The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. Israel, Wailing Wall

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

Perhaps there is no other place on Earth like the Wailing Wall, where thousands of pilgrims would annually seek to pray to God, make a wish, or simply touch the history of all mankind. The Western Wall (the second name of the Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem is the main religious landmark and the Jewish shrine of Israel.

A little about Israel

Before we start talking about the Wailing Wall, I would like to tell you a little about Israel - the country in which it is located. It is located in Southwest Asia. The capital of Israel is the city of Jerusalem. The population is eight million people. The Promised Land, as Israel is also called, is the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of three religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This tiny country is surrounded by forests, seas, mountains, deserts. This is a state wept for and suffered by the Jewish people. The historical significance of this place cannot be overestimated. Therefore, it is not at all surprising thatIsrael attracts thousands and thousands of tourists from all over the world. Israel is rich in cultural, historical and religious monuments. The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem is one of the most important places for all believers. Therefore, every Christian should certainly visit Jerusalem at least once and, of course, visit the Wailing Wall.

Origin of the name

The term "Wailing Wall" is more popular with pilgrims coming to Jerusalem. The Jews themselves call it the "Western Wall", the first explicit mention of which dates back to the eleventh century and belongs to Ahimatsu ben P altilei. And the name "Wailing Wall" was given by the Arabs, who saw how Jews come here to mourn for the destroyed shrine. Now the Western Wall is a fragment of the wall left from the fortification of the Temple Mount, on which the temple was built - a holy place for all Jews. Subsequently, the temple was destroyed, but the sacred Jewish scriptures say that the Divine presence never departs from this place.

Wailing Wall: size and location

Usually this wall means fifty-seven meters of an open fragment of an ancient fortification wall located on the western slope of the Temple Mount. This part is reserved for prayers and overlooks the square of the Jewish quarter. But its total size is four hundred and eighty-eight meters, most of which is hidden behind residential buildings. The southern eight-meter part of the wall is located in the Muslim quarter of the holy city. Tall Wailing Wallis thirty-two meters, but only nineteen of them are visible above the ground, everything else eventually disappeared under an earthen embankment. The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem consists of forty-five layers of stone, twenty-eight of which are above the ground and seventeen below it. The first seven layers visible are from the Jordanian period. They are made of perfectly polished limestone stones without any fastening between them. The average height of the stones is one meter, the length is from one and a half to three meters. Each block weighs from two to six tons. On the front side of each such stone there are panels of very fine carving.

History

In the tenth century BC, the Temple of Solomon was built on the Temple Mount, which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The construction of the second temple was carried out in the first century BC by the Jewish king Herod. In this way, he wanted to restore the destruction that had occurred during the war and receive the love of his subjects. No one was allowed into the inner part of the temple, except for the priests, so Herod ordered that all the holy fathers be trained in building skills. Because of this, the preliminary preparation took a very long time. The construction of the temple lasted nine and a half years. And even after the death of the king, finishing work continued for a long time. But, ironically, the temple was again completely destroyed by the Roman conquerors six years after the completion of construction. The Romans burned, plundered and completely destroyed it, and the Temple Mount itself was plowed up. The Western Wall in Jerusalem isall that remains of the grand structure.

The Wall in Jerusalem today

The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem annually attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. Someone comes here to bow to the Promised Land of their ancestors, someone just wants to visit a place of worship and touch history, others come back here again and again to once again feel the most powerful energy emanating from the wall, but who something - put a note with a cherished desire between the stones. Any person can come here, regardless of the faith he professes. There are no restrictions on this. The only thing to approach the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem is to follow some rules that the guards will not let you break. Firstly, a man must wear a kippah (small hat). If there is none, then at the entrance to the square you can take a cardboard pile in a basket, absolutely free. Women and men pray from different directions: men on the left side, and women on the right. You can move away from the wall only by turning to face it - this is the custom. People come to the Western Wall not only to pray. The Israelis celebrate many holidays and important events in this sacred place.

Where did the tradition of putting notes with wishes into the wall come from

Every year, thousands of tourists come to Jerusalem. The Wailing Wall (the photo is presented in the article) receives many visitors to give hope to some, lost faith to others, and for some this is the last place where you can pour out your soul before God. Butjudging by how many notes are in the crevices between the stones, the majority certainly wants to send a message to God, in the hope that in this way the request will reach the Almighty faster. The tradition of putting notes with requests into the crevices of the wall has been a tradition since ancient times. There is a legend that once upon a time, a wise man - Raba Chaim Ben Atar - wrote a note to God asking him to send prosperity to his disciple. And he asked this young man to take it to the Wailing Wall and put it between the stones. Soon the student of Rab Chaim Ben Atara was lucky. And we know him as a sage named Hida. Every Jew firmly believes that no matter how far he is from his native place, if his thoughts and prayers are directed to where the Wailing Wall rises above Jerusalem Square, he will be heard by God. Once a year, the caretakers behind the Wailing Wall scoop up the notes and take them to the Mount of Olives, where they put the messages in a special burial place.

Free delivery of notes to the Wailing Wall

And if someone does not have the opportunity to fly to Israel and personally put a note with the most cherished desire into the Wall, it does not matter. There are sites where you can fill out the appropriate form absolutely free of charge and send a message, and Israeli volunteers will print it out and take it to a sacred place. But no matter how you try to deliver a leaflet with a request to God, it always has the same address: Jerusalem, the Wailing Wall. The notes of thousands of people annually end up in a place where the presence of the Almighty is always felt.

Hotels near the Wailing Wall

Pilgrims,rushing to the shores of the Promised Land will still be interested in pressing problems. Therefore, the question may arise: “Where can I settle for the duration of my stay in the Holy City?” Not far from Jewish Square there are many cozy hotels, expensive and not very expensive. Half a kilometer away is a small hotel called the New Imperial Hotel. It is located in the historical part of Jerusalem. The cozy rooms have air conditioning, Wi-Fi, TV. In the dining area you will find a refrigerator and a kettle. Breakfast is buffet style. The prices are very democratic. Another hotel located near the Western Wall is the Mamilla Hotel (five stars). On the roof there is a panoramic terrace with a wonderful view of the old town. Cozy rooms come with organic Egyptian cotton linens, and some bathrooms have glass walls that can be switched on and off. There are many restaurants on the territory of the hotel, there is also a spa. This is an expensive hotel with great service. The Wailing Wall is only one kilometer away.

Other attractions in Jerusalem

Israel is rich in religious, cultural and natural attractions. And one of the greatest Christian shrines is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. According to legend, the sanctuary was built on the site where Jesus Christ was crucified and buried. After the destruction, the temple was finally rebuilt in the year 1810. Now the temple complex includes the Altar of the Crucifixion on the top of Golgotha, a rotunda with a large dome, a chapelEdicule, which was erected at the burial site of Christ, the underground church of the Finding of the Life-bearing Cross, the cathedral church of the Jerusalem church Kafolikon, several limits and the church of St. Helena Equal to the Apostles. You should also definitely visit the Church of the Nativity, which is one of the main shrines of the Christian world. This church was built on the site where, according to legend, Jesus Christ was born. Golgotha is one of the most revered places for believing Christians. It is also worth noting the stone of Anointing and, of course, the Dead Sea. All this and much more will appear before the eyes of travelers who decide to visit Israel. Therefore, it is unacceptable to go to this amazing land.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that the sacred land will welcome all believers, regardless of confession. Arriving at the Promised Land of all Jews, you will not only touch the history of the ancient people, but also be enriched spiritually. By visiting the Wailing Wall, you will be able to turn to God through a sacred message, and your requests will certainly be heard.