בס"ד
Solica HaTzaddika
In all of Fez, and
some say, even from one end of the Maghreb to the other, there was no
beauty to match Solica Hatchouel. Her father, Shlomo, supported her
family through selling house utensils. He worked hard, with
integrity. Salica's mother and sisters, as herself, were all modest
and G-d fearing. Salica, especially, stood out for her wisdom and
goodness, and her graceful, Jewish charisma, beaming from her face.
Not far from her
house lived the Muslim families, some of whom belonged to the elite
circle of government authorities. One young man, from these families,
noticed Salica, the Jew. Awestruck by her charm, her charisma, he
resolved to marry her, to take her as a wife. As he matured, and the
time came for him to choose a wife, he informed his father of his
fervent desire to betroth Solica. "I will have nothing to live
for, father, if I don't marry Solica," he told his father. The
father kindly accepted his son's requests, and was certain that
Solica's father would be delighted if she were to marry into an
honorable, rich family as his. Of course, Solica would have to
abandon her faith, and convert to Islam, in order for the marriage to
occur. But neither the son nor father saw any problem with this.
Now, this boy's
father was a distinguished man, many say it was a the King's son.
Normally, his requests and desired were fulfilled on demand,
immediately, without fail. So when Shlomo, Solica's father, outright
refused to agree to the marriage, he was thunder stricken! He desired
to fulfill his son's will, regardless of all obstacles. Outraged, his
honour soiled, he sought revenge.... "You shall see," said
he to Shlomo, "that Solica, your daughter, will marry my son,
for the good - or for the bad..." Adamant, Shlomo turned his
back, ignoring this altogether.
As expected, but a
few days afterwards, Shlomo and his family heard knocking on the
door. "We come to take Solica, in the name of the Law!" The
authorities, indeed sought to arrest and prosecute Solica, for they
had been informed, by a certain rich and distinguished Arab, that
Solica had converted to Islam, but then returned to her heritage, her
Jewish faith.... The authorities ransacked the house, searching for
Solica. To their surprise, she was not to be found!
For, reacting to
rumors that the authorities sought her arrest, she escaped to a
nearby town, retreating into hiding with relatives.
The authorities were
clever, and would not back down so easily. So, they arrested Solica's
mother, as a hostage, until Solica would appear, and hand herself
over for prosecution. When Solica heard of this, she immediately
returned to the city, for the sake of her mother's freedom.
Upon handing herself
over to the authorities, they arrested and imprisoned her. A few days
later, she appeared in court, for judgment. "How dare you
convert to our faith, then abandon it," roared the prosecution.
All the Jews of the community, her family, her friends - they
trembled at the aggressiveness, the recklessness of the prosecution.
They dreaded the probable verdict...
But Solica did not
fear. She remained firm and strong, outwardly demonstrating her will
and determination, before the judges and prosecution. She proudly
maintained, "Never, never did I leave my faith. I never became a
Muslim, and I never, ever will! I was born a Jew, and thus shall I
die!"
Nevertheless, the
judges, heeded the lies of the prosecution, listening to their
accursed lies. The prosecution "proved" that she had
converted to the Islamic faith, but then returned to her heritage,
the faith of her ancestors, Judaism. The judges declared the
verdict...
The guards, with
cruelty and viciousness, imprisoned Solica. Meanwhile, messengers
from the wealthy Muslim families came to influence her heart. Even
so, isolated in a dreadful cell, Solica refused to listen. They
promised her riches, wealth, prosperity - all the good in the world,
but in vain. Solica would not give in.
The leaders of the
Jewish community, finally, came to her, begging that she convert, and
marry the Arab. Otherwise, they pleaded, the entire community would
suffer. Still, she remained strong. The pleading was to no avail.
Finally, the prison guards were sent to her, to brutalize and torture
her, to forcefully persuade her to abandon her faith, convert, and
marry the Arab. "I cannot betray my G-d, the G-d of my
ancestors, the G-d of the Universe." The torture, the brute
force, the terror - this, too, was to no avail. The prison guards
even forcefully brought the Jewish leaders, once again; under force,
her own leaders commanded her to convert, and marry the Muslim. She
refused, outright. Solica remained strong, in her heart, in her mind,
and would not betray her faith.
A Rabbi visited
Solika in her cell and told her the tale of Esther the Queen who
married Achasverus (Axaverxes), the Emperor of Persia and saved the
Jews from a Holocaust of great dimension. She was barely fifteen.
Solika listened to the Rabbi and said: 'It is true that Esther
married Achasverus but she did not have to give up her faith and I
cannot give up my faith! The Rabbi blessed Solica.
Solica was sentenced
to be tied up to a horse in chains and dragged in the streets for
everyone to see, till she dies. She was given one last wish. She
asked for 10 safety pins. They gave her the 10 safety pins and she
used it to make sure that her skirt won't go upwards while being
dragged. She wanted to die dressed modestly.
In the last few
moments of her life, the Muslim boy approached her - the very cause
of her misfortune, the cause of her sorrow and torture. He whispered,
"Please, Solica, my love, listen to me. Please, this is your
last opportunity. You can be saved, Solica, saved from death. You
don't even have to become Muslim, Solica. Just pretend to, outwardly.
Just marry me, please. I don't desire your death, your harm. Faith is
of no importance to me..." But Solica turned her head, refusing
to so much as acknowledge him.
In the last seconds
of her life, bound in chains, she called out. The Muslim boy was sure
she changed her mind and is ready to convert. Blood was running all
over her, and in a small whisper asked for 10 more safety pins. Her
clothing got torn and was not modestly covered. She took the 10
safety pins and threaded the remains of her clothes to her skin.
Solica screamed the
ancient cry of the Jewish martyr: "Shema Yisrael - Hear, O
Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is One!" She was 15 years
old. This happend about 160 years ago.
Solica sanctified
the name of Hashem in her life, and even more, in her death.
Solica is buried at
the Fez cemetery, Morocco, near the graves of two very famous
Moroccan Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda ben Atar (Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh's
father) and Rabbi Avner Hasaphatim. She merited to be buried next to
these great Tzaddikim because she made a tremendous Kiddush HaShem.
These three graves
are secluded from the others, and according to tradition, with good
reason - The Divine Presence dwells there, says tradition. We also
know, from tradition, that those who visit the graves, praying to G-d
on the merit of the beloved deceased who rest there, are likely to
have their prayers answered.
"A woman of
worth, who can find? For her price is far above rubies"
(Proverbs 31:10).
May the merit of
Solica HaTzaddika protect us all, Amen.
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