One of the highlights of our trip was being able to travel to the oldest Israelite structure in the land of Israel - the alter of Yehoshua bin Nun on Mount Eval. It was a truly sensational experience.
We learned how Moshe told the nation of Israel that when they were to enter the land of Israel - they were to come the mount of Grizim and the mount of Eval to place the blessings and curses upon those mountains.
When the ETERNAL your God brings you into the land that you are about to enter and possess, you shall pronounce the blessing at Mount Gerizim and the curse at Mount Ebal.
Devarim 11:29
We learn more about this this special location later in Moshe’s final speech. He gives more details by explaining what is meant to happen on that day.
As soon as you have crossed the Jordan into the land that the ETERNAL your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones. Coat them with plaster, and inscribe upon them all the words of this Teaching. When you cross over to enter the land that the ETERNAL your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the ETERNAL, the God of your ancestors, promised you. Upon crossing the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I charge you this day, on Mount Ebal, and coat them with plaster.
There, too, you shall build an altar to the ETERNAL your God, an altar of stones. Do not wield an iron tool over them; you must build the altar of the ETERNAL your God of unhewn stones. You shall offer on it burnt offerings to the ETERNAL your God, and you shall sacrifice there offerings of well-being and eat them, rejoicing before the ETERNAL your God.
Devarim 27:2-6
We then read about Yehoshua’s fulfilment of that instruction when he did lead the nation of Israel into the land of Canaan.
At that time Joshua built an altar to the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, as Moses, the servant of GOD, had commanded the Israelites—as is written in the Book of the Teaching of Moses—an altar of unhewn stone upon which no iron had been wielded. They offered on it burnt offerings to GOD, and brought sacrifices of well-being. And there, on the stones, he inscribed a copy of the Teaching that Moses had written for the Israelites.
All Israel—stranger and citizen alike—with their elders, officials, and magistrates, stood on either side of the Ark, facing the levitical priests who carried the Ark of GOD’s Covenant. Half of them faced Mount Gerizim and half of them faced Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of GOD had commanded them of old, in order to bless the people of Israel. After that, he read all the words of the Teaching, the blessing and the curse, just as is written in the Book of the Teaching.
Yehoshua 8:30-34
It seems like a precise obeying of the command of Moshe. We examined whether or not Yehoshua fully complied with the command of Moshe since it seems that this whole ceremony was only done later and not on the day that Israel crossed the Yarden. We explored 4 different possibilities when this ceremony occurred.
We then got to learn about the unbelievable story of the discovery and identification of this alter in the 1980s and the significance of the realization. The story is nothing short of breathtaking. This alter is direct proof of the continued Jewish presence in the land of Israel for over 3300 years.
We spent some time exploring the alter and understanding what it looked like.
We spent some time exploring the Mizbeiach itself. It was very windy and it huge so it was hard to get a sense of the full picture right next to it but we looked at the arial views from pictures to help understand the different parts like the ramp and the sovev path the priests could walk around it)
We got to learn about the fascinating history of the city of Shechem. We could see geographically why it was called Shechem - nestled between the two shoulders of Har Gerizim and Har Eval.
The alter is technically in Area B which is under the Palestinian Authority administration and the IDF control. We were fortunate to be able to get military access and a military escort, so that we, as proud Jews, could see the important heritage of our own history.
We then returned to Shavei Shomron, a Jewish town just next to Shechem and mount Eval. We got to hear from Yigal Dilmoni, the head of the Yehuda and Shomron Council. he talked us about the importance of the Jewish heartland.
We also got to hear from the Rav of the Yishuv, Rav Schmid, who had previously visited YILC.
