Making a Year-Round Zecher l’Churban When Building a Home

What is the proper way for one to make a year round zecher l’Churban (a remembrance of the destruction of Yerushalayim and the Beis HaMikdash) in the construction of one’s home?

One who builds a new house should leave a part of the wall, facing the entrance way, without plaster (Shulchan Aruch OC 560:1 and Mishna Berura s.k. 4) or paint (Kovetz Ohr Yisroel 4, p. 89). The blank portion should preferably be at least one amah by one amah, although Rav Belsky, zt”l said in the name of Rav Moshe Feinstein that bidieved, an area of a square amah is sufficient even if one side is less than an amah [e.g. 2 x ½ amos, which is an area of a square amah] (Piskei Halachos, Vol 1, p. 113, quoting Sefer Habayis, p. 215, footnote 11). There are numerous opinions among the poskim as to the size of an amah. Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l calculates an amah as being 21¼ – 22 inches (Igros Moshe OC 1:36, YD 3:66:1).

The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt”l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.