The tomb of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness has drawn Yidden to the hills above Teveriah for centuries. Perched on the slope overlooking the Kinneret, this sacred site is a place of tefillah (prayer) where the zechus (merit) of one of our greatest Tannaim continues to uplift Klal Yisroel in every generation. Yidden come here in pain, in hope, and in gratitude, to pour out their hearts before the Ribbono Shel Olam (Master of the Universe).
Why do so many travel to daven at the kever (gravesite) of a tzaddik who passed away nearly two thousand years ago? What is the source for this practice in our Torah? And how does the giving of tzedakah (charitable giving) at this holy place connect to the cry of “Elokah d’Meir aneni”? These questions are rooted in emunah (faith) and anchored in the teachings of Chazal (our Sages). Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities, founded in 1799, has served as a bridge between Yidden around the world and the poor of Eretz Yisroel, continuing the very legacy of chesed (kindness) that Rabbi Meir himself embodied.
Teveriah: A City of Tzaddikim
Teveriah is one of the four holy cities of Eretz Yisroel, and it is saturated with kedushah (holiness). The gravesites of some of the greatest figures in our mesorah are gathered here, among them Rabbi Akiva and the Rambam (Maimonides). The city served as a seat of the Sanhedrin during its later period and as a center of Torah learning for generations, which is why so many of our Sages chose to be buried in its soil.
The kever of Rabbi Meir is the largest tziun (tomb marker) among the many burial sites in the area. When you stand here, you stand in a place where generations of Yidden have poured out their hearts to Hashem, in a city whose very stones carry the weight of Torah.
The Historical Roots of the Tziun
Rabbi Meir lived during the second century of the Common Era, a fourth-generation Tanna who studied under Rabbi Akiva in the generation following the Bar Kochba revolt. His teachings are woven throughout the Mishnah, and his influence on the Oral Torah was immense. The Gemara in Sanhedrin 86a teaches: “סתם מתניתין רבי מאיר” — an anonymous Mishnah follows the opinion of Rabbi Meir.
According to our mesorah, Rabbi Meir passed away outside Eretz Yisroel, in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey). The Yerushalmi records that he asked to be buried by the seashore, whose waters border the shores of Eretz Yisroel, expressing his longing to be joined to the Holy Land even in death. The tradition holds that he was eventually brought to Teveriah and laid to rest along the shores of the Kinneret, near his great teacher Rabbi Akiva. One well-known tradition teaches that he was buried in a standing position, awaiting the coming of Moshiach; while this detail comes from later tradition rather than from the Gemara itself, it reflects the deep reverence our people have always held for this tzaddik.
The site has been venerated and documented by Jewish travelers across the centuries, including Rabbi Petachya of Regensburg and, in later generations, Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura, both of whom recorded the kevarim of Teveriah. By the nineteenth century the Ottoman authorities recognized the site, and the two iconic domed structures were built over the ancient burial cave — a white dome maintained by the Sephardic community and a blue dome maintained by the Ashkenazic community. Together they form the largest tomb complex in all of Teveriah and have become a symbol of the city itself.
Why Yidden Have Always Davened at the Kevaros of Tzaddikim
The practice of davening at the graves of tzaddikim is not a folk custom without roots. It is grounded in Torah sources and discussed by our greatest poskim (halachic authorities). The Gemara in Taanis 16a records that on public fast days the community would go out to the beis hakvaros (cemetery), offering two reasons: either to remind ourselves that we are like the dead before Hashem, arousing us to teshuvah (repentance), or so that the tzaddikim buried there should ask for rachamim (mercy) on our behalf.
The Rema in Orach Chaim 581:4 codifies the practice of visiting the kevaros of tzaddikim before Rosh Hashanah and increasing tefillah there. Later commentaries explain that the cemetery is a place where tefillah directed to Hashem is particularly potent when offered in the zechus of the righteous. Kabbalistic sources, including the Zohar, describe the neshamos (souls) of tzaddikim as continuing to serve as melitzei yosher (advocates) for Klal Yisroel after their passing.
We must always remember a fundamental principle of our emunah: we do not daven to the tzaddik. We ask the Ribbono Shel Olam to hear our tefillos in the zechus of the righteous one buried there. The tzaddik is not the address of our prayer; Hashem alone is, and He alone determines every outcome.
What Makes Rabbi Meir’s Kever Unique
Rabbi Meir earned the title “Baal Haness” — Master of Miracles. The Gemara in Avodah Zarah 18b recounts the episode in which the phrase “Elokah d’Meir aneni” was invoked and a miracle followed. This connection between Rabbi Meir’s name and miraculous Divine intervention has given his kever a singular place in our tradition.
The Gemara in Eruvin 13b testifies to his extraordinary stature, teaching that his colleagues could not fathom the full depth of his reasoning: “שלא יכלו חבריו לעמוד על סוף דעתו.” The same Gemara records that Rebbi (Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi) attributed his own sharpness of mind to having glimpsed Rabbi Meir. A Tanna of such brilliance and such closeness to Hashem, whose very name became associated with miracles, naturally draws Yidden seeking yeshuos (salvations) and brachos.
