Editing The Western Wall (section)

== Sanctity of the House in the Present Time ==
The Rambam's opinion is that even today the punishment of karet applies because the first sanctification remains sanctified for the future as well. But the Raavad's opinion is that there is no punishment of karet today.

The Chasam Sofer writes that this dispute does not affect the matter of the supreme holiness that rests in the place of the Temple even in the present time according to all opinions, and the Divine Presence has not moved and will never move from the Western Wall, even in its destruction.
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==== Prohibition of Inserting One's Hand Between the Stones of the Wall ====
It is forbidden for a tamei (ritually impure person) to enter the Temple Mount, therefore one should be careful not to insert one's hand between the stones of the Wall, since there are those who are tamei, such as zavim, zavot, niddot, and yoledot who are forbidden to enter the Temple Mount by a negative commandment. This also applies to someone who is not himself impure with these impurities, because even one who touches a zav - or a non-Jew whose status is rabbinically like a zav - or a niddah or yoledet, also becomes impure with the impurity of a zav, and the same applies to a baal keri. The prohibition also applies to inserting one's hand into the Wall, which some say is a Torah prohibition, because it is called in the language of the Sages "partial entry," and it is ruled that partial entry is considered entry, and there are those who disagree that it is a rabbinic prohibition and the punishment is makkat mardut (rabbinic lashes).

And the thickness of the wall of the Temple Mount has the sanctity of the Temple Mount, and its status is as if it is inside.

For one who is impure from contact with the dead, who knows for certain that he is not impure with any of the above impurities, there is no prohibition to enter the Temple Mount in general, except for certain places within the Temple Mount, some of which - from the Cheil and beyond - are forbidden by rabbinic decree, and some involve the punishment of karet. But since today we do not know the exact locations, all the great authorities of our generation have forbidden entry to the Temple Mount.

But it should be noted that regarding the general matter of whether the crevices between the stones are holy, there is a dispute among the poskim. The opinion of the Chazon Ish and other authorities is that there is a prohibition in this, and they wrote "woe to them and their souls," and there are those who permit it. Similarly, one should be careful when inserting notes into the stones of the Wall, lest one also insert one's fingers.