Tomb of Simeon the Just
Encyclopedia
The Tomb of Simeon the Just is an ancient tomb in Jerusalem believed to be the burial place of Simeon the Just
.
neighborhood adjoining Sheikh Jarrah
. According to a long-standing Jewish tradition, it is the tomb of Simeon the Just and his students. The first recorded mention of the site is by Jacob-the-Apostle, a student of Jehiel of Paris, writing in 1235 that near Jerusalem is the cave of Simeon the Just and his students. Charles Warren
asserts that the tradition of the tomb dates back at least to 1537. For centuries after this, the cave tomb was only accessible by paying an admission fee to the Arab caretakers of the site; this was a common arrangement at Jewish and Christian (and Roman) sites in Jerusalem.
In 1876, the Jewish community purchased the site and surrounding land for 15,000 franc
s. Under the guidance of Jerusalem's chief rabbi, Shmuel Salant
, housing construction in the area around the tomb commenced in 1891. By 1948, twenty Jewish families were living in these homes, but the area then found itself in the very middle of a war zone; after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the property fell on the Jordan
ian side of the Green Line
, and Palestinian families moved into the, by then abandoned, homes.
During the Ottoman period, Wasif Jawhariyyeh mentions the site as the location of communal festivities known as the Yehudia, attended by Jewish, Christian, and Muslims in honor of Shimon the Just. While people flock to the tomb of Shimon bar Yochai on Lag Ba'omer
to perform the Upsherin
ceremony, the Tomb of Simeon the Just is used by many as an alternative location.
Simeon the Just
Simeon the Just was a Jewish High Priest during the time of the Second Temple...
.
History
The tomb is located in the Shimon HaTzadikShimon HaTzadik
Shimon HaTzadik is a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem, established around the Tomb of Simeon the Just, after whom it was named. The tomb and surrounding lands was purchased in 1876 by the committee of the Sephardic community and the Ashkenazi Assembly of Israel.In fact, starting shortly after...
neighborhood adjoining Sheikh Jarrah
Sheikh Jarrah
Sheikh Jarrah is a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem on the road to Mount Scopus.-History:Sheikh Jarrah was established on the slopes of Mount Scopus, taking its name from the tomb of Sheikh Jarrah. The tomb, dated to 1201, is the burial place of Husam al-Din al-Jarrahi, an...
. According to a long-standing Jewish tradition, it is the tomb of Simeon the Just and his students. The first recorded mention of the site is by Jacob-the-Apostle, a student of Jehiel of Paris, writing in 1235 that near Jerusalem is the cave of Simeon the Just and his students. Charles Warren
Charles Warren
General Sir Charles Warren, GCMG, KCB, FRS was an officer in the British Royal Engineers. He was one of the earliest European archaeologists of Biblical Holy Land, and particularly of Temple Mount...
asserts that the tradition of the tomb dates back at least to 1537. For centuries after this, the cave tomb was only accessible by paying an admission fee to the Arab caretakers of the site; this was a common arrangement at Jewish and Christian (and Roman) sites in Jerusalem.
In 1876, the Jewish community purchased the site and surrounding land for 15,000 franc
Franc
The franc is the name of several currency units, most notably the Swiss franc, still a major world currency today due to the prominence of Swiss financial institutions and the former currency of France, the French franc until the Euro was adopted in 1999...
s. Under the guidance of Jerusalem's chief rabbi, Shmuel Salant
Shmuel Salant
Shmuel Salant served as the Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem for almost 70years. He was a renowned Talmudist and Torah scholar.-Biography:...
, housing construction in the area around the tomb commenced in 1891. By 1948, twenty Jewish families were living in these homes, but the area then found itself in the very middle of a war zone; after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the property fell on the Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ian side of the Green Line
Green Line (Israel)
Green Line refers to the demarcation lines set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and its neighbours after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
, and Palestinian families moved into the, by then abandoned, homes.
During the Ottoman period, Wasif Jawhariyyeh mentions the site as the location of communal festivities known as the Yehudia, attended by Jewish, Christian, and Muslims in honor of Shimon the Just. While people flock to the tomb of Shimon bar Yochai on Lag Ba'omer
Lag Ba'omer
Lag BaOmer , also known as Lag LaOmer amongst Sephardi Jews, is a Jewish holiday celebrated on the thirty-third day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of Iyar. One reason given for the holiday is as the day of passing of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Modern Jewish tradition links...
to perform the Upsherin
Upsherin
Upsherin or Upsherinish is a Jewish haircutting ceremony, kabbalistic in origin, held when a Jewish boy is three years old...
ceremony, the Tomb of Simeon the Just is used by many as an alternative location.