“Let him sell me the cave of Machpela that he owns, which is at the edge of his land. Let him sell it to me, at the full price, for a burial site in your midst” (Genesis 23:9)
After receiving reports of vandalism of the Jewish section of the Cave of the Patriarchs, Rabbi Eli Ben Dahan, who serves as Deputy Religious Affairs Minister and Supervisor of Holy Sites, made a visit to the hallowed cave of the on Sunday to investigate.
To his dismay he discovered two mezuzot, cases which house holy scriptures affixed to doorposts, torn down as well as a third one party damaged. Additionally, mud and refuse had been littered across the Jewish section.
The Cave of the Patriarchs is the second most holy sight in all of Israel, following The Temple Mount, according to Judaism and is considered holy to Christians as well, seeing as it is the burial sight of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah.
Rabbi Ben Dahan told reporters ““This vandalism must be condemned by the heads of state Our forefathers are here, and the matriarchs! As a Jew, I call [on the public] to avoid silence and to protest this ‘price tag’.”
Israeli Police Spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld took to Twitter to inform the public that “Police searching for suspects who stole two Mezuzas last night from the Cave of the Patriarchs.” but he was unable to be reached for any further comment.
