The descendants of Aharon (brother of Moshe) are "Cohanim - Temple Priests" and thus underlying special halachical purity laws. One rule is that a Cohen is not allowed to come into touch with a dead corpse. The result is that it is more than complicated for him to visit a cemetery and he needs to take special precautions.
Tiberias, the town at the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) is now building an entire street leading from Hayarden Street (at the Central Bus Station) a few meters around the corner to the grave of the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135 - 1204).
Tiberias was built on ancient cemeteries. Not a cemetery in a real sense; however, even more than 2000 years ago, Jews and before the Canaanites, used to bury their people in and around the area.
The grave of the Rambam in Tiberias.
The halachic way of building a new road across the Rambam's kever. A haredi Rabbi is always watching the construction workers.
How is such a halachic street being built?
Thick parts of concrete are being put in a certain way on top of the possible ancient graves. Not in order to destroy but to cover them.
I made these photos on November 29, 2010:
Miriam Woelke
Links:
No comments:
Post a Comment