The Kotel

So I'm sitting on my bed while my roommate Jenna is chatting with her friends. Occasionally, I will throw in a comment. Right now though, they're discussing the Kotel. They all have different views on the holy place, and I find it very interesting. For instance, one boy called the Kotel a shrine. After taking a moment to think it through, I discovered that I agree with him. After all, as he pointed out, a shrine is a place where people can have physical contact with an important part of their religion. The Kotel is all that remains of the Beit Hamikdash, our holiest of holy temples, and it was believed to be a physical house for God. However, one girl had a rather vehement reaction in the negative to that suggestion. She was shocked that he could even consider calling something so ancient and unique like the Kotel something so common as a "shrine". When pressed, she explained that her connection, as well as most other Jews' connections, were much too deep to be defined in such a way. I find it interesting the way that people's views and feelings in regard to the same religion and culture can differ so easily and widely.