The Temple Mount is the holiest place in the world.
This is where two Temples once stood and where in the future the Third Temple will be built.
Because of the sanctity of the place, there are some instructions that are important to know before ascending:
- Ascend without leather shoes. You can come with Root Sandals, Crocs, barefoot or cloth shoes, as in Yom Kippur.
- It is recommended to ascend without a bag. It can be left at the police station, it’s important to visit in a way that doesn’t appear like we are passing through on the way to another destination.
- It’s mandatory to immerse in the mikveh and ascend while pure.
What is immersion?
In our daily lives we experience many negative situations. Evil, pain, and loss. In the spiritual realm, negative energy is called “impurity”. Lack of such negative energy is called “purity” and the presence of positive energy is called “holiness”.
In order to gain the sanctity of the Temple Mount and the Temple, one must abandon impurity and ascend in purity.
Immersion in the mikveh simulates a situation in which we return to the womb. Wrapped in living water from all directions, returning to the wholeness that existed before we were born and exposed to evil and negativity.
When do you immerse?
Men: On the morning of the day of ascendance to the Temple Mount.
Women: the evening before ascending.
Before you immerse, you have to remove anything that can create a divide.
Immersion is done without clothes, and after earrings and piercings are removed. Dirt is also considered “dividing,” so before immersion you should shower in hot shower and clean your body thoroughly using soap and shampoo, comb your hair, clip your nails, use dental floss, removd dry skin and anything that can be “separating” the body and the water.
In short, come the cleanest you can, like you do for a first date/ job interview.
Before immersion you bless: “Blessed are you, God, king of the world, who we have consecrated in his commandments and commanded immersion.” It is enough to immerse once, to become pure.
The impurity from which one must rid himself before ascending the Temple Mount is related to the blood from birth and menstruation, sperm, and intercourse.
Since learning about impurity and purity involves engaging intimate subjects, it is advisable for anyone who is immersing for the first time to consult a torah figure on the phone to learn about immersion.
Men: Rabbi Itai Elitzur 052-720-3210
Women: Rabbitzin Idit Bartov 050-366-3101
(It is also recommended to go to the mikveh with a person familiar with the process, to make immersion a pleasant and simple experience)
Where are we allowed to go?
After immersion you are allowed ascend happily and without fear to The Temple Mount of God. The mountain itself is divided into two circles of holiness – The inner circle is called the “camp of divine presence”, and it is prohibited to enter because of dead impurity.
Guides who know the places where it is permitted or forbidden to ascend are on the Mount regularly and their service is free, including guidance in the site.
Picture key:
Blue: Ladies’ section – the original camp of divine presence.
Red: Late addition to the camp of divine presence. The limit to which you can enter after immersion in the mikveh.
White: The usual route for visitors to the Temple Mount.
Do you have a halakhic or any other question? Ask us and we will reply.
We pass on your questions to Rabbis who are well versed in the subject of the Temple Mount.
