Yichus Ha'Avot
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Yichus Ha'Avot or Yichus Avot (Hebrew: מגלת יחוס אבות), alternately Genealogy of the Patriarchs, is a Jewish pilgrimage scroll detailing the supposed burial sites of the patriarchs.[1] Originally composed in 1537, most likely in Jerusalem, the scroll was reproduced and circulated throughout the Jewish diaspora in the 16th and 17th centuries.[2][3] From the Middle Ages through the 17th century, it was common for Jews living in the Holy Land to send emissaries called meshulachim abroad with scrolls detailing the locations of holy sites, thus promoting pilgrimage and providing financial support for Jews in Israel.[4]
The scroll includes the Cave of the Patriarchs as well as the tombs of prophets, sages and Amorites.[2] There was some variation between manuscripts but they generally included destinations in Hebron, Tiberias, Sefad, and Bethlehem, in addition to Jerusalem. Some copies also listed destinations in the surrounding area, such as the Tomb of Esther and Mordechai and other significant sites in Damascus, Netzivin, Shushan, and Egypt.[4]
Of the many reproductions made, it is believed that fewer than ten still exist, three of which belong to the National Library of Israel.[4]