THE JEWS AT JERUSALEM IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY ACCORDING TO THE OTTOMAN SIJILLS OF THE SHARI'A COURT IN JERUSALEM SIJILL NO. (28) AS A MODEL
This scientific paper aims to identify the conditions of the Jews of Jerusalem during the Ottoman period in the sixteenth century, through delving into the intensified data included in one of the sijills of the Shari’a Court of Jerusalem, namely Sijill no. (28) Covering the period (27 Rabi` al-Awwal 961 AH/March 2, 1554 AD - Muharram 13, 962 AH / December 7, 1554 AD), since it contains documents of great importance on Jews. Those documents vary, and include criminal and legal issues, and financial transactions, such as: debts, promissory notes, purchasing and selling transactions, buying and selling deals pertaining to houses in the "Jewish Quarter" in the old city of Jerusalem, which was a residence for all people and demoniations. This study also sheds light on the leading role of the Ottoman state in monitoring the Jews, in accordance with the Ottoman law, in light of the of Rights and Duties law in force at the time. The paper concludes with the results and recommendations reached by the authors of this rigorous scientific paper will be presented, the most important of which is the Ottoman state's keenness to prevent Jews from approaching the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under all circumstances, and the Al-Buraq (Western) Wall in particular, which is not mentioned in any sijill at all.
Keywords: Sijills of the Sharia Court of Jerusalem, Jews in Jerusalem.