One can at times wonder just how low people can sink towards gaining notoriety. For some, there are no boundaries and their total lack of respect for the privacy of others permits them to step outside all acceptable boundaries.
This latest story addresses a Facebook page called פתחים שלקחתי מהכותל ( Slips that I took from the Kosel).
Private notes and tefilos placed in the Kosel are advertised on the social network page. The Facebook page has been operating for months. Rav of the Kosel and Holy Sites Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz has filed a complaint with police in the hope of shutting down the page, pointing out the page is a violation of one’s privacy. The page is growing in popularity and as a result, an increasing number of kvitlach are being published for the public to view.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
So why display a picture of one?
You wonder how low people can sink, yet, you post the link to the Facebook page so that all your readers can click on it and read the notes themselves. So what exactly does this article accomplish other than further promoting the page you are trying to bash?
Please take this picture off! How low can YOU sink? At this time of year? (At any time of year…)
If there aren’t yet, there should be signs at the Kosel saying “NO STEALING KVITLACH!”
I might remember seeing some last time I was there…
Or my imagination is making this up.
Why are u posting this. Mods would you want your private kvitel up for the world to see on this website? If not then take the picture down.
If anyone finds the note where the writer asks for Steven Spielberg’s autograph, that one’s mine. 😛
Seriously, though, that’s downright cruel, reading people’s personal notes to G-d. To be safe, I’m going to keep praying to Hashem with the words of my mouth (not my writing hand) and the thoughts of my heart (oh yeah, and brain – I need to use that thing more often…).
A person’s bakashot are between him/her and Hashem. The heartless perpetrator of this despicable act deserves to be put into cherem and banned from the kotel.
May Hashem answer the prayers and grant the wishes of those whose kvitlach were stolen.
disgusting for a person to take someone’s private and personal pleading to G-d and make it public.
good questions…got a good answer YWN?
There are various opinions as to what exactly is the Kotel. According to nearly all of them is has the DIN of HEKDESH. As such, it is not proper to use it for any purpose. It is not correct to lean on it or place pieces of paper into it. Furthermore, this practice might just be considered DERECH AMORIM, an imitation of Goyish customs. It resembles throwing money into a wishing well or fountain. So while what this person is doing is very disgusting, it might just be a hint from on high to reevaluate this practice.
Take a deep breath everyone. The facebook site is satire. All the posted notes are fake. No notes were taken from the kosel.