| When the Jewish people committed the sin of the | | | | on Shabbat is forbidden by the Torah law). The |
| Golden Calf, Moses tried to repent on their behalf | | | | commitment also necessitates going to the Western |
| before God. It was only after dwelling for 40 days up | | | | Wall in all sorts of weather, be it in the hot sun or |
| in Heaven and praying for forgiveness, that God | | | | freezing cold rain or storm. You cannot skip a day! |
| accepted the apology and yield to his prayer. | | | | This total commitment, combined with the fact that a |
| It is from this incident that the term 40 days of prayer | | | | person is willing to clear his schedule every day, for 40 |
| has gotten its meaning. In the Jewish tradition it is well | | | | consecutive days, in order to focus on prayers and on |
| known that prayers for 40 consecutive days have | | | | his relationship with God, are probably part of the |
| great power. Furthermore it is even more powerful | | | | secret of why this spiritual ritual (segula) is, in fact, a |
| when these prayers take place at the Western Wall, | | | | success. |
| the holiest place on earth, where prayers from all over | | | | Although it is preferable for a person to perform this |
| the world gather to ascend to Heaven. | | | | segula on his own, there is also the option of having |
| There are many stories of people whose prayers | | | | someone else pray on your behalf at the Western |
| were miraculously answered and lives dramatically | | | | Wall for 40 consecutive days. This option is usually |
| changed after the completion of 40 days of prayer at | | | | best for people who live out of Jerusalem and are not |
| the Western Wall. | | | | able to come every day. People from all around the |
| This task of coming to the Western Wall for 40 | | | | world who have heard of the great power of this |
| consecutive days, day in day out, is not as simple as it | | | | segula have already taken advantage of this |
| sounds. A person must be totally committed to this | | | | opportunity and have sent a messenger to pray on |
| mission and must be persistent regardless of whether | | | | their behalf at the Western Wall for 40 days. Many of |
| it's a workday or holiday or even Shabbat when one | | | | their prayers have already been answered. |
| has to walk the whole way to the Wall (since driving | | | | |