Rabbi Chaim ben Attar - Or HaChaim

Rabbi Chaim bar Moshe Ibn Attar – Or HaChaim HaKadosh (1696—1743/ )   Yahrzeit - 15 Tammuz Resting place - Har HaZeitim   Or HaChaim HaKadosh - one of the 4 Tzadikim of the recent generations who merited having the word "HaKadosh" – the holy one – added to their name: these are the Ari HaKadosh – Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi, the holy Arizal, Alshich HaKadosh – Rabbi Moshe Alshich, author of "Torat Moshe", Shlah HaKadosh, author of the book "Shnei Luchot HaBrit" – Rabbi Yeshaya Horowitz, and Or HaChaim HaKadosh himself, whose main book, called "Or HaChaim" – "The Light of Life" – replaced his actual name. The year 1740 brought good news to the Jewish settlement in Tiberias. At that time the Ottoman authorities invited the renowned kabbalist Rabbi Chaim Abulafia, rabbi of Izmir, to come to Eretz Yisrael and rebuild Tiberias, which had been abandoned for some time. The Ottoman authorities wanted to rebuild the city for economic reasons, but the Jews saw Rabbi Abulafia's mission as a sign of the approaching fulfillment of their messianic hopes. Rabbi Chaim Abulafia rebuilt the Yeshiva in Tiberias, breathing new life into this city, which had been a vibrant center of Jewish life during the periods of the Second Temple and the Talmud. In 1742, Rabbi Chaim Abulafia met with Rabbi Chaim ben Attar (Or HaChaim), who had just arrived in Israel. Or HaChaim was Rabbi Abulafia's guest for 9 days. Rabbi Abulafia begged him to remain in Tiberias, but Rabbi Chaim ben Attar declined. One of his students was Rabbi Chaim Yosef David Azulai, who wrote of his teacher's greatness: "Attar's heart beat with Talmud; he uprooted mountains like an unstoppable torrent; his holiness was the holiness of an angel of Ha-Shem." Rabbi Chaim studied under his grandfather, whose name he bore. (Sephardic Jews often name their children after living parents or grandparents.) Even as a young man he became famous as a great Talmudist and kabbalist. He led a very righteous life, and was called "HaKadosh" ("the holy man"). He wrote several important works, the most famous of which are his commentaries on the Chumash, which are often printed together with Rashi, the Ramban, and other well-known commentaries. Toward the final years of his short life (he lived only 47 years) he decided to travel to the Holy Land. Along the way he spent several years in Livorno, Venice (in Italy), and Damascus. He arrived in Jerusalem in 1742 with a group of 30 followers. However, the following year he passed away (15 Tammuz). Wherever he lived, he established a Yeshiva and synagogue bearing his name, which became famous long after their founder's passing. Or HaChaim HaKadosh was the teacher of the outstanding kabbalist Rabbeinu Chida. Or HaChaim was greatly revered in the chassidic world. Rabbi Yisrael of Ruzhin told his students: "Just as in past generations the study of the holy book of the Zohar especially purified the soul, so in our time the study of the holy book Or HaChaim most purifies the soul." Another famous chassidic tzadik, Rabbi Chaim of Sanz, stated that Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar "composed his commentary in a prophetic state (be-Ruach HaKodesh)." (Divrei Chaim, Yoreh De'ah 2:105)   The Baal Shem Tov and Or HaChaim The great Baal Shem Tov dreamed of meeting Or HaChaim and said of him to his students: "he was a great tzadik and master of the secrets of Torah – and all the sages of Israel differed from him just as monkeys differ from man." (Sarei HaMeah 4:5, 6:7) The Baal Shem Tov's students recalled that when Or HaChaim passed away, the Baal Shem Tov sensed his departure. At that moment he was in Medzhybizh washing his hands for the third Shabbat meal. After reciting the blessing over the bread, the Baal Shem Tov said: "The western candle has gone out." Only after Havdalah did he explain that at that very moment, Or HaChaim, who had come from the west to the holy city, had passed away. A profound spiritual connection existed between these two tzadikim, who lived at opposite ends of the world. When Rabbi Yisrael the Baal Shem Tov learned that Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar had arrived in Jerusalem, he decided to establish contact with him and create a joint center for the study of Kabbalah in the Holy Land. The Baal Shem Tov sent a special messenger to Jerusalem — his closest associate and relative, Rabbi Gershon of Kitov. A letter from Rabbi Gershon to the Baal Shem Tov has survived: "Once you told me what had been revealed to you in a vision — that a sage from the western lands dwells in Jerusalem, a great master of both the revealed and hidden parts of the Torah, and that within this sage is hidden a spark of Mashiach, though he himself does not know it. And some time later you confided to me that you no longer see him and that, in your opinion, he had already left this world. