Fascinating: The Flood That Avenged the Theft of the Synagogue

In 1271, Sheikh Qa'cer rose to power in Damascus. At that time, Azz z'har ruled Syria, and he valued the famous Sheikh Qa'cer, elevating him above all ministers and religious leaders.

Qa'cer was a great zealot for Islam. In lands ruled by Muslims, there were always protected people from other religions, and for long periods, there was tolerance towards them. But Sheikh Qa'cer was not very tolerant. While in Jerusalem, he entered the Church of the Valley of the Cross, killed the priest with his own hands, and desecrated the place. In Alexandria, he converted churches into mosques. Now, with his rise to power in Damascus, he declared an operation to "purify Damascus from the shame of wine." According to Islam, drinking wine is forbidden, so he wanted to eradicate wine entirely from the mouths of Jews and Christians. He conducted this operation with much violence, raiding and searching homes, punishing, and forcing people to sign contracts imposing heavy fines if wine was found.

It should be noted: Sheikh Qa'cer joined the Sufi order and was regarded in the Mamluk Empire as a prophet. He foretold events for various ministers and emirs, and when they happened, he received great honor and many gifts. Sultan Baybars named one of his sons after him because, in his youth, he "predicted" he would become Sultan.

Qa'cer was happy and content with his many achievements until foolishness entered him, and he decided to desecrate the great and famous synagogue of Damascus. This synagogue was the oldest in the city and was filled with treasures of gold, silver, and magnificent carpets. On the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, Qa'cer and his followers entered and held a dervish feast there. The place was filled with food and leftovers. Afterwards, the fakirs performed a special dance according to their beliefs and customs of the Sufis.

On the day after Shavuot, which was a Friday, the Jews gathered in the city's streets and declared to the Sultan: "Mohammed son of Abdullah, we stand under your protection, we have no kingdom or power, please stand by our side as justice demands, and Hashem is the one who enacts justice."

The Jews finished their prayers and cries, and returned to their homes to prepare for Shabbat. Then suddenly the skies darkened. Black clouds covered the entire horizon, in a way not seen for many years, and an Arab historian of the time describes: "On the hills of Baalbek, heavy clouds gathered. On Shabbat, a terrifying thunder echoed there; it snowed heavily in the valley, rain fell on it and melted it. On Sunday, the flood began. Water came from the direction of Ein al-Fija, dragging large rocks and pushing them forward, uprooting many trees. By the eighth hour of the day, the water reached Damascus, rising over the city's walls by a cubit, and in other places eleven cubits. It entered through the Paradise Gate after destroying the bridges of the Salama Gate and reached up to the Madrasa. It rose two meters above the height of a person. The flood lasted three hours, destroying many homes, garden towers, all pilgrims drowned to the last, as well as their camels. Countless animals drowned, rivers clogged with red mud, trees were uprooted, mills were swept away and destroyed."

Sheikh Qa'cer's reputation dwindled, and he was seen as having brought the terrible flood upon the city by desecrating the Jewish synagogue. When they investigated him, they found he wasn't as righteous as he appeared: he was caught in acts of immorality and other embarrassing crimes. The Sultan ordered him imprisoned in a small cell in the fortress, where he died three years later.