Teveria: A Trip to the Kivrei Tzaddikim by the Kinneret טבריה: א טריפ צו די קברי צדיקים ביים כנרת

Teveria lies on the western shore of the Kinneret. According to Wikipedia, since the 18th century it has been counted as one of the four holy cities — together with Yerushalayim, Chevron and Tzfas. In ancient times it was a great center of Torah, and the Talmud Yerushalmi was compiled there.

Kever HaRambam

The Rambam passed away in Egypt in 1204. According to tradition he was later brought for burial in Teveria, and his tziyun is today one of the most important places where Jews come to daven.

In the same area, according to Wikipedia, also rest:

• his father, Rabbi Maimon
• Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai
• the holy Shelah, Rabbi Yeshaya Horowitz
• Rabbi Eliezer ben Hurkenus and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya

Rabbi Meir Baal Haness

The tziyun of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness is the largest of all the kivrei tzaddikim in Teveria. It sits on a hill above Chamei Teveria, with two shuls inside — one Ashkenazi and one Sephardi. A tour guide's website says it is open every day, and that on his yahrzeit, the 14th of Iyar (Pesach Sheni), there is a great hilula with hundreds of candles.

It is a custom to give tzedakah and say "Eloka d'Meir aneini". A blogger writes that Rabbi Meir asked to be buried in Eretz Yisroel at a place where the water would reach his grave — which is why he rests by the shore of the Kinneret.

Reb Mendel's Chasidim

According to Wikipedia, in 1777 Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk and Rabbi Avraham Kalisker, disciples of the holy Maggid of Mezeritch, went up to Eretz Yisroel with about 300 chasidim. They first settled in Tzfas, and in 1783 they moved to Teveria. In 1785 Reb Mendel built a small shul; it was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1837 and still stands today — the Karlin-Stolin shul.

Trip Tips

• Visit the Rambam in the morning, before it gets hot.
• Bring some small change for tzedakah at Rabbi Meir Baal Haness.
• The promenade by the Kinneret is lovely in the evening.
• Kever Rabbi Akiva is on a hill above the city.