Jordan, which is here called the Sea of Chinnereth. The Jordan at this
place flows through a valley between two mountains, and fills the
lake, which is called the Lake of Chinnereth; this is a large and
broad piece of water like the sea. The Jordan flows between two
mountains, and over the plain which is the place that is called
Ashdoth Hapisgah, and thence continues its course till it falls into
the Sea of Sodom, which is the Salt Sea. In Tiberias there are about
fifty Jews, at their head being R. Abraham the astronomer, R. Muchtar,
and R. Isaac. There are hot waters here, which bubble up from the
ground, and are called the Hot Waters of Tiberias. Near by is the
Synagogue of Caleb ben Jephunneh, and Jewish sepulchres. R. Johanan
ben Zakkai and R. Jehudah Halevi[96] are buried here. All these places
are situated in Lower Galilee.
From here it is two days to Tymin or Timnathah, where Simon the
Just[97] and many Israelites are buried, and thence three parasangs to
Medon or Meron. In the neighbourhood there is a cave in which are the
sepulchres of Hillel and Shammai. Here also are twenty sepulchres of
disciples, including the sepulchres of R. Benjamin ben Japheth, and of
R. Jehudah ben Bethera. From Meron it is two parasangs to Almah, where
there are about fifty Jews. There is a large Jewish cemetery here,
with the sepulchres of R. Eleazar ben Arak, of R. Eleazar ben Azariah,
of Chuni Hamaagal, of Raban Simeon ben Gamaliel, and of R. Jose
Hagelili[98].
[p.46]
From here it is half a day's journey to Kades, or Kedesh Naphtali,
upon the Jordan. Here is the sepulchre of Barak the son of Abinoam. No
Jews dwell here.
Thence it is a day's journey to Banias, which is Dan, where there is a
cavern, from which the Jordan issues and flows for a distance of three
miles, when the Arnon, which comes from the borders of Moab, joins
it[99]. In front of the cavern may be discerned the site of the altar
associated with the graven image of Micah, which the children of Dan
worshipped in ancient days. This is also the site of the altar of
Jeroboam, where the golden calf was set up. Thus far reaches the
boundary of the land of Israel towards the uttermost sea[100].
[p.47]
Two days' journey brings one to Damascus, the great city, which is the
commencement of the empire of Nur-ed-din, the king of the Togarmim,
called Turks. It is a fair city of large extent, surrounded by walls,
with many gardens and plantations, extending over fifteen miles on
each side, and no district richer in fruit can be seen in all the
world. From Mount Hermon descend the rivers Amana and Pharpar; for the
city is situated at the foot of Mount Hermon. The Amana flows through
the city, and by means of aqueducts the water is conveyed to the
houses of the great people, and into the streets and market-places.
The Pharpar flows through their gardens and plantations. It is a place
carrying on trade with all countries. Here is a mosque of the Arabs
called the Gami of Damascus; there is no building like it in the whole
world, and they say that it was a palace of Ben Hadad. Here is a wall
of crystal glass of magic workmanship, with apertures according to the
days of the year, and as the sun's rays enter each of them in daily
succession the hours of the day can be told by a graduated dial. In
the palace are chambers built of gold and glass, and if people walk
round the wall they are able to see one another, although the wall is
between them. And there are columns overlaid with gold and silver, and
columns of marble of all colours[101]. And in the court there is a
gigantic head overlaid with gold and silver, and fashioned like a bowl
with rims of gold and silver. It is as big as a cask, and three men
can enter therein at the same time to bathe. In the palace is
suspended the rib of one of the giants, the length being nine cubits,
and the width two cubits; and they say it belonged to the King Anak of
the giants of old, whose name was Abramaz[102].
[p.48]
For so it was found inscribed on his grave, where it was also written
that he ruled over the whole world. Three thousand Jews abide in this
city, and amongst them are learned and rich men[103]. The head of the
Academy of the land of Israel resides here[104]. His name is R.
Azariah, and with him are his brother, Sar Shalom, the head of the
Beth Din: R. Joseph, the fifth of the Academy: R. Mazliach, the
lecturer, the head of the order: R. Meir, the crown of the scholars:
R. Joseph ben Al Pilath, the pillar of the Academy: R. Heman, the
warden: and R. Zedekiah, the physician. One hundred Karaïtes dwell
here, also 400 Cuthim, and there is peace between them, but they do
not intermarry.
It is a day's journey to Galid, which is Gilead, and sixty Israelites
are there, at their head being R. Zadok, R. Isaac, and R. Solomon. It
is a place of wide extent, with brooks of water, gardens, and
plantations. Thence it is half a day to Salkat, which is Salchah of
old[105].
