(Anonymous). Chorvoth Yerushalayim [narrative account of the tragedies that befell the Holy City of Jerusalem during ibn Farouk’s unrest in the years 1625-6]

This exceptionally rare book presents a personal account of the havoc wrought by the tyrant Mohammed ibn Farouk, during his reign of terror over the City of Jerusalem in the years 1625-6. With an army of mercenaries, ibn Farouk, a Bedouin Sheikh, arrived in Jerusalem in 1625 and declared himself absolute ruler. Written in poetic prose, this anonymous work recounts the tremendous sums of money extorted by ibn Farouk from the Jewish community during the ensuing year and a half of tyranny. According to the narrative, following an audacious and ultimately fatal assault upon the Sultan himself on the night of 12th Kislev 1626, Farouk allegedly had a dream in which the Biblical King David appeared and warned Farouk he would die if he remained in Jerusalem for even a single night further. Ibn Farouk deserted the city before morning and nothing more is known of him. However, in the aftermath of the tyranny, the impoverished Jewish community of Jerusalem were burdened with significant debts due to the excessive taxes and ransom demands imposed on them during Farouk’s reign. Forced to borrow money from Arab neighbors at extravagant rates of interest, the Jews of Jerusalem sent emissaries to the Diaspora to collect funds. These emissaries travelled to Jewish communities in the Italian states, Bohemia, Netherlands, Poland, Austria and even to the Greek Islands. It is in this context that the present work came to be. As an emissary to the Venetian States, the anonymous author of Chorvoth Yerushalayim, printed his emotive chronicle of the tragic period in an effort to encourage the Jews of the Diaspora to ease the financial plight of their fellow Jews of Jerusalem. Resembling the Scroll of Esther in its linguistic style and dramatic construction, Chorvoth Yerushalayim was no doubt intended to present a contemporary “Purim Story,” that is, salvation from the decrees of a wicked tyrant. The work carries the approbations of the Rabbis of Jerusalem and in turn, is endorsed by the Rabbinate of Venice, including Aaron ben Moses ibn Mochir, Jacob Romano, Judah Aryeh Modena and Azariah Figo. The work also contains a narrative by scholars who were forced to flee Jerusalem due to direct personal danger. Among whom was the She’lah Ha’kodesh, R. Isaiah Horowitz, who left Jerusalem for Safed under threat of capture and imprisonment by Farouk. The identity of the author of Chorvoth Yerushalayim has eluded bibliographers and scholars. Neither Yaari in Shluchei Eretz Israel, nor Rivlin in the introduction to his annotated edition (1928), were able to determine who the author was. For a full account of Farouk’s rise and fall see D. Rossoff, Where Heaven Touches Earth - Jewish Life in Jerusalem from Medieval Times to the Present (1998) pp.56-64.