What is the Western Wall?
Summary
TLDRThe Western Wall, a sacred Jewish site in Jerusalem, is explored in this script, detailing its history as part of the Temple Mount platform built by King Herod. The wall's layers reveal historical periods, from Herodian to Umayyad and later Islamic eras. It's a place of prayer and pilgrimage, with a significant history of Jewish devotion and modern conflicts over religious practices. The wall's transformation from a narrow alley to an open plaza after the Six-Day War and its role as a site for prayer notes highlight its enduring spiritual significance.
Takeaways
- 📜 The Western Wall, also known as the Kotel in Hebrew, is a significant Jewish sacred site located in the Old City of Jerusalem.
- 🏗️ Named for being part of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount, it was constructed during King Herod the Great's renovation of the Second Jewish Temple in 1st century BCE.
- 🔨 The wall's construction involved flattening Mount Moriah and building subterranean arches to support the platform, reflecting the ambitious nature of the project.
- 🗿 The Western Wall is a historical 'layer cake' with visible Herodian era blocks at the bottom, followed by Umayyad period blocks, and smaller stones from later Islamic periods.
- 🌐 The entire Western Wall extends for almost 500 meters, with parts of it being underground due to the difference in ancient and current street levels.
- 📜 Jews gather at the Western Wall due to its proximity to the Holy of Holies, considered the holiest site for Jews and the dwelling place of God's presence.
- 🕍 The Western Wall became the closest accessible site to the Holy of Holies after the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 CE.
- 📜 The tradition of praying at the Western Wall likely predates the 16th century, with early Christian sources mentioning Jewish prayers around the Temple ruins.
- 🕋 The Western Wall's significance is further highlighted by the construction of the Dome of the Rock by the Muslim Umayyad dynasty over the former Jewish temple site.
- 🏙️ The current open layout of the Western Wall plaza was created after the Six-Day War in 1967, which involved the controversial leveling of the Moroccan Quarter.
- 📖 Prayer notes are a popular practice at the wall, with the Kotel Heritage Foundation offering online prayer submission and physical placement by others.
Q & A
What is the Western Wall and why is it significant to Judaism?
-The Western Wall, also known as the Kotel in Hebrew, is a segment of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount platform in Jerusalem. It is significant to Judaism as it is the closest accessible point to the Holy of Holies, the holiest site for Jews, where God's presence is believed to dwell.
When was the Western Wall constructed and by whom?
-The Western Wall was constructed under the reign of King Herod the Great during the 1st century BCE as part of an ambitious project to renovate the Second Jewish Temple.
What is the historical significance of the Temple Mount platform?
-The Temple Mount platform is historically significant as it was built on Mount Moriah, the site of the creation of the world according to Jewish tradition, and where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac. It was also the location of the Second Jewish Temple before its destruction in 70 CE.
What architectural features can be seen in the Western Wall?
-The Western Wall displays layers of history with Herodian era blocks at the bottom, followed by Umayyad period blocks from the 7th and 8th centuries, and smaller stones from later Islamic periods.
How long is the entire Western Wall and what parts of it are visible?
-The entire Western Wall extends for almost 500 meters. However, only a small segment is commonly seen in pictures and accessible to the public, with a significant portion being underground due to the difference in ancient and current street levels.
What is the significance of the Western Wall tunnels?
-The Western Wall tunnels provide access to parts of the wall that are not visible above ground and contain some of the largest stones in the wall. They also offer a closer proximity to the Holy of Holies and have become a popular place for prayer.
When did the tradition of praying at the Western Wall begin?
-While the exact origin of the tradition is not known, it is believed to stretch back hundreds of years before the 16th century, when the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman officially permitted Jews to pray there.
How did the Western Wall's accessibility change after the Six-Day War in 1967?
-After the Six-Day War in 1967, the Israeli army gained control of the Eastern part of Jerusalem from Jordan. In a controversial move, they leveled the Moroccan Quarter and displaced its residents, creating the open layout of the plaza that is seen today.
What are some of the religious practices observed at the Western Wall today?
-Today, people visit the Western Wall to pray, read the Torah, celebrate Bar Mitzvahs, and place prayer notes between the cracks of the stone. The Kotel Heritage Foundation even allows for remote prayer note submissions.
What controversies surround the Western Wall regarding gender and religious practices?
-The Western Wall is an open-air Orthodox synagogue with separate men and women's sections. Women's advocacy groups, such as Women of the Wall, have pushed for more egalitarian prayer practices, including women reading from Torah scrolls and wearing tefillin, which has sparked conflict with ultra-Orthodox Jews.
How are the prayer notes placed in the Western Wall treated and disposed of?
-Prayer notes are removed from the wall twice a year and, as it is forbidden to destroy them, they are buried on the Mount of Olives in a manner similar to that of a damaged Torah scroll or prayer book.
