If you have ever looked at a photo of Jerusalem's Old City, you have probably noticed two things side by side: the great stone Western Wall with people praying at its base, and above and behind it, a wide raised platform with the golden Dome of the Rock. Many people are surprised to learn that the holiest place in Judaism is actually that platform, the Temple Mount, and that the wall is the edge of it. So why do Jews pray at the wall instead of on top? This guide explains what makes the Kotel holy and how it relates to the Temple Mount above.
Why is the Western Wall holy? The Western Wall is holy because it is part of the retaining wall that surrounded the Temple Mount, where the First and Second Temples stood. It is the closest place to the site of the Holy of Holies where Jews pray today. The Temple Mount itself is the holiest site in Judaism, but most rabbinic authorities rule that Jews should not walk on it.
What Makes a Place Holy in Judaism?
In Jewish tradition, holiness is not just a feeling a place gives you. It is a status rooted in what happened there and what God commanded there. A synagogue is holy because people gather to pray in it. A Torah scroll is holy because of the words it carries. The Temple Mount is the holiest place on earth in Jewish law because it is where the Temple stood and where, the tradition teaches, God's presence rested among the people.
The Temple and the Holy of Holies
The Temple was built in layers of holiness. There was the outer courtyard, then the inner courtyard, then the sanctuary, and at the very end, the Kodesh HaKodashim, the Holy of Holies. In the First Temple it held the Ark of the Covenant. Only the High Priest entered it, and only on one day a year, Yom Kippur. The Holy of Holies stood at the western end of the Temple, which is part of why the western side of the Temple Mount carries such special meaning.
The Foundation Stone
Inside the Holy of Holies was a stone known as the Even HaShetiyah, the Foundation Stone. The Talmud, in Yoma 54b, teaches that the world was founded from this stone. Many believe that this same rock lies today beneath the Dome of the Rock. For Jews, it is the spiritual center of the world, the place toward which every Jewish prayer turns.
Why Is the Western Wall So Important to Jews?
If the Temple Mount is holier than the wall, why did the wall become the center of Jewish prayer? The answer is a mix of history, law, and a famous teaching.
Closest to the Holy of Holies
The Western Wall is the surviving retaining wall closest to where the Holy of Holies stood. After the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 CE, Jews could not rebuild it, and for long periods they could not reach the Temple Mount at all. The western retaining wall became the nearest place they could stand, touch the stones, and pray. Over centuries, that nearness turned the wall into the heart of Jewish devotion.
The Divine Presence Never Left
There is also a teaching in the Midrash. In Shemot Rabbah 2:2, Rabbi Acha says that the Divine Presence never departs from the western wall, quoting the verse from Song of Songs 2:9, "Behold, he is standing behind our wall." Some scholars note that the Midrash may originally have meant the western wall of the Temple building itself. Over the generations, though, this teaching became deeply linked to the Kotel, and it is one of the main reasons people feel that prayers here are especially close to God.
Facing the Temple in Every Prayer
The importance of this place shows up in every Jewish prayer, wherever it is said. The Talmud, in Berakhot 30a, teaches that a person outside the Land of Israel turns toward Israel, a person in Israel toward Jerusalem, and a person in Jerusalem toward the Temple. That is why synagogues around the world face Jerusalem. In a sense, every Jew who prays is already praying toward the Kotel.
What Is the Difference Between the Western Wall and the Temple Mount?
The two are often confused, so it helps to picture them clearly.
The Temple Mount: The Platform Above
The Temple Mount, Har HaBayit in Hebrew, is the large raised platform where the First and Second Temples stood. King Herod greatly expanded it around 20 BCE. Today it holds the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, built centuries after the Temple was destroyed, and it is also a holy site in Islam. Access and prayer on the Temple Mount are governed by a longstanding arrangement known as the status quo.
The Western Wall: The Retaining Wall Below
The Western Wall is part of one of the four great walls Herod built to hold up that platform. It is not a wall of the Temple itself. When you stand at the Kotel, you are standing at the foot of the Temple Mount, looking up at the edge of the space where the Temple once stood. The open-air prayer plaza covers only a short stretch of the wall, and much more of it runs hidden underground.
For the full story of how the wall survived and became a place of prayer, see our guide to the history and meaning of the Western Wall.
Why Don't Most Jews Pray on the Temple Mount?
This is one of the most common questions people ask, and the main answer is about ritual purity, not politics.
