Kosel Comportment      

Prepared for print by Faigy Peritzman

I’m traveling to Israel with my nine-year-old daughter and plan to go straight from the airport to the Kosel. I’ve heard I need to rip my clothes upon seeing the Kosel, but I’m really not sure how to go about that. I’ve never ripped kri’ah before.

The practical method is to wear an extra shirt on top of your clothing, and then rip from top to bottom, the length of three to four inches, on the left side (heart area) of the shirt, while reciting the blessing of Baruch Atah, melech ha’olam, Dayan ha’emes (omitting Hashem Elokeinu). You should do the kri’ah while standing or walking, not while sitting. After performing the kri’ah, you may choose to remove that shirt and continue with your visit to the Kosel. Your daughter doesn’t have to do kri’ah, as she’s under bas mitzvah and the mitzvah of chinuch doesn’t apply here.

At what point during my visit should the kri’ah take place?

The correct time to perform the kri’ah is immediately upon seeing the dome over the mosque that was built on the area of the Beis Hamikdash. If you’re unable to see that area, then do the kri’ah when seeing the Kosel for the first time. Bedieved, the kri’ah may be performed later as well, as long as you’re still present at the Kosel area.