The Holy Land and the Bible; . ouses being built on a slope so steep that the roofsof one terrace seem to be the street before those of the terrace built, one row fell crashing down on another, leaving no chanceof escape, but burying the population in the wreck. The great Rabbi Hillel is believed to have been buried at Meiron,about three miles west of Safed; a tomb cut in the rock, with aboutthirty places for the dead, being pointed out as his. Near this cham-ber, which is about twenty-five feet long and eighteen broad, there isa long stone building with a large space inside, at th
The Holy Land and the Bible; . ouses being built on a slope so steep that the roofsof one terrace seem to be the street before those of the terrace built, one row fell crashing down on another, leaving no chanceof escape, but burying the population in the wreck. The great Rabbi Hillel is believed to have been buried at Meiron,about three miles west of Safed; a tomb cut in the rock, with aboutthirty places for the dead, being pointed out as his. Near this cham-ber, which is about twenty-five feet long and eighteen broad, there isa long stone building with a large space inside, at the end of which arethree tombs that are especially venerated. Here Mr. Ilackett,^ anAmerican professor, was fortunate enough to see a great celebration inhonor of the dead Rabbis, some of the details of which are well worthquoting. Over the graves hung burning lamps, beside which crowdsknelt at their devotions, while multitudes had spread their sleeping- 1 Deut. XiV. 5—10. 2 Deut. vi. 8. 3 lUustralions of Scripture, p. 242. n. Smmuer Huts on Top of tUe Houses ot Bauias, the Ancient Cassarea Phillppl. (See page 588.) XLVI.] ^ SAFED, GISCALA, KADESH. 573 mats beneath stalls raised for the time along the walls. Strong drinkwas in great demand from numerous sellers, some of those prayingbeing already drunk. Here, a couple of men exhibited sword-play, tothe clash of cymbals; a little way from them was a group of dancers,for whom the spectators sang and clapped hands. But the specialobject of the gathering was to burn costly gifts in honor of the ancientteachers. The long court was densely crowded sodn after dark to wit-ness these offerings. At one corner of a gallery, placed so tliat allcould see it, was a basin of oil, iu which whatever was to be burnedwas dipped, to make it more inflamable. A shawl, worth fifteen})ounds sterling, was the first article offered; the men clapping handsand the women shrieking for joy, as it was set on fire by a blazingtorch. Other offerings of shawls
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