Hebron History

The following is issue #18 of the Hebron newsletter. Instructions on how to subscribe to it appear at the end of the post. It is being reposted here on IRIS primarily because of an interesting article it contains describing the history of Hebron from ancient times through the 12th century of the common era.

The IRIS Staff

Agence France-Presse (March 10) reports that the Israeli police is withdrawing gun permits from three Jewish residents of Kiryat Arba on the ground that they shot and wounded Palestinian stone throwers in Hebron. According to the Jerusalem Post (March 10) account, during a tour of Hebron in December 1993 a group of settlers came under a barrage of stones and were filmed firing back directly on the stone throwers. According to the Jerusalem Post article, a police spokesman said their licenses were being revoked because anyone with a criminal record cannot have a gun license.

Based on a report (March 10) from the Jewish Community of Hebron, however, the three do not have a criminal record at all since they were not convicted of any crime. They were notified that their license to carry a gun - which they need for self-defense - would be revoked as of April 1, 1995 unless they object to it beforehand, which they intend to do. According to this report, the notice was entirely based on political speech contrary to the policies of the Rabin government and did not contain any specific allegation of a criminal record but was merely based on a "police recommendation".

A NEW KIND OF "COLLABORATION"?

Agence France-Presse (March 6) reports that a Palestinian is seeking asylum in Israel to avoid death threats from Hamas and Islamic Jihad arising from his having sold houses in Hebron to Jews. Nabil Kabibi, who hails from Halul, a town near Hebron, asked Israel for citizenship and desires to convert to Judaism, according to the report. [Ed. The many 100's of Palestinians who since 1987 have been killed by other Palestinians for cooperating with Israel are termed "collaborators" by their killers.]

AN EVACUATION OF SORTS

Reuters (March 9) reports that the Israeli Army forced Jewish settlers to leave what it called "Palestinian houses which the settlers seized" in Hebron near Beit Hadassah, one of the small Jewish enclaves in Hebron.

HISTORY OF HEBRON FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FIRST TEMPLE

UNTIL THE 1100'S

Based on the article in Yated Ne'eman (Dec. 30, 1994) entitled "An Historical Review of Chevron and the Mearas Hamachpelah", the following account is given concerning the history of Hebron from the destruction of the First Jewish Temple (Bais Hamikdash) in Jerusalem initiating the first Jewish Exile (either 586 b.c.e. or 431 b.c.e. depending on how you count) around the time of the Purim story until the twelfth century of the current era:

After Churban Bayis Rishon (ed. destruction of First Temple), the Jews in Chevron were sent to golus (exile) and the Edomim came to settle there. However, in Nechemia 11:25, we find mention of a small yishuv (Jewish community) living in Chevron. "And for the settlement, with their fields, some of the children of Yehuda dwelt at Kiryas Arba, and in its hamlets." Only centuries later, did Chevron once again become a Jewish city.

King Herod, built the wall which still surrounds the Mearas Hamachpelah, and that accounts for its distinct appearance as a great edifice with the Herodian style of dressed stones with a frame. One opinion states that Hordus even erected the compound above the cave still standing today. Hordus also reinforced the military defenses of the city of Chevron and as such maintained the city at peace from enemies. He also placed militia near the area of the Mearas Hamachpelah to guard it from invaders. Even in his time, it was already a site of strife!

During the war against the Romans, Chevron was conquered by Shimon bar Giora, and the city was later plundered and burned down by the Romans, but Jews continued to live there afterwards. During the Byzantine period, a church was erected over the Mearas Hamachpelah. For the Christian monarchs in Eretz Yisroel (Israel), ... the Mearas Hamachpelah in Chevron became the focal point for religious activities, and control of the mokom hakodesh (holy place) became a symbol of their power. They valued the kever (grave) of Avrohom Ovinu (Abraham) as he was "venerated by them as a saint".

For this reason, churches were erected in Chevron near the general area of the mokom kodesh and even a basilica ... was erected in the Mearas Hamachpelah. When the Christian pilgrim Antoninus Martyr visited in Chevron in the year 560 of the Common Era, he described the basilica as having a railed-off central aperture possibly opening onto the cave itself. The church was partitioned in the Meara (Cave), such that on one side Christians entered for their "worship" ... and on the other side of the Meara, Jewish mispallelim (worshippers) could enter. Antoninus referred to this place as Elonei Mamrei (taking this name from the Torah), and described it as being "an important religious site for his people."

In 670 C.E. the French Bishop Arkolopus visited the Mearas Hamachpelah (Cave of the Patriarchs) and described the Christian structures erected on top of the kevorim (graves) of Sarah Imeinu, Rivka Imeinu and Leah Imeinu (our Jewish matriarchs). In 724 C.E. Saint Walibald of England visited there and called it Castelum Abramia. This brings to mind the words of the Ramban in a letter he wrote after he entered Eretz Yisroel: "Kol hamekudash yoser, choreiv yoser," whatever is holier, is more desecrated. The Jews over the millennia have suffered intensely watching the great chilul Hashem in this mokom kodesh (holy place).

Then the Arabs conquered Chevron. The Arabs honored the memory of Avrohom Ovinu and named Chevron Kahil-al-Rahman which is indicative of the fact that Avrohom was their ancestor as they are the children of Yishmoel. To this end, they replaced the Byzantine basilica with what they called "The Mosque of Ibrahim." The Arab ruler Omar granted the Jews permission to live in Chevron and to build their own shuls and cemeteries near the entrance of the Mearas Hamachpelah. Sizable Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities settled in Chevron, mainly near the site of the Mearas Hamachpelah. One of the large Chevron families held the title anshei kivrei Avos and was in charge of maintaining the holy place. This included burying Jews brought from all parts of Eretz Yisroel close to the Mearas Hamachpelah.

************************************************************************ ************************************************************************ Sabbath Candle Lighting: Parsha Tsav 5:25 P.M. Hebron ************************************************************************ ************************************************************************

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The Hebron Fund, Inc.

144-12 71th Avenue

Kew Gardens Hills, NY 11367

Yeshiva Shavei-Hevron

P.O. Box 8620

Richmond, VA 23226

or to Gal Einai

c/o Susan Hillman

432 30th Street

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

(designate on check for Kollel Menuchah Rachel)

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