Anash.org Feature: Tour the ancient sites mentioned in Parshas Vayera 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 Vayera:
18:1 – The City of Chevron (about 17 miles southwest of Yerushalayim), Meoras Hamachpela is in the center of the picture. To the left of the picture, further past the hill, is Elonei Mamre. Interestingly, some of the stories of Avraham Avinu; the story of the 3 Malachim promising Sarah Imeinu a son; The Bris-Bein-HaBesarim; took place 2 miles north of where Avraham and Sarah would eventually be buried.
18:16 – Next to the Yam Hamelach area, is a tall mountain range. On a clear day you can easily see the area of Sodom from these mountains. This photo was taken on Herodion (Herodion is a fortress where Herod was buried. It is about 11 miles northeast of Mamre). The sand dunes in the background mark the Yam Hamelach area. Elonei Mamre is on a higher elevation than Herodian, with a better view (it was too dangerous to go there).
19:1 – Views from Kibbutz Kalya (which is an agriculture Kibbutz about 15 miles east of Yerushalayim) overlooking the Yam Hamelach area. Above, Sundown. Below, the small lights in the background are from Jordan, which is the likely location of Sodom and Gomorrah.
19:15 – View from Kibbutz Kalya. Sunrise over the likely area of Sodom and Gomorrah
19:25 – View from Masada (the famous fortress where the Jews tried holding out against the Romans. It is about 30 miles southeast of Yerushalayim), overlooking the area of Sodom and Gomorrah. This area used to be lush with vegetation. However, because of the extreme destruction of Sodom and its neighboring cities, it is nearly impossible for nature to grow here.
21:14 – View from Tel Be’er Sheva (about 2 miles east of the modern city of Be’er Sheva), of the landscape around Be’er Sheva – it is all desert. If the story of Hagar happened today, perhaps she would have sat under the highway pass for some shade?
21:31 – View from Tel Be’er Sheva-the bottom of the picture, with the modern city of Be’er Sheva-on top (Be’er Sheva is about 45 miles southwest of Yerushalayim). Tel Be’er Sheva is the location of the ancient city of Be’er Sheva.
21:33 – A Shul in Be’er Sheva, designed to look like Avraham Avinu’s Tent.
21:33 – The Chabad House in Be’er Sheva. This possuk is on top of the Aron Hakodesh.
22:2 – View of the Land of Moriah from the Kever of Shmuel HaNavi (the Kever of Shmuel HaNavi is about 3.5 miles north of Yerushalayim).
22:3 – There was an ancient roadway that traveled through the mountains, from south of Chevron to all the way north, past Shechem. This roadway additionally passed through Beis Lechem, Yerushalayim, Beit El and Shiloh. The Romans paved much of this ancient roadway. Even today, highway 60, follows this same route.
This ancient route is nicknamed ‘Derech HaAvot’, because the Avos used it frequently, and is featured in many of Their life stories. Today you can walk on sections of ‘Derech HaAvot’, with the occasional Roman Mile Marker, marking the distance. This is the route that Avraham used to take Yitzchok to Har Moriah (which is in Yerushalayim).
Above picture: View from the section of ‘Derech HaAvot’ in Neve Daniel (about 6 miles southwest of Yerushalayim). Picture Below: A Roman mile marker on ‘Derech HaAvot’.
22:4 – Views from the Tayelet Haas Promenade. Since this hill overlooks Har Moriah, and it is the last hill on the road from the south, it is likely that this is the exact spot that Avraham Avinu stood on when he saw Har Moriah from afar!
22:14 – View from Har HaZeisim overlooking the area of where the Akeidas Yitzchok took place. Har Moriah, (also known as the Har Habayis), is in the center of the picture.
22:14 – This is the spot where the Akeidas Yitzchok took place. This is the location of where Adam HaRishon was created, where the First Beis Hamikdash and the Second Beis Hamikdash stood. This is also the location of where the Third Beis Hamikdash will be, and where Moshiach will blow the Shofar, which we will hear speedily in our own days!
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SholomTravels.com, an online travel guide by Sholom Raskin, contains a comprehensive list of places mentioned in Tanach and where they are mentioned; 115 locations based on tiers, location in Eretz Yisroel, archaeology, history, nature, and viewpoints; an interactive Google Maps page; as well as hundreds of pictures and videos.
Thanks so much Shalom Raskin. I really appreciate how you aid connecting what we learn in the Holy Torah with the reality we know; it helps connect, understand and appreciate the Torah and boosts our connection with Hashem!