Amshinov Rebbe's Controversial Temple Mount Ruling Sparks 20% Surge in Visitors
The Amshinov Rebbe's statement remains unretracted. The "Amshinov Route" now has a name. And the debate over the Temple Mount, halachic, political, and communal, is very far from over.
A surprise halachic statement from one of Chassidus's most revered figures has sent shockwaves through the ultra-Orthodox world, with real-world consequences already visible on the ground at the Temple Mount.
The controversy began after Kikar HaShabbat revealed remarks attributed to the Amshinov Rebbe regarding ascending the Temple Mount in today's times. The publication reported the Rebbe's words verbatim, exactly as they appeared in the Chassidus's official newsletter, without addition or omission.
Boots on the Ground: The Numbers Don't Lie
The fallout was immediate and measurable. According to data provided by the Temple Mount Administration, the number of Jewish visitors ascending in ritual purity surged by approximately 20% compared to the same period last year.
Among the roughly 300 worshippers who ascended according to strict halachic guidelines, a notable number were Haredi Jews, some ascending for the very first time in their lives.
Most striking was the emergence of what locals have already nicknamed the "Amshinov Route" - the shortest path along the Temple Mount, hugging the inner side of the Western Wall without penetrating deeper into the Mount itself. More than ten Haredi worshippers entered via this specific route, citing the Rebbe's widely discussed statement as their halachic basis.
Sunday Expected to Bring Mass Ascent
The Mount was closed to Jewish visitors Wednesday night through Saturday due to a Muslim holiday. When it reopens Sunday, organizers are anticipating a large wave of worshippers, many coming to pray for the recovery of the renowned Kabbalist, Rabbi Dov Kook of Tiberias, who recently declared that "it is a great mitzvah today to ascend the Temple Mount in purity, to Judaize the place and thereby restore the Divine Presence to Zion."
The Panicked Tweet That Backfired
As the story gained traction, certain parties scrambled to contain the damage. One social media figure posted what he claimed was an "official response" from the Rebbe's son, Rabbi Moshe Milikovsky, alleging that Kikar HaShabbat had taken the Rebbe's words out of context, describing them as a private internal discussion from a year ago, published in an internal bulletin, and "intended only for those who understand the nature of the Rebbe's responses."
The reaction across Haredi and Chassidic media circles was swift and withering.
Observers pointed out several glaring problems with the tweet:
Adding further irony: the Rebbe is widely known for his exceptional personal piety, a man so careful about sanctity that he avoids inserting even his fingers between the stones of the Western Wall. That such a figure would issue a permissive Temple Mount ruling made the original report all the more significant, and the attempted denial all the more suspicious.
Pressure Behind the Scenes
Sources familiar with the matter told Kikar HaShabbat that behind the Twitter account lay a heavy pressure campaign applied to the Rebbe's son, aimed at extracting any statement that could help "put out the fire."
Kikar HaShabbat itself was clear in reaffirming its editorial position: the publication firmly upholds the rulings of the overwhelming majority of leading halachic authorities who prohibit ascending the Temple Mount. However, the outlet stressed that accurately reporting what was printed in an official Chassidic publication is a matter of journalistic integrity and no amount of pressure or social media spin changes what is written in black and white.