Mishpatim Yesharim
1747 CE–1821 CE · AH · Meknes
R. Refael Berdugo (1747-1821) was the foundational Moroccan posek of the late 18th / early 19th century and the patriarch of the Berdugo rabbinic dynasty of Meknes. His Mishpatim Yesharim responsa and his Mei Menuchot Torah commentary established the standards of Meknesi halachic ruling that prevailed throughout Morocco for generations.
Berdugo represented the consolidation of the post-1492 megorashim (Iberian exile) tradition with the older Toshavim (indigenous Maghrebi) tradition — a synthesis that defined the Moroccan minhag through the mass aliyah of the 20th century. Known as 'HaMashbir' for his economic leadership of the Meknes community during a severe famine.
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MeknesמקנסMorocco — historic halachic center
What they did here
Born in Meknes to the Berdugo family. Served as the principal halachic authority of Meknes for over five decades. Authored Mishpatim Yesharim and Mei Menuchot here; died in Meknes 1821.
Meknes in this era
Meknes under the Alaouite Sultan Moulay Ismail (r. 1672-1727) served as the Moroccan imperial capital; the Mellah grew alongside Ismail's vast palace complex. R. Refael Berdugo (1747-1821) emerged as the foundational late-acharonic posek of Moroccan halacha here; his Mishpatim Yesharim responsa shaped Moroccan rulings for generations. The Berdugo dynasty — R. Yaakov Berdugo, R. Mordechai Berdugo, R. Yehoshua Berdugo — anchored the Meknes rabbinate across the 18th and 19th centuries. The Mashash family also rose to prominence here.
About Meknes
Meknes was the seat of the Alaouite court under Moulay Ismail (1672-1727). Its Jewish community produced the Berdugo dynasty — R. Refael Berdugo (Mishpatim Yesharim, 1747-1821) was its most influential posek.
Works
No works attributed in the corpus yet.