The world of pilgrimages to the tombs of saints (Rashbi, Rabbi Nahman, Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNes)

Pilgrimage to the tombs of saints (tsaddikim) is a deeply rooted practice of popular devotion in Jewish religiosity, particularly vibrant in Sephardic, North African, and Hasidic worlds. In the Holy Land, the hilloula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yo'haï, celebrated at Meron on the day of Lag Ba'omer, gathers hundreds of thousands of the faithful each year in an atmosphere combining prayer, bonfires, and collective rejoicing; the tomb of Rabbi Meir Ba'al HaNes near Tiberias is another major site. In Ukraine, the tomb of Rabbi Nahman of Breslov at Uman draws tens of thousands of pilgrims from around the world at Rosh Hashana. In Morocco, the cult of Jewish saints, sometimes shared with Muslims, remains a distinctive feature of Maghrebi Judaism, perpetuated by emigrant descendants. These gatherings, which combine mystical devotion, requests for healing and blessing, and communal celebration, illustrate a popular and affective dimension of Jewish practice, distinct from scholarly study.

Sources & resources

• Encyclopaedia Judaica — 2e éd., Keter/Macmillan
• Encyclopedia of Jews in the Islamic World — Brill