Ritual Purity and the Holiest Ground
Entering the area of the Temple required a person to be in a state of ritual purity, taharah. One of the most serious forms of impurity, contact with the dead, could only be removed with the ashes of a red heifer, as described in Numbers 19. Since the Temple was destroyed, there have been no such ashes, so in Jewish law everyone today is considered to carry that impurity. Because the exact location of the Holy of Holies and the most restricted areas is uncertain, many leading rabbis rule that Jews should not enter the Temple Mount at all, to avoid stepping where it is forbidden.
If you would like to understand what ritual purity means and why it matters so much here, our guide to ritual purity in Judaism explains taharah and tumah in plain language.
Different Views Today
Not everyone agrees. Some rabbis and groups permit visiting certain areas of the Temple Mount that are believed to be outside the most restricted zones, after immersing in a mikveh. Others, including Israel's Chief Rabbinate, maintain the long-standing ruling against entry. This is a question of Jewish law, so if it matters to you personally, it is worth asking a rabbinic authority you trust. For most Jews, the answer in practice is the same as it has been for centuries: they pray at the wall.
How to Honor the Holiness of the Kotel When You Visit
Knowing why the wall is holy changes how you approach it. A few customs help you show that respect.
Dress, Behavior, and Stepping Back
Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and men cover their heads. Keep your voice low and your phone put away near the wall. Many people do not turn their back on the wall when they leave. Instead, they take a few steps backward while still facing it, the way you would step back from a king.
Bring a Prayer, Even a Short One
You do not need to know Hebrew or a long liturgy. A Psalm, a few words in your own language, or a short note placed in the stones is enough. If you would like ideas, see what to pray at the Western Wall, and for the custom of notes, read how to put a note in the Western Wall.
Holiness That Reaches Beyond the Wall
The holiness of the Kotel has never stayed inside Jerusalem. For two thousand years, Jews far from the city have kept it alive by turning toward it in prayer, by remembering it at every wedding and in every house of mourning, and by giving tzedakah in its name. Holiness, in Jewish tradition, is meant to show up in how you treat the people around you. If you want to understand that link, read our guide to what tzedakah really means.
At 18.fund, offered in collaboration with the Shabata Demalkata Foundation, donations help provide Shabbat meals and holiday essentials for families in need across the US. Many of our donors give in multiples of 18, the number that stands for life, as a way to carry the spirit of this place into their own communities.
Give in the Spirit of the Kotel
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Western Wall holy?
It is part of the retaining wall around the Temple Mount, where the First and Second Temples stood, and it is the closest place to the site of the Holy of Holies where Jews pray today. The Midrash also teaches that the Divine Presence never left the western wall.
Is the Western Wall part of the Temple?
No. It is part of the retaining wall King Herod built to support the Temple Mount platform. The Temple stood on top of that platform and was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.
What is the difference between the Western Wall and the Temple Mount?
The Temple Mount is the raised platform where the Temples stood, and it is the holiest site in Judaism. The Western Wall is one of the retaining walls that holds up that platform, and it is the main place of Jewish prayer today.
Why don't Jews pray on the Temple Mount?
Most rabbinic authorities rule that Jews should not enter the Temple Mount, because everyone today is considered ritually impure and the exact location of the most restricted areas is uncertain. Access and prayer there are also governed by a longstanding status quo arrangement.
What was the Holy of Holies?
The Holy of Holies was the innermost chamber of the Temple. In the First Temple it held the Ark of the Covenant. Only the High Priest could enter it, and only on Yom Kippur.
What is the Foundation Stone?
The Foundation Stone, Even HaShetiyah, was the rock inside the Holy of Holies. The Talmud teaches that the world was founded from it. Many believe it lies beneath the Dome of the Rock today.
Does the Divine Presence rest at the Western Wall?
The Midrash, in Shemot Rabbah 2:2, teaches that the Divine Presence never departs from the western wall. Some scholars read this as referring to the Temple's own western wall, but it has long been associated with the Kotel.
Is the Western Wall holy to other religions?
The Temple Mount above it is also holy in Islam, home to the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Kotel itself is visited and respected by people of many faiths, who come to pray there.
Why do Jews face Jerusalem when they pray?
The Talmud, in Berakhot 30a, teaches that Jews outside Israel face Israel, those in Israel face Jerusalem, and those in Jerusalem face the Temple. So Jewish prayer everywhere is directed toward the place where the Temple stood.
Can non-Jews visit the Western Wall?
Yes. The Kotel is open to visitors of every faith, every day of the year. Visitors are asked to dress modestly and respect the people praying there.