I noticed that in the “Today in Jewish History” section on your site, there is no mention of the 26th of Sivan as the yahrzeit of the great Talmudic sage Yonatan ben Uziel. Why is that? In Israel, there is a large pilgrimage to his grave near the town of Amuka on that day.
Reply:
Since this question comes up frequently, I will address it in some detail.
Who Was Yonatan ben Uziel?
The Talmud relates that the great sage Hillel had 80 exceptional students. Thirty were so holy they merited divine revelation like Moses; 30 were as spiritually mighty as Joshua, who caused the sun to stand still; and 20 were in between. The greatest of them all was Yonatan ben Uziel.1
If even the “smallest” of Hillel’s 80 exceptional students—Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai—knew every hidden secret of the Torah, imagine the greatness of Yonatan! So intense was his Torah study that birds flying overhead were consumed by the fiery holiness.2
Yonatan ben Uziel is most famous for Targum Yonatan—his Aramaic translation and elucidation on the Prophets. When he composed it, tradition tells us, the Land of Israel trembled, and a heavenly voice called out, “Who has revealed My secrets to mortals?” Yonatan humbly responded that he had done so not for his own honor, but to help the Jewish people understand the words of the Prophets. He wanted to do the same for the Writings (Ketuvim), but was stopped by Heaven, as those secrets are reserved for the Messianic era.3
Surely, then, the day of his passing would be a day worthy of commemoration.
Where Is Yonatan ben Uziel Buried?
The earliest known reference to the location of his grave appears in Megillat Evyatar (1083), where Rabbi Evyatar Gaon describes the burial of his father, Rabbi Eliyahu Gaon—a descendant of the Mishnaic sage Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah—near Dalton (which is quite close present-day Amuka), near the graves of righteous figures, including Yonatan ben Uziel.4
By around 1210, Rabbi Shmuel ben Shimshon explicitly identified the grave in Amuka, describing a large tree growing over it and noting that local Muslims would light lamps and make vows there in the sage’s honor.5
A different tradition appears in 1215, however, when Rabbi Menachem of Hebron described visiting the grave of Yonatan ben Uziel near the Jordan River, also marked by a massive tree.
An early illustration of his tomb in Amuka, marked by a large stone, appears in the 1537 work Yichus Avot Vehanevi’im (Ancestry of Fathers and Prophets).
Seeking a Soulmate on 26 Sivan
In more recent times—for reasons that are not entirely clear—the gravesite of Yonatan ben Uziel in Amuka has become a popular destination for those seeking Divine assistance, especially in finding a marriage partner.
While there is a long-standing custom to pray at the graves of righteous individuals, particularly those known for their love and kindness, the specific association of Amuka with finding a shidduch (soulmate) seems to be a relatively modern development. Though many theories and speculations have been offered, no classical sources directly connect Yonatan ben Uziel with this particular segulah.
It is only in recent decades—somewhere in the past 75 years—that many have begun to observe the 26th of Sivan as the yahrzeit of Yonatan ben Uziel. There is, however, no known classical source that confirms this as the actual date of his passing.
One theory as to how this date became associated with him relates to the tragic events of the day before.
According to the early rabbinic work Megillat Ta’anit (ch. 12), the 25th of Sivan marks the brutal execution of three of the Ten Martyrs: Rabbi Yishmael Kohen Gadol, Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, and Rabbi Chanina Segan HaKohanim, who were murdered by the Romans during a time of harsh decrees against Torah scholars.
Their deaths were deeply mourned and the date became one of national sorrow.
Some suggest that since people would visit their graves on the 25th of Sivan, others began to visit the grave of Yonatan ben Uziel—which is located in the general region—the following day. Over time, this custom took root, and the 26th of Sivan came to be observed by many as his yahrzeit, even though no early halachic or historical works mention it.
Thus, while the day has become a meaningful opportunity for many—especially singles—to visit Amuka and pray for a soulmate, it is not grounded in a documented tradition regarding the actual date of his passing.
Conclusion
Based on the above, although it is certainly praiseworthy to visit and pray at the gravesites of our holy and righteous forebears, we cannot include the 26th of Sivan as the day of Yonatan ben Uziel’s passing in our official listings, as there is no authentic source confirming that date.
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