PALESTINE: Holy of Holies

Altogether awesome and holy is the small area circumferenced by the ruins of King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. A Mohammedan can enter and behold the golden urn in which repose two hairs from the beard of the True Prophet. A Christian may adore the stone on which Jesus found miraculously inscribed, the name of his Father In Heaven (“Shem”), by pronouncing which he worked miracles. Jews can see the place where Abraham was stayed by the Angel’s hand from offering up Isaac. Nearby is the Coffin of Mohammed, adorned with 17 golden nails. It is written that when they all fall out the World will come to an end. Furthermore by listening at the Sacred Stone one may still hear the subsiding waters of the Biblical Flood. All these things and beliefs, hallowed legend sanctifies.

But perhaps holiest of all in the vicinity of the temple ruins is the Wailing Wall, at which Jews constantly assemble to wail as follows:

Leader: “For the Palace that lies desolate . . .

Wailers: “. . . we sit in solitude and mourn!

Leader: “For the Temple that is destroyed . . .

Wailers: “. . . we sit in solitude and mourn!

Leader: “For our Majesty that is departed . . .

Wailers: “. . . we sit in solitude and mourn!

Leader: “For our Great Men who lie dead . . .

Wailers: “. . . we sit in solitude and mourn!

Leader: “For the Priests who have stumbled . . .

Wailers: “. . . we sit in solitude and mourn!

Leader: “FOR OUR KINGS WHO HAVE DESPISED HIM . . .

Wailers: “. . . we sit in solitude and mourn!”

Such wailing has gone reverently on for centuries and it is only recently that the Anglo-Arab police have interfered (TIME, Oct. 8). Last week their action in driving Jews away from the Wailing Wall was described as an “atrocity” by leading Jewish news organs everywhere. Unperturbed, the Anglo-Arab police prepared to keep the Jews at bay While the Mohammedan owners of the Wall proceed to lay an extra course or two of stone upon it—seemingly with no other purpose than to render all Jewry aghast at the sacrilege.

Since the Mohammedans are perfectly within their legal rights, an extreme recourse was resorted to last week, by Abraham Isaac Kook. Chief Rabbi of Palestine. Weeping copious tears Colonel* Kook decreed a general fast day and renewed mourning by all Jews.

Correspondents found the Colonel in a state of extreme despondency. When he visited the U. S. in 1924 (TIME, March 31, 1924) he jocularly remarked that “the English in Palestine are no Angels”; but last week he appeared to have revised this opinion for the worse. Brooding behind his Muscovite halo of whiskers. Colonel Kook muttered, “The end is near! How can we endure that they desecrate the Wall?”

Sympathetic friends of Colonel Kook recalled his strange, inspired career. Born in Northern Russia his piety felt the tug of Holy Jerusalem. But stronger was the twinge of local duty, and he reluctantly became Rabbi of Busk, Russia. Some 20 years ago, however, he was appointed Rabbi of Jaffa, and hastened happily to Palestine. Today all Jewry regards Colone1 Kook as a sort of philosopher-saint.

Therefore Jews throughout the world heeded the call of Colonel Kook, last week, fasted for a day, mourned exceedingly.

* Courtesy title