Kashrus Kurrents Winter 2013

Q: I am going to Israel and will be visiting the kosel (Western Wall). I know that it is customary to tear kriah upon seeing the kosel, but what exactly is the procedure?

A:  The Shulchan Aruch paskens that when a person sees the cities of Judea he should say,
ערי קדשך היו מדבר and tear kriah.1  However, it is not customary to do so, possibly because we do not know exactly where the ancient cities of Judea are located.2  The Shulchan Aruch continues that when a person sees the Old City of Yerushalayim he should say, ציון היתה מדבר שממה , and then tear kriah again.3  Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l writes that even nowadays, one should tear kriah upon seeing the Old City.4  However, Rav Moshe Feinstein […]