[p.49]
Thence it is half a day's journey to Baalbec, which is Baalath in the
plains of Lebanon, and which Solomon built for the daughter of
Pharaoh. The palace is built of large stones, each stone having a
length of twenty cubits and a width of twelve cubits, and there are no
spaces between the stones. It is said that Ashmedai alone could have
put up this building. From the upper part of the city a great spring
wells forth and flows into the middle of the city as a wide stream,
and alongside thereof are mills and gardens and plantations in the
midst of the city. At Tarmod (Tadmor) in the wilderness, which Solomon
built, there are similar structures of huge stones.[106] The city of
Tarmod is surrounded by walls; it is in the desert far away from
inhabited places, and is four days' journey from Baalath, just
mentioned. And in Tarmod there are about 2,000 Jews. They are valiant
in war and fight with the Christians and with the Arabs, which latter
are under the dominion of Nur-ed-din the king, and they help their
neighbours the Ishmaelites. At their head are R. Isaac Hajvani, R.
Nathan, and R. Uziel.
From Baalbec to Karjat[=e]n, which 1s Kirjathim, is a distance of half
a day; no Jews live there except one dyer. Thence it is a day's
journey to Emesa, which is a city of the Zemarites, where about twenty
Jews dwell[107]. Thence it is a day's journey to Hamah, which is
Hamath. It lies on the river Jabbok at the foot of Mount Lebanon[108].
[p.50]
Some time ago there was a great earthquake in the city, and 25,000
souls perished in one day, and of about 200 Jews but seventy escaped.
At their head are R. Eli Hacohen, and the Sheik Abu Galib and Mukhtar.
Thence it is half a day to Sheizar, which is Hazor[109], and from
there it is three parasangs to Dimin (Latmin).
[p.51]
Thence it is two days to Haleb (Aleppo) or Aram Zoba, which is the
royal city of Nur-ed-din. In the midst of the city is his palace
surrounded by a very high wall. This is a very large place. There is
no well there nor any stream, but the inhabitants drink rainwater,
each one possessing a cistern in his house[110]. The city has 5,000
Jewish inhabitants, at their head being R. Moses el Constantini and R.
Seth. Thence it is two days to Balis[111], which is Pethor on the
river Euphrates, and unto this day there stands the turret of Balaam,
which he built to tell the hours of the day. About ten Jews live here.
Thence it is half a day to Kalat Jabar, which is Selah of the
wilderness, that was left unto the Arabs at the time the Togarmim took
their land and caused them to fly into the wilderness. About 2,000
Jews dwell there, at their head being R. Zedekiah, R. Chiya, and R.
Solomon.
Thence it is one day's journey to Rakka[112], or Salchah, which is on
the confines of the land of Shinar, and which divides the land of the
Togarmim from that kingdom. In it there are 700 Jews, at their head
being R. Zakkai and R. Nedib, who is blind, and R. Joseph. There is a
synagogue here, erected by Ezra when he went forth from Babylon to
Jerusalem. At two days' distance lies ancient Harr[=a]n, where twenty
Jews live[113]. Here is another synagogue erected by Ezra, and in this
place stood the house of Terah and Abraham his son. The ground is not
covered by any building, and the Mohammedans honour the site and come
thither to pray.
Thence it is a journey of two days to Ras-el-Ain[114], whence proceeds
the river El Khabur--the Habor of old--which flows through the land of
Media, and falls into the river Gozan[115]. Here there are 200
Jews[116]. Thence it is two days to Geziret Ibn Omar, which is
surrounded by the river Hiddekel (Tigris), at the foot of the
mountains of Ararat.
[p.52]
It is a distance of four miles to the place where Noah's Ark rested,
but Omar ben al Khataab took the ark from the two mountains and made
it into a mosque for the Mohammedans[117]. Near the ark is the
Synagogue of Ezra to this day, and on the ninth of Ab the Jews come
thither from the city to pray. In the city of Geziret Omar are 4,000
Jews, at their head being R. Mubchar, R. Joseph and R. Chiya.
Thence it is two days to Mosul, which is Assur the Great, and here
dwell about 7,000 Jews, at their head being R. Zakkai the Nasi of the
seed of David, and R. Joseph surnamed Burhan-al-mulk, the astronomer
to the King Sin-ed-din, the brother of Nur-ed-din, King of
Damascus[118]. Mosul is the frontier town of the land of Persia.
