Friday, December 30, 2011

News on the tomb of R. Shimon bar Yochai

THE TOMB OF RABBI SHIMON BAR YOCHAI is back in the news:
A bridge too far? 'Priests-only' bridge at Mount Meron to be demolished after just seven months

300-meter long bridge to Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai's tomb replaces the traditional Cohanim route after a Hassidic sect claimed it passed by ancient burial caves.


By Eli Ashkenazi

The "purity trail," the bridge built only seven months ago at the Tomb of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Mount Meron in the Galilee, will soon be demolished. The bridge, designed for use by Cohanim, or descendents of the ancient Jewish priesthood who are not allowed to come into contact with the impurity of a grave, was constructed without the necessary permits - even though the state encouraged its construction and even committed to paying half the NIS 500,000 cost.

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Oops.

Some background on the site and the rabbi is here and links.