Associated Press
Jerusalem – A written prayer that Barack Obama left this week in the cracks of the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site, asks God to guide him and guard his family, an Israeli newspaper reported Friday.
“Lord – Protect my family and me,” reads the note published in the Maariv daily. “Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will.”
The paper’s decision to make the note public drew fire. The rabbi in charge of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinovitz, said publishing the note intruded in Obama’s relationship with God.
“The notes placed between the stones of the Western Wall are between a person and his maker. It is forbidden to read them or make any use of them,” he told Army Radio. The publication “damages the Western Wall and damages the personal, deep part of every one of us that we keep to ourselves,” he said.
Another Israeli paper, Yediot Ahronot, published an article Friday saying it had also obtained the note but decided not to publish it to respect Obama’s privacy.
Many visitors to the 2,000-year-old Western Wall leave notes bearing requests and prayers. Obama did so during a pre-dawn visit there Thursday, following a day spent meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
Maariv published a photograph of the note, which it said had been removed from the wall by a student at a Jewish seminary immediately after Obama left.
Obama spokesman Bill Burton didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Friday by The Associated Press.
The handwriting appeared to match a message Obama inscribed Wednesday in the guest book at Yad Vashem, Israel’s official Holocaust memorial, and was written on stationery from the King David Hotel, where Obama stayed while in Israel.
The visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories was part of an international tour meant to shore up Obama’ s foreign affairs credentials.
At the Western Wall, Obama was greeted by a crowd of curious onlookers and photographers. He donned a white skullcap, listened to a rabbi read a prayer, and inserted a folded white piece of paper between the stones. One hardline Israeli protester shouted, “Obama, Jerusalem is not for sale.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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posted July 25, 2008 at 4:17 pm
That was just plain rude…if nothing else. An intrusion his privacy.
posted July 25, 2008 at 5:33 pm
A beautiful prayer but totally the wrong thing to do; a total invasion of privacy; a cheapening of the sanctity of the Western Wall. Shameful.
posted July 25, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I agree with the above comments, but I also suspect Obama knew that would happen. I suspect that’s why he didn’t write to God about the election.
God bless.
posted July 25, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Obama knew someone would take his prayer out of the Western Wall?? I disagree. He knew that what is put there was supposed to be just between him and his God.
posted July 25, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Sneaky Jewish Seminary student, or was it a sneaky newspaper worker that said it was a Jewish Seminary student? At any rate it was a shabby thing to do.
posted July 25, 2008 at 8:09 pm
What is left at the Wall is sacred. I don’t think any “seminary” student would dare remove the note. But a rotten tabloid would.
posted July 25, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Barack Obama’s prayer left at Western Walll published – Tasteless
George Bush’s non visit to Western Wall – Tacky
Laura Bush’s visit to Western Wall on same trip – Priceless
posted July 26, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Perhaps more to be revealed
posted July 26, 2008 at 11:25 pm
???
The New York Post (a conservative rag) had a handwriting expert look at the note. She said that the spacing between “forgive” and “me” proved that he didn’t really mean it.
These people will stoop to any level.
posted July 27, 2008 at 4:38 am
God Bless Obama for the humility and courage it took to openly place his prayer requests before God.The most important thing is that he did this at all when many others of even more import don’t bother to even go there…..!
posted July 27, 2008 at 12:52 pm
The New York Post had a handwriting expert look at the note and has said that spacing between “forgive” and “me” proved he really didn’t mean it?? What a crock of BS. Thanks for sharing that, ScottR.
posted July 27, 2008 at 11:07 pm
The Post is owned by Rupert Murdoch.
posted July 28, 2008 at 12:35 am
Ya know what I like best about this – there was nothing the snarky Press could exploit or manipulate. HA! It is too bad the prayer could not have been collected before the lizard snuck up and snatched it.
By the way, Scott R, et al. not only is the Post owned by Murdoch, but so is Beliefnet. Ouch!
posted July 28, 2008 at 10:20 am
“but so is Beliefnet”
Say it ain’t so! Where do I send Murdoch a bill for my services?
posted July 28, 2008 at 10:27 am
“not only is the Post owned by Murdoch, but so is Beliefnet”
Figures.
posted July 28, 2008 at 10:30 am
Can’t wait for Rod Dreher to tell us how Obama’s prayer is yet another sign of the decine and fall of civilization as we know it. (He’s publisehd 133 such related entries in under a year.)