The publication of the prayer became a scandal - not centered around Obama, but around the paper and the breaching of a very solid tradition and theology of prayers at the Wall should not be made public, at least not by third parties.

A Jerusalem attorney filed a complaint asking that a criminal investigation be launched. In response, Haaretz newspaper said that Ma'ariv newspaper announced that "Obama's note was published in Ma'ariv and other international publications following Obama's authorization to make the content of the note public. Obama
submitted a copy of the note to media outlets when he left his hotel in Jerusalem. Moreover, since Obama is not Jewish, there is no violation of privacy as there would be for a Jewish person who places a note in the Western Wall."

My blogging colleague, Rabbi Daniel Jackson of Israel, is moving and out of blogging access for the nonce. I sent him an email yesterday asking whether I was "speaking out of school" in my post discussing this development, where I wrote in the same post,
I would also say that Ma'ariv's rather outrageous claim that prayer of non-Jews don't enjoy privacy protection at the Wall simply will not hold up before rabbinic responses. One, there is a very deeply-rooted and truly genuine piety attached to prayers at the Wall, where (I dare say) almost all Jews understand that the prayers of Gentiles are honored by God as perhaps no other place on earth.
Daniel emailed me a response and I am posting it for him here:
Frankly, I find the whole seminary student (which seminary and which denomination) thing spurious and would not be surprised that Obama and company DID front the leak. An Orthodox person would never tamper with the prayer/petition of anyone. In fact, if anything has the status of a KORBAN (sacrifice) in our day it's that little piece of paper put in the Wall. When the prayers are cleaned out each year, they are treated as all sacred texts (torn prayer books, photocopies of Talmud, anything printed or written of sacred value) and buried in a Jewish cemetery. Moreover, the sanctity of a folded note (e.g., a letter in an envelope, sealed or not) is protected by Jewish Law--as in Thou Shalt Not Peek. In fact, that's the inside joke in Hamlet that the two Jews are too stupid enough to look inside the letter they are carrying to know that Hamlet as switched notes and 'sealed' their fate. Observant Jews don't peek. It's against the Law.

As for Ma'ariv, they were scooped by the British tabloids and Ha'aretz: see here. Ma'ariv also has a reputation for salaciousness that is unrivaled in The Land. Obama & Co had campaign posters stationed outside the inner area along the barrier as part of their photo-op. The whole thing smells of stunt. Never before has a personal prayer at the Wall, since the time of Hannah, been made public. It truly is a violation of Jewish Ethics. Unless this person knew exactly WHICH piece of paper was Obama's (did they search through ALL of the notes where he put them?), the only way to know is if it was leaked before hand. Like a magician's slight of hand, the Obama Crew knew before he put the note in the Wall what was in the note since they already had the text.

Naw; the whole affair smells and looks like the Duke's Tank Helmet. McCain acted like a mensch--he was visiting a friend's place of worship. In fact, the YouTube video with Lieberman is very symbolic--here's a Republican going to worship with a Democrat/Independent. From a Talmudic script, the appearance of two members of opposite political parties setting aside differences to pray together, and the non-Jew seriously watching 'how it's done' the Jew, is quite impressive.

There is a story in the Talmud about the proper intention of prayer (Jewish sources say the first to pray in a modern sense is Hannah). An OLD rabbi was praying when a Roman Official passed by and hailed the rabbi. The rabbi continued to pray and not respond to the Roman. The Roman became outraged and demanded that the old Jew answer him. He summoned his guard. When the rabbi finished his prayers, the official demanded an explanation. 'If you were standing before the Emperor while giving a report and someone hailed you, how would you respond?' 'Why, I'd finish my report and wait for Imperial dismissal.' 'So it is with me standing before the King of Kings, The Holy One, Blessed Be He.'

Timing is key here. From my limited time sequence, the note was released AFTER the photo-op turned sour. Sort of an attempt to say: look what he said. What is truly deplorable in Ma'ariv's response to this is that because Obama is Jewish, it doesn't matter if he did release the contents. In fact, because he DID release the contents shows complete contempt to both Jewish culture but to the entire essence of prayer itself. If Obama wishes to offer a public prayer--fine. But first to appear making a personal prayer and then publicizing it (it's okay, I'm not Jewish so I do not have to respect THEIR customs) is deplorable.

The fact that this issue is getting so many hits shows that to anyone looking at this situation, regardless of belief or creed, there is concern about the ethical nature of the man. In Israel, it is a done deal. Since 1967, dignitaries have come to the Wall, reached into the box for a "had-to kippa", and were photo-oped. But no one has had the chutzpah to broadcast what was in the note. But, on the other hand, no one is really that concerned--unlike some Democrats, Israelis are still waiting for the Messiah.
The whole thing is gummed up even more. yesterday, Eugene Volokh reported that Ma'ariv says it never claimed what Haaretz says it did. Follow? One does wonder why Ma'ariv, being a newspaper, would make a statement through a competing newspaper, rather than just print it.

Reported by Sense of Events Blog http://senseofevents.blogspot.com/