Kes Wubshet Yalew

Father's name: Yosef Yimla
Mother's name: Senbatu Nagosa
Year of birth: 1962
Place of birth: Gentebe (Daba), Lasta
Region in Ethiopia: Simien
Main occupation in Ethiopia: Spiritual leader
The language of the interview: Amharic

Kes Wubshet Yalew, nature, agriculture, shepherding, death, Kesim, Nazirites, studies, religion,  mediation, interpretation of dreams, holy sites, mating cows, Dawit, Ge’ez, Amharic, Psalms, blessings, prayers, ordination as a Kes, wedding, engagement, festival, spiritual father, meal offerings, sacrifices, customs, tradition, ritual slaughter, Italians, Derg, Emperor Haile Selassie, Gentebe, Daba, Lasta, Semien, Ganet-Abba.

Summary of the testimony:

Kes Wubshet describes his family tree, his village and the local history over the generations, including stories from the period of Italian rule in Ethiopia. He recalls and describes the death of Emperor Haile Selassie when he was a child. He also describes the work of the communal elders as mediators in disputes.

He relates that his father was a believing man and a kind of traditional doctor. Close to their house was a holy site named Genet-Abba, which people would visit in order to be purified from their sins. These people would be purified according to tradition and remain close to the site until they had a dream. They would then tell the dream to Kes Wubshet’s father and he would interpret it for them and instruct them how to atone for their sin.

At the age of five, after his mother’s death, he moved to his aunt’s house and was educated in a school of Nazirites and Kesim going back to the period of Gideon, descendants of Jacob and descendants of Isaac. Concurrently, he shepherded his aunt’s flock, helped mate the cows, and carried out agricultural work. Kes Wubshet talks about his teachers, his studies and the atmosphere at the school. He describes loving the religious studies in Ge’ez. He reads excerpts from the Psalms of the Dawit, which he learned at a young age.

At the age of 15, he began studying to be ordained as a Kes and completed his studies before his marriage at age 17. He relates that he would study during the summer, while in the winter he was busy mating cows and doing agricultural work.

Kes Wubshet describes his engagement and wedding. He describes the traditions these events entailed. According to tradition, the wedding day was also the first day he was ordained as a Kes, so he began his role on this festive day. He lists the additional commandments that applied to him as a Kes.

Kes Wubshet lists the festivals and talks about the various prayers and traditions that were observed on festivals such as Passover, Shavuot, the Day of Atonement, Sigd and more. Additionally, he explains the role of the Kes on each of the festivals, how the calendar is managed and followed, and what happens when a member of the community transgresses the commandments of the festival.

Kes Wubshet expounds on the role of a yinbas-abbat – a spiritual father. Each member of the community who gets married appoints himself a spiritual father (Kes) who guides him in the way of the Torah and purifies his sins. Kes Wubshet describes the special relationship formed between a person and his yinbas-abbat. He also talks about the duties, tasks and dates connected to this special relationship, such as the custom of tithes, the birth of the firstborn son, death and more.

Before he passed the second and final ordination ceremony, Kes Wubshet and his family immigrated to Israel. He completed his ordination in Israel and continued to serve his community.

Kes Wubshet Yalew