Moroccan Halacha

Among Sepharadic Jews, those who hail from North Africa maintain various customs and approaches to Halacha that differ from those of the Edot HaMizrach. Moroccans in particular have a rich heritage of Torah scholarship, traditions, and rabbinic leadership that consists of a genre in and of itself.

History

The Jewish community of Morocco traces back to the early Rishonim to the time of the [Rif], when Torah flourished, and potentially well before then, as well. However, it was decimated the Almohad Caliphate along with the rest of the North African community. Centuries later, many of those expelled from Spain in 1492, known as "Megorashim," mainly from the Kingdom of Castile, arrived in the North African Crescent and settled primarily in Fez and started a new chapter in the history of Moroccan Jewry. The Megorashim attempted to reestablish themselves along the same lines of Minhagim practiced in Castile, but conflict arose between the Megorashim and the natives, known as the "Toshavim," who were not interested in following the customs of the Megorashim. The main issue was regarding the lenient view of the Megorashim on checking the lungs of an animal after Shechitah, to which the Toshavim were opposed based on their own preexisting custom. Nevertheless, eventually, the Megorashim outnumbered the natives and the customs of the Megorashim were adopted in all but one synagogue, Siddurim of the Megorashim were printed, and rabbinic families of Megorashim made a deep impact on the people as they took the leadership. Thus, the Castillian customs spread throughout Morocco, and many of their enactments and rulings are still in practice today, such as the text of the Ketubah and reciting a Beracha on Hallel on Rosh Chodesh.

See Also

• Magen Avot website, MoroccanHalacha.com
• Three Secrets of Moroccan Psak Halacha and Navigating the Wide World of Moroccan Jewish Minhagim and Halacha by Rabbi Haim Jachter
• Darké Abotenou on YouTube