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Jerusalem's Western Wall
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The flight from Keflavik to Tel Aviv takes almost 7 hours but as we were heading eastward it wasn’t too hard. For flights between North America and Israel, I’d recommend taking a stopover in Iceland when heading west; it’s a great way to even out the jet lag and time difference.
JERUSALEM CALLING
Having been raised in a Christian environment one imagines the tales of Christianity to have happened almost in a fairy-tale world that mere mortals can’t visit. I never expected to see Jerusalem with my own eyes, nor did I think Golgotha really existed, or Jesus’ empty tomb for that matter. All these places mentioned in the Bible I found in Jerusalem and I think that even if you’re not a believer, visiting Jerusalem is like visiting an ancient movie set; you can’t help but feel star-struck even if you didn’t like the film.
During our exploration of Jerusalem, we also learned a lot about Jewish history and religion, for instance why Jews gather at the Western Wall. The walls role in Judaism had remained a mystery to me since I was a kid and never did the news anchors of my youth explain its importance or the reason it was called The Wailing Wall. Coming over here and finally gaining insight into this part of Jewish history and culture was eye-opening.
THE MOST HOLY OF HOLIES
In the Old City of Jerusalem, inside the ruins of what was once the Second Jewish Temple, on a hill called the Temple Mount there is an octagonal Muslim shrine with a golden dome, known as The Dome of the Rock. The shrine is one of the most beautiful buildings in the city and among the best-recognized landmarks of Jerusalem. The site is considered the third holiest place in the Islamic religion but it is built on the holiest site in the world according to Judaism, as the site is believed to hold the rock from which God created the Universe. On this site, God gathered the dust used to create the first human, and this is also the place where God’s divine presence is manifested more than in any other and toward which Jews turn during prayer. Muslims believe in the site’s significance connected to the creation of the Earth but also in connection to Muhammed’s ascension to Heaven and return back to the Earth with the order to pray 5 times a day.
The Western Wall and it’s prayer plaza. Beyond the wall the Dome of the Rock glitters in the sunset.
Photo: iStockphoto / VanderWolf-Images
ONCE UPON A TIME …
The First (Jewish) Temple, known as the Temple of Solomon, stood on the Temple Mount according to the Bible. It was built by King Solomon (son of King David) in 957 BCE and destroyed by Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second (Jewish) Temple was constructed in 516 BCE and then greatly expanded by King Herod. It was destroyed during the Roman Siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
In the Second Temple period, the shrine to the most Holy of Holies was a T-shaped building that only a high priest could enter once a year on Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). Jews believed that at the westernmost part of the building lay the Foundation Stone and also God’s divine presence. This shrine was destroyed during the Roman Siege and although most would guess that the Holy of Holies lies beneath the Dome of the Rock, it’s exact location is not known and therefore part of Orthodox Jewry completely avoid climbing up to Temple Mount, to prevent from accidentally stepping on the holy place or any sanctified areas.
A model of old Jerusalem and the Second Temple. The Western Wall faces towards the camera, behind the wall, the Holy of Holies.
In the first few centuries after having been cast out of Jerusalem, Jews were allowed to worship on the Mount of Olives and occasionally near the Temple Mount. Later they were given permission to enter the city once a year, on the ninth day of the month of Av, to lament the loss of the Temple. Jews then gathered by the Western Wall of the temple to pray, as close to the Holy of Holies as they could get. The Western Wall is also known as The Crying Wall or the Wailing Wall, referring to the practice of Jews weeping at the site over the destruction of the Temple and the loss of national freedom it symbolized, but this term is now being less used as it is considered derogatory. To this day, and for the past 2000 years, Jews, wherever they are in the world, pray “next year in Jerusalem” on the Passover, which for many represents their hope that the Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem, signaling the coming of the Messiah.
It should be noted that the history of the Western Wall in connection to Jewish traditions is, of course, more nuanced so getting a good and knowledgeable guide with a flair for history is greatly recommended for your first day in the city. I was fortunate to receive the excellent guidance of Eli Gertner who turned out to be extremely passionate and well versed in the country’s religious and cultural history.
VISITING THE WESTERN WALL
The Western Wall is venerated as the sole remnant of the Holy Temple in Judaism and has become a place of pilgrimage for Jews. Any visitor to the Western Wall, Jewish or non-Jewish, will no doubt be affected by witnessing the devout in fervent prayer, even openly sobbing, rocking back and forth and reciting Torah passages. It is important to be respectful of those praying and follow the rules, dress code and customs of this holy place. Don’t be surprised seeing people walking backward away from the Wall. It is a Jewish custom to never turn your back on the Wall as it is considered disrespectful to turn away. This also symbolizes not turning your back on your prayer to God.
When King Solomon built the Temple he specifically asked God to heed the prayers of all who were drawn to the Temple, not just Jews. The prophet Isaiah said that the Temple Mount was “a house of prayer for all nations.” Jewish or non-Jewish are therefore welcome to write a prayer or wish on a piece of paper and place it in the wall. In the cracks of the Western Wall you will see thousands of little wadded notes sticking out with the wishes and prayers of visitors. It is estimated that over a million notes are placed in the wall each year.
Notes with prayers fill every crevice and crack of the Western Wall.
UNDER THE WALL
Jerusalem has been conquered, sacked and rebuilt several times by different nations and kings. This is a layered city with a long and complicated history where a new layer has been built upon the old, time and time again. Nowhere is this more evident than if you take a tour of the Western Wall tunnel. The tunnel exposes the full length of the Western Wall and is located under buildings of the Old City of Jerusalem. Revealing the methods of construction and the various activities in the vicinity of the Temple Mount, the excavation of the tunnels in the 19th century also included many archeological discoveries.
The tunnel is in part narrow so the claustrophobic should stay outside on the Western Wall Plaza and continue with their prayers. The guided tour through the tunnel begins with a short video explaining how the Old City was built on top of an even older city before taking you in further and deeper along the wall and finally through the recently made northern exit.