Outlines
🕍 The Western Wall: A Sacred Jewish Site
The Western Wall, also known as the Kotel, is a significant Jewish sacred site located in Jerusalem's Old City. It is part of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount platform, built by King Herod the Great during the renovation of the second Jewish temple in 1st century BCE. The wall is a historical layer cake, showcasing Herodian era blocks, Umayyad period blocks from the 7th and 8th centuries, and stones from later Islamic periods. The entire wall stretches nearly 500 meters, with parts underground due to the current street level being higher than the ancient one. The Western Wall is revered for its proximity to the Holy of Holies, the holiest site for Jews, and has been a place of prayer since ancient times, with the tradition possibly dating back centuries before the 16th-century Ottoman edict allowing Jewish prayer. The wall has also been a site of conflict and change, especially after the Six-Day War in 1967, which led to the creation of the open plaza seen today.
📜 Controversies and Practices at the Western Wall
The Western Wall is not just a historical site but also a place of ongoing religious and social debates. Women of the Wall, an advocacy group, has pushed for more egalitarian prayer practices, challenging the Orthodox religious authorities' enforcement of separate men and women sections. This has led to conflicts with ultra-Orthodox Jews who oppose women reading from Torah scrolls or wearing ritual objects traditionally reserved for men. The Jerusalem Chief Rabbi has denounced these practices, and there have been incidents of disruption and protest. Despite these issues, the Western Wall remains a testament to the enduring nature of Jewish religious practice and the site's significance across different Jewish denominations. The wall is also a place where visitors can witness the diversity of Jewish practice and the layers of history etched into its stones, making it a powerful symbol of continuity amidst changing times.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Western Wall
💡Temple Mount
💡Herodian era
💡Umayyad period
💡Holy of Holies
💡Dome of the Rock
💡Western Wall tunnels
💡Patron
💡Bar Mitzvah
💡Prayer notes
💡Orthodox synagogue
💡Women of the Wall
Highlights
The Western Wall is a major Jewish sacred site in Jerusalem, also known as the Kotel in Hebrew.
It is part of the Western retaining wall of the Temple Mount platform, built by King Herod the Great during the renovation of the Second Jewish Temple in 1st century BCE.
The wall is a historical layer cake, with Herodian era blocks at the bottom, Umayyad period blocks, and smaller stones from later Islamic periods.
The entire Western Wall extends for almost 500 meters, with parts of it being underground due to the difference in ancient and current street levels.
Israeli archaeologists conduct ongoing excavations in the Western Wall tunnels, revealing some of the largest stones in the wall.
Jews congregate at the Western Wall due to its proximity to the Holy of Holies, the holiest site for Jews.
The Western Wall has been a site for prayer since at least the 16th century, with an edict by Ottoman Sultan Suleiman permitting Jewish prayer.
The wall has transformed from a narrow alley to an open-air plaza that can hold about 60,000 people since the founding of the State of Israel.
The plaza's current layout was created after the Six-Day War in 1967, when the Israeli army defeated the Jordanians and leveled the Moroccan quarter.
Millions of people visit the Western Wall annually, with up to a hundred thousand Jews visiting each day during pilgrimage holidays.
Devotional practices at the wall include prayer, reading the Torah, celebrating Bar Mitzvahs, and placing prayer notes between the stones.
The Kotel Heritage Foundation allows people to submit prayers online to be placed as paper notes at the wall.
Prayer notes are removed from the wall twice a year and buried on the Mount of Olives, following the treatment of a damaged Torah scroll or prayer book.
The Western Wall is an open-air Orthodox synagogue with separate men and women sections, enforced by Orthodox religious authorities.
Women of the Wall advocacy group has pushed for more egalitarian prayer practices, allowing women to read from Torah scrolls and wear ritual objects.
Conflicts have arisen between Women of the Wall and ultra-Orthodox Jews, with incidents of disruption and violence reported.
The Western Wall exemplifies the diversity of Jewish practice and the durability of religious significance across different historical eras.
