for Muslims, who refer to it as Al-Haram Al-Sharif. (Source: Times of Israel 2022)
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RELATED: Jewish Settler Leader Blesses Success for Islamic Cult [A9] Channel
A long list of videos featuring various rabbis in meetings with this criminal.
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WATCH OUT FOR "UNIVERSAL JUDAISM"
AND ITS PROPONENTS!!
28 Elul 5786
It's easy to get so caught up in the "slichah" of the slichot season that we short-change the malchuyot aspect of the Yamim Noraim.
Crowning God as king is a central spiritual theme in Jewish tradition, representing the ultimate acceptance of divine sovereignty, especially during the High Holidays.Jewish Tradition and Rosh HashanahCore Theme: On Rosh Hashanah, the primary focus of prayer is not just asking for personal needs, but Crowning God King.The Concept of Malchuyot: As discussed in rabbinic texts...God commands us to declare and crown Him as King, aligning human will with divine purpose.Surrender of Ego: Worshippers nullify their own pride to accept God as their beloved and revered monarch.The central core of the Rosh Hashanah Musaf service features three unique middle blessings—known as Malchiyot, Zichronot, and Shofrot—that expand the standard Amidah into nine total blessings.1. Malchiyot (Sovereignty) Theme: Declares God as King of the universe, acknowledging His divine rule and supreme authority over all creation.Focus: Accepting God's sovereignty upon ourselves and the world during the New Year.2. Zichronot (Remembrances) Theme: Recalls how God remembers the deeds of humanity, the covenant with the patriarchs, and past merits.Focus: Praying that God looks upon us with mercy and remembers our good actions and the binding of Isaac.3. Shofrot (Shofar Blasts) Theme: Connects the day's judgment to the sounding of the ram's horn.Focus: Looks forward to the ultimate redemption and the great future blast of the shofar that gathers the displaced.The shofar blasts signify both the coronation of the King as well as the announcement of the King’s arrival.The Talmud tells us that G‑d says to us on Rosh Hashanah, “Say before Me verses whose themes are sovereignty, remembrances and shofar. Sovereignty, so that you should crown Me king over you; remembrances, so that I should remember you for good; and with what? With a shofar.”
Thus, it is through the shofar that the first two “objectives,” coronation and remembrance, are accomplished. Additionally, the sounding of the shofar reminds us of the two greatest events in all time: the giving of the Torah and the coming of Moshiach. Thus, we recite verses describing the revelation at Sinai as well as a prayer for the sounding of the great shofar heralding the final redemption.
26 Elul 5786
The ruling regime in Israel believes so and it's willing to put money on it...
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| Seder With A Heretic (Missionary Mike Evans) |
US Pastors Become Willing Ambassadors For Israel's War
More than 1,000 U.S. pastors flew to Jerusalem on December 3–7 [2025] for the Friends of Zion Ambassador Summit, a fully funded trip backed by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.No modern government has ever invested so much money, coordination, and political effort to mobilize American pastors before now. Why would Israel pay to assemble 1,000 Christian leaders, covering their airfare and luxury accommodations, and choreograph their every step?In 2025 Mike Evans' FOZ brought 1000 pastors to Israel for the "Ambassadors Summit". According to a Haaretz article, the Israeli foreign ministry paid for it and it included prayer at the kotel with the "Western Wall Rabbi".
The 1000 Pastors project offered 1070 American evangelical clergy an expense-paid trip to Israel in December to equip them to serve as “ambassadors for Israel” on their return, and proposes to invite thousands more in the coming year [2026]. (Source)
Israeli Government Funding and PartnershipThe Friends of Zion (FOZ) Ambassador Program is a direct joint venture with the Israeli government, specifically backed by the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Fully Funded Trips: Media reports and organization releases note that the State of Israel pays for the immersive trips as part of its strategic public relations and global advocacy budget.Strategic Budgeting: Following the initial 1,000-pastor summit, the Israeli cabinet heavily increased its global advocacy and public relations budgets to continue bringing high-profile delegations, elected officials, and influencers to Israel throughout 2026.
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Official Certification: Upon completing the training, participants receive diplomas officially co-signed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, commissioning them as honorary global ambassadors for Israel. (Source: ChatGPT)
24 Elul 5786
The United States presents a clear and present danger to the Nation of Israel. What is to be done about it?
Out of fear of continuing Jewish land reclamation and under the guise of fighting "terrorism," they are targeting our most courageous and self-sacrificing people. Our "democratically-elected" Erev Rav leaders are spineless in the face of US condemnation. Like sharks smelling the blood already in the water, the Yishmaelim are emboldened and have come circling for the feast they expect to be fed by the weak and tired US administration. What are we going to do about it?
