Two sides, one for men, and another for women. That is how the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem is divided. However, even though it is separated to male and female part, everyone is equal in front of the wall. People come there to pray, search for salvation, confess their sins, look for regret, and more, no matter their age, sex, and origin.
Pilgrims write their wishes on little pieces of paper, and then they put the their wishes into the small holes and hooks of the wall. In the end, they kiss the wall.
According to people who have been there, if you want to experience and understand awe, you have to visit Jerusalem, and the Wailing Wall.
For more than 2,000 years, the Wall has stood there. The rocks you see testify for the glorious Jewish history and past. War, peace, and everything in between, they tell the legacy of the Jewish nation. Destruction, and rebuild again.
For some Jews, the Wall is the place they feel Judaism for the first time. By touching the wall, they connect with God, with their nation, legacy, and the past. Today, the Wall is the most visited spot in Israel, and you do not have to follow any procedure to get to it. All it takes is a wish, and the entrance is free.
The Legend of the Dove
There are many legends linked with the Wailing Wall. One of them is about the crying dove. According to the legend on the crying day, a white dove flies down to the wall, and sits still on one of the stones. The dove cries with a sad voice, resembling human moaning.
Architecture of the Wall
Speaking of the architecture, the wall is 488 meters long, and the highest point is 40 meters above the mountainous region known as Moriah.
There are 46 rows of stone, and 29 of them are above the ground. There are stones from different time periods. The remaining 17 rows are below ground, with the underground part reaching height of 19 meters.
The Wall Gets a Square
Up until 1967, there was now square in front of the wall. Nowadays, the square serves as the “entrance” to the wall. But it wasn’t there until 1967. It was after the win of the Six day Israel – Arab war, when Israel took control over Jerusalem. Before that, the only entrance to the wall was a single narrow street long 28 meters and 3,6 meters wide. After the war, and the reunite of Israel, the place was redesigned. Nowadays, the Square is 57 meters long, and can accommodate more than 60,000 people.
How to get to the Wall
As we said previously, you just have to walk through the square. Once you arrive at the wall, you have to go to your area. Men go left, women go right. There are a couple of unique and remarkable faucets. Under each faucet, there are pots for refreshment.
In the women’s area, from the left side, you can notice cabinets with books. They are free for everyone.
Once you get to the wall, you are free to do what you like. Some say their prayers loudly, others hit their wall on the wall, while some try to communicate with God by making crying faces.
In the women’s part, there are also stairs that lead to small and narrow room for prayers.
How the Wall got its Name?
One of the big misconceptions about the Wall is the name itself. How it got the name? Many believe the name is suitable because millions of Jews cry at its foot over the destruction of the temple. However, while the Wall is the ruin of the temple that stood there, the name is not related to it.
Instead, the Wall got its name thanks to small water drops. Time to time, the wall gets covered with small water drops which resemble tears. The last time the Wall cried it was in 1940. Scientists have tried to explain the crying, but there is no clear explanation so far.
