Beit Shearim: The Jewish necropolis

Well ... we had our midterm today. And it was brutal. The grammar wasn't hard, but for the text we had to study, I sometimes wondered what language I was even reading. Yeah, it was that bad. I probably have 10 pages of new vocabulary words from my readings in the past two weeks, and all I can say is, if there is anyone out there with a brain that can learn that many vocubulary words at one time -- it isn't me!

Where is Lt. Commander Data when you need him?

Meanwhile, we've had some neat hiking exercisions, and in particular a fantastic trip to Beit Shearim -- burial grounds of many prominent Jews in the centuries after the 2nd Temple fell, most famously Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the signator of the Mishna. If you don't know what the Mishna is, put on your SAT hat and think of it like this: New Testament:Christians ... Mishna:Jews

Okay, that's probably an overstatement. But it is the foundational text upon with Talmud and the entire rabbinic tradition of Jewish law (halacha) was built.

But back to the cemetery. It contains thousands of sarcophagi and burial chambers made in carved out limestone caves, surrounded by rolling green hills and trees. It's beautiful. And we were the only group of people there. Most fascinating, the engravings are in a half-dozen languages, in particular Greek, reflecting the many places the interred came from. Apparently, owing to the tradition that Jews buried in Israel will be resurrected first when the messiah comes, wealthy Jews from the diaspora paid to have their bodies shipped here during this period.

One of the burial places is reputed to be that of Yehuda HaNasi's but there is no inscription to prove it. So ... fanciful thinking more than anything.

In the third photo on this webpage, note the beautiful stone menorah carved on the wall in the background. For more neat pictures, visit www.biblewalks.com/Sites/BeitShearim.html