Jerusalem's Origin One of my all time favorite pursuits is the discovery of archaeology that I expect will scientifically validate

the high ridge above the Gihon Spring in Jerusalem as the location of the earliest Biblical Beit El, which was Luz, also referred to in Kabbalistic liturgy as Be'er Sheva. Before we get into the proof you should familiarize yourself with the diagram bellow. It illustrates four primary chambers which have been carved into bedrock (the walls are remaining bedrock with spaces hollowed out). The complex served worshipers although some archaeologists will argue it may have also or exclusively served families living on or around the ridge ~4000 years ago. The importance of scientific proof presents a departure from conventional wisdom, which may trigger a re-think by Torah scholars because scientific proof that this is Beit El would challenge everything scholars know about the location of the 3rd temple. In addition it would cause a re-study as to why the first and second temples were built at locations associated with their ultimate destruction. Whilst there are many unique features of this complex arguably the most striking (for now) is the discovery of a flimsy (~2cm slab thickness) matzevah, monument or headstone (but not a grave marker) constructed on the bedrock in a square frame of rocks. Somehow this vital artifact survived thousands of years whilst everything else around in the City of David, where it is located, was burned and destroyed down to the bedrock leaving only small clay artifacts as tell tale clues. (See 2nd chamber from the south - left).

Its worth noting (at least to my knowledge) that a similar standing matzevah built into bedrock in a frame has never been discovered at any other archaeological dig in Israel. Why this artifact survived may be crucial to the theory of this complex. I've written numerous articles on the subject some of which can

be discovered here http://israelfact.blogspot.com or at http://www.gihonmystery.com. In essence, the location and complex are sacred and the inspiration for its construction, but its connection to the Bible and to the origin of Israel is crucial and in my opinion its about to be proven by archaeological science. Adjacent to the matzevah, in accordance with Jewish liturgy and literature is the mizbeach (altar) on which Isaac was offered as a sacrifice to God by his father Abraham (see the next chamber to the right for possible identification). Jacob took 12 stones from this altar and placed them around his head as protection. The stones converged to become one, and that one stone became the matzevah, which I believe is located in the chamber illustrated above. According to all opinions the altar of Isaac is the location by which the Holy of Holy's is designated around which the Temple is built. Kabbalah describes the south east corner of the altar on land belonging to the tribe of Yehuda as it penetrates into the land of the tribe of Binyamin. In the illustration above you can see the wall, constructed by King Hezekiah that crosses, what may be the altar (table), on the line that would divide the tribal land of Yehuda and Binyamin exposing the south east (front left) corner immediately in front of the wall. The Kabbalah also relates Be'er Sheva as being two altars that are key to correctly expressing the mind's attribute of Kingship and Understanding. The story of Jacob's ladder is analogous and represents the alignment of these two female attributes represented by Leah and Rachel, Jacobs wives. I believe Jacob and his son's built the first walls around this sacred site. After they left for Egypt, the site and the land was overwhelmed by the families of Egypts pharaoh whose direct lineage to Ham, Noah's son, included Kanaan his grandson. This occupation was in familial competition with the descendants of Noah's other son Shem (Malchi-tzedek) who worshiped at this site and originally named it Shalem after which the city Jerusalem was named. During a period of several hundred years whilst Jacob's family grew to become the nation of Israel in exile in Egypt, this sacred site was constructed upon and buried adjacent to and under buildings including the water tower over the Gihon known today in the City of David as Migdal David. Of course none of this is a scientific proof, we will have to wait further for that, but there are already important archaeological proofs that this site is connected with the King of Bethlehem, which is King David's birthplace. I maintain King Hezekiah who is know to have blocked the waters of the Gihon and who constructed the foundations of a city wall that penetrated the ground at this site, uncovered it after it had been buried more than 500 years including during the reigns of King David and King Solomon. In his discovery he identified the site as the matzevah of Jacob and the altar of Isaac. King Hezekiah, a spiritually fine tuned person, was sickened to the point of death by his discovery, saved only by the grace of God, because he knew the Temple of Solomon had been built in the wrong location and he did not know how to correct it. Instead he constructed the wall over the site of the altar, exactly on the line dividing the territory of Yehuda and Binyamin perhaps to protect that which would be important for future generations. That site is now being uncovered for the first time in 3400 years and who knows what lies perfectly preserved behind Hezekiah's wall. Visit the City of David in Jerusalem to find out more and donate http://www.cityofdavid.org.il/en/donate