A large stone tablet affixed to a house in the former Jewish quarter of Tudela in Spain pays homage to the Jewish traveler Benjamin, “son of Yona of Navarre, who was born in this neighborhood, “and whose travel book made the name of Tudela known throughout the world.”
The tablet was dedicated by the city’s authorities in 1960 on the occasion of what was believed to have been the eight hundredth anniversary of the start of Benjamin’s journey.
I stood for a long time in front of the tablet. It doesn’t state that Benjamin was a Jew and that he wrote his book in Hebrew.
I arrived in Tudela by bus from Saragossa and my first visit was to the tablet honoring Benjamin. It was not difficult to find. Every person I asked knew where it was and showed me the way. I spent half a day strolling through the former Jewish quarter which is situated near the Ebro river. I also visited what was believed to be the remnant of a synagogue.
Centuries ago Tudela boasted the largest Jewish community in the province of Navarre. The city was the birthplace of Yehuda Halevi, the poet-philosopher, and of Abraham Ibn Ezra, Bible commentator, grammarian, poet, mathematician and astronomer. However, these personalities have never been identified with that city. As a matter of fact, it was assumed for a long time that both Yehuda Halevi and Abraham Ibn Ezra were born in Toledo. Only in recent decades has it been suggested that they came from Tudela.
Benjamin ben Yona’s name has been closely bound up with the city, because he came to be called: Benjamin of Tudela.
Setting out from his native city, Benjamin travelled through north-eastern Spain, the Provence, Italy and Greece to the Middle East, visiting many localities in the Land of Israel, Mesopotamia and other countries. He returned to Spain via Egypt and Sicily.
His travel account, which contains almost noting personal, has been an important source for Jewish as well as general historians. Benjamin gives the number of Jews living in each of the communities through which he passed. He names their leaders and scholars and tells about the professions in which the Jews engaged and the conditions under which they lived. His account also includes descriptions of the cities, their populations and rulers, their commerce and produce.
He writes not only about Jews, Christians and Moslems, but also about Druzes, sun-worshippers and fire-worshippers. He tells about Karaites and Samaritans. In describing his travels in the Land of Israel, Mesopotamia and elsewhere, he notes Biblical and historical sites and quotes local traditions relating to them. He records stories and legends he heard and relates what he learned about countries he did not personally visit, such as India and China.
There are longer descriptions of the cities of Rome, Constantinople, Jerusalem, Baghdad and Alexandria.
Following are a few quotes from his description of life in Constantinople:
“The Greek inhabitants are very rich in gold and precious stones and they go clothed in garments of silk with gold embroidery, and they ride horses and look like princes. Indeed, the land is very rich in cloth stuffs, and in bread, meat, and wine.
“Wealth like that in Constantinople is not to be found in the whole world. Here are also men learned in all the books of the Greeks and they eat and drink every man under his vine and his fig tree…
“No Jews live in the city, for they have been placed behind an inlet of the sea. An arm of the Sea of Marmora shuts them in on the one side, and they are unable to go out except by way of the sea, when they want to do business with the inhabitants. In the Jewish quarter there are about 2,000 Rabbinate Jews and about 500 Karaites, and a fence divides them. Amongst the scholars are several wise men, at their head being the Chief Rabbi R. Abtalion, R. Obadia, R. Aaron Bechor Shoro, R. Joseph Shir-Guru, and R. Eliakim, the warden. And amongst them are artificers in silk and many rich merchants. No Jew there is allowed to ride on horseback. The one exception in R. Solomon Hamitzri, who is the king’s physician, and through whom the Jews enjoy considerable alleviation of their oppression. For their condition is very low, and there is much hatred against them, which is fostered by the tanners, who throw out their dirty water in the streets before the doors of the Jewish houses and defile the Jews’ quarter. So the Greeks hate the Jews, good and bad alike, and subject them to great oppression, and beat them in the streets, and in every way treat them with rigor. Yet the Jews are rich and good, kindly and charitable, and bear their lot with cheerfulness. The district inhabited by the Jews is called Pera.”
When Benjamin visited Mesopotamia, the Jews of that country, of Persia and other places, were still led by the “Head of the Exile,” a scion of the house of David, who was given recognition by the Moslem rulers. In Benjamin’s time the “Resh Galutha” was Daniel be Hasdai. Benjamin describes the nature of his authority and his relations with the Khalif.
The travel account also contains information about David Alroy, the leader of a Messianic movement in Kurdistan, who lived some time before Benjamin.
Towards the end of his account, Benjamin names cities in Germany with Jewish communities, and comments: “As for the towns which have been mentioned, they contain scholars and communities that love their brethren and speak peace to those who are near and afar, and when a wayfarer comes they rejoice and make a feast for him and say: ‘Rejoice, brethren, for the help of the L-rd comes in a twinkling of an eye.’” (In the original Hebrew: “Yeshuath Hashem K’heref Ayin”.)
The original Hebrew account was often reprinted and was very popular. It was also translated into various languages. The above quotations are from the English translation by Marcus Adler, son of Nathan Adler, Chief Rabbi of England. It was first published early in this century.
By: Tovia Preschel
Jewish Press
Nov. 16, 1979