Page 30 - Discover Israel Magazine - 2017 edition

The plaza in front of Honi the Circle-Drawer's tomb
Right above: the tomb of Yonatan Ben Uziel
had been mysteriously restored. Political
controversy is never far away in Judaism, and
Rabbi Yehuda was no exception. At a time
when others were condemning the excesses
of the Romans, Rabbi Yehuda praised their
public works, like bridge construction. As a
result, the Romans allowed him to preach at
public gatherings.
Matchmaker, matchmaker
Rabbi Yonatan Ben Uziel is buried at Amuka,
about two miles north of Safed, off Route
8900. Rabbi Yonatan remained a bachelor
all his life. But since his death, he has been
credited with helping others to do what
he did not do for himself: find a mate. So
many matches have been made shortly after
prayers said at Rabbi Yonatan’s grave that
his fame has spread, now encompassing
less religiously observant partner-seekers as
well. The notes people leave behind at the
gravesite, describing their ideal mates and
including their phone numbers and e-mail
addresses, may give the rabbi a bit of a head
start.
Strength-builder
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai is buried on Mount
Meron, near Safed. He was both the author of
the Zohar, the most significant ancient text of
Kabbalah, and a rebel against Rome. During
the period of privation following the failure
of the Bar Kochba Revolt in 135 CE, Rabbi
Shimon ruled that as long as bread was
available, no Jew should leave the Holy Land.
One of his pupils left anyway, and eventually
returned a wealthy man. As a result, the
man’s friends began making their own travel
plans.
It is said that Rabbi Shimon took his pupils to
the valley between Safed and Mount Meron
30 D I S C O V E R I S R A E L
and called out “Valley, fill with gold!” Sure
enough, the wind began to blow and the
valley sparkled with gold. Rabbi Shimon told
his pupils, “Whoever takes now diminishes
his portion in the world to come, because
the reward for following Torah is in the next
world.” On Lag Ba’Omer, the anniversary of
his death, hundreds of thousands make a
pilgrimage to Rabbi Shimon’s grave, where
a carnival-like atmosphere prevails, with
booths selling everything from prayer books
to pita bread. But all year long, families that
come to fulfill the tradition of the first haircut to unhappiness; he is the only sage known
for three year-old boys can be found happily
distributing sweets to all.
A tzaddik for all seasons
In the center of Safed is the grave of a man
so great in Jewish learning he was known
as Ha’ari, “the Lion,” also the acronym for
his name and title, Ha’elohi Rabbi Yitzhak
(The Divine Rabbi Yitzhak). Otherwise known
as Rabbi Yitzhak Luria, he was born in
Jerusalem, raised in Egypt, and lived in Safed
from around 1570 until his death, only two
years later. One of the most famous stories
about him relates that one Friday, just before
sunset, he called upon his pupils to make
their way to far-off Jerusalem to greet the
Sabbath at the Western Wall. Rabbi Yitzhak’s
pupils had near perfect faith in their revered
leader; they all said they’d go, but first asked
permission to tell their wives they would be
late for the Sabbath meal. The rabbi wept
and said, “If you had all said with one voice,
‘We will go up,’ at that moment the Messiah
would have come.” Rabbi Yitzhak’s call upon
all Jews to act together is part of his famous
legacy. The many people who visit his grave,
however, are not unified in the nature of their
requests – they seek solutions to a variety of
problems.
Colorful cloths and even plastic bags, are tied by
visitors on an ancient tree near the tomb of Rabbi
Yonatan Ben Uziel to ensure the "matchmaker"
remembers them
Divorced from ill will
Rabbi Yosei Haglili, who is buried on Mount
Dalton north of Safed, was a leader of
the Sanhedrin, the highest religious and
judicial court, which reconvened at Yavne
following the Bar Kochba Revolt. Said to
have been a gentle soul, he was no stranger
to have been divorced. According to the
Jerusalem Talmud, his wife remarried the
ancient version of a security guard, who
then went blind, reducing the new couple to
begging. Rabbi Yosei could not stand seeing
his ex-wife in such a state, and so brought
both of them under his roof. His goodness
merits him God’s special attention when the
penitent seek his spiritual assistance. Very
popular 1,000 years ago, his tomb is now
seeing a renaissance and is a special place
for women to pray for a pregnancy.
Whether your interests are spiritual or cultural,
a visit to the “tombs of the righteous” is an
intriguing way to experience the Galilee.