Lds Temples And The Western Wall

[volgadon]

I agree with Volgadon. I've been to the Kotel many times, and seen lots of different activities, and have never seen anything like this. I suspect its a private practice of some old fellow, then sensationalized a bit in the telling. There's lots of idiosyncratic things that Jews do there, just like any other religious group.

I'm glad it is not just me that hasn't seen it!

[rameumptom]

These responses remind me of something that occurred in 1978. My Institute director and several others went to the Middle East for a LDS sponsored trip. At the Western Wall, he said that several of those praying would wear their jacket hanging only on one shoulder. The person would then walk away from the wall momentarily, switch the jacket so it only hung on the other shoulder, then return to pray.

Since that time, I've never seen this occur in any videos or photos I've seen of the Western Wall, and so highly doubt it. Any info on this statement? Perhaps Daniel Rona got to these Institute directors, also?

[volgadon]

These responses remind me of something that occurred in 1978. My Institute director and several others went to the Middle East for a LDS sponsored trip. At the Western Wall, he said that several of those praying would wear their jacket hanging only on one shoulder. The person would then walk away from the wall momentarily, switch the jacket so it only hung on the other shoulder, then return to pray.

Since that time, I've never seen this occur in any videos or photos I've seen of the Western Wall, and so highly doubt it. Any info on this statement? Perhaps Daniel Rona got to these Institute directors, also?

Never seen that either. If anything, it sounds like a matter of convenience. I think these comparisons usually arise by trying to read the LDS temple into everything, and not actually study the subject.

[mfbukowski]

These responses remind me of something that occurred in 1978. My Institute director and several others went to the Middle East for a LDS sponsored trip. At the Western Wall, he said that several of those praying would wear their jacket hanging only on one shoulder. The person would then walk away from the wall momentarily, switch the jacket so it only hung on the other shoulder, then return to pray.

Since that time, I've never seen this occur in any videos or photos I've seen of the Western Wall, and so highly doubt it. Any info on this statement? Perhaps Daniel Rona got to these Institute directors, also?

I think it gets really hot in Israel on some days, and I know I wouldn't want to put my jacket on the ground to get it dirty!

[volgadon]

I think it gets really hot in Israel on some days, and I know I wouldn't want to put my jacket on the ground to get it dirty!

Especially as we aren't cavalier about clothes. I think if parallels are to be made then they should be observed more than once and with more than one individual.

[volgadon]

The only really unique practice associated with the Western Wall is walking backwards after placing your note in the wall. It has no parallel in LDS ritual. This is a folk custom which is meant to avoid turning your back on the Shekhinah. The Shekhinah is the female personificaton of God's presence, and in the mystic tradition is considered to be his bride. The temple was her home and when it was destroyed she went into exile.

The Western Wall, the only portion of the Herodian temple mount standing tall, became associated with several old Rabbinic traditions, of which the following is an example.

"R. Aha said: The Shekhinah has never departed from the western wall."

-Exodus Rabbah 2:2.

This midrash (and others like it) was about the western wall of the temple itself. This wall was intact until sometime before construction of the Dome of the Rock took place. The Umayyads allowed Jews to resettle Jerusalem. Seventy families came from Tiberias and settled near the southern wall and the gates of Huldah. When the Umayyads built a palace in the south, the Jews moved to the eastern wall.

When Nahmanides renewed the Jewish presence in Jerusalem after the Crusades, they came across the massive stones of the Western Wall and began praying there. Suleiman the Magnificient encouraged the Jewish presence in Jerusalem (to offset the Arab one) and granted them exclusive prayer rights to the Western Wall. The Rabbinic traditions about the western wall of the temple were reapplied to the new prayer area.

There is a famous tradition found in several sources about how the preeminent Kabbalist, the Ari (R. Isaac Luria Ashkenazi), sent his disciple R. Abraham Beruchim to the Western Wall in order to gain a vision of the Shekhinah.

