Project Genesis

Jewish History

Biblical History

Rebuilding of Jericho

Question: I read the following” Joshua…declares that nobody shall ever rebuild Jericho, nor another city elsewhere called by that name nor one on the same site but with a new name .There is to be no monument to this first conquest, no place that future generations can visit to take pride in the greatness of their victory, nor anything to commemorate the brilliance and bravery of Israel’s generals and soldiers. Rather empty space bearing testimony only to G-d.” Isn’t there currently a city built in Jericho? 
Answer: Thanks for your question. The basic answer is that Jericho today is not a Jewish city. Modern Jericho was built and is being sustained by Arabs. The current city is not an existing Jewish city that was rebuilt against the promise that it would not be rebuilt, but rather, it exists today as another example of how the population that controls it does not recognize the existence of the state that they are living in. One of the major industries
in the area is a water processing plant called Jericho water. The bottle says, “Made in Palestine.” Currently, the area where the water is made is Israel. I know that this is a tangent and you did not ask about this, but it is important to note that the people that are currently occupying the land are not Jews.

It is also interesting to note that a few years ago there was an intriguing discovery made. When archeologists dug around the city of Jericho they discovered a thick stone structure surrounding the city. Obviously a wall or boundary, the archeologists were amazed.

Unfortunately, there is not so much exploration in the area because those in control in Jericho have no interest in uncovering Jewish historical evidence to their right to the land.

Regarding the last sentence of your question, this place is a testimony to G-d. It stands as a monument for people to realize that this land of Israel is a land that the Jewish people have lived in for 3000+ years. Israel has always had a Jewish presence. Other people lived there as well because we were exiled from the land, but that does not mean that the land is not rightfully ours. Jericho is a symbol of the Jewish nation. Never forget that!

Be Well,
Rabbi Litt

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