[p.53]
It is a very large and ancient city, situated on the river Hiddekel
(Tigris), and is connected with Nineveh by means of a bridge. Nineveh
is in ruins, but amid the ruins there are villages and hamlets, and
the extent of the city may be determined by the walls, which extend
forty parasangs to the city of Irbil[119]. The city of Nineveh is on
the river Hiddekel. In the city of Assur (Mosul) is the synagogue of
Obadiah, built by Jonah; also the synagogue of Nahum the
Elkoshite[120].
Thence it is a distance of three days to Rahbah, which is on the river
Euphrates. Here there are about 2,000 Jews, at their head being R.
Hezekiah, R. Tahor and R. Isaac. It is a very fine city, large and
fortified, and surrounded by gardens and plantations.
Thence it is a day's journey to Karkisiya which is Carchemish, on the
river Euphrates. Here there are about 500 Jews, at their head being R.
Isaac and R. Elhanan. Thence it is two days to El-Anbar which is
Pumbedita in Nehardea[121]. Here reside 3,000 Jews, and amongst them
are learned men, at their head being the chief rabbi R. Chen, R. Moses
and R. Jehoiakim. Here are the graves of Rab Jehuda and Samuel, and in
front of the graves of each of them are the synagogues which they
built in their lifetime. Here is also the grave of Bostanai the Nasi,
the head of the Captivity, and of R. Nathan and Rab Nachman the son of
Papa.
[p.54]
Thence it takes five days to Hadara, where about 15,000 Jews dwell, at
their head being R. Zaken, R. Jehosef and R. Nethanel[122].
Thence it takes two days to Okbara, the city, which Jeconiah the King
built, where there are about 10,000 Jews, and at their head are R.
Chanan, R. Jabin and R. Ishmael.
Thence it is two days to Bagdad, the great city and the royal
residence of the Caliph Emir al Muminin al Abbasi of the family of
Mohammed. He is at the head of the Mohammedan religion, and all the
kings of Islam obey him; he occupies a similar position to that held
by the Pope over the Christians[123]. He has a palace in Bagdad three
miles in extent, wherein is a great park with all varieties of trees,
fruit-bearing and otherwise, and all manner of animals. The whole is
surrounded by a wall, and in the park there is a lake whose waters are
fed by the river Hiddekel. Whenever the king desires to indulge in
recreation and to rejoice and feast, his servants catch all manner of'
birds, game and fish, and he goes to his palace with his counsellors
and princes.
[p.55]
There the great king, Al Abbasi the Caliph (Hafiz) holds his court,
and he is kind unto Israel, and many belonging to the people of Israel
are his attendants; he knows all languages, and is well versed in the
law of Israel. He reads and writes the holy language (Hebrew). He will
not partake of anything unless he has earned it by the work of his own
hands. He makes coverlets to which he attaches his seal; his courtiers
sell them in the market, and the great ones of the land purchase them,
and the proceeds thereof provide his sustenance. He is truthful and
trusty, speaking peace to all men. The men of Islam see him but once
in the year. The pilgrims that come from distant lands to go unto
Mecca which is in the land El-Yemen, are anxious to see his face, and
they assemble before the palace exclaiming "Our Lord, light of Islam
and glory of our Law, show us the effulgence of thy countenance," but
he pays no regard to their words.
[p.56]
Then the princes who minister unto him say to him, "Our Lord, spread
forth thy peace unto the men that have come from distant lands, who
crave to abide under the shadow of thy graciousness," and thereupon he
arises and lets down the hem of his robe from the window, and the
pilgrims come and kiss it[124], and a prince says unto them "Go forth
in peace, for our Master the Lord of Islam granteth peace to you." He
is regarded by them as Mohammed and they go to their houses rejoicing
at the salutation which the prince has vouchsafed unto them, and glad
at heart that they have kissed his robe.
Each of his brothers and the members of his family has an abode in his
palace, but they are all fettered in chains of iron, and guards are
placed over each of their houses so that they may not rise against the
great Caliph. For once it happened to a predecessor that his brothers
rose up against him and proclaimed one of themselves as Caliph; then
it was decreed that all the members of his family should be bound,
that they might not rise up against the ruling Caliph. Each one of
them resides in his palace in great splendour, and they own villages
and towns, and their stewards bring them the tribute thereof, and they
eat and drink and rejoice all the days of their life[125]. Within the
domains of the palace of the Caliph there are great buildings of
marble and columns of silver and gold, and carvings upon rare stones
are fixed in the walls.
