14 Feb KRIAH UPON SEEING YERUSHALAYIM AND THE KOSEL HAMARAVI

In Order to Live
We live in world today
where it is very hard
to realize what we are
missing by not having
the Bais Hamikdosh
around. We get to
comfortable with
hour houses etc and
are not really waiting
for the day that Mosiach will come. The
Gemorah tells us if one mourns over the
Bais Hamikdosh he will merit seeing it
rebuilt. The Shulchan Aruch tells us that
a G-D fearing person should worry about
the churban Bais Hamikdosh every day
of his life. One is suppose to do certain
actions in order to remember the churban.
One of those items are discussed below,
that being the halacha of ripping when
visiting Yerushalayim and the Kosel.
Many people are lax and do not rip today
when visiting Yerushalayim, however,
this is not the correct practice and it
should be corrected.
The Cities Of Yehuda
If one sees the cities of Yehuda then one
rips his garment even if it is under the
leadership of Jewish people. One says
the words of ….. On the cities which
are cities if yiddin one does not rip.
Some say that one may rip on Chevron,
while others say one should indeed rip
on Chevron. The custom today is not to
rip on any cities if Yehuda according to
many poskim.
Yerushalayim
When one sees the city of Yerushalayim
when it is not rebuilt (today) one rips and
says the words of ………… These words
should be said before the ripping. The
old city is the city in which one would
have to rip upon seeing it, not the new
Yerushalayim which extends well beyond
the old city walls. Many poskim say that
on Yerushalayim the custom is not to rip
today since it is under Jewish leadership,
while others argue. The custom seems to
be like the first opinion quoted. According
to those who rip, when they see the place
where the Bais Hamikdosh stood they rip
again; however, there should be a space
of three finger lengths from the previous
rip. (Refer below). Some say when one
sees Yerushalayim the way it is today
one should not eat meat or drink wine the
entire day.

Ripping On The Bais Hamikdosh And
The Kosel
The ripping done on the destruction of
the Bais Hamikdosh should initially be
when one sees the floor of the azara.
However, the custom today is to rip even
if one sees the Dome Of The Rock which
is situated on the Mokom Hamikdosh. If
a person knows he will not see the Dome
Of The Rock for some reason then he
only has to rip when seeing the Kosel.
When one rips on the destruction of the
Mokom Hamikdosh one should say the
words of …….. If one did not say these
words some say the ripping was good
nonetheless. When one rips because of
the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh
he should bow towards the Mokom
Hamikdosh. One does not recite a
beracha of shehechiyanu upon seeing the
Kosel for the first time. Many times one
goes to the Kosel and he walks through
the old city and he sees the Dome Of The
Rock before he sees the Kosel. If one
wants to rip first upon seeing the Kosel
(and not when he sees the Dome Of The
Rock) then he should look down until he
reaches the Kosel, and then rip. (Those
who have the custom to rip on seeing the
destruction of Yerushalayim should rip
twice).
Who Is Obligated To Rip
Men and women are both obligated to
rip upon seeing any of the places that
we are noheg to rip. However, women
are only noheg to rip in one of the places
mentioned. The custom is that a child
below the age of bar or bas- mitzvah do
not rip their clothing. A child who gets
supported from his parents and all his
clothing belong to his parents may not rip
according to some poskim, while others
are lenient in this regard. A chassan and
kallah before their chuppah are obligated
to rip, and after their chassana, during the
whole sheva berochos are exempt from
ripping.
The Actual Ripping
When one sees Yerushalayim and then
the Mokom Hamikdosh, he should
rip on Yerushalayim first, and then
three fingers away from the first rip he
should rip again. If one sees the Mokom
Hamikdosh first, then he should rip on
the Mokom Hamikdosh first, and then
add to the original rip another rip (on
the same spot). Some say if one sees the
Mokom Hamikdosh and Yerushalayim at
the same time he only has to rip once.

Some have the custom to rip all of their
garments; however, the prevailing custom
in klal yisroel is to rip one garment. If
one does not want to rip his jacket he can
remove it and rip his shirt. The ripping
should be a tefach (4 inches). One should
use one’s hand to rip the garment. Some
say one can use a utensil. The ripping
has to be done on the left side since that
is where the heart is situated. Some say
since today we do not have the custom
to rip to the point where one’s heart is
revealed one can rip on the right side.
The ripping should be done on the length
of the garment. The ripping should be
done from top to bottom, while standing,
and by yourself. The ripping is only done
if one did not see any of the places that
one rips within thirty days.
Miscellaneous Halachos Regarding
The Ripping
A person does not have to rip a different
garment every time he is obligated to
rip. Rather he may use an old garment
and rip a different part of the garment
every time. Women should also rip the
outer garment. Many times they will not
adhere to this because they may not feel
comfortable doing so, therefore, they
may rip any garment that they please.
After one has ripped his or her garment
one should leave the garment on for a
little (while he is davening at the Kosel).
Afterwards one may remove the garment
and put on a new garment. There is no
need to walk around with the garment
for a long period of time. If one did not
rip at the time he saw any of the places
previously mentioned then one may rip
as long as the tzar over the churban is still
felt. A left handed person rips in the same
manner as a right handed person.
When And When Not To Rip
Many have the custom that one does
not rip his garments at nay of the

