Christianity made sure Easter always coincides with Passover. Passover lasts 7 days, but outside of Israel an additional day is celebrated, which in the orthodox services emphasizes the present state of exile and the future redemption of Jewish people. Israel’s national and mystical history associated with this day is as deep as heaven’s spiritual oceans and a study of the Biblical texts reveals the extent of the nation’s ancient connection to its land.
No other nation is sufficiently privileged to have retained its written record in such a well preserved state as that of the Jewish people. Its Torah (Bible) records a story transcribed by Moses who brought it to the Jewish people some 3400 years ago and the document records historical periods and the mystical construct that pre-dates its authorship. At a minimum the record retains its relevance by the continuum of ancestral Levite priests who, to this very day, trace their family lineage from a father to son. During Passover and throughout each of the past 3400 years these direct ancestors of Moses and his brother Aharon, the first high priest of Israel, have participated in religious services to bestow blessing upon the world.
In the period that followed the exodus by Israel and others that fled Egypt with them, the self described chosen people undertook the difficult task building their national commitment to a closer, unified, monotheistic state of being through common customs, practices and religious belief. The initiation lasted 40 years until all males who were over 20 years at the exodus, had passed on. Other than for leaders Joshua and Caleb, no other male remnants were permitted to enter the permanent land of Israel chosen for and by the chosen people.
The fledgling nation crossed over the Jordan River and first made their way to the city of Shechem (modern Nablus), land that was once occupied by Kanaan a nephew of Egypt’s founder Ham. This was Israel’s northern entry point to its promised land. Some 300 years prior, Jacob (who later changed his name to Israel) had once settled there and his sons led by Levi and Shimeon, in almost premeditated preparation for their future family nations arrival, massacred the Prince of Shechem and his kingdoms 24000 male adult inhabitants, a revenge act for his rape of their sister. It is also the location where Joseph was sold by his brothers before being transported as a slave on a caravan to Egypt. There, the new nation entered, formally memorialized their return and buried Joseph’s bones making Shechem his final resting place.
One would expect such well documented history to sufficiently establish an entitlement of a people to its land, however the the modern narrative of Nablus or Shechem ranks among the world’s greatest examples of imperial fraud, deceit and denial. Notwithstanding, the depth of Israel’s connection to this city, its enemies hate every undeniable historical fact for fear that exposure will overturn their ambit claims. Whilst most cannot reconcile detailed matters already past, we are fortunate enough to be living in the dynamic digital era where writers and editors painstakingly recall the past, flavoring it to suit their insurgent desires and no more so than @Wikipedia where this living record is being written.
In Wikipedia’s world, rules of editorial engagement are defined in an effort to promote accurate representation, but abuse and misuse is common. The editorial prize in a popular or politically charged subject like Nablus ensures attention to editors who best manipulate the truth to meet the ideological demands of their peers and benefits come quickly to those who get the mix right. Support from other editors aggregates to the ideological victor who receives commendation for their targeted editorial contribution and participation. The ideologically charged Nablus narrative is evident in its Wikipedia page, supported by one of its primary editors Al Ameer son - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Al_Ameer_son. This editor has been awarded no less than 20 awards from his fellow contributors, he is a member of the ‘Early Muslim Military History Task Force’ and helped promote Yasser Arafat to Featured Article status.
Like the Roman name Palestine or Egyptian Kanaan, editorial defenders of Wikipedia’s Nablus narrative open their article with this disclaimer; “This article is about the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank, and its predecessor, the Roman city of Flavia Neapolis. For the biblical city of Shechem, at the same location, see Shechem.” From here on the authors deny Shechem a place in their Nablus narrative, suppressing its Biblical and archaeological history, in order to deliver the indoctrination of Roman origin that follows their reduced font disclaimer in their - ‘see Shechem’ link. The Wikipedia narrative denies the city its Israelite origin and promotes the perpetual suffering their denial imposes.
Joseph’s Tomb and its Torah inscribed twin mountain backdrop are a fundament of Israel’s connection to its land. Wikipedia’s Shechem entry describes the 2000 year history of Nablus preceding its Roman occupation and connects it to the Egyptian archaeological record when events catalyzed the unification of the Israel’s tribes out of which the modern Israeli nation grew. Shechem, after whom the city was named, raped Joseph’s same age sister Dinah to whom daughter Asenath was born and who, many years later, married Joseph with permission from Egypt’s Pharaoh. The marriage of Joseph, (mother Rachel) and granddaughter Asenath, (Rachel’s sister Leah's granddaughter), unified Israel’s matriarch’s and made Shechem Joseph’s father-in-law - another aboriginal fact the Nablus editors would rather ignore. Out of this marriage sons Manasseh and Ephraim were born and due to Joseph’s special status in Israelite history became entitled to 2 of the 12 permanent tribal memberships.
Whilst displacement of important elements of a city’s narrative denies its history, it also serves those affected to strengthen their ancient tribal connection against the growing weight of public opinion motivated by distortion. This is the common trait of natives displaced in South Africa, North America and Australia and is not uncharacteristic to the rights of Israelis to their origin city in the land they first occupied. It also strikes at histories various attempts to deny the history of Jewish people usually as a forerunner to their elimination and eradication. The Israelite people are so deeply rooted in their land, there is no place some ambit historical claim can deny them. Therefore, its enemies defer to deceit and denial in order to defend their occupation of Israel’s land and to continue the exile of its people.
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