Kedusha of Eretz Yisroel
20. Some poskim hold Eretz Yisroel has kedusha d’oraisa even today; others hold it has no kedusha at all; yet others hold it has kedusha d’rabanan (עי' רמב''ם פ''א תרומות הכ''ו, שו''ע יו''ד סי' של''א ). This has an impact on the halachos of terumos umaasros (see Issue 131, par. 7) and shemitah (see Issue 225, par. 11) today.
Kedusha of the Site of the Beis HaMikdash
21. The Tannaim, Amoraim, and poskim also argue whether the site of the Beis HaMikdash has kedusha even when the Beis HaMikdash is not standing (גמ' שבועות דף ט''ז ע''א, זבחים דף ק''ז ע''ב, מגילה דף י' ע''א ועוד ). This machlokes has ramifications on our topic, for if the kedusha of the site of the Beis HaMikdash is no longer there, people who are tamei can go up without a Torah issur – even someone who is tamei meis can go to the Azara area. However, according to the opinions that there is still kedusha at the site of the Beis HaMikdash today, the boundaries for tumah are still in force; a tamei meis cannot enter the Azara area and someone tamei due to a bodily emission may not enter Har HaBayis (above, 12).
22. In practice, most Tannaim and Amoraim and most Rishonim hold the kedusha of the Beis HaMikdash itself is eternal and exists even today.
23. Rambam. The Rambam (פ''ו בית הבחירה הי''ד ) holds that although regarding Eretz Yisroel (above, 20), there is no kedusha d’oraisa, the kedusha of the Beis HaMikdash exists forever and was not nullified with the Churban. This is the opinion of most Rishonim (ספר התרומה, תוס' יומא דף מ''ד, חינוך מצוה שס''ג ועוד ).
24. Raavad. However, the Raavad there argues. He holds the kedusha of the Beis HaMikdash is gone; the site has no kedusha whatsoever. Accordingly, min haTorah, a tamei meis would be allowed to enter even the Azara area today (וכן הובא במאירי שבועות ט''ז ע''א ).
25. In practice. Since most Rishonim side with the Rambam and the Acharonim also rule this way in practice (כפתור ופרח פ''ו, מהרי''ל הל' יוהכ''פ, גר''א יו''ד סי' של''א ס''ב, מג''א סי' תקס''א, מ''ב שם סק''ה ), it is clear that it is assur d’oraisa for a tamei meis to enter the Azara area and for people with other tumos to enter Har HaBayis. One should in no way rely on a lone meikel opinion (הראב''ד ) to be meikel in this.
