B”H
I know Yaakov Pauchi for about ten years and I also know that he lives in the small Jerusalem neighbourhood called “Shimon HaZaddik”. Right between the Jewish neighbourhood of Ma’a lot Dafna and East Jerusalem. Between Mea Shearim and Ramat Eshkol.
Who was Rabbi Shimon HaZaddik (Rabbi Shimon the Righteous), whose grave is located in the neighbourhood named after him ?
Rabbi Shimon was one of the first High Priests (Cohen HaGadol) of the first era of the Second Temple. Not the beautiful building we know. That one was built much later by Herod. After the First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians and thousands of Jews were taken in exile, many finally returned under Ezra (the Prophet). When they returned to Jerusalem, they began rebuilding the Temple. Actually the Talmud lists us one opinion that only the roof of the First Temple got destroyed by the Babylonians. Others say that the entire building was destroyed.
Rabbi Shimon HaZaddik himself is mentioned in theTalmud . I read that he was one of the last, or even THE last, righteous Cohen HaGadol because shortly after he died, corruption began. Anyone with money could become the new High Priest and didn't even have to be a Cohen anymore. Jerusalem's upper class became greedy and didn't care about G - d and Torah. The only thing bothering was that every Yom Kippur, the newly appointed Cohen HaGadol died because he had to enter the Kodesh HaKedoshim (the Holy of Holies). And, as we know, only real and righteous Cohanim (Priests) are able to do so. Other will die and not come out alive.
Rabbi Shimon HaZaddik himself is mentioned in theTalmud . I read that he was one of the last, or even THE last, righteous Cohen HaGadol because shortly after he died, corruption began. Anyone with money could become the new High Priest and didn't even have to be a Cohen anymore. Jerusalem's upper class became greedy and didn't care about G - d and Torah. The only thing bothering was that every Yom Kippur, the newly appointed Cohen HaGadol died because he had to enter the Kodesh HaKedoshim (the Holy of Holies). And, as we know, only real and righteous Cohanim (Priests) are able to do so. Other will die and not come out alive.
Israel's radical left has been demonstrating together with the Palestinians in front of the grave as well as the neighbourhood. They don't care about Jewish history and the leftists claim that the area belongs to East Jerusalem.
Yesterday another demonstration took place and Yaakov Pauchi got injured by one of the left - wingers. I was shocked seeing his picture in the news this morning.
Yesterday another demonstration took place and Yaakov Pauchi got injured by one of the left - wingers. I was shocked seeing his picture in the news this morning.
Yikes that's a decent sized cut!
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame people don't respect history. Most people who don't respect it will repeat the same mistakes, unfortunately with new and improved technology.
As for Cohanim, I was in a lay-led minyan once where someone said, "Is there a Cohen?" Followed by silence, then "Does anyone want to be a Cohen?" Some people smile and I ended up laughing quietly. It was with a conservative (Masorti?) group.
About a URL. The URL for the grave, has %20 which leads to a bad address. If you remove that bit, it should work :D
B"H
ReplyDeleteI fixed the link grave URL and it works now. Well, hopefully.:-)))
Too many modern Israelis only see themselves and forget about history. Just look at all those thousands of secular Israelis moving to Berlin.
You think it's bad in Israel? You should come to America! It's worse here! Not only do people forget who they are or where they come from, they associate the authority of their identity as if it comes from a little piece of piece of paper.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that people don't, figuratively, put their money where their mouth is!