[Avodah] Kivrey Avos

[Eliyahu Grossman]

With the exception of Midrashic literature, I have not found any source in
the Tanach for Jews visiting graves, although there is a Christian tradition
to visit their saints on their memorial days. There is the famous midrash
about Calev who supposedly stopped by Machpeleh, and those who love to go to
Uman have quoted me that as proof that it is allowed, but that isn't
history, and it's a misuse of midrash. 

It took me 8 years before I caved in and visited one of the two grave sites
of Rabbi Meir ba'al HaNes (and it is unlikely that any of his body parts are
interred in either one - the same goes with Kever Rut or Kever Yishai, and
some other "holy places") and witnessed the carnival-like atmosphere there. 

(Here was a fun video, a newscast from Israel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6GcPuP31JE . Some Charedei students decided
to make a "holy place" with a fake "Kever Onkelos" and people flocked to it,
even after they admitted it was a trick.)

Does the bones of Jewish "Saints" (using the Christian term intentionally)
make the place more holy than a vineyard? It depends what one believes, I
suppose - life or death as sanctification.

So I would question that salvation comes from the desire to visit an impure
place (a grave), rather than desiring to create something living (farming)
that would be an offering to HaShem.

Just my 2-shekels.

Eliyahu Grossman
Efrat, Israel

Quoted Text: ----------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2012 07:37:16 +1000
From: "Rabbi Meir G. Rabi, its Kosher!" <rabbi at itskosher.com.au>
Subject: [Avodah] Kivrey Avos
Text: "But my query was not about the spies seeking salvation through prayer
but about them WANTING to visit Kivrey Avos. These days it would be
unthinkable that any ehrlicher Yid, other than those who as a matter of
principle, would visit EY and not visit Mekomos HaKedoshim."
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