Rahamim explains the meanings of his various names, describes his family tree, his village, and its local history. He talks at length about the accomplishments of his relative Kes Berhan, who was high priest and responsible for all the Kesim. Rahamim talks about the many things he learned from his father, including how to build a house and barn, and how to create hiding places for weapons and money in the house. His father was careful not to be jealous of other people, and taught Rahamim values and traditions.

Rahamim reminisces about an incident in which his father returned stolen bulls to his uncles. He relates that his father knew how to interpret birdsongs and donkeys’ brays. Rahamim discusses domestic animals and their roles. Among other things, he describes how a dog was trained and what its role was in the house, in the field, and in herding sheep.

Rahamim relates stories showing what a mischievous child he was. These stories provide information about the way he was educated and about the standard punishments when he was a child.

He talks about the racist attitudes of the local Christians toward the Jewish community. He describes the ritual purity and kashrut customs the community observed.

Rahamim’s father taught him to read and to write. Rahamim wrote the letters on parchment his father made from goatskin. When a small school of Kesim was established in his village, he continued his studies there. When the school closed, eight-year-old Rahamim went to live in Kes Berhan’s house in the village of Sarmella. Rahamim learned Hebrew, Amharic, and math in the school in Ambover, alongside Kes Berhan’s son. During vacations, he went back to his village to herd the family’s sheep and cattle. He talks about his experiences when looking after the sheep and cattle.

During his stay in Ambover, Rahamim broke his arm. His father heard about this and came on horseback to take Rahamim for traditional treatment. The treatment included a cream of black sesame, straightening the arm by force without any pain relief, and splinting the arm with bamboo.

When he was ten, Rahamim managed to persuade his parents to let him move to the city of Gondar and continue his studies, even though they were worried about assimilation. In Gondar, Rahamim rented an apartment with relatives. He completed the district examinations with excellence. After two years of studying in the school, it was decided that the pupils must pay school fees of five birr. Rahamim and the other pupils rebelled, expelled the staff, and destroyed the classrooms. The government closed the school and sent special forces to break up the protests. Rahamim was arrested and taken for investigation under torture. He was released after several days.

In Gondar, Rahamim made a living by accompanying Jewish tourists on visits to the villages of Wolleka and Sekleit. He translated for them and served as a go-between for them with the local residents. Rahamim met three Israeli tourists who promised to do everything they could to help him immigrate to Israel, which was fortunate for him. Encouraged by their promises but impatient, Rahamim travelled to Asmara in an attempt to obtain a passport and to leave for Israel, but his attempts were unsuccessful and he returned to Gondar. After a few months of correspondence and extensive efforts on the part of two of the tourists, Shalom Rosenfeld and Arnold Sharmen, Rahamim received the passport and an entry visa to Israel. Rahamim travelled to Addis Ababa and contacted his friends from the Israeli consulate. They confirmed that he was registered to study in Israel. At the age of 14, Rahamim boarded an El Al flight to Israel.