Beit Shearim is one of the most prestigious necropolis (burial ground) in the world from 3rd-4th Century AD. A city with 31 catacombs and hundreds of burial chambers and sarcophagi, tries to tell us that many desired to get buried here. The simple reason is because Beit Shearim is the burial site of Rabbi Judah HaNassi (135-217 AD)-the great Jewish sage who compiled and edited Mishna. If Torah is the 'Written Law' of God, Mishna is the 'Oral Law ' transferred through generations. It was Rabbi Judah HaNassi who first compiled the 'Jewish Oral Law', which later became the base of the voluminous religious sacred texts in Judaism called Talmud. He also established Sanhedrin (Supreme Court of Ancient Israel) in Beit Shearim. For many of these reasons, Rabbi Judah HaNassi is a figure of very high reverence in Judaism.
His burial inspired Jews to be interred like him in Bet Shearim. Although the dream of every Jew was to get buried in the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem; from 2nd Cent onwards, Romans barred Jewish presence in Jerusalem and Beit Shearim became the next best alternative. After Rabbi Judah's death, Bet Shearim became the main site for Jewish burial in Palestine for a period of a hundred years. How do you know that this cave is indeed Rabbi Judah haNassi's burial place? On the walls are written the names of Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi's two sons, Rabbi Gamaliel and Rabbi Shimon in Hebrew and Greek. Together with the Jewish tradition that Rabbi Judah HaNassi was buried in Beit Shearim, this cave is generally accepted as his burial spot.
His burial inspired Jews to be interred like him in Bet Shearim. Although the dream of every Jew was to get buried in the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem; from 2nd Cent onwards, Romans barred Jewish presence in Jerusalem and Beit Shearim became the next best alternative. After Rabbi Judah's death, Bet Shearim became the main site for Jewish burial in Palestine for a period of a hundred years. How do you know that this cave is indeed Rabbi Judah haNassi's burial place? On the walls are written the names of Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi's two sons, Rabbi Gamaliel and Rabbi Shimon in Hebrew and Greek. Together with the Jewish tradition that Rabbi Judah HaNassi was buried in Beit Shearim, this cave is generally accepted as his burial spot.
No comments:
Post a Comment