[p.57]
In the Caliph's palace are great riches and towers filled with gold,
silken garments and all precious stones. He does not issue forth from
his palace save once in the year, at the feast which the Mohammedans
call El-id-bed Ramazan, and they come from distant lands that day to
see him. He rides on a mule and is attired in the royal robes of gold
and silver and fine linen; on his head is a turban adorned with
precious stones of priceless value, and over the turban is a black
shawl as a sign of his modesty, implying that all this glory will be
covered by darkness on the day of death. He is accompanied by all the
nobles of Islam dressed in fine garments and riding on horses, the
princes of Arabia, the princes of Togarma and Daylam (Gil[=a]n) and
the princes of Persia, Media and Ghuzz, and the princes of the land of
Tibet, which is three months' journey distant, and westward of which
lies the land of Samarkand. He proceeds from his palace to the great
mosque of Islam which is by the Basrah Gate.
[p.58]
Along the road the walls are adorned with silk and purple, and the
inhabitants receive him with all kinds of song and exultation, and
they dance before the great king who is styled the Caliph. They salute
him with a loud voice and say, "Peace unto thee, our Lord the King and
Light of Islam!" He kisses his robe, and stretching forth the hem
thereof he salutes them. Then he proceeds to the court of the mosque,
mounts a wooden pulpit and expounds to them their Law. Then the
learned ones of Islam arise and pray for him and extol his greatness
and his graciousness, to which they all respond. Afterwards he gives
them his blessing, and they bring before him a camel which he slays,
and this is their passover-sacrifice. He gives thereof unto the
princes and they distribute it to all, so that they may taste of the
sacrifice brought by their sacred king; and they all rejoice.
Afterwards he leaves the mosque and returns alone to his palace by way
of the river Hiddekel, and the grandees of Islam accompany him in
ships on the river until he enters his palace. He does not return the
way he came; and the road which he takes along the river-side is
watched all the year through, so that no man shall tread in his
footsteps. He does not leave the palace again for a whole year. He is
a benevolent man.
[p.59]
He built, on the other side of the river, on the banks of an arm of
the Euphrates which there borders the city, a hospital consisting of
blocks of houses and hospices for the sick poor who come to be
healed[126]. Here there are about sixty physicians' stores which are
provided from the Caliph's house with drugs and whatever else may be
required. Every sick man who comes is maintained at the Caliph's
expense and is medically treated. Here is a building which is called
Dar-al-Maristan, where they keep charge of the demented people who
have become insane in the towns through the great heat in the summer,
and they chain each of them in iron chains until their reason becomes
restored to them in the winter-time. Whilst they abide there, they are
provided with food from the house of the Caliph, and when their reason
is restored they are dismissed and each one of them goes to his house
and his home. Money is given to those that have stayed in the hospices
on their return to their homes. Every month the officers of the Caliph
inquire and investigate whether they have regained their reason, in
which case they are discharged. All this the Caliph does out of
charity to those that come to the city of Bagdad, whether they be sick
or insane. The Caliph is a righteous man, and all his actions are for
good.
[p.60]
In Bagdad there are about 40,000 Jews[127], and they dwell in
security, prosperity and honour under the great Caliph, and amongst
them are great sages, the heads of Academies engaged in the study of
the law. In this city there are ten Academies. At the head of the
great Academy is the chief rabbi R. Samuel, the son of Eli. He is the
head of the Academy Gaon Jacob. He is a Levite, and traces his
pedigree back to Moses our teacher. The head of the second Academy is
R. Hanania his brother, warden of the Levites; R. Daniel is the head
of the third Academy; R. Elazar the scholar is the head of the fourth
Academy; and R. Elazar, the son of Zemach, is the head of the order,
and his pedigree reaches to Samuel the prophet, the Korahite. He and
his brethren know how to chant the melodies as did the singers at the
time when the Temple was standing. He is head of the fifth Academy. R.
Hisdai, the glory of the scholars, is head of the sixth Academy. R.
Haggai is head of the seventh Academy. R. Ezra is the head of the
eighth Academy. R. Abraham, who is called Abu Tahir, is the head of
the ninth Academy. R. Zakkai, the son of Bostanai the Nasi, is the
head of the Sium[128].
[p.61]
These are the ten Batlanim[129], and they do not engage in any other
work than communal administration; and all the days of the week they
judge the Jews their countrymen, except on the second day of the week,
when they all appear before the chief rabbi Samuel, the head of the
Yeshiba Gaon (Jacob), who in conjunction with the other Batlanim
judges all those that appear before him. And at the head of them all
is Daniel the son of Hisdai, who is styled "Our Lord the Head of the
Captivity of all Israel." He possesses a book of pedigrees going back
as far as David, King of Israel. The Jews call him "Our Lord, Head of
the Captivity," and the Mohammedans call him "Saidna ben Daoud," and
he has been invested with authority over all the congregations of
Israel at the hands of the Emir al Muminin, the Lord of Islam[130].
