Rabbi Shlomo ben Yehuda (1030 CE)
describes the custom of encircling Temple Mount.
templeinstitute.org`sivuv she'arim:
Every month thousands of worshippers take part intemplemountcenter.com:
the traditional sivuv she'arim (Circling the Gates):
the encircling the outer walls of the Temple Mount .
. the renewal of the ancient custom began nearly
four years ago [from 2006] with a small group
and has since become a very popular event.
The marchers express their desire to
identify with the Temple Mount
by circling the holy site - stopping to
pray and sing at each of the gates.
The march takes place at the start of a every Jewish month,
meeting in the Western Wall plaza toward nightfall
and continuing around the outside walls of the Temple Mount.
We go from gate to gate of the Temple Mount
and say Tehillim (Psalms) and
blow the Shophar (ram's horn) at every gate.
The march is entirely outside of the walls of the Temple Mount,
so there are no Halachic (Jewish Law) concerns.
Due to the large crowd
to insure the proper air of ts'niut (modesty)
the men and women march separately.
The purpose of the march is to fulfill the verse
"Encircle Zion and march around her, count her towers"
(Tehillim - Psalms 48:13) and the verse
"You should seek to cause Him to dwell
and you will come there"
(Devarim - Deuteronomy 12:5).
The verse means that if we
seek to cause Him to dwell in the Temple,
then we may come there to the Temple.