Pictorial Tour of Historical Sites in Parshas Vayechi

Anash.org Feature: Tour the ancient sites mentioned in Parshas Pictorial Tour of Historical Sites in Parshas Vayechi with “Picturing the Parsha” featuring unique and exclusive photos with detailed descriptions by Tanach explorer and photographer Sholom Raskin.

By Anash.org reporter

In each Parsha of Sefer Bereishis, we encounter new places where our Avos traveled and settled. Wouldn’t it be incredible to see what those sites look like today?

Tanach explorer and photographer Sholom Raskin has a curiosity and fascination with real-life locations of the stories from Tanach. During his time in Eretz Yisroel, he intensely explored hundreds of historical and archeological sites and documented it all.

In this weekly column on Anash.org throughout the weeks of Sefer Bereishis, Sholom presents photos of ancient sites mentioned in the parsha. Under each picture, there will be a caption with the Perek and Posuk that is being referenced and a short explanation of what the picture is about.

A printable PDF allows for easy printing of the photos and descriptions for reading on Shabbos and showing it at the Shabbos table. Click here to download the PDF.

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List of places in Parshas Vayechi:

48:19 – Rashi talks about Gideon who is a descendant of Manasheh. The spring in the picture above is called ‘Gideon’s Spring’ (about 25 miles southeast of Haifa), this is where Gideon made the soldiers drink from the spring to see who is righteous enough to be in his army. The picture below overlooks the area where Gideon defeated the Midyanim. This location is in the territory of Shevet Manasheh.

48:19 – Rashi talks about Yehoshua Ben Nun who is a descendant of Ephraim. The Kever of Yehoshua Ben Nun is approximately in the territory of Shevet Ephraim. In the picture, Yidden are davening by the Kever of Yehoshua Ben Nun (about 22 miles north of Yerushalayim).

49:4 – Reuven is compared to water. The territory of Reuven, borders the Yam Hamelach. The mountains in the background, are in the territory of Shevet Reuven.  

49:6 – The symbol of Shimon is a gate/tower, (in reference to Shechem. However, since it is a dangerous location, there hasn’t been a lot of archaeological activity there). This is the nearly 3000-year-old city entrance to the ancient city of Be’er Sheva, which is located in the territory of Shevet Shimon.

49:7 – The Temple Institute in the old city of Yerushalayim, made replicas of the Keilim used by Kohanim and Leviim in the Beis Hamikdash.

49:11(1) – An ancient winery from the times of the 2^nd Beis Hamikdash in the city of Bat Ayin (about 10 miles southeast of Yerushalayim), it is located in the territory of Shevet Yehudah.

 49:11(2) – Growing grapes in the Ella Valley (about 16 miles southwest of Yerushalayim). This area is where David Hamelech, a descendant of Yehudah, killed Golias. This is located in the territory of Shevet Yehudah.

49:8-12 – There is a tradition that Yehudah is buried in the city of Yehud-Monosson (about 3 miles northeast of Kfar Chabad).

49:13 – View of ships waiting to load/unload cargo at the Bay of Haifa.

49:15 – View of the farmland next to a natural spring called Ein Muda (about 21 miles south of Tiveria). Ein Muda is located in the territory of Shevet Issachar.

49:17 – Rashi compares “biting the horse’s heel” to Shimshon Hagibor. Shimshon Hagibor and his father, Monoach, are buried next to the city he was born in, Zorah (about 1.5 miles north of Beit Shemesh), which is located in the territory of Shevet Dan. About a 15-minute walk from here, is the Kever of Dan.

49:17 – There is a tradition that this is where Dan is buried, about 2 miles north of Beit Shemesh.

49:19 – These soldiers were protecting the Jewish visitors visiting Yericho (about 17 miles east of Yerushalayim). The mountains in the background (today located in Jordan), are located in the territory of Shevet Gad.

49:20 – This is an olive press from the times of the Mishnah located in the ancient city of Usha. When the Sanhedrin needed to relocate from Yavneh following the Bar Kochba revolt, they were looking for a low-key city, that would avoid raising the Romans suspicion. As such, the Sanhedrin relocated to the small olive and wine producing city of Usha. They remained here, until it was safe to relocate to a larger city. Usha is approximately located in the territory of Shevet Asher.

49:21 – View from Har Meron of the territory of Shevet Naphtali.

49:27 – This is the unfinished remains of a Jordanian palace in Tel el-Ful, which is located in the northern outskirts of Yerushalayim. This is the historical site of Giv’ah, which was the main city in the territory of Shevet Binyamin. Today this site offers incredible views of Yerushalayim (bottom picture).

 50:13 – Meoras Hamachpela.

50:24 – The first location in Eretz Yisrael, that Avraham Avinu traveled to, was the city of Shechem, where Yosef HaTzaddik is buried (Lech-Lecha 12:6). The city of Shechem, (about 30 miles north of Yerushalayim), is located in the valley below. Elon Moreh, is located on the mountain in the center left of the picture. Yosef HaTzaddik’s Kever is located on the left of the picture.