[Avodah] [Areivim] : Re: Women at the Kotel

[Akiva Blum]

(sent also to Avodah)

Joseph Kaplan wrote:
Re the status of the Kotel, SBA writes in response to my request for  
a source that the Kotel was treated like a synagogue before the  
creation of the State of Israel:
>>>>>>>>>

The gemorah states (megilah 26a): The Chachomim say that the street has no kedushah (and therefore may be sold). What is the reason that  R' Menachem bar Yossi (says it does have kedushah)? Because they daven there on taaniyos and maamodos. And Rabonon say no, that is only temporary (akrai bealma). Rashi: eino tadir.

So it follows that any place that is used permanently for davening, automatically has the status of beis haknesess.

I suppose it could be argued that if the area belonged the Turkish or British governments, no one has the ability to cause it to have a changed status (ein adam oser davar sheino shelo). But then, who says it was ever theirs?

Akiva