The Kosel HaMaaravi, Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh

The Kosel HaMaaravi

הכותל המערבי

Years the western retaining wall of Har HaBayis Times There is no yahrzeit. People come at all times; some have later minhagim of vasikin, Erev Rosh Chodesh, or forty days in a row — see the page The Kosel The Kosel HaMaaravi, Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh

Send a kvittel to the Kosel

About the Kosel

The Kosel HaMaaravi is not a kever. It is a remnant of the western retaining wall of Har HaBayis, the platform of the Beis Hamikdash, built in the days of Herod. It is not a wall of the Sanctuary itself. For many generations Yidden have come here to daven, as close as we can come to the place of the Beis Hamikdash.

Chazal teach that the Shechinah never departs from the Kosel HaMaaravi. This teaching is commonly cited from Shemos Rabbah 2:2 (and it appears in related midrashim). We bring it as Chazal said it, without adding claims of our own.

A longstanding minhag is to place a written tefillah — a petek or kvittel — in a crack between the stones. From time to time the notes are taken out with respect, before the Yomim Tovim, and buried on Har HaZeisim, like sheimos. Your kvittel will be placed in the Kosel in that way, and you will receive a photograph of it there, folded or with a reference number, so the tefillah itself is not readable.

There is no yahrzeit at the Kosel. People come at all hours. A vasikin minyan at the Kosel is a well-known practice, and many come on Erev Rosh Chodesh. The custom of coming, or sending a tefillah, for forty consecutive days is a later minhag, and is mentioned here only as a minhag, not as a chiyuv.

Historical background

The visible courses of huge stones are Herodian. Higher courses were added in later centuries. From 1948 to 1967, under Jordanian rule, Jews were not able to come to the Kosel to daven. In June 1967, during the Six Day War, the Old City came under Israeli control, and Yidden returned to the Kosel. The plaza in front of the wall was later enlarged. The site is administered with an official Rabbi of the Kosel, and a heritage foundation cares for the stones and for the notes placed there.

Sources

The facts on this page come from the earlier site and from the sources listed here. Where the sources are not one shittah, it is written in the text.

Pictures of the Kosel

The Kosel HaMaaravi in Yerushalayim — the western retaining wall of Har HaBayis, with its great Herodian stones. The plaza and the people in the original photograph were cropped away.
Photo: Danielrosehill, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

The Kosel HaMaaravi at night. The people who were standing at the foot of the wall in the original photograph were cropped out.
Photo: Rhododendrites, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Minhagim

A petek or kvittel placed between the stones of the Kosel, a minhag of many generations
The notes are periodically removed with respect and buried on Har HaZeisim, as sheimos
Some have a minhag to daven at vasikin at the Kosel, or to come on Erev Rosh Chodesh (Yom Kippur Katan). A later minhag, not a din in the Gemara, is to come or send a tefillah for forty days in a row

Send a kvittel to the Kosel

Send a kvittel

Send a kvittel to the Kosel

Write the names and your bakashah. The petek (kvittel) will be placed between the stones of the Kosel HaMaaravi. A pidyon of eighteen dollars or more goes with it; you choose the amount, and you will be taken to a secure payment page. The shliach places the petek only once the pidyon is received.

Your name for the kvittel *

ben / bas

Your mother’s name *

On the kvittel it is written as your name, ben or bas your mother’s name. Lashon kodesh is preferred, English is also fine.

Your email *

Phone or WhatsApp (optional)

Other names for the kvittel (optional)

Add any other names that should be on this kvittel, each with the mother’s name.

The Kosel

The Kosel HaMaaravi — The Kosel HaMaaravi, Yerushalayim Ir HaKodesh

This kvittel (petek) will be placed between the stones of the Kosel.

Your bakashah / tefillah *

Pidyon *

A pidyon nefesh of eighteen dollars or more goes with the kvittel. There is no set upper amount. Choose one of the sums below, or type another amount, as long as it is at least eighteen dollars. After you send the form you will be taken to a secure payment page. The kvittel is given over to the shliach only once the pidyon is received.

The pidyon is at least eighteen dollars. Please enter $18 or more.

After the petek is placed in the Kosel, you will receive a photograph of it there. The picture shows the kvittel folded, or with the reference number, so the tefillah itself is not readable.

You will be taken to a secure Stripe payment page for the amount you enter. The shliach receives the printable kvittel only after the pidyon succeeds.

By sending a kvittel you agree that we may use your email and the names you provide only to fulfill this request and to contact you about it. We do not sell this information. See our privacy note.

Preview the printable kvittel

The form is ready. In this draft, Stripe and email keys are still placeholders, so no card is charged and no email is sent. You will be able to download the PDF after you send it.