Love of the Land - Beit She'arim
  Selections from classical Torah sources which express the special relationship between the People of Israel and Eretz Yisrael BEIT SHE'ARIM Catacombs, the ruins of a synagogue and an ancient olive press are all that remain of this ancient city which was an important town in Israel and once served as the seat of the Sanhedrin. In reference to the Torah's command "Justice, justice shall you pursue" the Talmud advises "follow Rebbi (Rabbi Yehuda Hanassi, the compiler of the Mishnah) to Beit She'arim." During his illness this great sage was moved to the healthier climate of Tzipori, but a grave was reserved for him in Beit She'arim. Inscriptions found on graves in the catacombs indicate that two of his sons were also buried there.
The synagogue, whose remains indicate that it was
among the largest in the country, was destroyed by the Romans
in the fourth century as a punishment for the resistance of the
town's residents to Roman rule.
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Written by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach, Dean, Ohr Somayach Institutions
General Editor: Rabbi Moshe Newman
HTML Production: Eli Ballon
HTML Design: Michael Treblow
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