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| (Source: okn.co.il ) Ambassador Huckleberry ignited a firestorm on Shabbat and the foregoing is the result. Here is how it started...  |
22 Elul 5786
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Nitzavim - Vayelech
On the last day of his life, Moses gathered together every member of the Jewish people, from the most exalted to the lowliest, old and young, men and women, and initiated them for the last time into the covenant of God. What was new about this covenant was the concept of arevut, responsibility for one another, under which every Jew is obligated to help others observe the Torah and to restrain them from violating it. This is why Moses began by enumerating all the different strata of people who stood before him, and why he said (v. 28) that God would not hold them responsible for sins that had been done secretly, but that they would be liable for transgressions committed openly (Or HaChaim). This is essential to the worldview of the Jew, for it explains why one may not be apathetic to the shortcomings of others and why public desecrations of the Torah are the concern of every Jew of good conscience.
"...Moses divided the people into categories to suggest that everyone is responsible according to how many others he or she can influence. ...God does not demand more than is possible, but He is not satisfied with less. (Or HaChaim)
20 Elul 5786
The Israel Defense Forces has dismissed a reserve commander following an incident in which his soldiers participated in a prayer service alongside settlers in the West Bank village of Kusra, according to a report Tuesday evening by Kan News.The military completed an investigation into footage showing Home Front Command reservists praying together with settlers in Kusra, located in the northern West Bank region of Samaria. The incident occurred while a Palestinian family was under siege in the area.According to the investigation's findings, the force commander had received explicit instructions to avoid any actions that could be interpreted as support for illegal activity and to maintain distance between his troops and the settlers. Despite these directives, when asked to complete a prayer quorum, the minimum number of ten men required for certain Jewish prayers, he authorized his soldiers to join the service.Military officials determined that the documented incident caused significant reputational harm to Israel and was interpreted internationally as army endorsement of rioters. Based on these conclusions, the IDF decided to remove the force commander from his command position. No disciplinary action will be taken against the other soldiers involved, as investigators found they had acted in accordance with their commander's orders.
20 Elul 5786
UPDATE@11pm: Iran is lashing out with ballistic missiles in every direction.
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And the on-again-off-again US vs. Iran war has gone hot again, too.
19 Elul 5786
Those who think the Zionist State of Israel embodies the fulfillment of our redemption need look no further than the party slates for the upcoming election to see that this idea is erroneous.
If you look honestly at the historical record, it is easier to track the trajectory. The Jews have been steadily losing ground to the Israelis over time - both literally and figuratively. Think about it! From Pride Parades only in Tel Aviv to parades in every city in Israel. From no public transportation on Shabbat to regular desecration of Shabbat by public transportation.
Now, we have come to the most glaring example of all. For the first time in its history, an Arab party is including an Israeli "Jew" and a Jewish right-wing party is including an Israeli Chr*stian Arab. The early Zionist leaders must be rolling over in their graves.
We have to stand our ground now and begin clawing back what we've already lost because there is no such thing as a "status quo". Either we are advancing toward geulah or we are sliding back into the abyss of exile. No middle ground! The enemy does not allow it and neither does HKB"H!!
18 Elul 5786
I thank HKB"H for Menachem Gottlieb, he should be well and live long. He was my very first Torah Teacher after my conversion. From him I began to learn Or HaRa'ayon by Rabbi Meir Kahane, ztz"l, Hy"d, as well as the Mitzvot from Sefer HaChinuch.
Twenty-eight years later, I have remained faithful to what I learned from him and have passed it on to my children and now, grandchildren. It was the best foundation anyone could have to become an "authentic" Torah Jew. Everything built on Truth can go the distance.
Now, I pass it on to you, my readers, with the admonition to pass it on still further. The Torah - our mutual covenant with HaKadosh Baruch Hu - is everything! If we are true to it, we will be true to HKB"H and all will be well for us.
17 Elul 5786
The State of Israel is NOT a JEWISH "State" and is not governed by Torah Law. Enlistment into what is essentially a goyish military following goyish "norms and values" should not be imposed upon Jewish students of the Torah in the name of the Torah itself which is under severe attack right now by the Zionist Powers That Be.
The Laws of the Torah governing who must serve in times of war were intended for a JEWISH military which fully followed ALL Torah Law. Most importantly, it was understood that the battle would be fought to WIN!!!
Were this a real JEWISH country with real JEWISH laws with a military made up of righteous Jews only, then the Torah laws would apply and yet, even then there are exemptions in certain circumstances.
More to the point is that those same "Powers That Be" have admitted that one of the main goals of the IDF is to integrate and assimilate the religious into the so-called "secular" realm and they never miss an opportunity to try it. How many promises have been broken - over and over and over again - denying the religious soldiers their rights and their needs, even extending into punishments for refusal to comply with illegal orders (See more here with follow-up here; and today's trial result here).
Until we are allowed to live by Our Holy Torah in full, in my view...
