[Video below.] Rav Yisroel Gabay of Yerushalayim, who has devoted his life to restoring and protecting kevorim, went to Iran last week to check on kivrei tzaddikim there. He visited Hamadan, south of Tehran, where the kevorim of Mordechai and Esther are located.
“I saw neglect. There was a soccer field on the graves of the tzaddikim,” Rav Gabay related.
He visited the kever of the novi Chavakuk, located in the the ancient city of Shushan, and the kever of the novi Doniel.
With Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threatening to destroy the ancient graves, this was perhaps the last time that Rav Gabbay will have had the opportunity to visit the kevorim, which the Jewish community is trying to preserve.
“The community is frightened and we must help them,” said Rav Gabay.
Rav Gabbay returned to Yerushalayim a few days ago. This trip to Iran is part of his life’s work to save Jewish graves. “The Zohar says that we live in the merit of the righteous who have passed on and pray for us,” said Rav Gabay, who has focused on kevorim in Arab countries and dangerous places. Hhe has undertaken dangerous missions of restoring destroyed graves in these places. One example of such an operation was when he entered the Gaza Strip where Rav Yisroel Najara is buried. “After that, I went to Lebanon in the middle of the first Lebanon war to the kevorim of Yissochor, Zevulun and others,” he said.
During his visits to Arab countries, amazingly, Rav Gabay wears his regular attire, rather than hiding and disguising himself. He walsk around with his tzitzis exposed as well. “They asked me what I am doing here and I say that I have come to daven. And they ultimately ask that I pray for them too.”
Click below to watch a video report:
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{Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter/Nana 10 – Israel}
Why would Mordechai and Esther be buried together? Would Esther be buried in the Royal Cemetery where all King and Queens are buried? Wouldn’t she be buried together with Achashvarosh and not Mordechai. As we know from the Gemara, once Esther went to meet Achashvarosh on her own accord (with the urging of Mordechai to save the Jews) she was no longer permittd to be with Mordechai and were no longer husband and wife. ???? ????? ?????. So that they would eventually be buried together just sounds strange.
Mordechai was buried in eretz yisrael.
He was her husband according to Chazal. don’t husband and wife usually get marreid together?
Is he related to David Gabay?
First of all, never take any Aggaditah (especially Megillah) without first seeing the interpretations of the Mefarshim. The Ben Yehoyada points out that Esther NEVER did anything with Achashverosh; check his points to 13a and one more place before that for the full story). The Gemara doesn’t say straight out that she would be forbidden to Mordechai: that’s just one reading of it.
Also, everyone knew that Mordchai raised Esther; the only question was where she came from: Jewish orphan or non-Jewish orphan. It isn’t impossible that she requested to be buried by her “guardian.”