tears shed on its stones; thus it is a fitting place to begin to try to understand the solemnity and magnificence of this site. Contrary to tradition, the Western Wall is not a remnant of the Solomonic Temple, but rather a section of the massive retaining walls that Herod built almost a thousand years later in order to support the enormous substructure needed to extend the Temple platform. In so doing, he doubled the original area of the Temple podium and wrought a complete change