The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. Israel, The Wailing Wall

Perhaps on Earth there is no other place like the Wailing Wall, where every year thousands of pilgrims would 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 bit about Israel

Before you start talking about the Wailing Wall, you want to tell a little about Israel - the country in which it is located. It was located in the South-Western part of 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 state - paid off and suffered by the Jewish people. It is difficult to overestimate the historical significance of this place. Therefore, it is not surprising that Israel attracts thousands and thousands of tourists from all over the world. Israel is rich in cultural, historical and religious monuments. The Kotel in Jerusalem is one of the most important places for all believing people. Therefore, every Christian must visit at least once in Jerusalem and, of course, visit the Wailing Wall.

origin of name

The term "Wailing Wall" is more popular among pilgrims who come 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 Peltilei. And the name "The Wailing Wall" was given by the Arabs, who saw how the Jews come to grieve over the destroyed shrine. Now the Western Wall is a fragment of the wall, left from the strengthening of the Temple Mount, on which the temple was built - a holy place for all Jews. Subsequently, the temple was destroyed, but in the sacred Jewish writings it is said that the Divine presence never departs from this place.

Kotel: dimensions and location

Typically, this wall is understood as 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 goes to the square of the Jewish quarter. But its full 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 sacred city. The Wailing Wall is thirty-two meters high, but only nineteen of them are visible above the ground, everything else has disappeared under the earthen embankment. The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem consists of forty-five layers of stone, twenty-eight of which are above the ground and seventeen under it. The seven first visible layers refer to the Jordanian period. They are composed of ideally polished limestone stones without any bonding between themselves. 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 the year five hundred and eighty-sixth of BC. The construction of the second church was carried out in the first century BC by the Jewish king Herod. Thus, he wanted to restore the destruction that arose during the war, and get the love of his subjects. No one was allowed into the inner part of the temple, except priests, so Herod ordered to teach all the holy fathers the building skills. Because of this pre-training 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 completely destroyed by the Roman conquerors six years after the construction was completed. The Romans burned, plundered and completely destroyed it, and the Temple Mount itself was plowed up. The wall of weeping in Jerusalem is all that is left of the grandiose structure.

The Wall in Jerusalem today

The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every year. Someone comes here to bow to the Promised Land of their ancestors, someone just wants to go to the cult place and touch history, others come back here again and again, to once again feel the most powerful energy coming from the wall, well, and who It is to enclose a note with a cherished desire between the stones. Anyone can come here, regardless of the faith that he professes. There are no restrictions on this score. The only thing to go to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, you need to observe some rules that the rangers will not disturb you. First, a man must put on a pile (a small cap). If you do not have one, then at the entrance to the square you can take a cardboard pile in the basket, absolutely free. Women and men pray from different directions: the men on the left side, and the women on the right. Leaving the wall can only turn to face her - this is the custom. To the Western Wall come not only to pray. Israelis celebrate very many holidays and important events for themselves in this sacred place.

Where did the tradition go from putting notes with wishes into the wall

Every year thousands of tourists come to Jerusalem. The Wailing Wall (pictured in the article) accepts a lot of visitors to give hope to some, to others - lost faith, and for someone this is the last place where you can pour out your soul before God. But judging by how many in the crevices between the stones of notes, most certainly want to send a message to God, in the hope that so the request will reach the Most High faster. Tradition to invest in the crevices of the wall of the note with requests has been taken from ancient times. There is a legend that once, a long time ago, a sage - Raba Chaim Ben Atar - wrote a note to God asking him to send his pupil prosperity. And he asked this young man to take her to the Wailing Wall and put it between the stones. Soon the disciple of Rab Chaim Ben Atar smiled good luck. And we know him as a wise man named Hida. Every Jew piously believes: however far away he is from his native place, if his thoughts and prayers are directed to where the Wailing Wall rises above the square of Jerusalem, he will be heard by God. Once a year, the caretakers behind the Wailing Wall rake out the notes and take them to the Mount of Olives, where the messages are stored in a special burial.

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 in the Wall, it does not matter. There are sites where you can absolutely fill out the appropriate form and send a message, and the Israeli volunteers, having printed it, will take it to a sacred place. But no matter how you try to deliver a leaf with a request to God, the address is always the same: Jerusalem, the Wailing Wall. Notes of thousands of people fall yearly to the place where the presence of the Almighty is always felt.

Wailing Walls Hotels

Pilgrims rushing to the shores of the Promised Land will still be interested in pressing problems. Therefore, the question may arise: "And where to settle for the duration of your stay in the Holy City?" Not far from the Jewish Square there are many cozy hotels, expensive and not very. In a half-kilometer there is a small hotel called 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 fridge and a kettle. For breakfast, a buffet is served. Prices are very democratic. Another hotel located not far from the Wailing Wall is the Mamilla Hotel (five stars). On the roof there is a panoramic terrace, which offers a wonderful view of the old town. Cozy rooms are equipped with bed linen from natural Egyptian cotton, and some bathrooms have glass walls that can be turned on and off. There are many restaurants on site, and there is also a spa. This is an expensive hotel with a chic service. The Kotel is just one kilometer away.

Other sights of 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 they crucified and buried Jesus Christ. After the destruction, the temple was finally rebuilt in 18800. Now the temple complex includes the Altar of the Crucifix on the top of Golgotha, the rotunda with a large dome, the chapel of Cuvuklia, erected at the burial site of Christ, the underground temple of the finding of the Viviparous Cross, the cathedral church of the Jerusalem church of Katholikon, several limits and the temple of St. Helena. Another must visit the Church of the Nativity of Christ, which is one of the main shrines of the Christian world. This church is built on a place where, according to legend, Jesus Christ was born. Calvary is one of the most revered places for Christian believers. Still worth noting is the Stone of Confirmation and, of course, the Dead Sea. All this and much more will appear before the eyes of travelers who decided to visit Israel. Therefore, do not go to this amazing land.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that the sacred land will hospitably accept all believers, regardless of the confession. Arriving on the Promised Land of all Jews, you will not only touch the history of the ancient people, but also enrich yourself spiritually. After visiting the Wailing Wall, you can turn to God through a sacred message, and your requests will be heard.