Life for the Jews in Jerusalem became extremely difficult when a ruffian by the name of Mohammed Farouk took control of the city in 1625. From his fortress in the Citadel of David he conducted a reign of terror which included arrests, floggings and torture in order to force the community to enrich him with ransom money.

Relief from this tyrant finally came on the 12^th of Kislev that year. Farouk had a dream in which he saw an old, well-dressed man strangling him. When he screamed and asked who his attacker was the response he received was "I am King David and you will surely die if you sleep another night in this city."

When he awoke Farouk loaded several camels with the plunder he had extracted from Jerusalem's residents and left the city, never to be heard of again.

The 12^th of Kislev thereafter remained a day of celebration in Jerusalem.

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