In the 19th century, on the eve of French domination in North Africa, Morocco was still a land where Jewish communities lived under dhimmi status — protected by the Sultan, yet subjected to discrimination, strict rules, and pressures to abandon their ancestral faith.
It was in this context that lived Sulika Hachuel, a 17‑year‑old Jewish girl born in Tangier in 5577 ( 1817), in the Mellah. She was known throughout the city for her beauty and her remarkable Tzniut (modesty). A beauty so extraordinary it was said to eclipse the very moon. She was famed in the Jewish quarter of Tangier for her acts of charity, kindness, and generosity toward others.
Her father, aware of the dangers posed by such beauty, often told her:
“My daughter, stay at home. Outside, not all men have good intentions.”
And young Sulika obeyed.
The Fateful Encounter
But one day, while her father, Chaim, was teaching a Talmud lesson and her mother, Simha, was occupied at home, Sulika went out to run an errand to help them. At that moment, Abdul Aziz, a young man from Tangier, spotted the girl.
Captivated by the radiance of her face, he rushed to his father, Mahmoud, a wealthy and unscrupulous man, and announced:
“Father, I’ve seen a girl today — I must have her, no matter the cost.”
Mahmoud inquired about her and learned that she was Jewish.
“Impossible — she’s a Jew,” he said.
But Abdul Aziz refused to give up.
The Ultimatum
Determined to satisfy his son, Mahmoud went to the home of Sulika’s family. He knocked on the door, and Chaim, deeply troubled, invited him in. Without hesitation, Mahmoud announced:
“My son wants to marry your daughter.”
Stunned, Chaim stepped backward.
“Are you joking? You’re Muslims, we’re Jews. This is madness!”
Mahmoud replied coldly:
“That’s not a problem. She will convert — willingly or by force. Listen well:
Either your daughter marries my son,
Or you will regret it.”
Without another word, Mahmoud left.
The Flight and Arrest
Shocked and terrified, Chaim hid Sulika at his sister’s house. Meanwhile, Mahmoud called the authorities, and the police raided the Jewish family’s home.
“Where is she?” the officers shouted.
The father, terrified, replied:
“I don’t know. She ran away.”
The authorities then arrested Sulika’s mother, imprisoning her, and announced she would be used as a bargaining chip to force the girl to return.
The Sacrifice of Sulika
Upon hearing the news, Sulika was devastated.
“My mother? My mother is imprisoned because of me?”
Without a second thought, she ran to the authorities and said:
“Why is my mother here? Let her go. If it’s me you seek, I am here!”
The authorities imprisoned her immediately. A few days later, she was brought before a court and falsely charged with apostasy from Islam. Abdul Aziz, his father, and two false witnesses waved a forged document claiming that she had converted to Islam and and then renounced it.
The Final Choice
The judge looked at the paper and asked:
“Do you admit that you abandoned Islam?”
In the 19th century, apostasy was generally punished by death. Sulika responded with quiet dignity:
“Me? Renounce my faith? Never. I am a Jew, and I will remain a Jew until my very last breath.”
The judge pressed, holding the falsified document and pointing to the witnesses:
“Either you return to Islam, or you will be condemned to death. Think carefully — we will give you a few days.”
Sulika replied immediately:
“I don’t need to think. My soul belongs to G‑d. I will never bow before such injustice. I will bear the weight of your chains patiently, I will give my limbs to be torn apart by wild beasts… but I will smile at your indignation and the anger of your Prophet. You have failed to defeat a fragile woman!”
The Prince’s Offer
Sulika was transferred to the royal prison of Fez. One of the princes of Morocco, who had watched the trial, was also captivated by her beauty and came to visit her in secret.
“Sulika, listen to me. I am the Prince, son of the Sultan of Morocco. I can save you. Become my wife and join my harem. You will have riches, gold, and power — all will be yours if you accept.”
Sulika responded:
“Your gold and your power are nothing compared to the power of the Creator of the world.”
Humiliated, the Prince threatened:
“If you refuse, you will die a horrific death!”
Sulika replied with deep emunah (faith) in G‑d:
“Better a thousand painful deaths than a single betrayal of my G‑d.”
The Rabbi’s Intervention
Furious, the Prince sought out the Grand Rabbi of Fez and commanded him:
“Convince her to marry me, or she will doom the entire Jewish community.”
With a heavy heart, the Rabbi came to Solika and implored her to save herself.
He spoke of the story of Queen Esther, who married King Ahasuerus to save her people. But Sulika responded firmly:
“Esther kept her Jewish identity hidden, but everyone knows that I am a Jew. If I accept, I would profane the Name of G‑d and open the door for every Jewish girl in Morocco to be forced into conversion. The decrees of men are nothing compared to the will of the Most High. I will die a Jew.”
The Rabbi left in tears, deeply moved by the strength of this 17‑year‑old girl. He went to the Prince and said:
“Your Highness, you waste your time. This girl has an unshakable, ironclad faith. Nothing can break her.”
The Martyrdom
Humiliated one final time, the Prince condemned Sulika to a brutal death. The day of the execution, all of Fez gathered. The Prince offered one last chance for her to become Queen of Morocco, but she refused with contempt:
“You still don’t understand who I am. I will never be your wife.”
The Prince commanded:
“Tie her hair to a wild horse and drag her to death through the streets!”
Before the execution, Sulika requested one last favor — pins.
Then, in a strong voice, she announced:
“I am the princess of the King of kings. In my lifetime, no man has ever seen my arms or legs, and no man shall ever see them after my death. My honor belongs to HaShem.”
With the pins in hand, she quietly prayed, and one by one, she fixed her dress to her skin, making sure it would not rise as the horse dragged her to her death. As she pushed the first pin in, she called out the holy words:
“Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad!”
She repeated this ritual until every part of her dress was secured. The Jews present wept openly, and even the Arab spectators watched in silence, unable to comprehend such strength of spirit.
Then, as soon as she finished, she was tied to the horse’s tail, and the rider cracked the reins. The animal surged forward, dragging Sulika across the ground. Each beat of the hooves rang like an echo of the sacrifice being offered. Sulika closed her eyes, and her soul rose intact and luminous — victorious in its final struggle.
The Immortal Legacy
That day, in Fez, Sulika became a legend. The executioner himself, deeply moved by her sacrifice, later chose to join the Jewish people, convinced by the greatness of Sulika’s soul. Today, the name Sulika Hachuel, HaTzadeket (the Righteous) resounds as the ultimate testimony of Jewish faith, modesty, courage, and Mesirut Nefesh — self‑sacrifice.
Her grave in Fez has become a place of pilgrimage where Jews, Muslims, and even Christians pray for strength and comfort. It is said that whoever invokes her name with sincerity draws the Shekhinah — the Divine Presence — into their home.
Sulika Hachuel had countless opportunities to succumb to fear, yet she chose eternity over the ephemeral. She chose the world above over the world below, loyalty to G‑d over the illusions of this world.
Tombstone Transcription
In Hebrew:
[The Tombstone of the Righteous
Sulika Hachuel (Solikha Hagwal)
A virgin girl who sanctified the Name of Heaven in publicly,
and was killed a martyr for the sanctification of the Name in the city of Fez, may G-d protect it,
on Shabbat.
The Righteous (HaTzadeket), [Year 5594]( Gregorian calendar 1834), and may her merit protect us.
Amen, may it be His will.
By my dear friend Katya
