Difference between revisions of "Choice of Yerushalayim/2"

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<point><b>"הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר י"י"</b> – According to this approach, this verse refers specifically to Yerushalayim. Various reasons are given as to why, then, it is not mentioned by name:<br/>
 
<point><b>"הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר י"י"</b> – According to this approach, this verse refers specifically to Yerushalayim. Various reasons are given as to why, then, it is not mentioned by name:<br/>
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
<li><b>For the nations</b> – Rambam maintains that had the nations known the elevated stature of Yerushalayim they would have either fought violently to control it, or destroyed the city so as to prevent others from having it.</li>
+
<li><b>For the nations</b> –&#160;<multilink><a href="RambamMorehNevukhim345" data-aht="source">Rambam</a><a href="RambamMorehNevukhim345" data-aht="source">3 45</a><a href="Rambam Moreh Nevukhim" data-aht="parshan">About Rambam Moreh Nevukhim</a></multilink> maintains that had the nations known the elevated stature of Yerushalayim they would have either fought violently to control it, or destroyed the city so as to prevent others from having it.</li>
<li><b>For Israel</b><fn>This position assumes that though the city was already chosen, the fact was not yet known to the masses.</fn> – Keli Yekar, in contrast, suggests that Hashem wanted to keep the name a secret lest people belittle the earlier sites of Gilgal, Shiloh, Nov and Givon which housed the Mishkan.&#160; Rambam adds that Hashem wanted to prevent the tribes from fighting over the site, as each would have desired that it be in their tribal territory.<fn>For a full discussion of why Yerushalayim is never named in Torah, see R"Y Levy's article,&#160;<a href="http://www.etzion.org.il/en/why-does-torah-not-mention-jerusalem-name">Why Does the Torah Not Mention Jerusalem by Name?</a></fn></li>
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<li><b>For Israel</b><fn>This position assumes that though the city was already chosen, the fact was not yet known to the masses.</fn> – <multilink><a href="KeliYekarDevarim12-4" data-aht="source">Keli Yekar</a><a href="KeliYekarDevarim12-4" data-aht="source">Devarim 12:4</a><a href="R. Shelomo Ephraim Luntschitz (Keli Yekar)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Ephraim Luntschitz</a></multilink>, in contrast, suggests that Hashem wanted to keep the name a secret lest people belittle the earlier sites of Gilgal, Shiloh, Nov and Givon which housed the Mishkan.&#160; Rambam adds that Hashem wanted to prevent the tribes from fighting over the site, as each would have desired that it be in their tribal territory.<fn>For a full discussion of why Yerushalayim is never named in Torah, see R"Y Levy's article,&#160;<a href="http://www.etzion.org.il/en/why-does-torah-not-mention-jerusalem-name">Why Does the Torah Not Mention Jerusalem by Name?</a></fn></li>
 
</ul></point>
 
</ul></point>
<point><b>Natural resources</b> – Since Jerusalem is far from the major roads of its time, bordering on the desert with poor agriculture and few natural resources, this position suggests that Israel was selected not for its natural conditions but despite them.<fn>See R. Rubin, "ירושלים וסביבותיה: השפעת התנאים הפיסיים על יישובה של ירושלים" in <i>ספר ירושלים: תקופת המקרא</i>&#160; ed. Sh. Achituv and A. Mazar (Jerusalem, 2000): 1-12.&#160; He writes, " נראה לפיכך, שעלייתה של ירושלים.... התרחש לא בשל תנאי הטבע, אלא למרות מגבלותיהם של תנאים אלה."</fn> David's motives were religious, not strategic.</point>
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<point><b>Natural resources</b> – Since Jerusalem is far from the major roads of its time, bordering on the desert, with poor agriculture and few natural resources, this position suggests that Israel was selected not for its natural conditions but despite them.<fn>See R. Rubin, "ירושלים וסביבותיה: השפעת התנאים הפיסיים על יישובה של ירושלים" in <i>ספר ירושלים: תקופת המקרא</i>&#160; ed. Sh. Achituv and A. Mazar (Jerusalem, 2000): 1-12.&#160; He writes, " נראה לפיכך, שעלייתה של ירושלים.... התרחש לא בשל תנאי הטבע, אלא למרות מגבלותיהם של תנאים אלה."</fn> David's motives were religious, not strategic.</point>
<point><b>Moving the ark</b> – The fact that David's first actions after conquering Yerushalayim are to bring the ark there and request to build the Mikdash, might support the understanding that the reasons behind the choice of city were religious in nature.</point>
+
<point><b>Moving the ark</b> – The fact that David's first actions after conquering Yerushalayim are to bring the ark there and request to build the Mikdash supports the understanding that the reasons behind the choice of city were religious in nature.</point>
<point><b>Why wasn't Yerushalayim Israel's first center?</b></point>
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<point><b>Why wasn't Yerushalayim Israel's first center?</b> If Yerushalayim was chosen for its spiritual status, it is not clear why none of the leaders before David opted to make it either their political or spiritual capital.<fn>In the time of Yehoshua Shiloh and Shekhem played those roles, while in the time of Shaul, the two centers were Givat Shaul and Nov.&#160; In each case the cities chosen are located within the leader's tribe, suggesting that it was political rather than religious considerations which lay behind the choice.</fn>&#160;</point>
 