Nahmanides wrote in his commentary on the Song of Solomon that "the Holy One, blessed be He, did not rest until he had established the Divine Presence (Shekhinah) of the Temple on the Western Wall... and from thence it watches over the children of men.”

One more source will suffice.

"Men and women come to utter prayers and supplications before the abode of our Glory, and there they stay for the afternoon prayer. During the month of Elul and on the Day of Atonement people go there constantly to pray and confess. We have a tradition that their prayers never remain unanswered; for the Shekhinah has never departed from the Western Wall. There, too, are humble poor people and every man and woman gives them alms according to his means.”

R. Isaac Farhi, "Tuv Ha'aretz."

[Bill Hamblin]

Here's a 360 panorama I did of the Kotel, Western Wall

My link

[volgadon]

There were a few other unique practices, but these have fallen into disuse and were abandoned at the turn of the 20th century.

One of these was removing your shoes before praying at the Western Wall.

This was due apparently to the biblical concept of removing shoes when on holy ground. To me it seems like this was originally a mourning custom, but I won't press the point. Especially considering that some of the primary sources explicitly mention holiness as the reason for removing shoes. The custom was mainly a Sephardic one. Nobel laureate S. Y. Agnon mentions the custom in his novel "Tmol Shilshom". The novel was written between 1909 and 1945 and takes place in the early part of the century. In it removing your shoes is described as a custom of the past and contrasted with the current custom of leaving them on.

[Bill Hamblin]

There were a few other unique practices, but these have fallen into disuse and were abandoned at the turn of the 20th century.

One of these was removing your shoes before praying at the Western Wall.

This was due apparently to the biblical concept of removing shoes when on holy ground. To me it seems like this was originally a mourning custom, but I won't press the point. Especially considering that some of the primary sources explicitly mention holiness as the reason for removing shoes. The custom was mainly a Sephardic one. Nobel laureate S. Y. Agnon mentions the custom in his novel "Tmol Shilshom". The novel was written between 1909 and 1945 and takes place in the early part of the century. In it removing your shoes is described as a custom of the past and contrasted with the current custom of leaving them on.

The custom is Sephardic and may come from Muslim influence where removing shoes to enter a mosque is the norm.

[mfbukowski]

Here's a 360 panorama I did of the Kotel, Western Wall

My link

Great stuff!

[volgadon]

The custom is Sephardic and may come from Muslim influence where removing shoes to enter a mosque is the norm.

It may have, it might also share common ancestors with the Muslim practice, it is really almost impossible to tell. The origins of folk customs didn't tend to be written down much. The cuustom was primarily Sephardic, as Luncz observed, but many of the Ashkenazim adopted it (see the Bida painting I posted), just as many Sephardi Jews abandoned it.

Luncz wrote that it was a custom of the Sephardic hachamim, that is, rabbis. To me this would imply that in his day its popularity had died out among the ordinary members of the community.

[Bill Hamblin]

It may have, it might also share common ancestors with the Muslim practice, it is really almost impossible to tell. The origins of folk customs didn't tend to be written down much. The cuustom was primarily Sephardic, as Luncz observed, but many of the Ashkenazim adopted it (see the Bida painting I posted), just as many Sephardi Jews abandoned it.

Luncz wrote that it was a custom of the Sephardic hachamim, that is, rabbis. To me this would imply that in his day its popularity had died out among the ordinary members of the community.

You're right. It is also worth noting that there are rabbinic traditions that priests should go barefoot in the temple, which is perhaps the source of both the Muslim and Sephardic tradition. On the other hand, it is probably a trans-cultural Near Eastern tradition, which is essentially that if you wear your shoes in a temple, you track in all sorts of crap (literal and metaphorical).

[Nathair/|\]

You're right. It is also worth noting that there are rabbinic traditions that priests should go barefoot in the temple, which is perhaps the source of both the Muslim and Sephardic tradition. On the other hand, it is probably a trans-cultural Near Eastern tradition, which is essentially that if you wear your shoes in a temple, you track in all sorts of crap (literal and metaphorical).

