Jacquot Grunewald is a French rabbi who has held various rabbinical positions in Algeria, in France and since 1985 in Israel. He is noted for translating 8 volumes of the Steinsaltz Talmud into the French language. Earlier this year La Croix interviewed the rabbi. La Croix is daily French general-interest Roman Catholic newspaper which is published in Paris, France.
(Call Me Jorge...'s translation)
(Call Me Jorge...'s translation)
Why these tears?
JG: This wall is the only tangible reminder of the presence of Herod's Temple (destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, Ed) . This is not strictly speaking a wall of the Temple, of which nothing remains today, but a retaining wall: it contained the Temple Mount and the Temple stood just above. This is actually an important place for Jews. It crystallized a form of nostalgia.
(The French original)
Pourquoi ces larmes ?J. G. : Ce mur est le seul rappel tangible de la présence du Temple d’Hérode(détruit par les Romains en 70 après J.-C., NDLR). Ce n’est pas à proprement parler un mur du Temple, dont il ne reste rien aujourd’hui, mais un mur de soutènement : il contenait la montagne du Temple, et le Temple s’élevait juste au-dessus. C’est ce qui en fait un lieu si important pour les juifs. Il cristallise une forme de nostalgie.
source: Au pied du Mur de Jérusalem, « un face-à-face avec Dieu », La Croix, (22.01.16)
For more on the Western Wall read, Francis & the Shekinah.