<point><b>"וָאֶבְחַר בִּירוּשָׁלַ‍ִם לִהְיוֹת שְׁמִי שָׁם "</b></point>
 
<point><b>"וָאֶבְחַר בִּירוּשָׁלַ‍ִם לִהְיוֹת שְׁמִי שָׁם "</b></point>
 
</category>
 
</category>
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Military and Economic Advantages
 
Military and Economic Advantages
 
<p>David chose Jerusalem as his capital due to a combination of strategic factors including its defensibility, central location, and availability of water and other resources.</p>
 
<p>David chose Jerusalem as his capital due to a combination of strategic factors including its defensibility, central location, and availability of water and other resources.</p>
<point><b>Security</b> – The City of David it is relatively secure on all sides but the north as it is surrounded by the Kidron valley to the east, the Tyropean valley to the west and the Hinnom valley to the south. The very fact that it was still in the hands of the Jebusites in the time of David attests to its strength and difficulty of conquest.&#160; That said, the site is not the highest of the cities on Israel's mountainous ridge,<fn>It measures 690 meters above sea level, as opposed to the 770 meters of the Upper or Western City (Mt. Zion, the Jewish and Armenian Quarters of today), or the 900 meters of Chevron and Beit El.&#160; The fact that the western part of the city was the taller of the two hills might have been what led Josephus to erroneously refer to that section of the city as "the stronghold of David". It is probably also what led Christian pilgrims to originally identify this area, rather than the City of David, as Mt. Zion, replete with David's tomb and citadel.&#160; For discussion of the misidentification of David's tomb, see Hershel Shanks, “The Tombs of David and Other Kings of Judah,” Jerusalem: An Archaeological Biography (New York: 1995), 35-43.</fn> nor is it even the tallest in its vicinity.<fn>However, see R. Rubin in the article cited above, that given the ammunition of the time, the steep slopes of the city meant that the relatively lower height would not have significantly hampered the city's defenses.</fn></point>
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<point><b>Security</b> – The City of David it is relatively secure on all sides but the north as it is surrounded by the Kidron valley to the east, the Tyropean valley to the west and the Hinnom valley to the south. The very fact that it was still in the hands of the Jebusites in the time of David attests to its strength and difficulty of conquest.&#160; That said, the site is not the highest of the cities on Israel's mountainous ridge,<fn>It measures 690 meters above sea level, as opposed to the 770 meters of the Upper or Western City (Mt. Zion, the Jewish and Armenian Quarters of today), or the 900 meters of Chevron and Beit El.&#160; The fact that the western part of the city was the taller of the two hills might have been what led Josephus to erroneously refer to that section of the city as "the stronghold of David". It is probably also what led Christian pilgrims to originally identify this area, rather than the City of David, as Mt. Zion, replete with David's tomb and citadel.&#160; For discussion of this misidentification, see Hershel Shanks, “The Tombs of David and Other Kings of Judah,” Jerusalem: An Archaeological Biography (New York: 1995), 35-43.</fn> nor is it even the tallest in its vicinity.<fn>However, see R. Rubin in the article cited above, that given the ammunition of the time, the steep slopes of the city meant that the relatively lower height would not have significantly hampered the city's defenses.</fn></point>
 
