DECLINE AND DESTRUCTION OF SEPHARDI COMMUNITY IN SPAIN.
BACKGROUND
WAVES OF CONVERSION
The first wave: 1391 popular riots originating in Seville,
spurred on by the priest, Martinez.
Second wave: 1412-1414, Vincente Ferrer (St Vincent).
Anti Jewish legislation, forced disputations....
Final wave: 1492, officially organized by the Spanish state
Number of conversos: Estimates as high as 400,000!
CONVERSO IDENTITY
Terms: Conversos, Marranos, Anusim, "New Christians".
Amongst the Anusim, there were those who assimilated and those
who “Judaized”. Phenomenon of dissonance and split identity,
guilt, hypocrisy, fear of discovery.
Led to distinction between Old Christians (“limpiezza de sangre”-
pure blooded and “mala Sangre” New Christians. Discrimination
based on blood, race, not religion! First time.
Sometimes the conversos themselves were targeted, for example,
in the anti-converso riots of 1449, which began in Toledo, and in
Cordoba a few years later, spreading to other parts of Spain.
Text 1, Solomon Alami, Iggeret Musar 1391
Written against background of the 1391 pogroms, which spread throughout much of Spain, from Seville, under the influence of Martinez.
An attempt to find an explanation for the disaster- "we ourselves are at fault"
Text 2, Responsa of Rabbi Isaac ben Sheshet (Rivash) (1326-1408),
Rabbinic responsum about the validity of a divorce granted to a Converso woman, from her converso husband, witnessed by converso witnesses.
The issue for this woman was her ability to remarry, now that she had left Spain and desired to live in a Jewish community in North Africa.
Background issues relate to:
1. the Laws of Divorce (which required a get signed by an observant
male Jewish witness),
2. the laws of Ones (coercion), which take account of
extenuating circumstances
3. the laws of Kiddush Hashem (martyrdom)- when is it better
to die as a martyr?
Underlying this text is the issue of the status of the Anusim, whether
they are still to be regarded as Jews, and if so whether they are to be
considered “the wicked of Israel”.
How does a community cope withhuge masses of its members having turned, sometimes voluntarily but largely under duress, to another religion?
Text 3, Shlomo ibn Verga, Shevet Yehudah
On the "New Christians": "Judaism is one of the incurable diseases"
Racial rather than religious definition
Text 4, Limpieza de Sangre- Purity of Blood ordinances 1449
"New Christians" vs "true Christians"- Restrictions imposed based on blood, not religious identity.
Text 5, The Decree of Expulsion, 1492
31 March (but delayed by a month). Edict of Expulsion issued by
Ferdinand and Isabella in Granada. Jews to convert or leave
by 30th July- Tisha B'av. 3 months.
What reasons are given in the Decree?
" Wicked Christians who Judaized...subvert faithful Christians from our Holy Catholic faith"
DILEMMAS AND CHOICES FACED BY THE JEWS:
· To convert or to be expelled?
· How to sell your property so quickly, especially when everyone else
is selling at the same time
· What to do with your gold, money, jewellery etc, which you were not allowed to take with you
What about your family and loved ones?
· Where to? (Ottoman Empire welcomed; Portugal (at first) but
expelled in 1496; other places
· How to get there?
· To convert or to be expelled?
· How to sell your property so quickly, especially when everyone else
is selling at the same time
· What to do with your gold, money, jewellery etc, which you were not allowed to take with you
What about your family and loved ones?
· Where to? (Ottoman Empire welcomed; Portugal (at first) but
expelled in 1496; other places
· How to get there?