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Due to the grace of God, after two thousand years of exile, we had the privilege of liberating the Temple Mount during the Six-Day War, on the 28th of Iyar, 5727 (June 7, 1967). Possessing the Temple Mount brings us one step closer to building the Third Temple. To avoid repeating the mistakes that led to the destruction of the first two Temples, we must focus on inculcating the values associated with the Temple (detailed above in sections 2-8). If we succeed, we will have the privilege of building the Third Temple, after which the Divine Presence will dwell in Israel and throughout the world.
In the meantime, the question arises as to whether or not it is permissible to enter the Temple Mount. It is divided into two areas, the Camp of the Divine Presence and the Levite Camp. The first area is where the Temples and their courtyards were located. It is off limits to anyone impure due to a corpse. Nowadays, this includes almost everyone, because a corpse confers impurity not only upon those who touch it, but also upon anyone near it or under the same roof. And, as we mentioned above, there is no way to purify ourselves, as we lack the ashes of the red heifer.
Surrounding the first area is the Levite Camp. In this part of the Temple Mount, those who are impure due to death are permitted entry. However, those who are impure due to bodily secretions, whether semen or menstrual blood, may not enter unless they first immerse in a mikveh.
Many rabbis maintain that since it is biblically prohibited to enter certain areas and there is some disagreement as to the precise demarcations, no one should be allowed to ascend to the Temple Mount, in order to avoid possible transgression. Others maintain it is possible, and indeed a mitzva to determine where entrance is permitted, and to take the necessary halakhic measures to allow it, i.e., to immerse. Thus, properly prepared, people should ascend to the Temple Mount to express their connection to the most sacred place in the world for Jews, to reinforce Jewish sovereignty there, and to pray for the rebuilding of the Temple. I subscribe to the latter position.