<point><b>Water sources</b> – The City of David was close to two springs, the Gichon and Ein Rogel.<fn>At first glance the name of the city "ציון", from the root "ציי" meaning dry or desolate, would argue against the possibility that the city was remarkable specifically due to its water sources.&#160; See, though, R"Y Elitzur, מקום בפרשה (Tel Aviv 2014): 261-272, who suggests that Zion originally referred to the larger area surrounding the City of David, which was indeed barren desert.&#160; Mezudat Zion, then, referred to the fortress in the area of Zion.&#160; See Elitzur's article for other explanations of the name, including the possibility that it stemmed form the root "צין" which could be related to the Arabic&#160; root "צון", meaning to watch or guard. According to such a derivation the name reflected the strength of the site, and perhaps related to the fortress built on top.</fn>&#160; It is likely that it was this proximity to water sources which led to choosing specifically the City of David, on the lower eastern hill,<fn>The larger city of Jerusalem is made up of two hills, separated by the Tyropean valley.&#160; See above that the Western Hill was about 90 meters higher than the City of David.</fn> despite this necessitating a compromise on security.</point>
 
<point><b>Water sources</b> – The City of David was close to two springs, the Gichon and Ein Rogel.<fn>At first glance the name of the city "ציון", from the root "ציי" meaning dry or desolate, would argue against the possibility that the city was remarkable specifically due to its water sources.&#160; See, though, R"Y Elitzur, מקום בפרשה (Tel Aviv 2014): 261-272, who suggests that Zion originally referred to the larger area surrounding the City of David, which was indeed barren desert.&#160; Mezudat Zion, then, referred to the fortress in the area of Zion.&#160; See Elitzur's article for other explanations of the name, including the possibility that it stemmed form the root "צין" which could be related to the Arabic&#160; root "צון", meaning to watch or guard. According to such a derivation the name reflected the strength of the site, and perhaps related to the fortress built on top.</fn>&#160; It is likely that it was this proximity to water sources which led to choosing specifically the City of David, on the lower eastern hill,<fn>The larger city of Jerusalem is made up of two hills, separated by the Tyropean valley.&#160; See above that the Western Hill was about 90 meters higher than the City of David.</fn> despite this necessitating a compromise on security.</point>
<point><b>Important ancient site</b> – Jerusalem was</point>
 
 
<point><b>Central location</b> – If David wanted his capital city to be accessible to all the tribes, a central location within the country was necessary.&#160; Jerusalem is situated fairly in the middle of the country, fitting this criteria.</point>
 
<point><b>Central location</b> – If David wanted his capital city to be accessible to all the tribes, a central location within the country was necessary.&#160; Jerusalem is situated fairly in the middle of the country, fitting this criteria.</point>
 
<point><b>Eye on enemies</b> – It is likely that David wanted to keep an eye on the Philistines, the biggest foreign threat during his reign.&#160; Jerusalem was well situated to do so.</point>
 
<point><b>Eye on enemies</b> – It is likely that David wanted to keep an eye on the Philistines, the biggest foreign threat during his reign.&#160; Jerusalem was well situated to do so.</point>
 +
<point><b>Important ancient site</b> – Jerusalem was already an important city in ancient times, mentioned in the Ebla Tablets (third millennium BCE), Egyptian Execration texts (19th c. BCE) and the Amarna Letters (14th c. BCE).&#160;&#160;</point>
 
<point><b>Trade routes</b> – Jerusalem does not lie on either of the two international trade routes, the "Way of the Sea" (דרך הים) or the "King's Highway" (דרך המלך), though it was not far from the "Patriarch's Highway" (דרך האבות) that connected Shekhem and Chevron.<fn>See the story of the Concubine in Givah in Shofetim 19:11, where the servant tells his master, "לְכָה נָּא וְנָסוּרָה אֶל עִיר הַיְבוּסִי הַזֹּאת וְנָלִין בָּהּ".&#160; The fact that they have to veer off the path, means that Yevus (Yerushalayim) was somewhat off the highway.</fn></point>
 
<point><b>Trade routes</b> – Jerusalem does not lie on either of the two international trade routes, the "Way of the Sea" (דרך הים) or the "King's Highway" (דרך המלך), though it was not far from the "Patriarch's Highway" (דרך האבות) that connected Shekhem and Chevron.<fn>See the story of the Concubine in Givah in Shofetim 19:11, where the servant tells his master, "לְכָה נָּא וְנָסוּרָה אֶל עִיר הַיְבוּסִי הַזֹּאת וְנָלִין בָּהּ".&#160; The fact that they have to veer off the path, means that Yevus (Yerushalayim) was somewhat off the highway.</fn></point>
 
<point><b>Natural resources and agriculture</b> – As Jerusalem cannot boast of many natural resources or rich agricultural land, these were probably not among David's reasons for choosing the site.</point>
 
<point><b>Natural resources and agriculture</b> – As Jerusalem cannot boast of many natural resources or rich agricultural land, these were probably not among David's reasons for choosing the site.</point>

Version as of 05:20, 5 May 2017

Choice of Yerushalayim

Exegetical Approaches

This topic has not yet undergone editorial review

Religious Significance

Yerushalayim was picked as David's capital for its religious significance. The city was considered holy and Divinely chosen from the very creation of the world.