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, I immediately inquired about this man, whose name was Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar. And indeed, I was told wondrous things about him: he was a great tzadik and master of the secrets of the Torah — and all the sages of Israel differed from him just as monkeys differ from man. He arrived in Jerusalem with a few students, themselves great sages and tzadikim, but because of the many sins of the generation, his days were not prolonged — he passed away here at exactly the time you told me you no longer saw him. And when I related what I had heard from you to the sages here, their souls trembled" (Sarei HaMeah 4:5, 6:7). It later became clear that the Baal Shem Tov had told his messenger about the arrival of the "sage from the western lands" in Jerusalem on the very day that Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar first entered the gates of the holy city.   How the Merit of Or HaChaim Drove the Nazis Away from the Holy Land Rabbi Yisrael of Husiatyn felt a very deep spiritual connection to Or HaChaim. After settling in the Land of Israel, Rabbi Yisrael visited Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar's grave on Har HaZeitim (the Mount of Olives) in Jerusalem every year on the anniversary of his passing. On 15 Tammuz 5701 (1941), he went to the Mount of Olives, accompanied by the renowned tzadik Rabbi Shlomke of Zvhil and a large group of chassidim. In those days, the forces of the German Field Marshal Rommel were approaching Alexandria, and the British were preparing to evacuate Palestine. Hitler, may his name be erased, had already boastfully declared: "I will enter Palestine before lunch, and by dinner the Jews will be finished." Mortal danger loomed over the Jewish community of the Land of Israel. Rabbi Yisrael of Husiatyn and Rabbi Shlomke of Zvhil bent over the grave of Or HaChaim in prolonged, focused meditation. Finally, Rabbi Yisrael declared with confidence: "The wicked will not come! They will not enter the Land of Israel!" He later explained that he had been given a sign from Heaven that Rommel would be defeated. And indeed, the advance of the German army soon halted, and in the autumn of 5702 (1942) the British forces launched a counteroffensive and pursued Rommel all the way to Tunisia. ("Ve-Zeh Sha'ar HaShamayim", p. 495)   Sipurei Tzadikim Baba Sali - Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu and Or HaChaim HaKadosh Once, one of the eminent rabbis wrote a book and wanted a review and blessing from the Rishon LeTzion – Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu. Chacham Mordechai read the book but was in no hurry to approve it – he did not like it, and did not know how to tell the rabbi without offending him. After waiting a long time, that prominent rabbi decided to visit the rabbi and find out why Rabbi Mordechai had never responded regarding his work. Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu resolved to speak and told the rabbi that he could not accept what was written there: "How could you write such a thing about Or HaChaim HaKadosh — a whole chapter from his book has vanished from your commentary, and people will not understand a verse from his book. Go to Baba Sali, let him decide what should be done." He went to Baba Sali in Netivot and told him everything that had happened. Baba Sali grew angry and said: "How could you write such a thing at all." Baba Sali had a special relationship with Or HaChaim HaKadosh; he loved him dearly, and every Friday morning he would go to the mikveh, dress in white garments, and read the book of Or HaChaim HaKadosh — reading it in full — eating nothing until he finished. That night, the prominent rabbi went to Har HaZeitim, to the grave of Or HaChaim HaKadosh, and began to pray. Toward morning, at 4 a.m., he came to Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu and told him that he had been at Or HaChaim HaKadosh's grave, had prayed and wept until he fell asleep, and that Or HaChaim had appeared to him in a dream and told him that his interpretation of the book was "nachon" (correct), and that he had therefore come to kiss him for his wisdom. Chacham