Higid Mordekhai (Mordechai Narrated)

This is the statement of the author, Mordechai Ha-kohen, son of My Lord, My Father Rabbi Yehudah, son of Marco (Mordechai), son of Abraham Israel Hakohen, born in Tripoli, Africa, on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, 5616 years since the Creation, also called the year 1856: From the time that I was young I have sought to delve into the origins of my native country (even though my ancestors are from Genoa, Italy) and learn about the beginnings of Jewish settlement in it. In particular, my yearly trips in search of trade to the Atlas mountain communities where Jews have been living since the destruction of the Temple (may it be rebuilt speedily in our time), have moved me to study their origins and the ancient customs that they have received from their forefathers. I felt an irresistible urge to investigate these things of the past, for whoever travels in the region feels that the world of antiquity is suddenly laid bare before his eyes.

Scholars have searched for the ancient past of the people of Israel and their history in the lands of captivity. But historians have not written the history of Tripoli and Cyrenaica, either in general or in detail. Neither have the Rabbis of the district, whose knowledge dwarfs my own, laid the way for this effort to set down events and customs. Perhaps in the captivity and looting which they suffered their writings and precious objects were lost, leaving some room for my own contribution. I know very well that those who disdain me outnumber those who respect my efforts, and they say, “He has lost his sense of direction, he is pursuing worthless ends.” But this book will please unprejudiced scholars and researchers. In addition, it will answer their com-plaint against Tripoli: “How shall we look upon her, for even though she is one of Africa’s cities, no spirited man in her has risen up to gather and organize her history and customs?”

I searched diligently for documents and antique objects that would illuminate the past and its customs, until I found old records in the study of Rabbi Shaul Adadi. Among these manuscripts, I also found the writings of Avraham Khalfon, a local Chief Rabbi and the author of Ḥayei Avraham, which explains and praises the commandments and customs; he died in Safed, well on in years, in 1820. It is clear from most of his writings that they were copied from chronicles in the government archives. A few old and torn pages of his work were also found in the Jewish archives. I have also drawn upon the works of the venerable Rabbi Avraham Adadi, who was head of the Rabbinical Tribunal here and who passed away in Safed in 1874. I have made use of the book Ner Ha-Ma‘arav, sent to me by ———  to complete my work, as well as literature in Hebrew and other languages. That which I heard myself from trustworthy elders, or which I have seen with my own eyes, I have recorded at length.

I beseech the reader who may find a mistake in the spelling of a personal name or a place name not to blame me, because I have copied from old and partially erased sources written in the Arabic language with Hebrew script. When words run together, I have tried to decipher the meaning, interpreting the unclear on the basis of the clear. However, I may have erred in rendering several missing letters. This is particularly true of letters found in dates, for some of the dates are given according to the Mohammedan year, which begins in the month of Av, 4382 (July 622). The short Moslem year is based on twelve lunar months, or 345 days, 8 hours, and 876 seconds; but our solar year is just under 365 days and 6 hours. The Moslem year does not begin at the same time as the solar year; this means that when the source provides the year but not the month I may be mistaken by as much as one year.

In the notes, I have added some extraneous comments that may be of interest to scholars. I have called the book Highid Mordekhai, a title based on my name. From the beginning through Section 65 it describes general history; through Section 90, the organization and customs of the Jews; through Section 110, the villages as they concern the Jews; and from there till the end, the book tells of the Italian conquest of this land. 

Signed by the Author,
Mordechai Hakohen of Tripoli, Africa