Center of the world and site of creation – According to TanchumaKedoshim 10About the Tanchuma,1 Yerushalayim lies at the heart of the world2 and from there the heavens and earth were created.3 This is alluded to in Tehillim 50, "מִצִּיּוֹן מִכְלַל יֹפִי אֱלֹהִים הוֹפִיעַ".
Continuous site of worshipRambamHilkhot Beit HaBechirah 2:2About R. Moshe b. Maimon, following Chazal,4  maintains that Yerushalayim (and the site of the Mikdash specifically) had a history of holiness, being a site of Divine worship throughout the ages.  It was the place where Avraham set up an altar to bind Yitzchak, and where Adam, Kayin, Hevel, and Noach all sacrificed to Hashem. Bavli PesachimPesachim 88aAbout the Bavli presents Yitzchak and Yaakov praying at Mt. Moriyah as well.5   This was no coincidence, but a result of the location's inherent selection.  It should be noted, however, that there is no textual evidence in Sefer Bereshit that any of these individuals, except for Avraham, sacrificed/prayed in Yerushalayim.6
"וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא י"י יִרְאֶה"Rambam3 45About Rambam Moreh Nevukhim learns from Avraham's naming of the site of the Akeidah, י"י יִרְאֶה, that he already declared it to be the future site of the Mikdash in Jerusalem.7  Rambam adds that this fact was known to many, so that in the time of Moshe it was said of the mountain, "בְּהַר י"י יֵרָאֶה".
Beit El: "אֵין זֶה כִּי אִם בֵּית אֱלֹהִים"
  • According to Bereshit Rabbah69:7About Bereshit Rabbah Yaakov declares, "this is a house of God and gateway to heaven", not because God was especially present in Beit El, but because in his dream, he saw Jerusalem (the midpoint of the ladder marked the site of the Beit HaMikdash).8  RashiBereshit 28:11Bereshit 28:17About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, drawing on Bavli SanhedrinSanhedrin 95bAbout the Bavli,9 goes a step further to suggest that  Mt. Moriyah was actually uprooted and brought to Beit El.  Neither of these suggestions, though, match the simple sense of the verses.
  • It is also possible that Yaakov was simply declaring Beit El his own personal site of worship and not suggesting that it should be a spiritual center for future generations of Israel.
"הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר י"י" – According to this approach, this verse refers specifically to Yerushalayim. Various reasons are given as to why, then, it is not mentioned by name:
  • For the nations – Rambam3 45About Rambam Moreh Nevukhim maintains that had the nations known the elevated stature of Yerushalayim they would have either fought violently to control it, or destroyed the city so as to prevent others from having it.
  • For Israel10Keli YekarDevarim 12:4About R. Shelomo Ephraim Luntschitz, in contrast, suggests that Hashem wanted to keep the name a secret lest people belittle the earlier sites of Gilgal, Shiloh, Nov and Givon which housed the Mishkan.  Rambam adds that Hashem wanted to prevent the tribes from fighting over the site, as each would have desired that it be in their tribal territory.11
Natural resources – Since Jerusalem is far from the major roads of its time, bordering on the desert, with poor agriculture and few natural resources, this position suggests that Israel was selected not for its natural conditions but despite them.12 David's motives were religious, not strategic.
Moving the ark – The fact that David's first actions after conquering Yerushalayim are to bring the ark there and request to build the Mikdash supports the understanding that the reasons behind the choice of city were religious in nature.
Why wasn't Yerushalayim Israel's first center? If Yerushalayim was chosen for its spiritual status, it is not clear why none of the leaders before David opted to make it either their political or spiritual capital.13 
"וָאֶבְחַר בִּירוּשָׁלַ‍ִם לִהְיוֹת שְׁמִי שָׁם "

Military and Economic Advantages

David chose Jerusalem as his capital due to a combination of strategic factors including its defensibility, central location, and availability of water and other resources.

