Subject: JUICE Geography 6 - Beit El
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 23:48:09 +0000
To: "Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
From: JUICE Administration <juice@virtual.co.il>
To: geography@virtual.co.il
Subject: JUICE Geography 6
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World Zionist Organization
Jewish University In CyberspacE
birnbaum@jer1.co.il juice@jer1.co.il
http://www.jer1.co.il/gate/juice
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Course: Biblical Geography
Lecture: 6/12
Lecturer: Robin Treistman
Web site for this lecture:
http://www.wzo.org.il/juice/map/beitel/index.html
Beit El
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION:
Beit El is the name of a city mentioned no less than seventy
times in the Bible. Today, a Jewish settlement that bears the
same name is located one and one-half kilometers north of the
(probable) site of the Biblical city. The Biblical city of Beit
El is located in an Arab village called Beitin, which lies 18 km
north of Jerusalem. Beit El was located near a vital intersection
between the north-south passage connecting Jerusalem and Shechem,
and the east-west passage that led from the area toward the
Plains of Jericho. In the Bible, Beit El is sometimes associated
with a nearby Canaanite city called Ha'ai, which lies 5 km
directly to its east.
When discussing Beit El, I am referring to the city in the exact
location described above. There was a second Biblical city called
Beit El located further north in the Mountains of Ephraim. It is
associated with the prophet, Devorah, who "judged" the people
near there (Judges 4;4-5).
BIBLICAL HISTORY
When Abraham journeyed into the Land of Canaan, his first stop
was Shechem. Though he built an altar, there is no mention that
he set up any lasting residence in Shechem. His next stop, which
was east of Beit El and west of Ha'ai (Genesis 12;8), involved
pitching a tent as well as building a second altar. According to
some Biblical commentators (Radak and Sforno), Beit El and Ha'ai
were large cities during Abraham's time, and his choice of
location was ideal from his point of view: Abraham was intent on
introducing the world to Monotheism. The traffic between the two
cities would pass his residence, thereby giving Abraham ample
chance to "enlighten" the people.
The text is unclear about how long Abraham dwelled near Beit El,
as the very next verse describes his journey southward. After a
brief visit to Egypt, Abraham returned to Canaan and headed north
again to "where his tent was originally between Beit El and
Ha'ai" (Genesis 13;3) and stayed there until he parted from his
nephew, Lot.
The next Biblical incident that happens in Beit El relates how
it received its name. Before continuing, an important issue must
be addressed: How is it that we know today the exact location of
places that are mentioned in the Bible? There are a number of
ways in which the names were transmitted. First of all, there was
a Jewish tradition passed down through the generations which
specified locations. However, there are locations in which the
tradition fizzled out after a certain period of time. Some of
these sites can be identified by their Biblical names, preserved
by the Arabs after their conquest in 636 CE. Some of those
locations have supplemental archaeological evidence. Other places
have been "lost" but have been rediscovered recently through
archaeological excavations. Beit El is an interesting case: You
will see in the discussion below that already in the tradition
there are conflicting messages as to where Beit El is located.
However, the location today has been verified, as the name Beitin
relates to Beit El, and the archaeological excavations there
confirm occupation of the city in Biblical times.
Read the story about Jacob's ladder dream in Genesis 28;10-22.
The actual wording in the verses is very pertinent to the
analysis below. Jacob had left Beersheba and headed toward Haran
(to his cousin, Lavan). The verse says that he stayed at a
"place" where he slept, and had the dream. He woke up abruptly
after the dream and declared, "Surely God is in this place and
I didn't know it... how awe-inspiring this place is - it is none
other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven"
(Genesis 28;16-17). Later when it was morning, Jacob arose, set
up a monument (pillar), poured oil over it, and called the name
of the place Beit El, which literally means the House of God. The
verses also point out that the original name of the place was Luz
(verse 19).
In terms of geographic location, these verses are enigmatic for
Biblical commentators. The text indicates that Beit El is in a
physical location at the city called Luz. However, the word in
verse 11, "bamakom" (or "in the place") and Beit Elo-him ("House
of God") in verse 17 imply the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Below
is a sampling of Midrashic sources and Biblical commentary which
attempt to resolve the issue. Remember that when studying
Midrash, the content can sometimes seem far-fetched. There are
cases in which Midrashic literature is to be taken literally, and
other times that Midrashim are to be used as a guide to discover
metaphorical insights in the Bible.
