In Jewish Sites
Eliyahu’s Cave
On the slope of the Mt. Carmel in Haifa is found Eliyahu's Cave from where Eliyahu called out, "Until when will you waver on both sides...".
Eliyahu’s cave is situated on the slopes of Mt. Carmel in Haifa. The cave has become a well-known pilgrimage site, particularly amongst those of Sefardic descent and northern settlers. The most popular date for visiting the site is the Sunday after Shabbos Nachamu, because of the famous declaration in Tanach concerning the final redemption: “Eliyahu haNavi... will quickly come to us with Mashiach son of David”.
The cave is accessible from the town below, via Haganah Boulevard and Allenby Street. A well maintained path and staircase leads up to the cave, affording a panoramic view of the city below. The cave itself is hewn into the rock, and in the northern wall there is a recess which looks like it once housed an Aron haKodesh (Holy Ark). Thus the wall is usually covered with a ‘Paroches’ – ornamental curtain. The other walls of the cave are adorned with engravings of a seven-branched Menorah, and in the ceiling there is a hollow into which visitors would place their handwritten notes.
According to popular belief, a short stay in the cave of Eliyahu can heal all types of ‘spiritual ailments’. In the past people travelled from afar to the cave, and stayed for a few days in the hope that the ‘bad spirits’ would depart from them and they would be healed in the merit of the great Prophet. A visit to the cave for this purpose was called ‘Arena of Haifa’.
We find various historical references with regards to the Cave of Eliyahu. The famous Jewish traveller Binyamin of Tudella, who visited Haifa and the Carmel region in 4935 (1175), wrote: “And at the foot of the mountain are many Jewish graves, and there in the mountain lies the cave of Eliyahu, of blessed memory...”
In a journal that was found from the year 5595 (1835), historians found a more detailed reference: “...And we found there many Jews. And when we began to pray, the prayers seemed to flow from our mouths and our eyes streamed with tears - I had never prayed like this before, and so I understood that this is holy ground. We also wrote our names on the walls [of the cave]”. Indeed, the right wall of the cave, which during various eras was considered sacramental to Christians and Moslems as well as Jews, is covered with ancient Greek inscriptions. There is only one inscription found in Hebrew: ‘Yitzchak ben Koma’.
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