Jerusalem, 31 May, 2026 (TPS-IL) — One of Israel’s Chief Rabbis criticized the growing number of Jews visiting the Temple Mount, pushing back against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s high-profile visits to the Jerusalem holy site.
In a 19-page essay, Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi Kalman Ber said there is a “grave prohibition against ascending and bowing on the Temple Mount,” stressing that the restriction applies to the entire site and not only specific areas.
“It is strictly forbidden to ascend and bow on the Temple Mount at this time. Entry into the Temple Mount compound is strictly prohibited at this time, as ruled by the leading sages of Israel throughout the generations. This has also been the position of Israel’s Chief Rabbinate throughout its history,” Ber wrote.
The Temple Mount, where the First and Second Jewish Temples were built, is the holiest site in Judaism.
Rabbis are increasingly divided over Jews ascending the Temple Mount. For centuries, the rabbinic consensus was that Jewish laws of ritual purity still apply to the site, restricting Jews from visiting. But in recent years, a growing number of rabbis have argued that ritual purity laws do not apply to all sections of the holy site and encourage visits to permitted areas to maintain Jewish connections to the Temple Mount.
In a loosening of restrictions, Israeli Police began allowing Jewish visitors to bring prayer pages to the Temple Mount in January. However, visitors are still barred from bringing personal prayer books, phylacteries, or other religious items.
The essay referred to “groups” and “some leaders of these ascents” without mentioning Ben-Gvir or other organizations by name who have advocated Jewish worship at the holy site for years.
More than 68,000 Jews visited the Temple Mount during the previous Hebrew year, the highest on record. According to Beyadenu, a Jerusalem-based non-profit, the number represented a 22% increase from the previous year.
The delicate status quo governing the Temple Mount goes back to 1967, when Israel liberated Jerusalem’s Old City from Jordan during the Six-Day War. Tthen-defense minister Moshe Dayan agreed to let the Islamic Waqf, a Muslim trusteeship, continue managing the holy site’s day-to-day affairs, while Israel would maintain overall sovereignty and be responsible for security. The Waqf is overseen by the Jordanian monarchy.
According to the status quo, while non-Muslims are allowed to visit the Temple Mount, they are not permitted to pray there.