In the Eighteenth Century

In the Eighteenth Century.

In 1665 the chief rabbi was Moses Galante, and among his associates were Abraham zemaH, Joseph Hagiz, and Aaron Padro (Pardo?). Shabbethai zebi, though in Palestine at this time, does not seem to have visited Jerusalem. Galante was followed by Moses ibn Habib in 1689; while the head of the Ashkenazim was Moses ha-Kohen. In 1690 a large number of Hasidim, at whose head was R. Judah he-Hasid of Shidliz near Grodno, came to Jerusalem and took up their abode in Dair Siknaji, which onthat account was afterward called "Hurbat Rabbi Judah he-Hasid." Judah, however, died three days after their arrival. They were so poor that, in order to meet the exactions of the authorities, they had to hypothecate all their buildings, and Moses ha-Kohen, head of the Ashkenazim, went, together with Isaac of Slutsk, to Europe to gather money in their behalf. Frankfort-on-the-Main alone sent 128,000 piasters (25,600 gulden), and Metz 5,000 gulden. Especially helpful were Samson Wertheimer and his son Wolf of Vienna, who not only sent large sums, but through court influence exercised through the Austrian representative at Constantinople tried to prevent the Jews in Jerusalem from falling still further into debt (see Kaufmann in "R. E. J." xxi. 140, and in "Jerusalem," iv. 25 et seq.). In 1695 Moses Hayyun was chief rabbi. Among other prominent rabbis were Samuel Tanuji and Moses Hagiz, while the head of the Ashkenazim was Nathan Nata of Mannheim. In 1715 the chief rabbi was Abraham YizHaki, whose successor for two years was Benjamin ha-Kohen Ma'ali.

In 1716 appeared the "Sha'alu Shelom Yerushalayim" of Gedaliah of Semiecz (transl. by Steinschneider in "Z. D. P. V." iii. 226). Gedaliah had come with Judah heHasid. He describes the synagogue built by the Hasidim in a courtyard in which were forty houses. When a new pasha came, the Jews paid him 500 löwenthaler for three years, and an extra bakshish whenever any additional building was to be erected. To meet these requirements, money had to be borrowed from the Turks at 10 per cent. The Jews were forbidden to sell wine or other liquor to the Turks. Few of them had shops; and they were in general very poor. In 1703 the people of the city had revolted against the pasha and had shut the gates of the city upon him. His successor was allowed to enter only for the purpose of receiving the taxes; but in 1705-6 he put down the rebellion, and demanded much money from the richer Jews. Another pasha forbade the Jews to wear white garments on Sabbath or iron in the soles of their shoes. Their turbans were to be large and black; and on the street Jews were always to pass on the left of Moslems. In 1721 the Moslems fell upon the synagogue of the Ashkenazim; burned all the woodwork and the books; took the Jews prisoners; and occupied all the dwelling-places in Dair Siknaji.

In 1730 the chief rabbi was Eleazar b. Jacob Nahum, and his associates were Isaac ZarHi, Israel MizraHi, and Menahem Habib. In 1738 Emanuel Hai Ricci came to Jerusalem, and in 1742 Hayyim ibn 'Attar, who became president of one of the yeshibot. In 1745 Nissim Hayyim Moses MizraHi was chief rabbi. He was followed by Israel Jacob al-Gazi, and in 1754 by Isaac ha-Kohen of the Rapoport family in Lublin. Prominent in Isaac's day were Hayyim Joseph Azulai, Jonah Nabon, and Joseph b. Aaron Hason. Isaac was followed in 1762 by Raphael MeyuHas Bekor Samuel, and in 1786 by Yom-tob al-Gazi, in whose day there lived the noted cabalist Shalom MizraHi (called ) of Yemen.

Jerusalem