Jewish Families Return to Jericho, Reviving Ancient Debate on Joshua's Curse
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Eight Jewish families have settled in Jericho, reviving a debate over the biblical curse of Joshua. Researcher Israel Shapira presented historical rabbinical opinions from the 19th century that permitted settlement under certain conditions. An earlier attempt to establish a Jewish colony in Jericho in the 1870s failed due to Ottoman land sale restrictions. The current settlement is seen by Shapira as a historical continuation of Jewish presence in the ancient city.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Eight Jewish families have settled in Jericho, renewing a debate on Joshua's biblical curse.
- Researcher Israel Shapira cited 19th-century rabbis who permitted settlement under specific halachic interpretations.
- An earlier 1870s attempt to found a Jewish colony in Jericho failed due to Ottoman land policies.
- The historical debate focused on whether the curse applied to rebuilding walls or homes.
- The current settlement is viewed as a historical continuation of Jewish presence in Jericho.
Eight Jewish families have settled in Jericho, reigniting a centuries-old halachic (Jewish law) debate concerning the biblical curse placed by Joshua on the city's reconstruction. Researcher Israel Shapira discussed the permissibility of this new settlement, citing rabbinical opinions from the 19th century when a similar attempt was made.
Shapira explained that the curse, as interpreted by some rabbis, specifically targets the rebuilding of the city walls, not the construction of homes within it. He referenced Rabbi Joseph Schwartz, who distinguished between building fortifications and establishing residential areas. This distinction, Shapira noted, was relevant when Jewish individuals from Jerusalem sought to purchase land in Jericho in the 1870s to establish a new settlement.
This historical attempt to found a Jewish colony in Jericho, which was to be named Petah Tikva, involved prominent figures like Yoel Moshe Salomon and Yehoshua Yellin. Wealthy benefactor Rabbi Leib Kushmir consulted Rabbi Chaim Eleazar Wax and Rabbi Meir Auerbach regarding the halachic permissibility. Rabbi Auerbach, citing the Tosafot and Jerusalem Talmud, argued that once Jericho had been rebuilt, settlement was permissible, especially given its history as a significant Jewish city during the Second Temple period.
Further interpretations, such as that of Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, suggested the curse applied to a single individual, not a community. Rabbi Shimon Pollack believed the curse only affected the very first person to rebuild the city after its destruction. Rabbi Chaim Berlin, son of the Netziv of Volozhin, permitted settlement but advised against naming the new community "Jericho."
Despite these halachic approvals and preparations, the Ottoman Sultan refused to sell the land to foreign nationals, acquiring it himself. The settlement initiative was ultimately abandoned, leading to the establishment of Petah Tikva in its current location in 1878. Shapira views the current settlement by the eight families, as part of the Nachala movement led by Daniela Weiss, as a historical closing of a circle, marking the renewal of ancient Jewish settlement in Jericho.
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