Didn't Moses have to take off his sandals?

[volgadon]

This 19th century photo is extremely instructive. The first two figures on the left are Ashkenazi Jews, probably Lithuanian Prushim. They are wearing shoes. They also have shtreimels, that is, fur caps. These weren't worn on a daily basis, but only during the Sabbath, holidays, and festive occasions. As it seems highly improbable that they would have cooperated with a photographer on the Sabbath, this would most likely be just before a wedding. The third figure is a Hasid, because only they wore the gertl, a thin sash which served to separe the impure lower body from the pure upper parts, particularly during prayers. The fourth man is Yemenite. He is wrapped in a large shawl, which was a common item of Yemenite Jews. He is the only barefoot figure in the picture, but this is probably because the Yemenites were extremely empoverished, even by Jewish standards. The next man is a North African. The next group consists of a man in European dress, possibly a Jewish pilgrim, and two women in white. He is standing very close to them.

Lest anyone attempt to draw parallels between the women and temple dress, here is a different photo. Married women always had their heads covered in Judaism.

[volgadon]

The other unique custom long since discontinued has to do with nails.

The late Ze'ev Vilnay mentioned an old Jerusalemite custom of those about to go overseas. This was a segulah. In Judaism, a segulah is a charm, or an action intended to bring about a good outcome or good fortune. The Jerusalemite would place a nail between the cracks in the Wall, in the hopes of returning to Jerusalem. The practice was associated with the following biblical verses.

"And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place; and he shall be for a throne of honour to his father's house."

-Isaiah 22:23.

"And now for a little moment grace hath been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage."

Ezra 9:8.

[mfbukowski]

The other unique custom long since discontinued has to do with nails.

The late Ze'ev Vilnay mentioned an old Jerusalemite custom of those about to go overseas. This was a segulah. In Judaism, a segulah is a charm, or an action intended to bring about a good outcome or good fortune. The Jerusalemite would place a nail between the cracks in the Wall, in the hopes of returning to Jerusalem. The practice was associated with the following biblical verses.

"And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place; and he shall be for a throne of honour to his father's house."

-Isaiah 22:23.

"And now for a little moment grace hath been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage."

Ezra 9:8.

Holy cow!

How ironic can you get?

[volgadon]

Holy cow!

How ironic can you get?

I thought that this would elicit some response.

[mfbukowski]

I thought that this would elicit some response.

It's just incredible- the more I think about it the more incredible it becomes!

Can you tell how far back that interpretation goes? It seems almost like rationalization or something-? A way to make that scripture NOT say what we see it as saying?

But there are so many ways of taking this - it boggles the imagination!

[volgadon]

It's just incredible- the more I think about it the more incredible it becomes!

Can you tell how far back that interpretation goes? It seems almost like rationalization or something-? A way to make that scripture NOT say what we see it as saying?

But there are so many ways of taking this - it boggles the imagination!

My guess is 19th century. This really isn't as striking as it may seem at first glance. Lets forget our interpretation of that scripture for a moment. Ideally, a nail (or peg) is almost impossible to simply pull out once it is driven in to the proper surface. That is what the sure place is.

Then, if we look at the person the Isaiah verse is reffering to, we see that it is a steward. Normally, in those poverty stricken days of the 19th century, people would leave when they were sent as a shadar, a rabbinic emissary to the various communities, mostly for fundraising purposes.

By performing this segulah, they won't be moved out of their place in God's holy city.

There is also a reference in the Talmud to a hunk of marble in which nails were driven (Yerushalmi 78a). This wasn't in Jerusalem, this was in Beit Rimmon in the Lower Galilee. In defiance of the Hadrianic decrees, several sages had secretly calculated the days of the month according to the new moon. They wanted to leave behind some token of this, and when they saw that rock in the field each came and drove a nail into it. The marble miracously became soft when they did so.

