The Western Wall in Jerusalem is never empty. People come in the summer heat and in the pouring rain. They come before dawn and late at night. They come when life is sweet and when it all feels like too much. And almost always, in someoneās hand, there is a small folded note.
During the Three Weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av, we pay special attention to Jerusalem. We fast. We mourn. We remember. And for those who are lucky enough to stand before the Wall during this time, slipping a note between its stones becomes more than just a gesture. It becomes a form of mourning, of connection, of hope.
The custom of leaving written prayers at the Wall is not new. In the 12th century, the Jewish traveler Benjamin of Tudela wrote about Jews carving their names into the stones of the Kotel. Centuries later, the practice shifted from engraving into stone to inserting handwritten prayers. Some say it was because paper had become more available. Others believe it was simply more practical. Either way, the heart of the custom remained the same.
In the 18th century, Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai, known as the Chida, left Morocco for the Land of Israel at the encouragement of his teacher, Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, also known as the Ohr HaChaim. Before he left, his teacher handed him a small note and instructed him to place it in the Western Wall when he arrived. The Chida carefully sewed the note into his jacket lining but forgot about it in the difficulties and loneliness of trying to find his place in Jerusalem. Only after weeks of struggle did he remember the note, and he brought it to the Wall. Shortly afterward, his situation began to change. His Torah knowledge was noticed. His reputation spread. When asked what had shifted, he realized that the only change had been finally delivering the note his teacher had written on his behalf. The note simply read: Dear God, please let my student Azulai become successful in Israel.
This story is not just a heartwarming tale. It points to something deeply rooted in Jewish belief: what is written on earth can affect what is written in heaven.
The prophet Isaiah said:
That verse refers to the Temple, but it still shapes how we relate to the Wall today. It is not a relic. It is an address. Jewish tradition teaches that the Divine Presence never left the Western Wall, even after the destruction of the Temple. The Midrash says God vowed never to abandon this wall. Prayers brought to this place have a special weight. According to the Talmud, all prayers ascend to Heaven through Jerusalem. When you place a written prayer in the Wall, it is not to be closer to the stones. It is to be closer to the Source.
But why write? Why not just pray?
Because Judaism doesnāt treat the physical and spiritual as separate. They are intertwined. The prophets knew this. When Elisha wanted to show King Joash the nature of Israelās upcoming war with Aram, he didnāt just deliver a message. He told the king to shoot arrows toward the enemy and strike the ground. His actions created a physical vessel for the divine decree.
Writing a note is a small act, but it is a physical one. It takes a thought or a feeling and gives it form. Rabbi Yehudah Loew, the Maharal of Prague, taught that blessings often remain in a state of potential until we perform a concrete act that allows them to take shape in this world. A written prayer helps bring the spiritual into the physical.
Rabbi Chaim Elazar Shapira, pointed to the Book of Esther to explain this idea. When King Achashverosh couldnāt sleep, he asked for the royal chronicles to be read. The Talmud adds a layer of meaning to the story. it is said that the King’s scribe had erased the mention of Mordechaiās good deed, but an angel intervened and rewrote it . Rabbi Shapira taught that what is written in favor of the Jewish people cannot be erased. That is why we write our prayers. We want what is written below to be written above and never erased.
Even today, the Israeli authorities only remove the notes from the Wall twice a year and bury them with the same respect given to other sacred objects. Once a note is placed in the Wall, it is treated as holy.
People leave these notes all year long. But during the Three Weeks, when our hearts are already turned toward Jerusalem and our minds are focused on what weāve lost, the practice takes on added meaning. We arenāt just asking for help or healing. We are participating in the rebuilding of Jerusalem with our prayers.
The Wall remains. Not because we kept it standing but because God did. That is no small thing. And when we place a note between its stones, we are not speaking to the past. We are claiming a future.
Want to Write Your Own Note?It may not be the Kotel, but sending a heartfelt letter to an Israeli soldier is another powerful way to turn words into strength. Your message brings comfort, faith, and hope to those on the front lines.
Write a letter today: israel365charity.com/letterstoIDF
