Rare Prayers at the Cave of the Patriarchs Mark 3,337 Years Since Caleb's Petition

On Wednesday, 9 Tammuz, a special prayer service will be held at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, marking, by the article’s account, 3,337 years since Caleb son of Jephunneh came there to pray for deliverance from the spies’ scheme. The event will be led by three prominent rabbis, who will add their prayers to Caleb’s, and it is being dedicated to donors to Kupa Ha'Ir.

The article says the prayer is based on an ancient segulah, a spiritual merit described as rooted in the Torah itself. In the Book of Numbers, Caleb is said to have gone alone to Hebron to prostrate himself at the tombs of the patriarchs and plead for protection. The date is presented as the same day on which, according to tradition, Caleb’s prayer was accepted.

The three rabbis named are Rabbi Baruch Finkel, Rabbi Chaim Yitzchak Man HaHar, and Rabbi Yaakov Fischoff. They will gather to pray for contributors to the “Ad Chevron” fundraising campaign, and donors may submit names for blessings and salvation. The minimum contribution is 340 shekels, described as the numerical value of the phrase “Ad Chevron.”

At the end of the prayer, members of the local rabbinical court are expected to sign a “salvation from distress” document for those who gave the fixed amount. The article says the merit of the place, the time, and charity is intended to help the donors in all troubles and misfortunes.