BREAD AND MATZAH

SOME Jewish communities in the Crown of Aragon maintained their own bakeries. Some privileges that were granted to the communities contained a clause permitting the Jews to open a bakery, although the Jews did not consider it essential to have a bakery run by them. In 1290, in the newly established call of Mallorca, the Jews were permitted to build a Jewish bakery. The king as owner retained his rights on the bakery. In some communities the bakery in the Jewish quarter belonged to the king but was operated by Jews. In other communities the Jews did not have their own bakery and used that of the Christians. In most localities the bakery either belonged to the king or was operated by a concessionary who held a monopoly, so that the Jews had little choice but to bake their bread there. In 1282 Pedro III confirmed the concession granted by Jaime I and ordered the baile of Barcelona to ensure that the Jews of the city had their bread baked in the bakery of a noblewoman of Valencia, the wife of G. Grunn. She had the right to establish a second bakery if one should be found not sufficient for the Jews.

While ordinary bread could be baked in Christian bakeries, it was crucial that Jews be allowed to bake their own matzah or unleavened bread. Jaime I permitted the Jews to bake matzah in their homes. According to the charter given in 1320 to the Jews of Alcolea de Cinca, the latter were given the right to use the Christian bakery throughout the year and to bake their matzah for Passover inside their quarter. In 1326 the community of Lerida had difficulties in baking its matzah, whereupon Jaime II intervened on their behalf to help them to bake their unleavened bread in time. As in many cities and villages the Jews used the Christians’ bakeries, it displeased the Christian bakers to lose their income for the eight days during which the Jews ate no ordinary bread. In some localities they were compensated by the Jews, who had to pay them a suitable sum. In many localities the bakery belonged to the Crown, and its use by the Jews meant an increased income for the king.