Recently, the conflict between Israel and Palestine has escalated again, which has aroused widespread concern in the international community. One place that has come into focus in this conflict is the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.
The Wailing Wall, also known as the Western Wall, is the holiest place for Jews and their deepest emotional sustenance. Here, Jews pray, mourn, sing, bless, express their faith and hope in God, history, and the future.
So, what is the historical background of the Wailing Wall? What exactly is the Jewish Wailing Wall crying about? Let's explore the story behind this ancient stone wall that has witnessed thousands of years of Jewish storms.
The origin of the Wailing Wall
The Wailing Wall is located in the old city of Jerusalem, Israel, on the west side of the Temple Mount and is a remnant of the ancient wall that surrounds the courtyard of the Second Temple.
The Second Temple was the second temple built by the Jews for God and their most important religious center. It was built in 516 BC, where King Solomon built the first temple, the Temple of Solomon, before the 10th century BC.
Solomon's Temple is the original temple built by the Jews for God and a symbol of their most glorious times. It was built in the 10th century BC and destroyed in 587 BC by King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon. The Jews were taken into captivity and became slaves to the Babylonians.
Seventy years later, with the support of King Cyrus II of Persia, the Jews were able to return home and rebuild a second temple, the Temple of Zerubab, on the site of the original one. For hundreds of years thereafter, it served as the spiritual home of the Jewish people.
However, in 70 AD, the Roman Empire destroyed the Second Temple again, leaving only a section of the western wall, which is now the Western Wall.
The Western Wall was not part of the temple, but a retaining wall supporting the surrounding ground. But it is the closest wall to the temple and the only preserved relic that has survived two thousand years of wind and frost, so it is regarded by the Jews as a symbol of the temple.
Since then, Jews have silently mourned their lost temple in front of this wall and are hopeful for the future. Here they pray, sing, and infuse their pain into every stone and every wisp of wind, hence the name "Wailing Wall".
Tears on the wall of crying
The tears on the wailing wall are the Jews' mourning for history, their hope for the future, their adherence to faith, their prayer for peace, and their emotion for life.
The Jews have experienced countless persecutions and sufferings here, from the oppression of the Roman Empire to the killings in the Middle Ages to the Holocaust during World War II, almost every historical catastrophe has left deep scars on the Jews.
Their crying in front of the Wailing Wall is a mourning for these historical sufferings, a nostalgia for the loss of loved ones, and a catharsis for endless pain.
Of course, the Wailing Wall is not only a symbol of Jewish suffering, but also of their inexhaustible faith and hope.
The Jews firmly believe that one day, the third temple will be rebuilt here and the Jewish people will be restored to their former glory.
Therefore, their crying before the Wailing Wall is also a hope for the future, a prayer to God, a manifestation of tenacity and unyielding faith.
In addition, the crying of the Jews in front of the Wailing Wall also expressed their yearning for peace.
Historically, Jews have long been in conflict with the Arabs around them, praying for peaceful coexistence in a land full of traces of history.
Their tears are a fervent prayer for the dream of peace and a deep reflection on war and conflict.
Moreover, the crying of Jews in front of the Wailing Wall also represents their deep feelings for life, for the world, and for life.
They write their hopes, doubts, thanksgiving, and desires on small slips of paper and stuff them into the cracks in the walls, these prayers and expectations are a reflection of their lives, and their tears are an affectionate response to life experiences.
Stories under the Wailing Wall
On 7 June 1967, in the Third Middle East War, Israeli forces captured the Old City of Jerusalem and took control of the Wailing Wall for the first time. At that time, the Israeli soldiers and commanders present were deeply moved.
They hugged their heads and cried, prayed in front of the wall, put the national flag on the wall, and sang by the wall. This scene was filmed and became one of the most famous and symbolic images in the history of Israel.
The origin of the Wailing Wall? What exactly is the Jewish Wailing Wall crying about?
If you've ever been to Jerusalem in Israel, you'll be fascinated by a huge stone wall. This wall is the famous Wailing Wall, also known as the Western Wall, which is the holiest place in Judaism.
Countless Jews and tourists come here every day, some praying, some crying, some shoving notes with wishes into the cracks in the walls.
So, how did the Wailing Wall come about? Why are the Jews crying here?
The Wailing Wall is a place with a long history and deep cultural significance, which bears witness to the glory and suffering of the Jewish people, and also carries their faith and desire for God and their homeland.
In recent years, with tensions and frequent religious conflicts in the Middle East, the Wailing Wall has also become a sensitive and controversial topic. Many people have different views and attitudes towards the Wailing Wall, and some even try to destroy or occupy it.
So, how should we properly understand and respect the Wailing Wall? We need to explore the origin and significance of the Wailing Wall from a historical and religious perspective.
When it comes to the origin of the Wailing Wall, we have to go back to the 10th century B.C., when Solomon, king of Israel, built the first Jewish temple, the Temple of Solomon, in Jerusalem.
This temple is the most important place in the Jewish faith because it enshrines the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments given by God during his covenant with Moses. Jews believed that God lived in the temple, so they came here every year to worship and offer sacrifices.
However, the temple did not last long, and in 586 BC, the Babylonian kingdom invaded Israel and destroyed the temple and the city of Jerusalem. Jews were taken captive and began a 70-year exile.
It was not until 516 BC, with the support of the Kingdom of Persia, that some of the Jews were able to return to their homeland and rebuild a second temple on the site of the original one.
The Second Temple, though not as brilliant as the First, remains the holiest place in the hearts of Jews. Later, around 20 BC, King Herod enlarged and beautified the Second Temple to make it even more spectacular. He also built four tall and thick moats around the temple, the western section of which was later known as the Wailing Wall.
The fate of the Second Temple was no better than that of the First Temple, and in 70 AD, the Roman Empire, in order to suppress Jewish resistance, sent troops to besiege Jerusalem and set fire to the temple and walls.
Only the western moat survived, as the Romans wanted to leave this evidence to show their military power. Since then, the Jews have once again lost their country and temple, and began a long period of wandering and persecution.
Over the next few centuries, Jerusalem and the Wailing Wall underwent several conquests and replacements, and were controlled by different regimes such as Byzantine, Arab, Crusader, and Ottoman.
Jews, while occasionally able to return to pray at the Wailing Wall, were mostly forbidden or restricted. The area around the Wailing Wall also became dilapidated, covered in garbage and weeds. Jews can only come here every year on the anniversary of the destruction of the temple to mourn their lost homeland and faith. This is where the name Wailing Wall comes from.
It was not until 1948, when the state of Israel was re-established, that the Jews had their own land. However, the Wailing Wall remained under Jordanian control, and Jews could not access their holiest places.
It was not until the 1967 Six-Day War that Israeli forces recaptured the Old City of Jerusalem and the Wailing Wall.
At that time, thousands of Jews flocked to the Wailing Wall, cheering and praying in thanksgiving. Since then, the Wailing Wall has become the soul and symbol of Israel and the home of the hearts and minds of Jews around the world.
The Wailing Wall is not only a stone wall, but also a piece of history and a culture. It bears witness to the ups and downs of the Jewish people and also carries their faith and desire for God and their homeland.
If you have the opportunity to travel to Israel, you can feel the atmosphere and emotions firsthand, or you can write your wishes on a slip of paper and tuck it into the cracks in the wall.
Of course, when visiting the Wailing Wall, you should also pay attention to some etiquette and rules, such as wearing a small hat, not taking pictures, not disturbing people who are praying, etc.
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