The following story that fits the verses is based on the account
in Talmud Hulin 91: Jacob left Beersheba and went to Haran. Upon
reaching Haran, he realized that he had bypassed Mt. Moriah (the
Temple Mount) without praying there as was done by his father and
grandfather. After Jacob decided to return to Mt. Moriah, God
performed a miracle and had the earth "fold" itself in such a way
that Jacob was able to reach Mt. Moriah on that same day. In
other words, Jacob reached Luz, and Mt. Moriah itself
miraculously travelled to meet him there. Though Jacob ended up
having the dream at Mt. Moriah, the actual physical location was
Luz, named Beit El because of that temporary visit of the future
location of the Temple Mount. Hizkuni even suggests that the
stone that Jacob sets up as a pillar was "left behind" when Mt.
Moriah went back to its place.
There is one talmudic source in Pesachim 88 which can be
interpreted (as Rashi does) saying that Jacob was actually in
Jerusalem (the Temple Mount) and he named it Beit El. But this
is a minority opinion. Other Midrashic sources (in Bereishit
Rabba 69;7) discuss the location of the foot, top, and midpoint
of the ladder in Jacob's dream in an attempt to find the
connection between Jerusalem and Beit El. Rabbi Elazar in the
name of Rabbi Yossi ben Zimra explains that the foot of the
ladder was in Beersheba while its midpoint reached over Jerusalem
(implying its top was over Beit El as explained by Rashi on
Genesis 28;17). Rabbi Yehuda Ben Rabbi Simon suggests that the
foot of the ladder stood at the Temple Mount and the midpoint was
above Beit El.
Before clarifying the confusion generated by the midrashic and
talmudic sources, I will cite two more Biblical commentaries that
are relevant to this discussion: Rashbam, a commentator who tries
to adhere to the literal meaning of the verses, suggests that
Jacob was on his way to Haran and made a stopover right outside
of the city called Luz. After his prophetic dream, the city took
on the name Beit El, even though the incident didn't happen
inside it.
Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains the whole episode in a very
different manner. When Jacob awoke abruptly from his dream, he
came to a realization: Not that he is in the House of God but
that every human being IS a "house of God" and a "gate of
Heaven." As the only creature on earth that can unite the
physical and the spiritual, human beings have the awesome
responsibility of doing just that. In other words, S.R. Hirsch
stays away from the ideas of the location of the future Temple
and land "folding" etc... He insists that Luz was a physical
place where this revelation and realization happened, and it was
named Beit El in tribute.
When combining all of the ideas in the sources above, you can see
that Beit El is a place where the metaphorical and the
geographical meet to teach a philosophical lesson through the
Biblical story. Some of the midrashic explanations may seem a bit
outlandish. However, if you read them in a figurative light, they
can be understood more easily: It appears most likely that Jacob
did stay in or by a place called Luz, but his dream superimposed
another location onto his perceived reality (hence the "folded"
land). When Jacob awoke, realized the awesomeness of his dream,
and exclaimed, "God's presence is here," it could have been due
to a personal feeling of closeness to God. He therefore called
the place "Beit El" in respect to his own experience with the
vision.
One thing is made clear by the Biblical text: There is indeed a
place that was called Luz that was later called Beit El. After
the incident in Shechem where Simon and Levi destroyed the city,
God said to Jacob, "Get up and go to Beit El and settle there and
build and altar there..." (Genesis 35;1) Five verses later, when
Jacob approaches the place, it is called "Luz in the Land of
Canaan, which is Beit El." Furthermore, the Bible clarifies that
it is the same place where God revealed Himself to Jacob when he
had escaped the wrath of his brother (Genesis 35;7). Again, this
other reference in Genesis clarifies that Luz and Beit El were
one and the same place, and they were NOT Jerusalem.
As an interesting side-note, in Westminster Abbey in London sits
a special throne called the Coronation Chair. The throne is built
around a stone which is called the Stone of Scone, or the Stone
of Destiny, or Jacob's Pillow. There is a Celtic legend which
suggests that this is the stone on which Jacob rested his head
when he dreamed about the ladder (see Genesis 28;12,18). When the
Israelites were exiled in ancient times, the stone made its way
over to Scotland where it was used for coronation ceremonies in
the city of Scone. In 1269, King Edward I of England brought the
stone to England, and in 1300 the Coronation Chair was built
around it.
The next time that Beit El is mentioned in the Bible is during
the conquest of Israel by Joshua. As Joshua 8;1-29 describes, the
second city to be conquered is Ha'ai (next to Beit El). During
the battle over Ha'ai, the people of Beit El joined in the battle
- to the extent that the city was entirely evacuated (verse 17).
