16 May KRIAH UPON SEEING YERUSHALAYIM AND THE KOSEL HAMARAVI
In Order to
Live
We live in
world today
where it is very
hard to real-
ize 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 per-
son 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 be-
low, that being the halacha of ripping
when visiting Yerushalayim and the
Kosel. Many people are lax and do
not rip today when visiting Yerusha-
layim, 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 un-
der the leadership of Jewish people.
One says the words of ….. On the cit-
ies 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 Ye-
huda according to many poskim.
Yerushalayim
When one sees the city of Yerushalay-
im 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 lead-
ership, while others argue. The cus-
tom 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 previ-
ous 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 ini-
tially 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 Ko-
sel. When one rips on the destruc-
tion 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 she-
hechiyanu 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 Ko-
sel (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 cus-
tom 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 accord-
ing to some poskim, while others are
lenient in this regard. A chassan and
kallah before their chuppah are obli-
gated 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 Hamik-
dosh and Yerushalayim at the same
time he only has to rip once.
Some have the custom to rip all of
their garments; however, the prevail-
ing 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 dif-
ferent garment every time he is ob-
ligated 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 com-
fortable doing so, therefore, they may
rip any garment that they please. Af-
ter one has ripped his or her garment
one should leave the garment on for a
little (while he is davening at the Ko-
sel). 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 men-
tioned 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 chat-
zos. Others say this minhag has no
basis and one should rip in this sit-
uation. Nonetheless, the minhag is
according to the first opinion stat-
ed. When one goes after Shabbos he
is obligated to rip. One does not rip
his garments when seeing the afore-
mentioned places on Shabbos. Ac-
cording 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 or-
der 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 pos-
kim 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 ex-
empt 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 aforemen-
tioned 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 aforemen-
tioned places. Horav Shlomo Zalman
Aurbach zt”l opines that even if one
lives in the part of Yerushalayim out-
side of the old city he would not rip if
he does not see the Kosel within thir-
ty 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 re-
spect. Below we will discuss some of
the halachos that are applicable while
visiting the Kosel. The Medrash Rab-
bah says that Hashem swore that the
Kosel Hamaravi will never be de-
stroyed. 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 Mish-
nah Berura and others say it is pro-
hibited to enter the Mokom Hamik-
dash (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 cus-
tom 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. Dur-
ing tefillah one’s back may be turn to
the Kosel. In the sefer Air Hakodesh
V’hamikdash he says that it is permit-
ted 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 Ko-
sel 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 per-
mit 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.