Kotel notes cleared ahead of holidays
Engineers examine safety of Western Wall stones in preparation of arrival of hundreds of thousands of worshippers. Notes placed between stones removed to make room for new ones
Engineers arrived at the Wall last week to examine the safety of the stones and remove parts which have crumbled.
A source in the Western Wall Heritage Foundation described the preparations as "strenuous work, which includes a thorough examination of each and every stone," adding that a fraction of a stone falling on the worshippers during the holiday prayers could lead to injuries or even death.
In addition, the notes placed between the Wall's stones will be removed and transferred to a special archive.
Before clearing the notes, the workers must bathe in a mikveh (ritual bath). Moreover, they must use special wooden sticks to reach the higher notes. Metal is forbidden as it is considered impure.
The note removal works will be supervised by Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, who will ensure that no one opens the notes and reads the wishes written in them.
At the end of the clearance operation, the rabbi will conduct a prayer for the fulfillment of the workers' wishes.
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