#480 (s5767-19 / 12 Shevat 5767)

The Early Fig Tragedy

The Arab residents of Safed plotted against Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz.

The Early Fig Tragedy


Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz
was renowned for his wisdom and piety. He is most famous for his Lecha Dodi hymn, "Let's go forth, my beloved," which quickly became universally incorporated into the Shabbat Evening prayers, where even today it is as beloved as ever.***

As time went by, his saintliness aroused jealousy among some of the Arab residents of Safed. They plotted against him. Knowing that the rabbi was accustomed to go out to the mountains seeking solitude for his meditations, they decided that one of them could follow him and murder him with no fear of witnesses.

One day shortly thereafter, Rabbi Alkabetz was ambushed by an Arab farmer and murdered. The farmer buried him in his courtyard under a fig tree. The following day the tree blossomed and bore fruit -- exceptionally large and delicious figs….yet it was out of season!

Soon news of the miraculous occurrence reached the ears of the Turkish provincial governor. He summoned the Arab farmer. "What is your secret of outstanding horticulture?" the governor asked. "This is the first I've ever heard of a tree bearing fruit before its appointed time."

The farmer remained silent. He was afraid of the consequences should he confess.

The governor asked again, more firmly this time, more demanding of an explanation. The farmer remained mute.

Finally, the governor ceased to tolerate the farmer's insolent silence, and ordered that he be tortured. The Arab finally confessed to killing Rabbi Alkabetz, and admitted that from the day he had buried him the fig tree had begun to bear fruit.

Startled and impressed by this revelation, the governor commanded that the farmer be hung from that very fig tree as punishment for slaying a holy man of Israel.

This posthumous miracle renewed the faith of the Jews of Safed in how great their beloved rabbi had been, for he had succeeded in pointing the accusing finger at his murderer even after his death.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Safed, The Mystical City" by Dovid Rossoff.

Biographic Note:
Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz (1508-1593), a major kabbalist in 16th century Tsfat, was the author of many important commentaries on Torah and Kabbala. He is best known as the composer of the famous liturgical poem "Lecha Dodi" (Come My Beloved"), sung by Jews worldwide to welcome the Shabbat.

***Editor's note:
For a new, rhyming translation into English, with Kabbala commentary, go to:
http://www.kabbalaonline.org/Meditations/shabbatprayers/Lecha_Dodi_new_translation.asp


 


Yrachmiel Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and editor of Ascent Quarterly and the AscentOfSafed.com and KabbalaOnline.org websites. He has hundreds of published stories to his credit.

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