The Jewish faithful should refrain from kissing the stones of the Western Wall, the chief rabbi of the Jerusalem site said on Monday, adding to measures that religious authorities have taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Jews pray en masse at the Western Wall and often stuff written prayers into the cracks between its stones. Kissing the wall is not a ritual requirement, but some devout Jews do so, believing it shows reverence to God.
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Last week, the Chief Rabbinate urged Jewish worshippers to stay away from the Western Wall due to coronavirus fears, but some Jews have continued to visit the site to pray.
"Do not kiss the Western Wall stones," the site's rabbi, Shmuel Rabinowitz, instructed Jews in a statement on Monday.
Worshippers should maintain "proper distance" between one another and "abide by required hygiene practices," he said.