However, it appears that the inhabitants of Beit El returned to
the protection of their city and only Ha'ai was destroyed.
Though the names Luz and Beit El were used interchangeably, it
is apparent (Joshua 16;2 and 18;13) that the two are actually
adjoining cities with Luz as the "old" or ancient section, and
Beit El as the "new" (remember - everything's relative!) part of
the city which originated on the site where Jacob had his dream.
In fact, it is probable that the border between the portions
allotted to the tribes of Benjamin and Ephraim ran between Luz
and Beit El. (Ephraim was in the north and included Luz.) See
Judges 1 (verses 22-26) for the account of the conquest of Beit
El through a joint effort of the tribes of Ephraim, Menashe, and
probably Benjamin.
When reading the history that is recounted in the Bible, it is
worthwhile to assess the motivations behind the actions. By doing
so, one can gain a deeper understanding of the political, social,
and even economic factors that shaped the situations, not unlike
those seen in later and contemporary history. Taking Beit El as
a case in point, I suggest that you read Kings I 12;25-33. As
mentioned in the lecture on Shechem, when the united Israelite
kingdom split after the death of King Solomon, (928 BCE) the new
king of Israel (as opposed to Judah), Jeroboam, was in a
precarious position: He was the "breakoff" king, not from the
royal line of King David. Worried that sanctioned jurisdiction
over his subjects would not come automatically, he took measures
to ensure solid allegiance.
Until then, the spiritual center of the nation was in Jerusalem
at Solomon's Temple. The Bible commands that everyone visit the
Temple thrice yearly on the holidays of Passover, Shavuot, and
Succot. Because Jerusalem was located in the portions of tribes
who declared allegiance to Rehoboam (Judah and Benjamin),
Jeroboam was worried that the pilgrimages would undermine the
loyalty of his subjects. He therefore prohibited members of the
ten tribes to journey to Jerusalem (verses 26-27). In order to
fulfill the spiritual need for communal religious ceremony, he
built two religious centers in which golden calves were the
focus: One in Dan and one in Beit El (verses 28-29).
Jeroboam was smart on three counts here. First of all,
convenience was a priority: Remember that one of the reasons that
the ten tribes were ready to break from Judah is that King
Rehoboam made it clear that life will not be easy for his
subjects (Kings I 12;14). Not only did Jeroboam not "tax" the
people, but he even "freed" them from the obligation to travel
all the way to Jerusalem. He made the pilgrimages more convenient
by making two centers available. By having two, the cities
wouldn't be so crowded and they were easier for people to reach.
Secondly, choosing Beit El as a location for one of the houses
of worship was a spiritually clever and not coincidental move.
The name of the city, Beit El implies that the "house of God"
belongs there. Also, Jeroboam was well aware of the spiritual
history of Beit El and the intrinsic connection with Jacob,
Jerusalem, and the house of God. People were willing to forego
Jerusalem for an equivalent house of worship as long as it had
a spiritual connection. The other center was placed in Dan (in
Northern Israel - presently in the Golan) most likely because it
was the administrative center of the kingdom. That one, however,
was treated more like a branch of the main center in Beit El. The
next verses (32-33) describe the first holiday celebration in
Beit El under the direction of Jeroboam.
Lastly, choosing Beit El was a strategic-geographic move.
Remember that it was located on the border between the tribes of
Benjamin and Ephraim. Benjamin sided with the Kingdom of Judah
while Ephraim was part of the Kingdom of Israel. Placing a
religious center on the border was a contemptuous gesture as if
to say that Jeroboam did not fear competition with Jerusalem and
Judah. It also gave Jeroboam the chance to win the support of the
tribe of Benjamin which was not officially part of the Judean
kingdom.
Needless to say, the establishment of houses of worship outside
of Jerusalem was a major religious revolution not without
consequences. The following chapter (Kings I 13) relates a story
about a prophet who appears in the middle of the festivities and
warns Jeroboam about the consequences of his actions. Read the
chapter for the details, and then read Kings II 23;1-20. That is
the point where the Josiah, King of Judah, eradicated all traces
of idol worship throughout the entire land (c. 621 BCE) including
the former Kingdom of Israel (by then it had already been exiled
by Assyria). What Josiah does in Beit El - destroying the altar
after using it to burn the bones of the priests from a nearby
graveyard - is essentially the fulfillment of the prophecy
written in Kings I 13.
