What is the Wailing Wall?
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The Wailing Wall or Western Wall is the remains of the great Jewish temple, which had stood for close to 500 years. Herod began rebuilding and adding on to the temple in approximately 19 B.C.E., and the total work was not finished until fifty years later. The temple itself was destroyed by the Romans only a few years after its completion, circa 70 C.E.
It is thought by Jews to be the most sacred of places, because the temple itself was thought to be the place where God resides on earth. Praying at the Wailing Wall signifies being in the presence of the Divine. Jews from all countries, and as well as tourists of other religious backgrounds, come to pray at the wall, where it is said one immediately has the “ear of god.” Those who cannot pray at the wall can send prayers or ask for the Kaddish to be said for departed loved ones. Prayers sent in are placed into the cracks of the walls and are called tzetzels. There is usually a small charge for this service.
The name "Wailing Wall" is actually a Christian term. The Jews refer to the wall as the Western Wall or Kotel HaMaaravi. Though the Wailing Wall has been considered the holiest of places on earth for Jews, it has also been the source of grief and war.
During the crusades, Jerusalem was held for a short time by European crusaders. It belonged to Spain, then to Turkey. During Spanish occupation, Judaism was a punishable offense, because Catholics mistakenly attributed the death of Christ to the Jews. When Jews were not being exiled from Jerusalem, or put to death, they were certainly not given access to the wall.
In the 16th century, Jews regained access to the Wailing Wall to pray and assemble there. This permission was granted by the Arab Sultan, Selim, who is also credited with finding the first archaeological evidence that the wall existed, buried under refuse.
Relative harmony in worshipping at the wall persisted until the 19th century. Then, Jewish leaders wanted control of the Wailing Wall and attempts were made by both Muslims and Jews to purchase it. Eventually, Arab leaders kept control, and forbid Jews to gather there. This was a source of much pain to the Jews, to be denied access to their central religious site.
Struggle for use of the Wailing Wall continued through the 20th century, with bitterness among both religious groups. Islam holds some claim to the religious site, as does Judaism, because it is often believed that the prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven either near or at the Wailing Wall.
With the establishment of Israel, control of the Wailing Wall returned to the Jews in 1967. There is still much underlying bitterness regarding this place where the holiest of holies resides, however, which in part contributes to continued poor relationships between Arabic countries and Israel.
While enmity remains, the Wailing Wall has also been the site of reconciliation between Jews and Catholics. Pope John Paul II was the first pope to pray at the wall, as well as in a synagogue where he apologized for centuries of Catholic persecution of Jews, referring to them as the Catholics' “elder brothers.”
Today the Wailing Wall can be visited at any time of the day, though visitors are thoroughly searched. Women of any religion, in respect for Judaic law, should wear modest clothing, and there are separate entrances for men and women, though they can regroup at the Wall.
Only the bottom seven layers of the original stones of the Wailing Wall remain, but the both the Kotel tunnels and the sheer length of the wall impress visitors. The excavated cornerstones are close to 50 tons (approximately 45t). Many non-Jews describe a feeling of the sacred when viewing the wall. Whether viewed by the religious or non-religious, the Wailing Wall is an awesome structure, significantly rich in history both good and bad.
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24
Jesus said, "...I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6 This passage eliminates all other paths that come by way of other men (i.e. Muhammad, Buddha, even False Jesus). There is one Lord and one faith and one baptism(for remission of sins) that all of mankind must render obedience to in order to become a Christian.
Most important for us all, there is one doctrine that we must all follow. Paul shows that to change that doctrine is to preach a another Jesus in 2 Corinthians 11:6 and again in Gal.1:6-9, he calls false teaching a different gospel. John adds to it by says, "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine..." he limits it to a particular teaching. We can see that the false teachers that were predicted by Peter(2 Peter 2) have been very effective for the last 2,000 years. That even the Muslim faith believes it has a claim to God (YHWH, Jehovah, Jesus), but the book says that Ishmael was born to a slave woman and Isaac to a free woman(Gal.4:22-28) Therefore, Isaac is the son of the promise of salvation of whom Jesus the Christ descends from. If one is a muslim and claims to believe the Bible, then that is in the Bible. Only in Jesus can we make peace on earth and we do that by becoming Christians. Then we become the spiritual children of God like Jesus and not the children of the flesh, killing each other with bullets and bombs. - anon53084
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i think you are wrong anos42043. we are not muslims and we don't believe in three gods. get your information straight. - anon47099
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People believe what they are told to believe. Most people haven't got the capacity to recognize truth, even if it's banging them on the head. They can't! they are conditioned to experience migraines when they try to process-thought, to keep you from ever seeing truth. People's problem is that they believe "the truth is out there", when the truth is inside, asleep, hiding from pretend-love, lost behind a fear, in a numb mindless being of a hurt child.