For thus Mohammed commanded concerning him and his descendants; and he
granted him a seal of office over all the congregations that dwell
under his rule, and ordered that every one, whether Mohammedan or Jew,
or belonging to any other nation in his dominion, should rise up
before him (the Exilarch) and salute him, and that any one who should
refuse to rise up should receive one hundred stripes[131].
[p.62]
And every fifth day when he goes to pay a visit to the great Caliph,
horsemen, Gentiles as well as Jews, escort him, and heralds proclaim
in advance, "Make way before our Lord, the son of David, as is due
unto him," the Arabic words being "Amilu tarik la Saidna ben Daud." He
is mounted on a horse, and is attired in robes of silk and embroidery
with a large turban on his head, and from the turban is suspended a
long white cloth adorned with a chain upon which the cipher of
Mohammed is engraved. Then he appears before the Caliph and kisses his
hand, and the Caliph rises and places him on a throne which Mohammed
had ordered to be made for him, and all the Mohammedan princes who
attend the court of the Caliph rise up before him. And the Head of the
Captivity is seated on his throne opposite to the Caliph, in
compliance with the command of Mohammed to give effect to what is
written in the law--"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah nor a
law-giver from between his feet, until he come to Shiloh: and to him
shall the gathering of the people be." The authority of the Head of
the Captivity extends over all the communities of Shinar, Persia,
Khurasan and Sheba which is El-Yemen, and Diyar Kalach (Bekr) and the
land of Aram Naharaim (Mesopotamia), and over the dwellers in the
mountains of Ararat and the land of the Alans[132], which is a land
surrounded by mountains and has no outlet except by the iron gates
which Alexander made, but which were afterwards broken. Here are the
people called Alani. His authority extends also over the land of
Siberia, and the communities in the land of the Togarmim unto the
mountains of Asveh and the land of Gurgan, the inhabitants of which
are called Gurganim who dwell by the river Gihon[133], and these are
the Girgashites who follow the Christian religion. Further it extends
to the gates of Samarkand, the land of Tibet, and the land of India.
In respect of all these countries the Head of the Captivity gives the
communities power to appoint Rabbis and Ministers who come unto him to
be consecrated and to receive his authority.
[p.63]
They bring him offerings and gifts from the ends of the earth. He owns
hospices, gardens and plantations in Babylon, and much land inherited
from his fathers, and no one can take his possessions from him by
force. He has a fixed weekly revenue arising from the hospices of the
Jews, the markets and the merchants, apart from that which is brought
to him from far-off lands. The man is very rich, and wise in the
Scriptures as well as in the Talmud, and many Israelites dine at his
table every day.
At his installation, the Head of the Captivity gives much money to the
Caliph, to the Princes and the Ministers. On the day that the Caliph
performs the ceremony of investing him with authority, he rides in the
second of the royal equipages, and is escorted from the palace of the
Caliph to his own house with timbrels and fifes. The Exilarch appoints
the Chiefs of the Academies by placing his hand upon their heads, thus
installing them in their office[134]. The Jews of the city are learned
men and very rich.
[p.64]
In Bagdad there are twenty-eight Jewish Synagogues, situated either in
the city itself or in Al-Karkh on the other side of the Tigris; for
the river divides the metropolis into two parts. The great synagogue
of the Head of the Captivity has columns of marble of various colours
overlaid with silver and gold, and on these columns are sentences of
the Psalms in golden letters. And in front of the ark are about ten
steps of marble; on the topmost step are the seats of the Head of the
Captivity and of the Princes of the House of David. The city of Bagdad
is twenty miles in circumference, situated in a land of palms, gardens
and plantations, the like of which is not to be found in the whole
land of Shinar. People come thither with merchandise from all lands.
Wise men live there, philosophers who know all manner of wisdom, and
magicians expert in all manner of witchcraft.
Thence it is two days to Gazigan which is called Resen. It is a large
city containing about 5,000 Jews. In the midst of it is the Synagogue
of Rabbah[135]--a large one. He is buried close to the Synagogue, and
beneath his sepulchre is a cave where twelve of his pupils are buried.
[p.65]
Thence it is a day's journey to Babylon, which is the Babel of old.
The ruins thereof are thirty miles in extent[136]. The ruins of the
palace of Nebuchadnezzar are still to be seen there, but people are
afraid to enter them on account of the serpents and scorpions. Near at
hand, within a distance of a mile, there dwell 3,000 Israelites who
pray in the Synagogue of the Pavilion of Daniel, which is ancient and
was erected by Daniel. It is built of hewn stones and bricks. Between
the Synagogue and the Palace of Nebuchadnezzar is the furnace into
which were thrown Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and the site of it
lies in a valley[137] known unto all.