THIS IS SURRENDER - A VERY DARK DAY INDEED!!
15 Elul 5786
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Ki Tavo
Devarim 26.16 - 19:
...This day, Hashem, your God, commands you to perform these decrees and the statutes and you shall observe and perform them with all your heart and with all your soul.
You have distinguished Hashem today to be a God for you, and to walk in His ways, and to observe His decrees, His commandments, and His statutes, and to hearken to His voice.
And Hashem has distinguished you today to be for Him a treasured people, as He spoke to you, and to observe all His commandments,
and to make you supreme over all the nations that He made, for praise, for renown, and for splendor, and so that you will be a holy people to Hashem, your God, as He spoke.
Stone Edition Chumash Commentary:
vss. 16 - 19: Having now concluded the commandments and explanations that God had instructed him to teach as his life drew to an end, Moses exhorted his people to observe them with all their heart and soul (Ramban), and always to think of the Torah as fresh and exciting, as if it had been given today (Rashi).
vss. 17 - 18: Distinguished. Because Israel accepted the Torah and committed itself to observe its commandments no matter what, the nation and God have mutually exalted one another. Israel distinguished Hashem as its only God, and He distinguished Israel as His only people (Rashi).
...these two verses constitute mutual pledges of allegiance between God and Israel.
Haftarah Parashat Ki Tavo:
Arise! Shine! For your light has arrived, and the glory of Hashem has shined upon you. For behold! Darkness shall cover the earth, and dense cloud the kingdoms; but upon you shall shine Hashem, and His glory shall be seen upon you. Nations will go by your light, and kings by the brightness of your shine.
...ended shall be the days of your mourning. And your people, they are all righteous; forever shall they inherit the Land; a branch of My planting, My handiwork, for Me to glory in. The smallest shall increase a thousandfold, and the least into a mighty nation; I am Hashem, in its time I will hasten it.
~ SHABBAT SHALOM ~
14 Elul 5786
MAP OF THE LUNAR ECLIPSE OF AUG 27-28
13 Elul 5786
In last Yom Shishi's post ("Elul 5786: A Special Time to Remember Amalek"), I left a hint about coming events: "Persia and Amalek, Adar and Elul, ancient Persia and modern Iran - connecting the dots. Coming days should reveal all."
If 5786 is truly the Year of Our Redemption as I have long thought, something big would have to develop to bring the entire world to the brink of teshuvah before Judgment Day arrives on September 12th.
The week started with a lot of planetary upheaval: tornadoes in France; hail in Spain; giant waves invading the land in Sicily in the absence of a tsunami; multiple volcanic eruptions; worrisome earthquake swarms on major fault lines; historic heat and fires and floods; in addition; a string of M-Class solar flares and CMEs en route from the sun. Geomagnetic storms will reach earth tonight and tomorrow night, during which a lunar eclipse will be seen over North and South America.
Dramatic Flood Struck Nepal and TIbet Today
Daily local weather reports from Israel continue to confirm a model for a "weather event" which is expected to arrive here on motzash and last throughout the day on Yom Rishon, heavy rain over the entire country and a major drop in temperatures "like an Autumn day."
What happens in nature is a reflection of what's going on in Shamayim. Preparations for convening the Highest Court and opening all the books on the deeds of the nations might stir things up.
Yesterday, Russia grabbed all the attention as the CIA chief made a "visit" to Moscow in a very large air transport. It's unconfirmed whether he met personally with Putin or just the Head of Russian Security, but an envoy of the Vatican was there at the same time and when the CIA chief left, he took the embassy staff and the US flag with him.
Putin is issuing threatening statements about NATO and singling out the UK for its supply of drones to Ukraine. The UK is issuing emergency measures instructions to its citizenry.
With regard to Iran...
The current situation in Iran is highly critical, characterized by severe geopolitical tension following a multi-month war, an aggressive new U.S. economic offensive, and deepening internal domestic crises.The Economic Onslaught: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launched "Operation Economic Outcast," a campaign of severe sanctions aimed at the "economic asphyxiation" of the regime. The zero-leakage campaign explicitly targets 60 entities across Iran's aviation, shipping, digital asset/crypto, technology, and gold sectors to completely choke off funding to the IRGC.The Iranian Rial has collapsed to historic lows, sinking past 2 million Tomans to the U.S. dollar due to the weight of the war and the new sanctions. (Gemini)
It never hurts to top up your supplies and add another pack of water bottles. Just in case.
~ Ayn Od Milevado ~
13 Elul 5786
"Therefore, by this shall Jacob's iniquity be atoned for, and this shall be the fruit of his sin's removal: When he makes all the altar stones like ground chalkstones, and Asherah-trees and sun-idols arise no more." (Yeshayahu 27.9)
No less than four headlines condemning MK Zvi Sukkot's actions, but praise from HKB"H.
