Kefar ?attin, Hittaya

views updated

KEFAR ?ATTIN, Hittaya

KEFAR ?ATTIN, Hittaya (Heb. ?????? ?????????), village in Galilee, the seat of R. Jacob (?ag. 5b) and R. Azariah (pdrk 54). It had a synagogue (Gen. R. 65:16) and served as a refuge for R. Simeon b. Lakish, who escaped from the wrath of the patriarch Judah ii (tj, Sanh. 2:1, 19d). According to the Jerusalem Talmud (Meg. 1:1, 70a), it was identified with the Ziddim-Zer of Joshua 19:35. The name of the village ("Grain Village") indicates its fertile surroundings. It is identified with the Arab village of ?i???n or ?a???n al-Qad?m ("ancient ?attin"), which gave its name to the Horns of Hittin, where the Crusaders were defeated by Saladin in 1187. In this village, the Druze venerate the tomb of al-Nab? Shu ? ayb, who is identified with Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, and hold an annual festival. Building remains and ancient tombs have been found there.

bibliography:

S. Klein (ed.), Sefer ha-Yishuv (1939), s.v.; G. Dalman, Sacred Sites and Ways (1935), index, s.v.?a??in.

[Michael Avi-Yonah]

More From encyclopedia.com