The Vision and Tactics of Rabbi Yehuda Glick

Rabbi Yehuda Glick on Temple Mount with Raphael Morris (on his wedding day)

Rabbi Yehuda Glick, the victim of last night's attempted assassination, is a man with a vision.

This vision is very clear - the rebuilding of the Temple in our days.

As this is a central tenant of Judaism, for which we pray for every day, it is surprising that his vision is so controversial, with the Arabs, with gentiles and Jews around the world, and even among orthodox Jews in Israel.

I have had the privilege of meeting Rabbi Glick on several occasions. Most recently, on my son Shimshon Raphael's wedding day, a year ago.

It is a custom among my son's circle to go up to the Temple Mount on their wedding days, both for the groom and for the bride (separately).

Rabbi Yehuda Glick greeted us warmly at the bottom of the ramp, sang Raphael up the ramp, and then gave us an extensive tour of the Temple Mount. His enthusiasm and sparkle were remarkable. (Particularly considering he must have given such a tour thousands of time).

Along the way, I asked him whether we could take some soil from the ground so we could use it to sprinkle on the groom's head under the chupa that evening.

Yehuda said I shouldn't do this, as it could cause trouble; he would do his best to obtain some soil for us.

We were escorted continuously by beefy policemen and monitored by guards from the Wakf.

Yehuda bent down and picked up some soil, which he put into a plastic bag.

Immediately, the policeman and guard intervened and started shouting at him to put it back, as it was (apparently) forbidden to remove soil.

Yehuda insisted on speaking to the policeman's commanding officer, and the incident became a hotly debated topic by cellphone with senior officers, as well as other policemen and Wakf officials joining in the foray.

After perhaps 30 minutes, Yehuda shrugged, admitted defeat, and dramatically poured out the soil from the bag back onto the ground.

"Oh well," I remarked, to my son's surprise, "I guess we'll just have to cancel tonight's wedding".
("Just kidding!").

When our tour finished, and we said our thanks and good-byes to Yehuda, discretely slipped me a small plastic bag, and told me to put it quickly in my pocket.

Yehuda had just performed the two-plastic-bags-trick.

"You can go ahead with the wedding now", he said with a wink.

Rabbi Yehuda Glick's vision is not dulled or frustrated by the tiny steps towards his goal.

Here a tour group; here a lecture...and in my case a fist-full of soil.

Rabbi Yehuda Glick's vision, enthusiasm and practicality, has horrifically led to the assassin's gun - and I join with Am Yisrael, in praying for the speedy recovery and full recuperation of Rav Yehuda Yehoshua ben Rivka Ita Breindel.