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Encyclopaedia Judaica

Jews in Morocco 03: Trade and spiritual developments since 16th century

Jews in Portuguese port towns - maritime trade - good and bad situations

from: Morocco; In: Encyclopaedia Judaica 1971, vol. 12

presented by Michael Palomino (2008)

[Jews in Portuguese port towns on the Moroccan coast - and as Moroccan ambassadors in Portugal]

<At the beginning of the 16th century Portugal occupied some of the Moroccan coast on the shores of the Atlantic. Communities of megorashim [[refugees from Spain and Portugal]] had settled in such ports as Azemmour and Safi. From the beginning, cordial relations were established between them and the Portuguese, who employed their members as official interpreters and negotiators. The political role of these men was of prime importance to the kings of Portugal.

Indeed, the latter granted the Jews of their Moroccan bases rights which may be considered as extraordinary for that period; they loaded such families as *Benzamero, Adibe, and Dardeiro with favors. On the other hand, these Jews, as loyal subjects, did not hesitate in sacrificing their property or even their lives when this was required by Portuguese interests.

The coreligionists who lived under the sharifs of Marrakesh or the Wattasids of Fez were the principal factors in arranging the peace, always unstable, between the Portuguese and the Muslims. Jacob *Rosales and Jacob *Roti, talented ministers of the Wattasids, endeavored to create a lasting reconciliation between the Christians and the Muslims. Counselors of Muslim princes such as Menahem Sananes or Abraham Cordovi pursued similar objectives. These exiles from Spain and Portugal often traveled to the Portuguese kings as Moroccan ambassadors. During their stay in the Iberian Peninsula they also induced the *Marranos to establish themselves in Morocco.

[16th century-1912: Morocco as a haven for Jews fleeing from the "Christian" Inquisition - invention of sugar extraction - professions - Jewish dominance of the maritime trade - Jewish monopolies]

During the 16th century, Morocco became a haven for Marranos who arrived from the Iberian Peninsula, the Madeira Islands, the Azhores, the Canary Islands, and even the Americas. In Tetuán, Fez, Meknès, and Marrakesh there were centers for reconversion to Judaism. Some Jews succeeded in transferring their fortunes there, while others, such as skillful craftsmen and especially the gunsmiths, found immediate employment. It was early Marranos who introduced a new process for the extracting of sugar from sugarcane. Due to their methods Morocco became the leading producer of the world's best sugar during the 16th-17th centuries

Until recent times, the Jews of Morocco engaged in a variety of professions. In some regions there were farmers and cattle breeders among them; in general, however, they were mostly craftsmen, small tradesmen, peddlers, and, at times, moneylenders. Some industries, such as that of beeswax, and the trading of rubber and ostrich feathers were exclusively concentrated in the hands of the Jews. For religious reasons, the Muslims ceded to them the craftsmanship and trade of precious metals as well as the making of wine and its sale. Until 1912 the overwhelming majority of the maritime trade was controlled by a closed society of Jewish merchants. Wealthy and influential from father to (col. 333)

son, some of them were court bankers or high officials. They held the title of "merchants of the sultan", obtained for themselves or their protégés monopolies over a large number of products or foodstuffs, and held a monopoly over certain ports or took them in lease; the European countries entrusted them with their interests and they represented them before the sultan, officially or semi-officially.

[Impoverished Jewish masses - droughts and taxes - well going Jewish life in other places]

But the majority of the Jewish population, however, suffered in helpless poverty. The droughts which preceded famine and the exorbitant and arbitrary taxes which were temporarily levied on the communities from the 16th to the middle of the 18th century were the cause of their poverty. Nevertheless, the misfortunes which struck one community did not affect the others. It was thus, for example, a common occurrence that while Jews died of hunger in Fez or were persecuted in Meknès, prosperity reigned in the mellah of Marrakesh and Jews ruled the town of *Debdou.

When there was a weakening of the central authority of the sultan, Morocco was divided up into subordinated territory (Bled al-Makhzen) and unsubordinated territory (Bled al-Siba), the latter of which was always that of the Berbers under whom the Jews generally suffered less in their capacity of tolerated "protected subjects" (*dhimmi). Many of them were the serfs of the Muslim lord; however, until the 19th century there were also many Jews in the High Atlas Mountains, the Sus (Sous), and the Rif, essentially Berber regions, who carried weapons, rode horses, and did not pay the jizya [[poll tax]].

[Maimonides and other Jewish scholars]

Like the Berbers, the Jewish masses of Morocco were marked by their religiosity. But a sincere, profound, and intellectual piety also prevailed within Moroccan Judaism; its development was inspired by the writings of Maimonides. Over the last centuries this Judaism produced genuine scholars and a large number of authors, such as members of the families of Ibn Danan, Ibn Hayyim, *Abensur, *Almosnino, Assaban, Ben-Attar, *Berdugo, de *Avila, de Loya (*Delouga), *Elbaz, *Uzziel, *Serfaty, *Serero, *Toledano, and others. On given dates thousands of Jews left on regular pilgrimages (Ziara) through the country to the tombs of saints whose origin was at times unknown and who were venerated by both Jews and Muslims.

[Trend to Jewish mysticism in Morocco and its representatives]

In many educated circles there was an inclination toward mysticism: its members devoted themselves almost exclusively to the study of Kabbalah. The Zohar, much esteemed in Morocco, was often the principal work in their (col. 334)

curriculum. In several communities, particularly in Salé, Safi, and Marrakesh, teachers and disciples were grouped in closed circles from which emerged such personalities as Joseph Gikatilla, author of Ginnat Egoz; Abraham ha-Levi Berukhim, author of Tikkun Shabbat; Joseph ibn Teboul, author of Perush al Idra Rabba; Abraham b. Musa; Hayyim b. Moses *Attar, author of Or ha-Hayyim; Raphael Moses Elbaz, author of Kisse Melakhim; Joseph Corcos, author of Yosef Hen; Solomon Amar; and Abraham Azulai.

Initiates of the Kabbalah have remained numerous in Morocco until the present day. Many others followed *Shabbetai Zevi. During the middle of the 17th century the movement of this pseudo-Messiah achieved considerable success in Morocco. In the West, an important role in checking it was played by the Moroccan rabbis Jacob *Sasportas, Daniel Toledano, and Aaron ha-*Siboni.> (col. 335)

Sources
Encyclopaedia Judaica 1971: Morocco, vol. 12, col. 333-334	Encyclopaedia Judaica 1971: Morocco, vol. 12, col. 335-336

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