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12 Iyar 5766 - May 10, 2006 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Kohanim Can Continue to Enter Knesset

by Eliezer Rauchberger

A burial cave beneath the Knesset was covered with wood to allow kohanim to continue entering the building after the Knesset Secretary and activists involved in burial issues held a meeting to solve a tumah problem.

When the new wing of the Knesset was built, a burial cave, determined to be Jewish, was found at the site. Following efforts by MK Rabbi Meir Porush a decision was reached to preserve the cave by sealing it off and not to destroy it with a "rescue" dig. The buildings plans were altered slightly so that today the burial cave lies in a courtyard between some MK offices.

Recently MK Yitzchak Cohen (Shas) stepped into his office in the new wing and was surprised to see that a large cornice had been built and it extended over the burial cave. Via this cornice, the tumah rising up skyward entered the building. Since the entire Knesset building — both the new and old sections — is connected, the entire building became off-limits for kohanim. MK Cohen rushed out of the building and proceeded to notify other kohanim to leave the building, both MKs and Knesset employees.

The Knesset administration began to seek a solution to the problem that same day. Following the meeting attended by burial askonim and a tour of the site, the Knesset Secretary issued instructions to prevent tumah from entering the building and by afternoon workers were already covering the cave with wood.

A considerable number of kohanim hold posts at the Knesset, including observant MKs.

 

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