Thursday, December 04, 2008

Hebron, Temple Mount and...?

I saw this item:-

Police restrict Friday Muslim prayers on Temple Mount

Jerusalem police announced late Thursday that they will be imposing restrictions on Muslim entrance to the Temple Mount on Friday due to skirmishes and protests over the eviction of Jews from a disputed property in Hebron.

All Arab men under the age of 45 will be barred from Friday midday prayers due to security concerns, police said, with only those above 45 with Israeli ID cards - as well as women of any age - allowed into the ancient compound.


You should know that the 1929 riots broke out from within the Temple Mount compound and ended up in Hebron with the butchering and rape of almost 70 Jews.

But there's another resonating element in my mind.

Here:

"Rabbi Yehuda Bar Simon said: It is one of the three places where the nations of the world would not be able to deceive Israel by claiming: 'You are thieves (since it was acquired with money)'. And they are: The Cave of the Patriarchs [Hebron], the Temple Mount [Jerusalem], and Joseph's Tomb [Shchem]. The Cave of the Patriarchs, as it is written: 'And Avraham weighed to Ephron the silver...'; The Temple Mount, as it is written, 'So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold coins by weight'; Joseph's Tomb, as it is written, 'and he (Yaakov) bought the parcel of ground....at the hand of the children of Hamor, the father of Shchem' ". (Breishit Raba, 79:7)

and in the original Hebrew:

ז [ויקן את חלקת השדה]
ויקן את חלקת השדה אשר נטה שם אהלו וגו' במאה קשיטה
אמר רבי יודן בר סימון: זה אחד משלושה מקומות, שאין אומות העולם יכולין להונות את ישראל לומר: "גזולים הן בידכם" ואלו הן:
מערת המכפלה
ובית המקדש
וקבורתו של יוסף

מערת המכפלה, דכתיב (בראשית כג): וישמע אברהם אל עפרון, וישקול אברהם לעפרון.
בית המקדש, דכתיב (ד"ה א כא): ויתן דוד לארנן במקום וגו'.
וקבורתו של יוסף, (בראשית לג) ויקן את חלקת השדה, יעקב קנה שכם.


So, we may be seeing an echo of an ancient Jewish interpretation in these days.

I hope for the good.

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