Mordechai said to him: "Go, sit down, eat, drink, and go rest easy, because what you saw was from exhaustion and overexertion — you haven't slept or eaten in who knows how long." The prominent rabbi said: "You don't believe me? Or HaChaim HaKadosh himself told me so." He grew angry and went to Baba Sali. He arrived at Baba Sali's around 9 a.m., and as soon as Baba Sali saw him, he told his people to give him food and drink and let him rest — "pikuach nefesh." The rabbi told Baba Sali that Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu did not believe him — that Or HaChaim HaKadosh had "nigla" (revealed himself) to him at his grave and told him that his interpretation of the book was correct. Baba Sali laughed and said to him: Chacham Mordechai Eliyahu is not from Morocco, but I and Or HaChaim are from Morocco, and you are from Morocco. When he sees Chacham Mordechai, he'll tell him that Or HaChaim revealed himself to you because you are from Morocco." Some time later, Baba Sali visited Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, and when Rabbi Mordechai asked Baba Sali how it was possible that Or HaChaim had revealed himself to that rabbi, Baba Sali said that Or HaChaim was from Morocco and took pity on that rabbi and appeared to him in a dream. Rabbi Mordechai laughed upon hearing this.   Segulot on the Tzadik's Yahrzeit: Light a candle in honor of the tzadik, first giving tzedakah; 1. A segula to pray for the birth of sons in the merit of the tzadik (since he left no children of his own — his teachings are his legacy); 2. A segula for salvation from trouble and for children – to make a vow at Or HaChaim's grave to study his entire weekly commentary on the Torah portion every week, or to promise to hold a Seudat Mitzvah (after visiting his grave) — a meal in his honor; this is guaranteed to bring salvation from any trouble. (Yaakov Doctor) 3. A segula involving netilat yadayim — since in Or HaChaim's generation he was given the secret of Netilat Yadayim (after his death the secret passed to the Baal Shem Tov — it was precisely during Netilat Yadayim that the Besht sensed that "the western candle had gone out" — the death of the tzadik), it is good to study several halachot of Netilat Yadayim. 4. A segula for healing the eyes – to read the Sefer "Or HaChaim" (the commentary of Or HaChaim on the weekly Torah portion is given below).   Limud (Or HaChaim's commentary on the weekly portion "Bo"): "Vehigadta levincha vechulei – tzarich ladaat lama lo amar 've'amarta,' ki teivat hagadah matzinu leRabotenu zichronam livracha she'amru (Shabbat 87a). She'itkaven ba devarim kashim kegidim. Od kasha omro 'bayom hahu' u'vesamuch gamar omer ba'avur zeh vedarshu Rabotenu zichronam livracha (be-Mechilta u've-Hagadah): 'Besha'ah shemaza umaror vechulei…' vehu balayla velo bayom, ve'im ken lo haya lo lomar ela 'vehigadta levincha' le'emor ba'avur zeh ve'ani yodea zman ha-hagadah shehu balayla. Od tzarich ladaat omro 'le'emor' vehu kvar amar 'vehigadta.' Vениreh ki yachvin al derech omram zichronam livracha (Pesachim 116a): 'Matchil bignut umesayem beshevach,' yomar gnut avotehem shel ha'avot ki lo haya davar meshubach, vehu omro 'vehigadta' devarim shelev ha'adam ne'ekash mehem, ve'achar-kach mesayem beshevach, vehu omro 'le'emor' amirot meshubachot mesamchim et ha-lev umesa'adim oto, ve'amar 'bayom hahu' hodia bemetek lashon tzadik, ki halayla hahu yom ikarei vehu omro (Tehillim 139:12) 'velayla keyom ya'ir,' velo chash shetit'e lomar yom mamash shegamar omer ba'avur zeh shehu bish'at matza vechulei ke'omram za"l. Ve'ulai ki samach 'bayom hahu' im 'vehigadta' ki gam nes zeh bichlal mitzvat hagadah. Od yirtze be'omro 'le'emor' lihyot she'amar 'vehigadta levincha' tinach im yesh lo ben im ein lo ben yihiye patur talmud lomar 'le'emor, she'al kol panim tzarich lehagid, afilu beino lvein atzmo, im ken lama amar 'levincha.' Ve'ulai shebe'emtza'ut ha'itur ani mevin ken velo belo itur. Ve'efshar od she'yirmoz be'omro 'vehigadta levincha' she'im yagid ha-hagadah ha'amurah be'inyan izakehu Ado-nai she'yagid livno uchdei shelo tit'e lomar davka, lezeh amar 'le'emor.'   A note for the Kotel – where the tradition began https://silatehilim.com/письмо-к-шхине-записка-в-стене-плача-с/   The Prayer of Or HaChaim HaKadosh for the Shechinah https://silatehilim.com/молитва-ор-а-хаим-а-кадош-за-шхину/   Borei Nefashot – a segula for prosperity according to Or HaChaim https://silatehilim.com/ор-а-хаим-секрет-брахи-на-напитки/   (Yeshiva "Yodei Bina," based on a class by Rav Yisrael Yakobov, "The Power of the Tzadikim")