Ein Gedi synagogue

Ein Gedi synagogue

בית הכנסת העתיק בעין גדי
Location	Israel
Region	Judean desert
Coordinates	31°27′41″N 35°23′33″E
Altitude	638 m (2,093 ft)
Type	Synagogue
Part of	Iron Age, Hellenistic period, Roman period, Byzantine period
History
Cultures	Jewish
Site notes
Condition	Ruined
Ownership	Public
Public access	Yes

The Ein Gedi synagogue is located within the remains of the ancient Jewish settlement of Ein Gedi. The archaeological site is part of the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve in the Judean Desert.

As for the synagogue itself, it is dated to the 3rd century CE, when the settlement was renewed after its destruction in the Bar Kokhba revolt. The use of the synagogue continued until the 6th century CE, when the place was destroyed again and the synagogue was burned.

Findings of the excavations

The Synagogue was discovered by chance in 1965 whilst plowing one of the fields of Kibutz Ein Gedi. A part of a mosaic was uncovered, that led to the excavations at the site. The archaeological excavations took place between 1970 and 1972 by Dan Barag, Y. Porat, and Ehud Netzer. A synagogue that existed for about 400 years was uncovered at the site. The synagogue's longitudinal axis is from north to south facing Jerusalem, the original entrance was from the north, and only later was an entrance opened from the south. In the eastern wall of the synagogue, a seat for the head of the congregation, referred to in sources as the "Cathedra of Moses" is carved into the wall.

The synagogue itself was destroyed along with the entire settlement of Ein Gedi between 602 and 610 CE, and it was completely burned.

In 1970, during the excavations, many charred remains of a parchment scroll were discovered inside the synagogue's Holy Ark, which was deciphered only in 2015 using 3D scanning with a micro-CT system. The parchment revealed a fragment from the beginning of the Book of Leviticus.

The findings at the site

In the ruined synagogue, a 22 cm seven branched bronze menorah was discovered, along with a decorated bronze goblet. A hoard of thousand bronze coins was also found in close proximity to the Ark. From the first phase of the synagogue, a mosaic floor has been preserved with a swastika-like pattern – a design also found in the synagogues at Katzrin and Gamla, among others. This is an ancient decorative motif that was used in many cultures, as revealed in archaeological excavations around the world. A later mosaic included inscriptions in the Aramaic language, which are currently displayed at the Rockefeller Museum. The content of the inscriptions is:

• A list of generations from Adam to Japheth.
• A list of the zodiac signs (in Hebrew).
• A list of the Hebrew months, ending with the mention – "Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah – peace upon Israel."
• An inscription dedicated to the donors for the synagogue's repair.
• A long inscription referring to the rules of conduct in the Ein Gedi community, stating that anyone who causes a dispute between a person and his friend, speaks slander about his friend to the Gentiles, steals, or reveals the secret of the town - the secret of making balsam oil, on which the local economy was based and was an important export product,

  He whose eyes roam throughout the earth and sees the hidden things, he will set his face against that man and his offspring and uproot him from under the heavens. And all the people will say Amen and Amen Selah"

• A burnt scroll found at the site was deciphered in 2015 using CT technology. It was revealed that the scroll contained the beginning of the Book of Leviticus and is dated to the sixth century CE.

The mosaic floor included designs of menorahs surrounding the central carpet. Two mosaic carpets with a geometric structure of squares and triangles, featuring plant and bird designs. In the four corners of the central mosaics are decorated pairs of male peacocks. Each pair of peacocks holds a cluster of round grapes. In the central circle are designed two cranes and two blue porphyries, which were probably very common in the nature of the Land of Israel in the past. Another find is a small cast bronze menorah with seven branches (22 cm by 14 cm) that was likely part of the decoration of the Holy Ark. Another unique find is a collection of goat and sheep bones found under the Holy Ark. Most of the bones were burnt. The excavators could not determine whether the bones were burnt together with the synagogue or before that. It was suggested that the bones are remnants of an earlier altar from the Second Temple period, several hundred years earlier. Additionally, a treasure of 5,000 coins from the 4th century to the time of Justin II (565–578) was found, possibly the synagogue's charity fund; a bronze goblet; embroidered curtain decorations with gold threads and leaves, and another tiny seven-branched menorah made of silver.

The inscription dedicated to the donors

A section of the mosaic with the inscription dedicated to the donors for the synagogue's renovation is displayed at the Hecht Museum in Haifa. The inscription is in Aramaic, The translation of the inscription is:

"Remembered for good are all the townspeople who gave their money for the repair of the synagogue. Remembered for good is Jonathan the cantor who gave his money for the repair of the synagogue. Peace.

The nature of the curse in the inscription

Mosaic floor - at the Rockefeller Museum. This inscription has no similarity to the content of other inscriptions in synagogues. An especially unusual content is the vigorous curse included in it, in Aramaic: "He will set his face against that man and his offspring" - meaning, he will set his face against that man and his family. Additionally, the curse will apply to anyone who causes a dispute between a person and his friend, and to anyone who speaks slander about his friend to the foreigners, steals his friend's property, or reveals the secret of the town to the foreigners. Saul Lieberman tries to examine the nature of this part of the inscription and the possible connection between its parts and why it was necessary to write it in the synagogue. According to ancient literature, expertise and craftsmanship were required for the cultivation of Shemen Afarsimon, which was passed down in artisan families from generation to generation. It is written in the Jerusalem Talmud:

Rebbi Yose said, this implies that one may not teach him a trade. As the following: Two trades, glaziers and carpenters were at (Giro) [Acco]. The glaziers did not teach and continued, the carpenters taught and were pushed out.

It is no wonder that the artisans would curse their colleagues to prevent them from revealing the village's secret to foreigners. However, since the balsam vineyards and industry were imperial assets and the Jews were tenants, it is assumed that government representatives provided them with various tools to improve treatment and increase production. Here comes the warning against stealing the items, as the items belonged to the empire, and sometimes the thought of using others' items arises, as they all belong to the emperor. As for slander, it is said that it is permissible to speak slander about those who cause disputes. Assuming that the balsam growers would gather and among them were also representatives of the emperor. There they discussed the quotas that each had to supply. It is not unlikely that they would raise - even covertly - claims against each other, such as that someone was evading his duty to supply the common quota. Presumably, the residents of the place quarreled, and on the occasion of a public meeting, they could speak slander in front of the government representatives, perhaps it even benefited them.

In conclusion, it is very likely that we have before us the regulations of the vineyard association in Ein Gedi, which were written on the mosaic of the synagogue for all to see and be awed. Fondly remembered are the three brothers, the sons of Halfai, who were probably leaders of the association, and who provided the regulations in their synagogue.

Benjamin Mazar writes on the same subject: The production secrets were kept among the guilds of perfume growers and apothecaries, who were usually organized on a family basis and constituted a closed economic class.

References