The Israeli Voice of America, aka The Jerusalem Post, goes overkill on the condemnations just to be sure no one makes the mistake of thinking our overlords, the Americans, will stand for us acting like sovereign Jews in our own Land. Next thing, Zvi will be labeled a "terrorist". That's ok, So were the Maccabim. He is already being called The Hammer by his supporters. And it's not even close to Hanukkah yet!!
12 Elul 5786
[This is a] "grave event..., the likes of which has not occurred since the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash." - HaRav Avigdor Nebenzahl, Rav of the Old City of Jerusalem
The next October 7th attack has been planned and announced, but just like with Hamas in 2023, the warnings are falling on deaf ears. The perpetrators either are not viewed as a threat or they are perceived to be a manageable threat. Heaven is waiting to see what we are going to do about it.
It is inconceivable to most people the spiritual damage that is being done to us by Eisav/Edom. They can't see that it is a war for the Jewish soul and that this is far more destructive than anything Yishmael has done up to now.
Menachem Begin as Likud PM first invited Chr*stian Zionists to establish themselves here in Israel. Under Binyamin Netanyahu as Likud PM, it has expanded to unimaginable proportions.
The Netanyahu government designated the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount for Chr*stian worship, but that was not enough for them. Like the New Crusaders that they actually are, they must demonstrate their mastery by taking over the Western Wall, too.
All the push to build a Temple as a "House of Prayer for all Nations" is coming from them as well!! They mean to have a church there right next to the synagogue that has been proposed.
If we don't stop them here, we'll have to stop them there and it only gets harder the longer we wait to do the right thing.
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Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl, rov of the Old City of Yerushalayim, has issued a sharply worded letter opposing a planned joint prayer gathering involving Jews and Christians at the Kosel, calling the event a desecration of Hashem’s name and urging that it be canceled. The letter was also signed by the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar.The controversial gathering is scheduled to take place at the Kosel on 26 Tishrei 5787, shortly after Sukkos. Rav Nebenzahl warned that holding such an event at one of Judaism’s holiest sites would constitute a desecration of both Hashem’s name and the sanctity of the location.In his letter, Rav Nebenzahl describes the proposed gathering as a desecration of Hashem’s name and of the site of the Bais Hamikdash, expressing unequivocal opposition to allowing it to proceed. He states that the entire length of the Kosel and its surrounding areas, as well as the Southern Wall and Davidson Center, are sacred Jewish prayer sites.Rav Nebenzahl further writes that there is a “severe prohibition against cooperating in any manner whatsoever or participating with them in this event.”He called upon every G-d-fearing Jew to distance himself from the gathering and to work with determination toward preventing it from taking place.Rav Nebenzahl also addressed reports claiming that he had given his approval to the planned event, emphatically denying that he had ever done so.“I hereby deny any publication claiming that, Heaven forbid, I gave my approval to this grave event at the Kosel, the likes of which has not occurred since the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash,” he wrote.The letter portrays the planned gathering as unprecedented since the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash and warns of the serious spiritual and public consequences that could result from conducting such an event at the sacred site.Adding considerable weight to the protest, Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar, the former Rishon LeTzion, added his signature to Rav Nebenzahl’s letter, joining the call against the planned joint prayer gathering.Rav Amar’s participation reflects the seriousness with which leading rabbonim are viewing the proposal and broadens the rabbinic opposition to holding the event at the Kosel.Concluding his letter, Rav Nebenzahl calls upon the public to actively seek the cancellation of the gathering.“In these difficult days, when the honor of Hashem and those who study Torah is being desecrated, it is fitting for every G-d-fearing Jew to distance himself from the desecration of holiness and to act with mesirus nefesh to cancel the gathering, for the honor of Heaven and His Torah,” he wrote.Rav Nebenzahl closes with an especially forceful declaration regarding participation alongside adherents of Christianity.“Under no circumstances is it possible to participate together with believers in that man,” he wrote, using the traditional rabbinic reference to the central figure of Christianity.The controversy comes amid years of disputes over the religious character of the Kosel and the activities permitted in and around its prayer areas. Previous battles have centered largely on efforts by the Reform and Conservative movements to conduct non-Orthodox prayer services at the site. The latest dispute, however, concerns an event involving joint prayer with Christians.Rav Nebenzahl’s position is notable in light of his previous forceful condemnation of Jews who spit at or otherwise mistreat Christian clergy in the Old City. In those cases, he stressed that such behavior can constitute a serious desecration of Hashem’s name.His opposition to mistreatment of Christians, however, is entirely separate from the current issue. Here, Rav Nebenzahl maintains that conducting a joint religious service with Christians at the Kosel itself crosses a fundamental religious boundary and constitutes a desecration of the sanctity of the site.
