Over 10,000 at Hilula of Yehoshua Bin Nun

More than 10,000 people jammed into the Arab village of Kifl Haris Tuesday night, to daven at the kever of Yehoshua Bin Nun on the night of his hilula. Hundreds of IDF troops were on patrol to prevent security incidents. B’chasdei Shamayim, the evening went smoothly, with no unusual events reported.

The date of the hilula – 26 Nisan – has been well-known for centuries (the date appears in the Shulchan Aruch, siman 580), and the location is mentioned in the Tanach itself. The identification of Kifl Haris with the burial site of Timnat Heres (Serach) mentioned in Sefer Shoftim has been mentioned by travelers going back to pre-medieval times.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Shomron Regional Council, celebrated the large numbers of people who attended the event. “Yehoshua Bin Nun and his general Calev Ben Yefuneh, who is also buried here, are inspirations for us during these times. Over 10,000 people have come here to recite the Aleinu prayer, which Yehoshua authored, at his tziyun. This is a very emotional event.”