[Avodah] There was no mechitza at the kotel

[Akiva Blum]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: avodah-bounces at lists.aishdas.org 
> [mailto:avodah-bounces at lists.aishdas.org] On Behalf Of Meir Shinnar
> Sent: Thursday 06 January 2011 11:09 PM
> 
> > Rav Akiva Blum
> > 
> > So it follows that any place that the tzibbur uses permanently for
> > davening, automatically has the status of beis haknesess.
> > 
> 
> Not so pashut.

> The mechtiza was 10 tefachim high - the psak that was relayed 
> to me in the name of rav teitz was
> 
> 1) A place that was not initially designated as a bet knesset 
> does not have kedushat bet haknesset - even if afterwards used 
> - as long as it was clear that other uses were still intended.
> 2) When the minyan moved from the old building, before the 
> first davening, they made sure to have another function first 
>  in that space - and intermittently use that space for other 
> functions.
> 3)  Therefore, even though the space was being used 
> permanently ( 3x daily..) for tefilla, it did not have the 
> din of kedushat bet haknesset -and therefore one could use a 
> ten tefachim mechitza.
> 
> It would seem the kotel would have a similar issue....

That is exactly why it is a beit hakneset.

TTBOMK, the lower kossel plaza (past the wall, and in the covered areas) are
used exclusively for davening, and no other purposes, deliberate or
otherwise.

Akiva