aforementioned places if he saw them on
Erev Shabbos after chatzos. Others say
this minhag has no basis and one should
rip in this situation. Nonetheless, the
minhag is according to the first opinion
stated. When one goes after Shabbos he
is obligated to rip. One does not rip his
garments when seeing the aforementioned
places on Shabbos. According to many
poskim one would not rip after Shabbos
either (if he did not go at a different time).
Since one was not obligated to rip on
Shabbos he is exempt. Others hold one
should rip after Shabbos. Some say one
can go on Shabbos in order to exempt
himself form ripping his garments. The
custom is not to rip one’s garments when
seeing the aforementioned places on
Chol Hamoed. There is a custom that any
day that tachnun is not recited one does
not rip his garment. Many poskim say
one rips his garments when seeing the
aforementioned places on Rosh Chodesh.
When one does not rip he should
nevertheless say boruch dayim hu’emes
without the shem or malchus.
Being Makneh One’s Garment To
Another Person
Some say after one has ripped his
garment he may give the garment to
his friend to rip as well. Many have the
custom to be makneh their garment to
their friend to exempt themselves form
ripping upon seeing the Kosel etc. The
way the kinyan works is in the following
manner. Someone hands over his pen etc.
to you in order to acquire your shirt (then
you give him back his pen). Since now
the shirt does not belong to you (even
though you are wearing it) you do not
have to rip. Nonetheless, it is preferable
to rip one’s clothing and demonstrate
real pain over the churban. Many poskim
maintain that the aforementioned kinyan
may not be done.

Those Who Live In Yerushalayim
There is a discussion in the poskim
whether or not one who lives in
Yerushalayim rips his garment upon
seeing the aforementioned places. Today
that Yerushalayim is spread out one who
lives in nay of these places should rip if he
does not see the Kosel in thirty days. If one
who lives in Yerushalayim left and does
not return before thirty days, then he rips
when seeing any of the aforementioned
places. Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach
zt”l opines that even if one lives in the
part of Yerushalayim outside of the old
city he would not rip if he does not see
the Kosel within thirty days. Someone
who was born in Yerushalayim does not
rip even when he gets older.
Relevant Halchos While Visiting The
Kosel Hamaravi
When visiting the Kosel many people do
not realize that it is a holy site and one has
to treat it with the utmost respect. Below
we will discuss some of the halachos that
are applicable while visiting the Kosel.
The Medrash Rabbah says that Hashem
swore that the Kosel Hamaravi will never

be destroyed. The Medrash Rabbah says
that the shechinah never departs from
the Kosel Hamaravi. When the Bais
Hamikdosh was destroyed all the gates
were closed except for the gate of tears.
The western wall became known as the
Wailing Wall because of the tears that the
yiddin shed there.
Horav Yaakov Emden says that even
though the Shechina is everywhere, the
davenning in chutz l’aeretz has to go
through Eretz Yisroel first. After the Bais
Haminkdash was destroyed the tefilos
go to the Kosel. The Mishnah Berura
and others say it is prohibited to enter
the Mokom Hamikdash (the place where
the dome is). If one does enter there he
is obligated in kares, even if one is tovel
first and takes his shoes off. Horav
Moshe Feinstein zt”l maintains there is
no greater “ra” then taking any stones
from the Kosel, even though there is no
prohibition involved. The poskim say that
the Kosel area has the same kedusha as a
regular shul. There is a mitzvah to honor
the Kosel as much as possible. Therefore,
one has to be careful not to talk any idle

speech, no talking on cell phones, no
smoking, or any other non-befitting act.
Some Poskim prohibit sticking one’s
fingers in the cracks on the Kosel, while
other permit this practice. The accepted
custom is to permit this practice. Many
people have the custom to place a kvital
in the cracks of the Kosel Hamaravi. The
One should be careful when walking away
from the Kosel not to turn his back to the
Kosel, but rather he should walk sideways
away from the Kosel. During tefillah
one’s back may be turn to the Kosel. In
the sefer Air Hakodesh V’hamikdash he
says that it is permitted to have enjoyment
from the shade of Kosel. about leaning on
the Kosel. Horav Yisroel Belsky Shilta
told the author that he would never lean
on the Kosel. Some say one should be
careful and place a siddur on the Kosel
Hamaravi.
There is a well known custom to come
to the Kosel and daven for forty days
straight, and it helps for many things. At
the Kosel where there are many different
minyanim taking place at one time one
does not have to answer amen to the other

minyanim. On the days that laining is
taking place one should not leave the sefer
torah on the bimah until the next minyan
needs to read form the sefer torah. Rather
the sefer torah should be returned to it’s
proper place after the reading is over.
Some say it is better to daven in the inside
part of the Kosel Hamaravi than davening
in the outside part. A woman who wants
to go to the Kosel by cab on Friday night
may make a condition with her lighting
that she is not accepting shabbos until
she gets there. Horav Yisroel Belsky
Shlita holds that the condition may be
made as well since if she had to walk it
would be a tircha, so taking the cab is a
tzorech. However, one should not become
accustomed to make this condition. The
custom seems to permit dancing at the
Kosel.
The following perakim of tehillim
are accustomed to recite at the Kosel
Hamaravi: 30, 84, 87, 125, 126, 127, 132,
and 134.