Safad Sanjak

Safad Sanjak was a sanjak (district) of Sidon Eyalet (Ottoman province of Sidon). The territory of Safad Sanjak consisted of the area between the Zahrani River in the north to Mount Carmel (near Haifa) in the south, and the area between the Sea of Galilee in the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Besides Safad, it included the port cities of Acre and Tyre and the entire Galilee and Jabal Amil area. The district had a mixed population of peasants and Bedouin. The inhabitants of the Jabal Amil region were predominantly Shia Muslims, while the Galilee had a Sunni Muslim majority, including peasants and Bedouin, and a large Druze minority. The district also contained Jewish communities.

History

Prior to Ottoman rule, Safad was the capital of its own mamlaka (province) under the Mamluks. After its incorporation into the Ottoman Empire, Safad was reorganized into a smaller sanjak administratively part of the Damascus Eyalet (Damascus Province). In 1547-48, Safad Sanjak contained a total of 287 villages. In 1614, a new eyalet (province) was created based in Sidon, and Safad was annexed to it. The province was disbanded later that year and Safad Sanjak reverted to Damascus Eyalet. In 1660, the Sidon Eyalet was reestablished and Safad was once again annexed to it.

Safed

Safed (Hebrew: צְפַת Tzfat, Ashkenazi: Tzfas, Biblical: Ṣ'fath; Arabic: صفد‎, Ṣafad) is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of 900 metres (2,953 ft), Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and in Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters. Since the 16th century, Safed has been considered one of Judaism's Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Hebron and Tiberias; since that time, the city has remained a center of Kabbalah, also known as Jewish mysticism.

Due to its mild climate and scenic views, Safed is a popular holiday resort frequented by Israelis and foreign visitors.

History

Biblical account

According to the Book of Judges (1:17), the area where Safed is located was assigned to the Tribe of Naphtali. Legend has it that Safed was founded by a son of Noah after the Great Flood.

Classical Antiquity

Safed has been identified with Sepph, a fortified Jewish town in the Upper Galilee mentioned in the writings of the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus. (PACE: The Jewish War, 2.{{{chap}}}.{{{sec}}} (Whiston).) It is mentioned in the Jerusalem Talmud as one of five elevated spots where fires were lit to announce the New Moon and festivals during the Second Temple period.