I was not previously aware of a place called "Kever Yisro" located in Israel. With the weekly parsha of Yisro upon us, shortly before Shabbos I was reading something and saw a reference to
kever yisro in the Galilee region of Israel. I had no idea what it was about, so I did some research (i.e. I turned to Google).
It turns out the Yisro is considered the top prophet of the Druze.In the Koran Yisro is referred to by the name "Shouib" (sp?), and his grave site is known as the grave of Navi Shouib. The grave can be located at the bottom of Kfar Hittin, near Tiberias.
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| Kever Navi Shouib aka Yisro |
The location of this grave and it being connected to Yisro is only based on the Druze tradition. In Jewish tradition we don't know what happened to Yisro. There is a debate whether Yisro stayed with the Israelites or if he returned back to Midian eventually. It seems some people go to daven at the grave of Navi Shouib, or at least to check it out, based on the Druze tradition.
The Druze, obviously, consider it a holy site, and care for its upkeep. The Druze traditionally go to visit the grave beginning on April 24th over a period of 4 days. Entrance to the site requires removal of one's shoes. They even seem to have a rock there that they claim has embedded the footprint of Yisro.
Next time I am up in the area maybe I will check it out...
Although exactly what Yitro would have been doing in the Galil is not very obvious. I suppose it's do worse than Kever Mordechai VeEsther in Yaar Baram or Kever Miriam et al in Tiverya
ReplyDeleteWhat about the one above the Banias, I thought the druze also thought it to be the kever of yitro. There is a druze building i thought was the kever of yitro.
ReplyDeleteI dont know. I never really paid attention to the druze graves..
ReplyDeleteVery Interesting. Someone needs to verify it. this is amazing.
ReplyDelete