Category: Western Wall Prayers

Why do people pray at the Jerusalem Western Wall (or Wailing Wall)? It seems a little redundant and also out of place praying facing a wall, when they can pray in a synagogue or in their home or anywhere, and G‑d will still listen to their prayers. Is G‑d really more prone to listen and answer to prayers recited at the Western Wall than any other locations?

what we are really asking is: If G‑d is really everywhere, why should your prayer be more effective in one place than any other? In truth, the same question can be asked in regards to praying in a synagogue vs. praying at the Western Wall.

This question has been asked before in classical Jewish literature. An answer was given by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812.

The essence of the answer he gave is that although G‑d is really everywhere, His great light shines stronger in some places than in other places. He compares it to the human body: You are actually everywhere in your body, yet a person is far more conscious of his or her mind than of his or her toes. So too, in the entire universe that God created, there are special places, times and states of being where we are able to be more aware of God—and it’s from those places/times/states that all our prayers can fly best.
Ever since the building of the holy Temple on the Temple mount, that great light of God has never left the Western Wall, the only remnant that is left standing.