Elokah d’Meir Aneni: The Cry That Echoes Through the Generations
The phrase “Elokah d’Meir aneni” — G-d of Meir, answer me! — originates in the Gemara in Avodah Zarah 18b. There, the words are invoked at a moment of mortal danger, and a miraculous deliverance follows. Rashi and Tosafos discuss the details of the episode and the interplay between Rabbi Meir’s actions, his faith, and Divine intervention. Some explain (see Maharsha on Avodah Zarah 18b) that the power of invoking Rabbi Meir’s name is connected to the depth of his Torah and the purity of his intentions.
When a Yid says “Elokah d’Meir aneni,” he is saying: “Ribbono Shel Olam, just as You answered in the merit of Rabbi Meir in his time, please answer me in mine.” It is a tefillah directed entirely to Hashem, in the zechus of one of His most faithful servants. The Jerusalem Talmud in Berachos 2:7 records that Rabbi Yose be-Rabbi Chalafta praised Rabbi Meir before the people of Tzippori as “אדם גדול, אדם קדוש, אדם צנוע” — a great man, a holy man, a modest man.
Many Yidden throughout the generations have associated yeshuos with giving tzedakah and reciting this phrase, in matters of health, parnassah (livelihood), shidduchim (marriage matches), and nachas (joy from children). We approach these accounts with humility, recognizing that only Hashem determines outcomes, while acknowledging the longstanding custom of connecting to a tzaddik’s zechus through tefillah and tzedakah. As with all segulos (spiritual practices), these are not guarantees or formulas — they are ways of strengthening our connection to Hashem and increasing our zechus.
The Connection Between Tzedakah and Tefillah
Throughout the generations, Yidden have understood that tefillah and tzedakah together carry a special ko’ach (power). The Gemara in Bava Basra 10a teaches that tzedakah is great because it brings the geulah (redemption) closer, and the posuk in Mishlei 10:2 states: “וצדקה תציל ממות” — tzedakah saves from death. At the kever of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, this pairing of giving and davening has been practiced for centuries.
Yidden who could not make the physical journey to Teveriah would send their tzedakah to be distributed to the poor of Eretz Yisroel in Rabbi Meir’s merit, while emissaries davened on their behalf at the tziun. This is one of the foundations upon which Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities was established in 1799 — to serve as the bridge between Yidden worldwide and the needy families of the Holy Land. When the great earthquake of 1837 devastated the Jewish community of Teveriah, Yidden around the world rallied to rebuild, and the established channels of tzedakah in Rabbi Meir’s zechus were part of that response. That pattern of crisis and compassionate response has repeated across the centuries.
The Hilula of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness
The 14th of Iyar, Pesach Sheini, is observed by many communities as the hilula (anniversary of passing) of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, and thousands of Yidden gather in Teveriah to daven at the kever. Rabbi Avrohom Belaisch, zt”l, recorded that the minhag of Klal Yisroel on the eve and day of the 14th of Iyar is to learn Mishnayos, Baraisos, Halachos, and Midrashim in which the name of Rabbi Meir is mentioned. He explains that through learning what the tzaddik himself taught, we bring gratification to his neshamah, as the posuk in Shir HaShirim 7:10 states: “דובב שפתי ישנים” — causing the lips of those who sleep to move.
The hilula falls just three days before the hilula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai at Meron on Lag BaOmer, and many Yidden make the journey to both holy sites in succession. For the crowds, the candle-lighting, the all-night Tehillim, and everything you need to know about being there, see our full guide on how to visit the kever of Rabbi Meir.
About Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities
Rabbi Meir’s life was defined by Torah, chesed, and an unwavering commitment to Klal Yisroel. When we give tzedakah in his memory, we do more than honor a great Tanna; we continue the very work he devoted his life to. Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities channels donations from Yidden around the world to support needy families, Torah scholars, widows, and orphans throughout Eretz Yisroel.
When you daven for a yeshuah and give tzedakah in the merit of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, you create a powerful pairing of tefillah and ma’asim tovim (good deeds). You support real families in the Holy Land who depend on this chesed, and you link yourself to a chain of giving that stretches back over two centuries.
Give Tzedakah in the Zechus of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Your gift sustains Torah scholars and needy families in Eretz Yisroel, and stands as a zechus for your own tefillos. → Donate now
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the tomb of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness? The kever stands in southern Teveriah, on a hillside above the western shore of the Kinneret. For directions, hours, and travel details, see our visitor guide.
Why is Rabbi Meir called “Baal Haness”? The title means “Master of Miracles.” It is connected to the episode in Avodah Zarah 18b in which the phrase “Elokah d’Meir aneni” was invoked and a miracle followed.
Is it permissible to daven at a kever according to halachah? Yes. The practice is rooted in the Gemara (Taanis 16a) and codified by the Rema (Orach Chaim 581:4). We do not daven to the tzaddik; we ask Hashem to answer us in his zechus.
Does giving tzedakah in Rabbi Meir’s merit guarantee a yeshuah? No. Tzedakah and tefillah are longstanding customs for arousing Hashem’s rachamim and increasing zechus, but only the Ribbono Shel Olam determines outcomes.
Can I connect to the kever if I cannot travel to Eretz Yisroel? Yes. You can give tzedakah in Rabbi Meir’s zechus from anywhere and submit a prayer request to talmidei chachamim who daven at the kever on your behalf. Details are in the visitor guide.
A Brachah
In the merit of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness, may your tefillos be received with rachamim, and may you be blessed with Bracha and Hatzlochah in all your endeavors.
