Regarding the Tzaddik Mukrat and His Burial Place in Amuka • The Traditions Concerning His Grave • The Words of Rabbi Nosson (Moharnat) of Breslov

The Grave of the Tzaddik Mukrat in Amuka

Deep within the Amuka forest in the Upper Galilee, the sefarim note—besides the grave of the G-dly Tanna Yonasan ben Uziel—the grave of an otherwise unknown tzaddik whose name was Mukrat.

The tzaddik Mukrat lived in the era of the Tannaim or the Amoraim. Nothing is known about him. However, three sefarim mention his burial place in Amuka. One of these is the sefer of our luminary Rabbi Nosson of Breslov (Moharnat), “Shemos HaTzaddikim.” In that sefer he went beyond his usual practice and wrote about a certain tzaddik—Mukrat—and even recorded his burial place. The conclusion that he lived in the generation of the Tannaim or Amoraim is based on the fact that Moharnat brings him in “Shemos HaTzaddikim” among the names of the Tannaim and Amoraim, and not among the generations before them or after them.

The Tradition Concerning His Grave

In the letter “Gelilos Eretz Yisrael” (a manuscript in Yiddish) from the year 5384 (1624), it is written: “Amuka—this is a valley called Amuka, and there is buried Yonasan ben Uziel, the author of the Targum. Also another tzaddik called D’man Mukres zt”l. And over him is a tombstone and a large tree with beautiful, sweet fruits, and it is called ‘Sabrayan.’”

[caption id="attachment_50276" align="alignnone" width="224"] Illustration of the monument of Yonasan ben Uziel and beside it the tree. From the sefer Yichus HaAvos, year 5297[/caption]

In the year 5460 (1700), his burial place is brought in the sefer “Seder HaDoros”: “Yonasan ben Uziel … is buried in the village of Amuka near Tzefas; see the margin notes of the Zohar on Parshas Pinchas 94a, Zolzbach edition. And so it is written in Gelilos Eretz Yisrael. And there is also another tzaddik whose name is Mukrat, and over him is a tombstone,” end quote. At the bottom of the page, a gloss was written regarding the name Mukrat, as follows: “In Gelilos Eretz Yisrael: D’man Mukres.”

Moharnat writes in his sefer “Shemos HaTzaddikim,” at the end of the letter Mem: “Mukrat, who is buried together with Yonasan ben Uziel.”

In the sefer “Eden Tzion” from the year 5709 (1949), it is written: “In Seder HaDoros and Gelilos Eretz Yisrael they wrote that another tzaddik called D’man Mukres zt”l (in Seder HaDoros it is written ‘Mukrat’) is buried there [=in Amuka], and in Chibas Yerushalayim this was not copied, and also in our times we did not know of this. (Editor’s note: Shemos HaTzaddikim wrote ‘Mukrat, who is buried together with Yonasan ben Uziel’),” end quote.

Considerations in the Words of Moharnat

We need to understand in the words of Moharnat:

1. Why did he write “Mukrat,” and not “D’man Mukres,” as it appears in the source—in the sefer Gelilos Eretz Yisrael?
2. What is the meaning of the words “together with”—literally together, or merely nearby?

From the words of Moharnat it seems:

1. A. It is possible that he knew through Ruach HaKodesh that this was the tzaddik’s name. B. It can be said that it appears he follows the text of Seder HaDoros and not the gloss there that brings the source of the tradition—the sefer Gelilos Eretz Yisrael. C. Or perhaps Moharnat only had Seder HaDoros before him and not Gelilos Eretz Yisrael; and the gloss was written in later years.
2. Since Moharnat wrote in the wording “who is buried together with,” and did not write “buried beside,” or “buried near,” it implies that Mukrat is literally buried together with Yonasan ben Uziel.

However, in the year 5739 (1979), during the renovation and expansion of the monument of Yonasan ben Uziel, a stone coffin [sarcophagus] was discovered directly beneath the monument itself—the burial place of Yonasan ben Uziel. It does not appear that they buried both Yonasan ben Uziel and Mukrat in one coffin, but “we have not seen” is not proof. This requires further study.

[caption id="attachment_50248" align="alignnone" width="300"] The coffin beneath the monument of the Tanna Yonasan ben Uziel, discovered in 5739 (1979) during renovation of the tombstone[/caption]

Where Is His Grave Located?

On old maps from about 80 years ago, two nearby sheikh graves are marked in Amuka, visible close to one another. One is the grave of Sheikh Muhammad al-‘Ajami and the other is the grave of Sheikh Harb. “Al-‘Ajami” means—not from that people, i.e., not Muslim. And “Harb” means—a stranger, who also is not Muslim. The grave of Yonasan ben Uziel is the exact location of the grave of Sheikh Harb, and from this it appears that the intention is likewise a non-Muslim, and it is possible that this is a Jewish grave. It stands to reason that he was an important person, and it is possible that this is indeed the grave of the tzaddik Mukrat.

This grave can be clearly seen from the road leading to the grave of Yonasan ben Uziel. A little before the entrance to the parking area of the monument, before the last bend, a blue tombstone can be seen right next to the road. Over the last decade, the “Ohalei Tzaddikim” association renovated the site and even placed a sign with the name “The Tanna Mukrat.”

[caption id="attachment_50275" align="alignnone" width="300"] The grave of the tzaddik Mukrat, Amuka, Israel[/caption]

In recent years, several people saw a cave in Amuka, painted it blue, and wrote on it: “Grave of Mukrat.” They have nothing to rely on: A. It is not mentioned that he was buried in a cave. B. The author of Seder HaDoros writes explicitly: “and over him is a tombstone,” implying a tombstone out in the open field, not inside a cave.