Security – The City of David it is relatively secure on all sides but the north as it is surrounded by the Kidron valley to the east, the Tyropean valley to the west and the Hinnom valley to the south. The very fact that it was still in the hands of the Jebusites in the time of David attests to its strength and difficulty of conquest.  That said, the site is not the highest of the cities on Israel's mountainous ridge,14 nor is it even the tallest in its vicinity.15
Water sources – The City of David was close to two springs, the Gichon and Ein Rogel.16  It is likely that it was this proximity to water sources which led to choosing specifically the City of David, on the lower eastern hill,17 despite this necessitating a compromise on security.
Central location – If David wanted his capital city to be accessible to all the tribes, a central location within the country was necessary.  Jerusalem is situated fairly in the middle of the country, fitting this criteria.
Eye on enemies – It is likely that David wanted to keep an eye on the Philistines, the biggest foreign threat during his reign.  Jerusalem was well situated to do so.
Important ancient site – Jerusalem was already an important city in ancient times, mentioned in the Ebla Tablets (third millennium BCE), Egyptian Execration texts (19th c. BCE) and the Amarna Letters (14th c. BCE).  
Trade routes – Jerusalem does not lie on either of the two international trade routes, the "Way of the Sea" (דרך הים) or the "King's Highway" (דרך המלך), though it was not far from the "Patriarch's Highway" (דרך האבות) that connected Shekhem and Chevron.18
Natural resources and agriculture – As Jerusalem cannot boast of many natural resources or rich agricultural land, these were probably not among David's reasons for choosing the site.

Political Move

David's choice was political in nature, a part of his effort to unite the various tribes (especially Yehuda and Binyamin) into one centralized nation.

Rejection of Chevron – David's first political center had been Chevron, where he had the support of his tribe. However, as soon as he became king over all of Israel he recognized that this might be viewed as nepotism and a favoring of his brethren.  Thus, to prevent jealousy among the other tribes, David decided to choose a new capital city.
Yerushalayim's neutrality – Since Yerushalayim had not yet been conquered in the time of David, it did not belong to any particular tribe,19 making it an ideal choice for a neutral capital city which no individual tribe could claim as their own. David hoped that this would prevent tribal fighting and promote unity.
Border location – The City of David lies at the border between the inheritances of Binyamin and Yehuda. As there was much friction between these two tribes specifically (with Shaul coming from Binyamin and David from Yehuda), having them "share" in the capital city was an effective way for both to feel privileged and to reduce tension.
Modern parallels – David's choice might be seen as comparable to the selection of Washington D.C. as the capital of the United States.  It, too, is not considered part of any individual state, giving it neutrality.  It was built on land donated by two states, Maryland and Virginia, and was chosen as part of a compromise to satisfy the opposing interests of Northern Federalists and southern Anti-Federalists.20
Jerusalem's status in the Patriarchal period – This approach maintains that Yerushalayim was not an important religious center in the Patriarchal period, and as such this would not have been a reason for David to favor the site.  The forefathers call out to Hashem and set up altars in many locations, including Shechem,21 Beit El,22 Chevron23 and Be'er Sheva24 and it was these which were probably the spiritual centers of the era. Though the Akeidah took place in Yerushalayim, the text does not highlight the fact, only mentioning the specific site of Mt. Moriyah.25  In fact, Yerushalayim is not named even once in all of Torah, supporting the idea that it was not yet considered to be of religious import.26
"וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָהָם שֵׁם הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא י"י יִרְאֶה"
  • Though this verse would seem to suggest that Avraham already marked and selected Yerushalayim as a future site of worship,  this position might suggest that this was only one of many sanctified sites. As seen above, there were other cultic centers during the Patriarchal period. Throughout the pre-Monarchic period as well, other locations such as Gilgal, Shiloh, Nov and Givon served as spiritual centers.
  • Alternatively, the statement was simply said via prophecy,27 as Avraham foresaw that Yerushalayim and Mt. Moriyah were ultimately to be chosen by David and sanctified by Hashem.
"הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר י"י" – The fact that Yerushalayim is not mentioned by name28 supports the idea that there were multiple options for the "chosen" site.29  R. Hoffmann explains that the phrase is simply highlighting that Hashem's place of worship will be chosen by Him, unlike the hilltops which were chosen by human idolaters.30  RambanDevarim 17:15About R. Moshe b. Nachman, in contrast, asserts that  the phrase does not insinuate that Hashem need partake in the choosing at all; the language of "אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר י"י" is rather a figure of speech which expresses that all is from God's will.
"לְשִׁכְנוֹ תִדְרְשׁוּ" – The Sifre learns from these words that
Early political centers
Jerusalem's resources and security – Though Jerusalem is relatively secure