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U.S. Presidential hopeful Barack Obama praying at the Western Wall. (Rachel Starcher/Jini)
Last update - 13:46 27/07/2008
Report: Rabbis slam removal, publication of note Obama left in cracks of Western Wall
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Jerusalem, Obama 

Senior rabbis have voiced their criticism over the apparent removal of a note stuffed between the cracks of the Western Wall by U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama last week, and its subsequent publication in the media, the BBC reported Friday.

Obama visited the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, at the end of a two-day trip to Israel, as part of a tour of the Middle East and Europe.

Obama wrote a note and stuffed it, as many do, into a crack in the wall, situated in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City. Tradition says that requests left between the holy stones will be granted. According to the BBC report, no one knows who removed the note after the presidential hopeful had left.
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The content of the note was "Lord - protect my family and me. Forgive my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will," according to the Israeli newspaper that published the message.

BBC reported that this publication sparked the rage of the senior rabbi in charge of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinovitz. He said that the note was a private matter between God and Obama and that its removal was highly inappropriate.

Twice a year, when the cracks in the Wall become full, the prayers and messages are removed and buried - without being read - in strict accordance with Jewish law.

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  • IN PICTURES / Barack Obama visits Israel
  • ANALYSIS / Obama visit all about wooing Jewish American voters
  • Spring cleaning: Rabbi removes prayer notes from Western Wall, to make room for more
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      1.   Its quite possible 03:09  |  Guy From NYC 27/07/08
      2.   Seconds after Senator Obama steps away from the 04:10  |  David Cohen 27/07/08
      3.   Disgusting to have removed it 04:18  |  Liliane 27/07/08
      4.   note 04:21  |  Shmuelshachor 27/07/08
      5.   Disappointment in Michigan 04:51  |  Adam 27/07/08
      6.   FORGET THE NOTE, RESTORE THE TEMPLE 05:18  |  Barry S. Roffman 27/07/08
      7.   Notes in the Wall. 05:54  |  Maureen Ann 27/07/08
      8.   The Kotel is not respected by some jews. 06:18  |  Moishe Macher 27/07/08
      9.   query 06:34  |  potobac 27/07/08
      10.   it was a modest request 07:22  |  Mark Lincoln 27/07/08
      11.   GIVE IT A REST MCCAIN 08:22  |  indrajaya 27/07/08
      12.   For Potobac #13 08:22  |  Navy Vet 27/07/08
      13.   INEXCUSABLE! 08:29  |  Michael 27/07/08
      14.   Maureen Ann 09:27  |  Ramius 27/07/08
      15.   WATCH EBAY, could be there 09:29  |  VIPER 27/07/08
      16.   Publication of Obama`s prayer 09:41  |  Zamarah 27/07/08
      17.   Those who violated the sancity of the Kotel Should be Banned... 09:53  |  Ira Piltz 27/07/08
      18.   to Tom how dare you insult our future president 10:13  |  gus 27/07/08
      19.   A sincere prayer will be taken to heart by the Lord 10:19  |  Lily 27/07/08
      20.   At least... 10:23  |  Motic 27/07/08
      21.   A GOOD MATERIAL FOR CAMPAIGN 10:34  |  indrajaya 27/07/08
      22.   # 2 to guy from nyc re: the culprit 10:35  |  eric 27/07/08
      23.   God`s special letterbox 10:46  |  Clickfool 27/07/08
      24.   #9 love and peace maureen its the other way around 10:52  |  victor hardman 27/07/08
      25.   #25 gushing gus and the real man behind the politician 11:05  |  victor hardman 27/07/08
      26.   For David Cohen - check comment before it is blocked # 3 11:07  |  Clickfool 27/07/08
      27.   Obama is a Christian 11:41  |  Natallie Durson 27/07/08
      28.   Who delivers the notes to the invisible fictional superhero? 12:03  |  Secular Arab 27/07/08
      29.   navy vet 17 12:45  |  potobac 27/07/08
      30.   #36 Natallie 13:16  |  Jean Van Daem 27/07/08
      31.   Obamas Letter 13:57  |  Scott G 27/07/08
      32.   Peace in the Wall 14:19  |  Ronnie Wolman 27/07/08
      33.   Yeshiva Students Have to Eat Too!! 14:42  |  Reader 27/07/08
      34.   Somebody should have thought of Obama`s right to privacy 15:16  |  PETER SM 27/07/08
      35.   Typical conservatives 15:59  |  W 27/07/08
      36.   # 28 Fictions are indeed over. 16:10  |  Shimon Cleopas 27/07/08
      37.   NATALIE DURSON 16:14  |  chasaboy 27/07/08
      38.   Obama note in wall 16:31  |  Jack Chomey 27/07/08
      39.   MaAriv must be boycotted until it prints an apology 17:02  |  redmike 27/07/08
      40.   To Clickfool 17:09  |  Secular 27/07/08
      41.   Needless To Say 17:12  |  Yosemite 27/07/08
      42.   My note is still there , nobody read it , it seems ??? 17:31  |  Sal 27/07/08
      43.   Message in a Bottle 17:55  |  Ronnie Wolman 27/07/08
      44.   #42 Sal, there are readers and Readers 18:19  |  Mark B. 27/07/08
      45.   obama`s note 18:26  |  mike 27/07/08
      46.   To #23 & #27, Your ignorance is quite clear 18:55  |  Barry 27/07/08
      47.   #27 Secular Arab and magical rituals 20:24  |  hala 27/07/08
      48.   Well Sal, you`re not the next US President... 20:28  |  BBSNews 27/07/08
      49.   Oh fer... 21:09  |  Rachel 27/07/08
      50.   Yell out louder, maybe God is deaf! 21:20  |  Elisheva 27/07/08
      51.   #27 Funny, I thought it was the same God for all 21:20  |  DesMnsDave 27/07/08
      52.   Hopefully Obama will remeber what kind of "friends" Israelis 21:34  |  Andreas 27/07/08
      53.   perfect theatre 21:53  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/07/08
      54.   God does not answer prayers, does not intervene 21:56  |  Clickfool 27/07/08
      55.   #51 wher did you get that funny idea 345 gods at the last count 22:02  |  victor hardman 27/07/08
      56.   Obama note in Western Wall 22:31  |  Jbro 27/07/08
      57.   What happened to comments # 3 ???? 23:12  |  Benjamina 27/07/08
      58.   no. 52 00:28  |  Kats eat S. cheese 28/07/08
      59.   As an Israeli I am ashamed of the thief or note snatcher 00:30  |  Nach 28/07/08
      60.   Looks like a video hoax 01:00  |  DJStahl 28/07/08
      61.   Little sincere note 01:24  |  allang 28/07/08
      62.   Note 01:28  |  dardo 28/07/08
      63.   Hussein Obama`s Note 02:02  |  C.A. Fulghum 28/07/08
      64.   Zamarah-Please!!! 02:10  |  C.A. Fulghum 28/07/08