David Mor
Jerusalem of Gold
Jerusalem of Gold – most people instantly think of the gold plating on the Dome of the Rock atop the Temple Mount, or even the golden hue of Jerusalem stone houses in the light of sunrise, while for the Israeli public it’s a song, full of yearning for the Old City conquered by the Jordanians only 19 years before the song was written.
However, the actual source of the phrase “Jerusalem of Gold” is much more ancient and it first appears in the Jerusalem Talmud (collection of Rabbinic notes from the 2nd-century and compiled in the Land of Israel during the 4th-5th century). It’s the story of one the sagest Jewish figures ever, Rabbi Akiva, who at the beginning of the narration was uneducated shepherd working for Kalba Savua, one of the wealthiest men in Jerusalem. Rachel, Kalba Savua’s daughter, fell in love with Rabbi Akiva and married him despite the opposition from her father, and as a result, Rachel’s father dispossessed her from the share in his wealth.
The impoverished young couple was forced to live in a hayloft. In the mornings, when Rabbi Akiva helped his wife collect the hay that clung to her hair, he promised her that one day he would buy her a most precious piece of jewellery, the crown called “Jerusalem of Gold”.
The story of course continues and tells how Rachel encouraged her husband to study the Torah and even sold her hair in order to pay for his studies. Rachel continued to do so faithfully for 24 years, while her husband was not ashamed to sit in class with small children and continued to study diligently and persistently until he became the greatest scholar of his time. And when he returned home as great teacher of Jewish Law (Halacha) accompanied by 12,000 pupils then Kalva Suva reconsidered banishing his daughter and bestowed half of his immense fortune upon the couple.
Rabbi Akiva well-remembered the promise he made to his beloved wife and bought her the crown of “Jerusalem of Gold”. The golden crown was so precious since it resembled golden walls of the fortified city that even the wives of the wealthiest and the highest were so jealous and complained to their husbands.
In ancient times in the period of the Second Temple brides wore a “Jerusalem of Gold” crown as part of her festive wedding day attire. And once the temple was destroyed, the Roman Caesar Titus Flavius Vespasianus imposed a series of edicts against the laws of Judaism, one of which banned brides from wearing the crown during their wedding ceremonies.
Over the time the story of the golden crown sank into oblivion, until after more than dozen centuries later the songwriter, Naomi Shemer in her “song Jerusalem of Gold” brought it back to the forefront.
Jerusalem of Gold
Jerusalem of Gold – most people instantly think of the gold plating on the Dome of the Rock atop the Temple Mount, or even the golden hue of Jerusalem stone houses in the light of sunrise, while for the Israeli public it’s a song, full of yearning for the Old City conquered by the Jordanians only 19 years before the song was written.
However, the actual source of the phrase “Jerusalem of Gold” is much more ancient and it first appears in the Jerusalem Talmud (collection of Rabbinic notes from the 2nd-century and compiled in the Land of Israel during the 4th-5th century). It’s the story of one the sagest Jewish figures ever, Rabbi Akiva, who at the beginning of the narration was uneducated shepherd working for Kalba Savua, one of the wealthiest men in Jerusalem. Rachel, Kalba Savua’s daughter, fell in love with Rabbi Akiva and married him despite the opposition from her father, and as a result, Rachel’s father dispossessed her from the share in his wealth.
The impoverished young couple was forced to live in a hayloft. In the mornings, when Rabbi Akiva helped his wife collect the hay that clung to her hair, he promised her that one day he would buy her a most precious piece of jewellery, the crown called “Jerusalem of Gold”.
The story of course continues and tells how Rachel encouraged her husband to study the Torah and even sold her hair in order to pay for his studies. Rachel continued to do so faithfully for 24 years, while her husband was not ashamed to sit in class with small children and continued to study diligently and persistently until he became the greatest scholar of his time. And when he returned home as great teacher of Jewish Law (Halacha) accompanied by 12,000 pupils then Kalva Suva reconsidered banishing his daughter and bestowed half of his immense fortune upon the couple.
Rabbi Akiva well-remembered the promise he made to his beloved wife and bought her the crown of “Jerusalem of Gold”. The golden crown was so precious since it resembled golden walls of the fortified city that even the wives of the wealthiest and the highest were so jealous and complained to their husbands.
In ancient times in the period of the Second Temple brides wore a “Jerusalem of Gold” crown as part of her festive wedding day attire. And once the temple was destroyed, the Roman Caesar Titus Flavius Vespasianus imposed a series of edicts against the laws of Judaism, one of which banned brides from wearing the crown during their wedding ceremonies.
Over the time the story of the golden crown sank into oblivion, until after more than dozen centuries later the songwriter, Naomi Shemer in her “song Jerusalem of Gold” brought it back to the forefront.