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HISTORY OF ZEFAT
Zefat (also spelled Safed, Zefat, Tsfat, Zfat, Safad, Safet, Tzfat, etc.), is located in the mountains of the Upper Galilee in the North of Israel, 900 meters (2952 ft), above sea level. Zefat commands magnificent views: the Golan Heights in the east, Mt. Hermon and Lebanon in the north, Mt. Meron in the west and Tiberias & the Kinneret (sea of Galilee) in the south.
The Yalkut Meam Loez, in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, says that Moshiach will come from Zefat on his way to Jerusalem. The Aari Hakadosh said that until the Third Temple is built, the Shechinah (God's Manifest Presence) rests above Zefat.
Its past is
also rich and great. According to legend, was founded by Shem the son of
Noah, Safed is where Shem and Ever, son and
grandson of Noach, established their yeshiva where Yaakov Avinu studied
for many years.
Zefat is one of the 4 holy cities, together with Jerusalem, Hebron and Tiberias.
Zefat is referred to as Tzefiya in the Talmud. Yossef Ben Mattityahu (Josephus
Flavius) who was commander of the North of Israel during the revolt against the
Romans, fortified Zefat before he became a turncoat.
The crusaders turned it into an administrative center, building one of the
largest Frankish castles in the Middle East. It was besieged by Saladin in 1188.
When Sultan Beibars finally took it in 1266, he decapitated the men and sold the
women and children into slavery. As the Crusader cities along the coast fell to
the Mamelukes, many Jews moved to Zefat. The town prospered and was the capital
of a province and a lively commercial centre. Zefat took in many Jews following
their expulsion from Spain in 1492. During the 16th century it positively shone
with learning.
The rabbis and the sages were all attracted by the proximity of the tomb of
Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai at Meron, the author of the "Zohar''.
Famous Rabbis lived in Zefat. The great Kabbalist, Rabbi Yitzhak Luria, (Ha'Ari)
(1534-1572) whose Lurianic Kabbala was influential in the development of the
Hassidic movement; Yoseph Caro (1536-1575), who wrote the "Shulhan Aruch" (Code
of Jewish Law); Rabbi Chaim Vital (1543-1620) who was Ha'Ari's main disciple and
recorded his teachings in the book Etz Chaim (tree of Life); Rabbi Shlomo Al-Kabetz
(1508-1593), Author of the famous liturgical poem "Lecha Dodi", sung by Jews
worldwide to welcome the Shabbat; Rabbi Moshe Al-Sheich (1508-1593), Kabbalist,
student of Yosef Caro and member of his Beit Din; Rabbi Moshe Kordovero
(1522-1570) known by the acronym of his name, Ramak, considered the head of the
Zefat Kabbalists until his death shortly after the arrival of Rabbi Yitzchak
Luria. Author of Pardes Rimonim ("Orchard of Pomegranates"); Israel Najara
(1555-1628) whose poems have become part of the Sephardi synagogue ritual.
In 1563 the first Hebrew printing press in Eretz Yisrael was established in
Zefat. Its books were in much demand worldwide.
A breakdown in law and order along the Galilee highways, together with a plague
in 1742 and an earthquake in 1759, account for Zefat's decline. However, the
Jewish population increased somewhat with the arrival of some Russian Hassidim
in 1776. Napoleon's troops were garrisoned at Zefat to secure the highway to
Damascus. The Crusader castle was completely destroyed in the earthquake that
shook the town in 1837, and many of the loosened stones were used in building
houses in the city.
During the Arab pogroms of 1929 and 1936 and also during the war of independence
in 1948, the British tried to evacuate the Jewish population for "security"
reasons but Moshe Pedhatzur who was the head of the Jewish Community refused,
thus ensuring that Zefat remained a Jewish stronghold in the Galilee and was
later included in the map of the young state.
When the British left Zefat in 1948, they gave the Arabs all the key strategic
positions in the city and around it on Mt. Canaan. The Jews were poorly armed
and had one small canon called Davidka. When it was fired, it made more noise
than damage, but following that the Arabs fled the city in great panic. It was
later discovered that they were told the Jews had an Atomic bomb. It would be
easy to recognize when the Jews would use it, How? It would make a huge sound
and after that it will rain heavily, This is exactly what happened when the
Davidka was fired...
Zefat became an Israeli city. Moshe Pedhatzur was its first mayor.
