Thousands Visit Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, Reinterpreting Ancient Figure

Thousands of religious Jews, under army protection, are making nighttime visits to Nablus (Shechem) to pray at the tomb of Joseph the Righteous. The article questions Joseph's "righteous" status, noting he lived before the Torah and the formal establishment of Judaism. His designation as righteous appears to stem from the Talmudic interpretation of his refusal of Potiphar's wife, seen as a triumph over temptation. Later, Kabbalah linked him to the Sefirah of Yesod, associating his sexual restraint with "shmirat habrit" (guarding the covenant) and portraying him as a symbol of purity and divine blessing.

This religious evolution led to the belief that praying at his tomb could bring blessings, including requests for marriage, livelihood, health, and protection. Following Israel's capture of the West Bank in 1967, Jews gained access to the tomb. A yeshiva was established there in 1982, but after Israeli forces withdrew in 2000, visiting the site became a religious act intertwined with reclaiming biblical heritage.

Archaeological evidence does not confirm the biblical Joseph's remains lie beneath the current structure, which is largely Ottoman-era, likely from the 19th century. However, the location aligns with biblical descriptions of Joseph's burial site near ancient Shechem, as mentioned in the Book of Joshua. Christian sources from the 4th century, and later Samaritan, Muslim, and Jewish traditions, have identified the site as Joseph's tomb.

Arab traditions are divided, with some medieval Muslim authors placing his tomb near Nablus, while others favored Hebron. Modern Palestinian sources also differ, with some calling it the shrine of Prophet Yusuf and others claiming a local Muslim righteous figure is buried there. The evolving veneration of Joseph serves as an example of how religious traditions are not static but are continually reinterpreted, often to the point of being unrecognizable from their origins.