Though Beit El is associated with the Kingdom of Israel, it is
important to remember that it was a border-city with a variety
of inhabitants. Therefore, even after the Kingdom of Israel is
exiled, (724 BCE) there are remnants of the tribe of Benjamin in
Beit El (as can be seen in the story of the destruction of the
altar in Kings II 23). When the exiled Kingdom of Judah returns
after 70 years in Babylon (516 BCE), the Benjaminite inhabitants
of Beit El and Ha'ai are counted among them, forming once again
an Israelite presence in the city (Ezra 2;28, Nehemia 7;32 and
11;31).
The placement of the golden calf in Beit El by Jeroboam and its
continued use by the following kings of Israel marred the name
of the city in other prophetic and religious writings: Beit El
became a poetic metaphor describing the hopelessness of sin as
can be seen in Hosea 10;15, Amos 4;4 and 5;5-6, Jeremiah 48;13.
POST BIBLICAL HISTORY
Little is known about Beit El and its occupants after the
destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans (70 CE).
Archaeological findings in the area have also left some questions
unanswered. For example, ruins of houses were found with Mezuzzas
on the doorposts and with markings of the Star of David. Some
experts suggest that these ruins are from the Second Temple
period, but others maintain that the Star of David is not an
exclusively Jewish symbol until later periods. That being the
case, it is not clear when the Jewish settlement in Beit El
ceased to exist.
Beit El was captured by the Romans in 69 CE. Later, during the
Roman conquest of the city of Betar, Beit El was used by the
Roman army as a stronghold to guard against escapees from the
besieged city. Following the fall of Betar (135 CE), the greater
area surrounding Jerusalem became a Roman province called Aelia
Capitolina with Beit El as one of the villages. It is possible
that at this time the occupants of the city had been exiled to
Rome or moved to the northern part of Israel. The relatively
sparse ruins of the Roman, Byzantine, and later periods indicate
that it was not restored to its former glory following its
capture.
Whoever did inhabit Beit El managed to preserve its name. After
the Arab conquest in 636 CE, the area most likely had a tiny Arab
presence. During the Crusader period, it most likely had also a
small Christian presence. Based on the ruins, at some point
afterwards the area was abandoned until the present Arab village
of Beitin (note that an "n" and "l" in Arabic can be
interchangeable) was built on the ancient ruins in the 19th
century. Nearby is the modern day Jewish settlement of Beit El
which began in 1978 as a yeshiva (institute for intense Judaic
study).
Questions for further study and discussion:
1) Read the story about the Concubine in Givah in Judges chapters
19-21. (You will find that sometimes the violence and suspense
in the Bible makes that of today seem bland.) What role does Beit
El play in the drama and how is its role influenced by its
geographic location?
2) In Amos 7;10-17, the prophet is speaking to and about Yeravom
II, King of Israel (ruled from 784 BCE - 748 BCE). How is the
usage of Beit El in the retort to Amos significant in a
figurative sense?
3) How did the paradoxical characteristic of Beit El (Jewish holy
vs "abominable" site) affect settlement patterns in the city?
Description of the Sources:
SFORNO -- Rabbi Ovadia ben Jacob Sforno (c.1470 - c.1550) -- Born
in Cesna, Ovadia ben Jacob Sforno was known as a physician and
a Biblical commentator. His commentary is characterized by
adherence to the literal meaning of the text usually in
conjunction with contemporary scientific outlooks, avoiding
mystical and philological interpretations.
RaDaK - Rabbi David Kimhi (c.1160 - c.1235) -- from Narbonne,
Provence, the RaDaK wrote Biblical commentary on the book of
Genesis, all of the Prophets, and the Book of Psalms. His
commentary is characterized by philosophical insights and polemic
material in answer to Christian interpretation of Biblical texts.
References:
Bible and Biblical Commentaries
Elitzur, Y. and Kiel, Y. (1993) _Atlas Daat Mikra_ (Hebrew),
Mossad Harav Kook: Jerusalem.
Flavius, Josephus, _Wars_ in Whiston, William (trans.) _The
Works of Flavius Josephus_ (1820), David McKay:
Philadelphia.
Rappel, Joel (ed.) (1984) _History of Eretz-Israel: From
Prehistory up to 1882_, (Hebrew) Tel Aviv: Ministry of
Defense.
Vilnay, Z. (1975) _Legends of Judea and Samaria_, Philadelphia:
The Jewish Publication Society of America.
Yitzchaki, A. (ed.) (1980) _Israel Guide: Judea_ (Hebrew), Keter
and the Defense Ministry: Jerusalem.
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