Humans' goals today are identical to the goals of Neanderthals a hundred thousand years ago. Nothing has changed. No one can see the truth, because they don't have any inside. When the truth is in their faces, they can't see it through their walls of lies and fears, so they worship the walls. One must have love inside to see truth because truth is powerful, and in the wrong hands extremely dangerous. Jerks will never see the truth. They will never "get though the fire" They will burn in the fire. Hell's fires are Heaven's shield against jerks. Hell's power equals, and surpasses, that of humanity's collective evil. This human race will die and rot, never knowing there is more to life than just life on planet earth. You can't steal love, and use it for evil. You can't steal truth. You can't see truth, without being loved. Love cannot exist where evil lives. Without love, you are "in-hell." Why do you pray in hell? - anon42995
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my Muslim brother, a Jehovah Witness is not a Christian. they worship three gods. I worship one God. the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One God not three as the Jehovah Witness do. - anon42043
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Thank you for posting this article. I never knew there were tunnels at the wall. Anon31014, did you know this saying,"Behold,I am the one True God, thou shalt have No Other gods before me." In other words Anon38232 is correct in saying there is One God, but many names. - anon41517
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I will comment on the question why does it say in Matthew 24:2, "And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
To answer this question, 'Can the statement that not one stone shall be left upon another and that all should be thrown down' be reconciled with the fact that the wailing wall seems to have some of the stones standing? I know that the prophecy was fulfilled generally but it would seem it was not fulfilled completely. The fact is, the prophecy has yet to be fulfilled meaning the Temple *must* be rebuilt and then it will be destroyed never to be rebuilt again. so the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt! - anon40895
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In Matthew 24 the Lord made a prediction:
Mt 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. Mt 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Can the statement that not one stone shall be left upon another and that all should be thrown down be reconciled with the fact that the wailing wall seems to have some of the stones standing? I know that the prophecy was fulfilled generally but it would seem it was not fulfilled completely. Anyone want to comment? - anon40291
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As a Christian I agree that Islam does not worship the same God as Jews or Christians. True Christians believe in the Trinity of God, 3 persons in the One God--The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ who is the Son, the second person of the Godhead, came to earth to redeem mankind from sin and death by paying the penalty for us on the cross. - anon39518
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In response to anon31014 I tell you that by saying their god and my god you're in fact saying there is more than one god. I am muslim and believe in one god but that different peoples have names and ideas about him. To quote you "an eye for an eye" is on the bible (which I have read) My wife is an ex Jehovah's Witness and as soon as she saw the clarity and truth that lies in Islam she soon forgot about an organisation that twists god's word and uses the bible to control to the point you're afraid of even hearing about other religions. I ask you why? as I've been in a Kingdom hall and a catholic church and I am still Muslim. the metaphor would be a wife whose husband locks her up and tells her not to speak to anyone (because he is so petty and small minded she'll more than likely go elsewhere)
Islam teaches us to respect all religion (even none abrahamic) as most worshippers intend in their heart to worship god but circumstances don't let everyone believe the same thing.
God is above us all and is not small minded as the labels created by man will be removed and all mankind will be judged fairly.
When you meet your creator and he asks why you felt there was more than one god what will you answer?
It seems you have an inferiority complex and you use God and religion to prove you are something. There is only one God -- remember that my Christian brother. - anon38232
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There is only one god. Who reigns in heaven. He is coming back very soon for his bride which is the church. - anon37626
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for the misconception on Islam's god is a vengeful and punishing god, it is untrue, when starting anything Muslims say "i start with the name of god, *the most merciful*" so there are many different attributes of commands of god, which could be quoted in different context. - anon34461
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Both Elohim (blessed be He!), in Hebrew, and Allah, in Arabic, are of the same Semitic construction (vowel-L-H, with M merely being plural). Anyone who says differently is uneducated in these matters. Check the Lexicons and References. - anon34361
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The statement that Islam worships the same One *God* as the Jews is completely untrue. The Jews worship The Great *I am the God of Abraham.* Isaac & Jacob Islam worships allah a pagan god who goes right to the time of Nimrod & was even then represented by the symbol of the new moon the very name Nimrod means "let us revolt" this man's works included the building of the tower of babel. - anon33599
7
I take exception to your statement that "Islam worships the same One God as the Jew". Both Jews and Muslims would take exception to this. Allah and Jehovah God are not the same God. The Muslims worship a god of retribution and an eye for an eye; a god of vengeance and punishment. Jehova God is a redemptive God. A God of forgiveness and mercy. Please don't proliferate a mistaken notion that all Gods are the same. It is a dangerous belief and a watered down belief that has caught on in some circles. By the way, I am a christian who has studied this topic. There is enough misunderstanding about this. - anon31014
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I am teaching a sixth grade world history class, and this article really helped my Catholic students understand the importance of the Western Wall to our Jewish brothers and sisters. - anon29403
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this really helped with my essay. - anon25389
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I think that this website is good and it helped me a lot with my research on the Wailing Wall subject. - anon21500
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Last Modified: 18 November 2009
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