Transcripts
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the Western Wall in the Old City of
Jerusalem also called the Kotel and
Hebrew has been a major Jewish sacred
site for centuries but what is the
Western Wall it's called the Western
Wall because it's a segment of the
Western retaining wall of the
rectangular Temple Mount platform this
was built under the reign of King Herod
the Great when he launched an ambitious
project to renovate the second Jewish
temple in the 1st century BCE and when I
say ambitious
I mean ambitious to make the platform he
basically flattened Mount Moriah the
site according to Jewish tradition where
the creation of the world happened and
where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac
the landscape slopes from north to south
down towards the oldest part of
Jerusalem called the City of David so in
order to make a level platform Hera's
engineers needed to cut into bedrock on
the north side and build a series of
subterranean arches on the southern side
to support the platform the western wall
itself is a layer cake of history you
can still see the Herodian era blocks
here they are the biggest ones on the
bottom then there are a few layers of
Umayyad period blocks from the 7th and
8th centuries when the Islamic Ummah
dynasty ruled Jerusalem and then you
have a few layers of smaller stones up
top which are from later Islamic periods
what you see in all the pictures though
is only a very small segment of the
Western retaining wall the entire length
of the western wall extends for almost
500 metres total and a bunch of it is
actually underground because the current
street level of the old city is a few
meters higher than the ancient street
level you can still see these levels
today if you tour the western wall
tunnels where you can find some of the
largest stones in the wall some weighing
hundreds of tons Israeli archaeologists
are conducting ongoing excavations down
here to which I had the opportunity to
visit in 2018 Jews congregate here
because of its proximity to the Holy of
Holies the holiest site for Jews where
God's presence is said to dwell it was
located within the former Temple of
Jerusalem before the Romans destroyed it
in 70 CE II a few hundred years later
the Muslim of Maya dynasty built the
Dome of the rock over what most
archaeologists agree was roughly the
same spot of the Jewish temple so for
centuries the Western Wall has been
the closest you can get to the Holy of
Holies without actually entering the
sanctuary itself though technically you
can get a little bit closer at a segment
within the western wall tunnels which in
and of itself has become a popular place
to pray to we don't exactly know when
Jews started to pray at the western wall
in the 16th century the ottoman sultan
Suleiman issued an edict permitting Jews
to pray there but the tradition probably
stretches back hundreds of years before
that early Christian sources from Lane
antiquity described Jews praying around
the ruins of the temple though we're not
exactly sure if these texts are
specifically talking about the western
wall itself but today when we say the
western wall we generally mean this
specific segment which is now an
open-air plaza that can hold about
60,000 people though a lot has changed
in just a century since the founding of
the State of Israel if you look at
photographs from the early 20th century
you can see that access to the western
wall was possible only through a narrow
alley this was because the buildings
comprising the Moroccan Quarter and Arab
neighborhood founded in the 12th century
were built basically up to the wall
itself as you can see from this old
photograph following the arab-israeli
war of 1948 Jordan had control of the
eastern part of Jerusalem and restricted
Jews from accessing the western wall but
during the six-day war in 1967 the
Israeli army defeated the Jordanians and
then in a controversial move levelled
the Moroccan quarter and displaced its
residents within a few days this created
the open layout of the plaza that we see
today but it remains a sore spot in the
history of the israeli-palestinian
conflict today millions of people visit
the western wall each year and during
pilgrimage holidays like Passover Sukkot
& Shavuot upwards to a hundred thousand
Jews visited each day historically these
were holidays when Jews would travel to
the temple to make sacrifices and
although animal sacrifice is no longer
practiced many Jews still travel to the
western wall to pray during these
holidays to give you a sense of the
sheer size of the crowds I took this
footage during Passover in 2018 on the
pedestrian bridge overlooking the plaza
if you visit today you'll see a lot of
people praying reading the Torah or even
celebrating Bar Mitzvahs but another
popular devotional practice involves
stuffing prayer notes between the cracks
of the stone you can see thousands of
them if you visit the wall the Kotel
Heritage Foundation's website even lets
you
this remotely writing your prayer online
and letting someone else place it for
you as a paper note two times a year
workers will remove the prayer notes
from the wall but since it's forbidden
to destroy them they are buried on the
Mount of Olives treated in a similar
manner to a damaged Torah scroll or
prayer book as with many religious sites
there's some controversy that's worth
mentioning to the area around the
western wall is officially designated by
Orthodox religious authorities as an
open-air Orthodox synagogue and thus
they enforce separate men and women
sections here and here women's advocacy
groups such as women of the wall have
pushed for more a gala terian prayer at
the western wall that would allow women
to pray in the women's section reading
from Torah scrolls and wearing Jewish
ritual objects such as tefillin and
prayer shawls which are generally
reserved only for men this has
periodically sparked conflict from
ultra-orthodox Jews who have tried to
disrupt these women by shouting over
them or even going so far as to throw
rocks and eggs at them in October 2019
the Jerusalem Chief Rabbi denounced
women of the wall calling on Orthodox
women to protest their prayers a
journalist on the ground reported that
dozens of boys and men shouted at the
worshippers and a loudspeaker from the
men's section tried to drown out the
group's prayer the western wall is thus
a glimpse into the diversity of Jewish
practice around the world on this issue
while some denominations will allow
women to read the Torah during synagogue
services or even ordained female rabbis
other synagogues prohibit these
practices I've been to a lot of famous
religious sites but this one really
stands out in my mind just looking at
the wall you'll see major eras of
history staring you at the face Herodian
Umayyad ottoman but you also see the
durability of religious practice how
millions of Jews have held this site
sacred for centuries even as those
different dynasties rose and fell if
you'd like to learn more about this area
check out my video on the Dome of the
rock and as always thanks for watching
and I'll see you next time
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