An area in Israel important in the development of farming has some new surprises:
The Levant is believed to be one of the first areas of the world where humans began farming and developing sedentary cultures some 8,000 years ago. source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-study-finds-burst-of-fires-8000-years-ago-forced-humans-to-become-farmers/
Apparently, these changes were brought about by some drastic shift in conditions:
“The various records infer that the environmental catastrophes resulted from a climatic shift, rather than an anthropogenic cause, such as intentional burning,” the study concludes. “Increased lightning intensity promoted an intensive fire regime, which caused major loss of vegetation and soil degradation, enhancing and possibly causing the Neolithic revolution. Unprecedented human behavior, such as farming and domestication of plants and animals, could be influenced by the severe environmental deterioration.” source: ibid
The result was a different way of life that rapidly unfolded:
The fires, the study suggests, cleared large areas of vegetation where early humans would have hunted and foraged. The soil, no longer held together by plant roots, was washed or blown off mountainsides into water-retaining valleys or natural depressions, providing the perfect conditions for hungry humans to begin agricultural cultivation.
The locations of the accumulated soil, known as sediment, correspond to some of the largest Neolithic settlements from the period, according to the study. Among them are Jericho, Gilgal, and Netiv Hagdud in the southern Jordan Valley, as well as Sha’ar Hagolan, further north, just below the Sea of Galilee.
On the hills, where the soil was mostly eroded, large Neolithic settlements were mainly concentrated in areas of thick sediment buildup, as at the site of Motza, just west of Jerusalem. source: ibid
Motza has significant history during the Temple Period:
The neighborhood itself has an interesting history. Successive excavations at and near the site have thrown light on the village’s interesting history as a place of worship — and liturgical supply — during the Temple Period.
According to Wikipedia:
“Motza was the first Jewish farm founded outside the walls of the Old City in the modern era. It is believed to be located on the site of a Biblical village of the same name [mentioned in the Book of Joshua].”
According, again, to Wikipedia (interestingly enough all these eons later the village’s residents take pride in this fact!):
“During the Second Temple period, Motza was the place whence willow branches were cut down for the abundance of willows that grew in the valley … and brought to the Temple for ceremonial worship.”
Excavations led by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in 2012 unearthed the Tel Motza temple, a large building which revealed clear elements of ritual use. source: https://medium.com/living-in-israel/motza-an-idyllic-getaway-spot-just-outside-jerusalem-fd79fb9c7c65
Motza has some interesting history as a word according to wiktionary:
Probably from motza, a variant of matzo, or its etymon Yiddish מצה (matse, “(unleavened) bread”). Compare bread, dough (“money”). source: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/motza
Likely this refers to the festival of Sukkot:
Hoshanot (derived from the words hosha na—“bring us salvation, please”) 1: the special prayers recited each day of Sukkot while holding the lulav and etrog. 2: the willow branches customarily used to beat the ground on the seventh day of Sukkot, Hoshana Rabbah. source: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2337565/jewish/All-About-Hoshanot.htm
Could all these be signs that the proper use of farming is as a service to YHVH as opposed to money so as to stay “unleavened”? What about those who become rich off of farming and do no such thing? Was the lightning sent from Him due to some displeasure with the Neolithic people before that led to farming? Might it happen again?