Escorted by bodyguards, Madonna and her Brazilian boyfriend Jesus Luz were seen making their way into the the Western Wall tunnel, part of Judaism’s holiest site, for a late night visit on Sunday (August 30) in Jerusalem’s Old City. She made no comment to reporters and was whisked away about a half hour later.
The 51-year-old pop star is in Israel for two Tel Aviv concerts - Tuesday and Wednesday - the final stop on her ‘Sticky and Sweet’ tour.
A rabbi by the name of Shmuel Eliyahu has reportedly sent a personal letter to Madonna, urging her to honour the Holy Land and wear modest clothes while performing in Tel Aviv.
Whle in Israel, Madge is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday. She’s also due to attend a Kabbalah symposium with Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher – though neither Demi nor Ashton have tweeted about it.
Meanwhile, it appears controversy follows the Material Girl wherever she goes. The latest? Most Orthodox Jews believe Kabbalah is a powerful form of mysticism that should only be attempted by men over 40.
“Madonna is not dealing with the real practical Kabbalah,” leading Kabbalah Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri tells Sky News. “We deal with spiritual issues of the soul, whereas Madonna is dealing with issues of the body as well. Her teaching of Kabbalah is erroneous.”
5 Comments
OH settle down Israel. Be happy Madonna is there bringing in reveune.
did the wall crumble after she touched it with those hideous arms?
Damn, I’m slow. I just realized how funny it is seeing the names Madonna and Jesus as a couple.
She didn’t go the Western Wall (which you can see behind them), she went to the newly discovered ancient tunnel right next to the Wall. I hope she gets to visit the Wall itself at some point.
Rabbi Yitzhal Batzri must have been misquoted. The pre-eminient text of Kabbalah, the Zohar, dedicates a tremendous amount of its text to discussions of overcoming the body consciousness to that the Soul can pursue its true desire. The central concept of Kabbalah, Restriction, is all about overcoming the desire to receive for ones self alone (the evil inclination) which is the consciousness of the body.