I forgot to mention that the traveler's prayer (tefilat ha-derech) was read before placing the nail in the Wall. People would also places bits of rope and string in the Wall, to tie themselves to Jerusalem.

[volgadon]

Claim: At the Western Wall, a robe is worn on one shoulder.

Answer: The “robe” is actually a prayer shawl called the talith. It is draped over head and shoulders, but sometimes was worn over both shoulders only. The talith is primarily used during morning prayers and is not specific to the Western Wall.

[cinepro]

Interesting discussion.

All I can say is that if Daniel Rona is this impressed by these parallels, he should study up on Masonry.

Because that would positively blow his mind.

[Nathair/|\]

Interesting discussion.

All I can say is that if Daniel Rona is this impressed by these parallels, he should study up on Masonry.

Because that would positively blow his mind.

Or hermeticism

[volgadon]

And now for something I'm sure you've all been waiting for- the notes in the Western Wall.

Claim: Jews place names into the cracks between the stones of the Western Wall, in order to pray for those names.

Answer: It isn't names which are put in the wall but requests. Usually for yourself, sometimes for others. People don't tend to simply jot down names like we do.

It is a developement of the Hasidic custom of writing kvittlekh which they presented to their tsaddiq (saint or holy man). Kvittlekh were little notes, pettitions the tsaddiq to intervene on their behalf, sometimes between them and God, sometimes between them and their neighbours. Hasidic Jews also placed notes on the tombs of holy men for them to act as intercessors, due to their merits. This practice was extended to the Western Wall as well, probably as people who couldn't make the pilgrimage themselves sent their requests with their friends.

The earliest reference I could find mentioning the practice of placing notes in the Wall dates to 1856 or so. The elderly Hannah Rochel, the Hasidic holy woman known as the Maid of Ludmir, was about to make the journey to Israel. People gave her kvittlekh to take to the Western Wall, Rachel’s Tomb, and the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

“I will lay the kvittlekh where you requested but I will not read them myself. I have lost my powers. Perhaps God will help me so that in the Land of Israel, in the Holy Land, I will regain my powers and become a wonder-worker. Now I travel to the Land of Israel as a simple Jewess.”

-Nathaniel Deutsch, "The Maiden of Ludmir: a Jewish holy woman and her world," pg. 192.

Granted, I only browsed through a dozen 19th century travelogues treating with Jerusalem, but not one of them mentions notes in the walls. Prayers, weeping and kissing the stones, yes, but no notes. This apparently wasn’t a particularly widespread custom yet. The Hasid Yaakov Sofer in 1903 published "Sippurei Yaakov", a collection of tales about holy men, sort of a Hasidic lives of the saints. One of the apocryphal tales concerns the Hida (Hayyim Yosef David Azulay, 1724-1806) and the Or Hayyim (Hayyim ibn Attar, 1696-1743). According to this unlikely story, the Or Hayyim sent a note with the Hida who was emmigrating to Israel (he was actually born there). The Hida forgot and was struck with a curse from above. The donkey he used to transport clay dropped dead. The Hida remembered the note, placed it in the Wall, and all worked out well. The content of the letter asked the Shekhinah to please "help my dear disciple in times of trouble." This request of a great scholar and mystic on behalf of a humble disciple so impressed the Jerusalem Jews that they made the Hida their rabbi. There is another Hasidic legend about the Or Hayyim and the Western Wall. This one was written down in 1931 by a disciple of Chaim Elazar Spira, the Munkatscher Rebbe, who attributed it to "his holy fathers." He had told the story the year prior, during a historic visit to Jerusalem, recorded in the book "Masa'ot Yerushalaim." The story can't be dated much further than the mid 19th century (a generous estimate), and both stories are historically dubious. In this legend, the Or Hayyim has an unnamed disciple fallen on hard times who pleads with him to intercede on his behalf. The Or Hayyim writes a note on parchment (what Torah scrolls, phylacteries, and mezuzot are written on) and instructs his disciple to place it between one of the cracks of the Western Wall. This will bring salvation to his home.

