If you have ever stood in front of the Western Wall, or imagined standing there, you may have felt a moment of panic: what do I actually say? You have finally arrived at the holiest place of Jewish prayer, and suddenly the words do not come. You are not alone. Many people feel this way, which is why Jewish tradition offers prayers for nearly every need, from a loved one's health to a job search to a family's peace. This guide gathers the most common ones, so you can walk up to the Kotel ready.
What should you pray at the Western Wall? You can pray for anything, in any language, in your own words. Many people also use traditional prayers: the Mi Sheberach for someone who is ill, Psalm 145 for livelihood, Hannah's prayer for children, Kaddish and El Malei Rachamim for loved ones who have passed, and Psalm 100 to give thanks.
Can You Pray for Anything at the Western Wall?
Yes. There is no wrong topic for prayer at the Kotel. Jewish tradition has always welcomed personal requests alongside the fixed daily prayers. When King Solomon dedicated the Temple, in 1 Kings 8, he asked God to hear every prayer offered toward this place, whatever the person's need, even the prayer of a stranger from a distant land.
Pray in Your Own Words
The most important prayer you can bring is an honest one. The Talmud, in Berakhot 31a, learns many of the laws of prayer from Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. In 1 Samuel 1, she prayed at the sanctuary in Shiloh with her lips moving but her voice silent, pouring out her heart. Her quiet, personal prayer became a model for all Jewish prayer. You can speak to God the same way, in English or any language, without a book.
Using a Person's Hebrew Name
When you pray for someone, it helps to use their name. In Jewish tradition, a prayer for a living person, especially someone who is ill, uses their Hebrew name and their mother's name, for example "Yosef ben Rachel" or "Miriam bat Esther." A prayer in memory of someone who has passed often uses their Hebrew name and their father's name. If you do not know a Hebrew name, use the name you know. The intention is what matters.
What Prayers Do People Say for Healing?
Praying for someone who is sick is one of the most common reasons people come to the Kotel. Prayer is not a promise of a particular result. In Jewish tradition, it is a way of turning to God with your worry and love, and of standing with the person who is ill.
The Mi Sheberach for Healing
The best-known prayer for healing is the Mi Sheberach, which begins, "May the One who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah, bless and heal..." and then names the person. It asks for a refuah shleimah, a complete recovery of body and spirit. It is usually recited in synagogue during the Torah reading, but you can say it at the Kotel, or simply say the person's name and mother's name and ask for their refuah shleimah in your own words.
Psalms for Healing
Many people recite Psalms, Tehillim, for someone who is ill. Psalm 20, "May the Lord answer you in time of trouble," and Psalm 121, "I lift my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come?" are among the most common. Some families divide the whole book of Psalms among friends so it is completed together for the person.
Moses' Five-Word Prayer
The shortest prayer in the Torah is a prayer for healing. When Moses' sister Miriam fell ill, in Numbers 12:13, he cried out, "El na refa na lah," "O God, please heal her." It is only five Hebrew words. It shows that a prayer does not need to be long to be real. Many people say these words at the Kotel for someone they love.
What to Pray at the Western Wall for Livelihood (Parnassah)
Worries about work and money are part of life, and Jewish tradition gives them a place in prayer. The word for livelihood is parnassah, and it is one of the most common requests in Kotel notes.
Psalm 145: "You Open Your Hand"
Psalm 145 is recited three times a day in Jewish prayer, and its most famous line is verse 16: "You open Your hand, and satisfy every living thing with favor." Many people say it slowly at the Kotel, focusing on that verse, as a prayer for their livelihood and their family's needs.
The Portion of the Manna
There is also a custom of reading Parashat HaMan, the Torah passage about the manna in the desert, in Exodus 16. The manna fell each day, just enough for each family. Reading it is a way of asking for what you need while trusting that you will be provided for, one day at a time. Some people read it every day, and many read it on the Tuesday of the week when the Torah portion Beshalach is read.
Pairing Prayer With Giving
Jewish tradition often links prayers for livelihood with giving. That is not a deal or a transaction. It is a way of acting on the same values you are praying for: generosity, trust, and care for others. If you want to understand how much tradition asks people to give, our guide to tzedakah vs. ma'aser walks through the practical details.
What to Pray at the Western Wall for Family
Family is at the heart of many Kotel prayers: for children, for a good match, for peace at home.
Prayers for Children
Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel 1 was a prayer for a child, and many people who hope to have children recite it or read her story at the Kotel. Parents also pray for children who are already born, for their health, their path, and their happiness. A well-known prayer for children was written by the Shelah HaKadosh, Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz, in the seventeenth century, and it is traditionally recited on the day before Rosh Chodesh Sivan, though you can say it any time.
Prayers for a Good Match
Many people pray at the Kotel for a shidduch, a good marriage partner, for themselves or for someone they love. Some follow a folk custom of praying at the Kotel for forty consecutive days. It is a custom, not a requirement, and its power lies in the commitment of returning day after day. Even one heartfelt visit, or one note, is a meaningful prayer.
Peace in the Home
Shalom bayit, peace in the home, is one of the most valued blessings in Jewish life. People pray for patience, understanding, and kindness between spouses, parents, and children. You do not need a set text. Name the people in your home and ask for peace among them.
Prayers in Memory of a Loved One
The Kotel is also a place to remember. Many people come on a yahrzeit, the anniversary of a death, or after a loss.
Kaddish and El Malei Rachamim
The Mourner's Kaddish, a prayer that praises God, is recited by mourners and requires a minyan, a group of ten adults. At the Kotel there is almost always a minyan forming, so mourners often join one. El Malei Rachamim, "God full of compassion," is a memorial prayer asking that the soul of the departed rest under God's protection. It is often recited by a cantor or rabbi, and the person is named with their Hebrew name and their father's name.
Giving in Their Memory
Jewish tradition encourages giving tzedakah in memory of someone who has passed, l'ilui nishmat, for the elevation of their soul. It turns your love for them into an act of kindness in the world. Many families give in multiples of 18 for this, as our guide to Chai traditions and when to give explains.
Prayers of Thanks
The Kotel is not only a place to ask. Some of the most moving prayers there are thank-yous: for a recovery, a birth, a wedding, a safe journey. Psalm 100, Mizmor LeTodah, "A Psalm of thanksgiving," is a short and joyful choice. Someone who survived danger or recovered from serious illness may also say Birkat HaGomel, a blessing of thanks recited in the presence of a minyan.
How to Pray at the Kotel When You Can't Be There
Not everyone can travel to Jerusalem. Wherever you are, you can still pray toward the Kotel. The Talmud teaches, in Berakhot 30a, that Jews everywhere face Jerusalem and the Temple when they pray. You can also write your prayer as a note and have it placed in the wall for you. Our guide to how to put a note in the Western Wall explains the ways to do that, and our guide to the history and meaning of the Western Wall gives you the full picture of the place you are praying toward. For why it is considered so holy, see why the Western Wall is holy.
Bringing Your Prayers to the Wall With 18.fund
Every prayer in this guide comes down to the same thing: you, turning toward God with the people you love in your heart. At 18.fund, offered in collaboration with the Shabata Demalkata Foundation, our donors send us intentions of every kind, for healing (Refuah Shlema), livelihood (Parnassah), a match (Shidduchim), children and family, and in memory of loved ones (L'ilui Nishmat).
With an 18.fund Giving Package, starting at $180, your intention is printed and placed at the Western Wall within 7 days, with video confirmation sent to you by email, and prayers are read at the Wall on Monday and Thursday. Your donation also helps provide Shabbat meals and holiday essentials for families in need across the US.
Send Your Intention to the Wall
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I pray at the Western Wall?
You can pray for anything, in any language, in your own words. Traditional choices include the Mi Sheberach for healing, Psalm 145 for livelihood, Hannah's prayer for children, Kaddish in memory of a loved one, and Psalm 100 to give thanks.
What is the Jewish prayer for healing?
The best-known prayer for healing is the Mi Sheberach, which asks for a refuah shleimah, a complete recovery, for a named person. Psalms such as 20 and 121, and Moses' short prayer "El na refa na lah," are also common.
Which name do I use when praying for someone who is sick?
Tradition uses the person's Hebrew name and their mother's name, such as "Yosef ben Rachel." If you do not know their Hebrew name, use the name you know. The sincerity of the prayer matters most.
What Psalm is said for livelihood?
Psalm 145 is the classic choice, especially verse 16, "You open Your hand, and satisfy every living thing with favor." Some people also read the passage of the manna, Exodus 16, as a prayer for parnassah.
Is there a prayer for having children?
Many people recite or read Hannah's prayer from 1 Samuel 1, the story of a woman who prayed for a child at the sanctuary in Shiloh. The Shelah HaKadosh's prayer for children is also widely recited by parents.
Does praying at the Western Wall for 40 days work?
Praying at the Kotel for forty consecutive days is a folk custom, often for a match or a special need. It is not a requirement or a guarantee. Its meaning lies in the commitment and focus of returning day after day.
Can I say Kaddish at the Western Wall?
Yes, if you join a minyan, a group of ten adults, which is almost always forming at the Kotel. Kaddish requires a minyan, so you cannot say it alone.
Can I pray at the Western Wall in English?
Yes. Jewish tradition teaches that God hears prayer in every language. Many people pray at the Kotel in English or their native language, either in their own words or from a translated prayer book.
Do I need to be Jewish to pray at the Western Wall?
No. People of every faith pray at the Kotel. King Solomon's prayer in 1 Kings 8 asks God to hear the prayers of anyone, even a stranger from a distant land, who prays toward this place.
Can someone pray at the Western Wall for me?
Yes. You can ask a friend who is traveling to pray for you or place your note, use an online note service, or send your intention with an 18.fund Giving Package, starting at $180, which includes placement at the Wall.