Due to strong gusts of wind, the disciple loses the note. It is found by others and when they read it they saw that it was addressing the Shekhinah, using language from the Song of Solomon. "My sister, my bride, my dove, my pure one, I ask thee in thy great mercy to please provide an abundance of increase for my disciple.”

[WalkerW]

And now for something I'm sure you've all been waiting for- the notes in the Western Wall.

Claim: Jews place names into the cracks between the stones of the Western Wall, in order to pray for those names.

Answer: It isn't names which are put in the wall but requests. Usually for yourself, sometimes for others. People don't tend to simply jot down names like we do.

It is a developement of the Hasidic custom of writing kvittlekh which they presented to their tsaddiq (saint or holy man). Kvittlekh were little notes, pettitions the tsaddiq to intervene on their behalf, sometimes between them and God, sometimes between them and their neighbours. Hasidic Jews also placed notes on the tombs of holy men for them to act as intercessors, due to their merits. This practice was extended to the Western Wall as well, probably as people who couldn't make the pilgrimage themselves sent their requests with their friends.

The earliest reference I could find mentioning the practice of placing notes in the Wall dates to 1856 or so. The elderly Hannah Rochel, the Hasidic holy woman known as the Maid of Ludmir, was about to make the journey to Israel. People gave her kvittlekh to take to the Western Wall, Rachel’s Tomb, and the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

“I will lay the kvittlekh where you requested but I will not read them myself. I have lost my powers. Perhaps God will help me so that in the Land of Israel, in the Holy Land, I will regain my powers and become a wonder-worker. Now I travel to the Land of Israel as a simple Jewess.”

-Nathaniel Deutsch, "The Maiden of Ludmir: a Jewish holy woman and her world," pg. 192.

Granted, I only browsed through a dozen 19th century travelogues treating with Jerusalem, but not one of them mentions notes in the walls. Prayers, weeping and kissing the stones, yes, but no notes. This apparently wasn’t a particularly widespread custom yet. The Hasid Yaakov Sofer in 1903 published "Sippurei Yaakov", a collection of tales about holy men, sort of a Hasidic lives of the saints. One of the apocryphal tales concerns the Hida (Hayyim Yosef David Azulay, 1724-1806) and the Or Hayyim (Hayyim ibn Attar, 1696-1743). According to this unlikely story, the Or Hayyim sent a note with the Hida who was emmigrating to Israel (he was actually born there). The Hida forgot and was struck with a curse from above. The donkey he used to transport clay dropped dead. The Hida remembered the note, placed it in the Wall, and all worked out well. The content of the letter asked the Shekhinah to please "help my dear disciple in times of trouble." This request of a great scholar and mystic on behalf of a humble disciple so impressed the Jerusalem Jews that they made the Hida their rabbi. There is another Hasidic legend about the Or Hayyim and the Western Wall. This one was written down in 1931 by a disciple of Chaim Elazar Spira, the Munkatscher Rebbe, who attributed it to "his holy fathers." He had told the story the year prior, during a historic visit to Jerusalem, recorded in the book "Masa'ot Yerushalaim." The story can't be dated much further than the mid 19th century (a generous estimate), and both stories are historically dubious. In this legend, the Or Hayyim has an unnamed disciple fallen on hard times who pleads with him to intercede on his behalf. The Or Hayyim writes a note on parchment (what Torah scrolls, phylacteries, and mezuzot are written on) and instructs his disciple to place it between one of the cracks of the Western Wall. This will bring salvation to his home.

Due to strong gusts of wind, the disciple loses the note. It is found by others and when they read it they saw that it was addressing the Shekhinah, using language from the Song of Solomon. "My sister, my bride, my dove, my pure one, I ask thee in thy great mercy to please provide an abundance of increase for my disciple.”

Well, that settles that.

[volgadon]

Well, that settles that.

Except that I need to soften my statement regarding travelogues, I found two that do mention notes.