Yahrzeit/Hillula of Rabbi David Chazan

Chacham Rabbi David Chazan

Three outstanding tzadikim: Rabbi Avraham Coriat, Rabbi Chaim Pinto HaGadol, and Rabbi David Chazan, studied together as chavrutot every day. The first letters of their names spell out the word echad (אחד). They served together on the rabbinical Beit Din of Mogador.

Every Erev Shabbat, Rabbi Chaim and Rabbi David Chazan regularly studied the Alsheich's commentary on the weekly parasha together. This custom was very precious to them. They both wanted it to continue uninterrupted. So they agreed between themselves that whoever died first would appear to his partner to study the weekly parasha with the Alsheich's commentary together.

On the Shabbat after Rabbi David Chazan's passing, Rabbi Chaim HaGadol waited for him to come. However, Rabbi David did not appear. Rabbi Chaim called his attendant and asked him to go to Rabbi David's house and ask his widow why her husband had not kept his promise to study the Sefer Alsheich with him on Erev Shabbat.

The attendant did not understand his rabbi's request and was in no hurry to carry out his order. He thought to himself that Rabbi Chaim knew perfectly well that Rabbi David was no longer alive.

Rabbi Chaim noticed the attendant's hesitation and firmly repeated his request. The attendant finally understood that this was an extraordinary request, beyond his understanding. He hurried to Rabbi David's house and asked his widow why her husband had not kept his promise to study the Sefer Alsheich with Rabbi Chaim on Erev Shabbat.

The widow was stunned by the question. "How does Rabbi Chaim know that my husband is home right now?" she asked the astonished attendant.

It did not take long for Rabbi Chaim to receive an explanation.

Rabbi David Chazan appeared to his friend and told him that he had also sworn to his wife that he would come home to make Kiddush for her every Friday night. For this reason he had not come to study with Rabbi Chaim; he could not be in two places at once. He also told Rabbi Chaim that from then on he would continue to appear to him physically, whereas to his wife he would appear only in dreams, since she had revealed his secret.

Fish for Shabbat

Rabbi David Chazan had a custom of eating fish in honor of Shabbat every Friday night. Since there were no refrigerators in those days, one had to go to the market on Friday to buy fresh fish.

One Friday, when Rabbi David Chazan went to the market to buy fish for Shabbat, the sellers told him: "There is no fish today! There was a storm at sea, and the fishermen could not cast their nets. Everyone came back empty-handed."

At first Rabbi David was upset, since he could not fulfill his custom of eating fish on Shabbat.

However, he came up with a brilliant plan. He knew that Rabbi Chaim Pinto always had plenty of fish at home. So, right after the evening prayer on Shabbat, he headed straight to Rabbi Chaim Pinto's house to join the tzadik for the meal.

Rabbi Chaim warmly welcomed his guest. Enjoying a variety of fish in honor of Shabbat, Rabbi Chaim HaGadol and Rabbi David discussed various topics in Torah, halacha, and aggadah. They continued their conversation, losing track of time, until it was deep into the night.

When Rabbi David got ready to go home, it was already dark. In those days it was dangerous to travel alone at night, since one could run into anyone on the streets.

Seeing Rabbi David's predicament, Rabbi Chaim immediately summoned a demon (named Gedalya). He ordered it to accompany Rabbi David home and protect him from any danger.

Along the way, they began to talk. It started when the demon stuck out its tongue and a flame of fire burst from its mouth.

Rabbi David rebuked it: "I fear you are desecrating Shabbat."

The demon replied: "I am sorry to tell you, honored rabbi, but that is not so! The prohibition against desecrating Shabbat applies only to beings of flesh and blood, but does not obligate us, since we are made of fire." (Shenot Chaim)

The Prophet Son

The great tzadik Moreinu VeRabbeinu David Chazan, Rabbi Chaim's beloved friend, had no children for many years. At every opportunity he prayed to Ha-Shem that he be granted sons who would serve Him and fear Him.

His prayers bore fruit, and after some time, to his immense joy, a son was born to Rabbi David. However, his joy was short-lived, as this only child died while still very young. How did this happen?

Rabbi David Chazan devoted himself to the study of Kabbalah, revealing the secrets of the Torah. One day, while he was studying, his son, who was about 7 years old at the time, came to him and began studying the hidden secrets of the Torah with him.

The boy quickly grasped everything his father taught him. After that, he began passing on the mystical secrets to his father's students. (Shenot Chaim and Mekor Chaim)

From then on, everyone called the boy "the prophet," because every word he spoke was true. His father, Rabbi David, feared this turn of events and pleaded with Ha-Shem to take his son from this world so that he would not frighten people by revealing what was on their conscience.

His prayers were answered and his son died in the flower of his youth. Because of his exalted neshama, he was ahead of his time. He was buried in the Mogador cemetery, not far from the place where Rabbi Chaim Pinto HaGadol himself would eventually be buried (Shevach Chaim).

The Final Journey

There is an amazing story describing what happened on the day of Rabbi David Chazan's passing:

Rabbi David came to Marrakesh together with Rabbi Chaim Pinto at the request of the city's governor, who wanted the holy tzadikim to serve as judges in the trial of a wealthy man, Rabbi Chaim Ben Bahas.

When they arrived in the city, it was time to pray. In the middle of the Shemoneh Esrei prayer, Rabbi David Chazan's neshama departed in holiness and purity.

Members of the Chevra Kadisha approached the body to begin the purification process. However, to their surprise, they could not proceed. Anyone who approached Rabbi David's holy body was immediately knocked off their feet. This happened to the first, to the second, and to all the rest.

The members of the Chevra Kadisha realized that there were mysterious circumstances preventing them from burying Rabbi David Chazan. They hurried to Rabbi Chaim to tell him about the strange chain of events.

He thought for a moment, then said to them: "Listen, you should know that I shared a deep secret with Rabbi David Chazan. Now that he has departed for the Heavenly Realms, I can reveal it to you. Whoever approaches his body will immediately fall. However, there is only one way to perform the tahara and arrange his burial. His body must be washed with his own tears — the tears that flowed from his eyes when he wept every night during the Tikkun Chatzot prayer, mourning the destruction of the Temple. These tears," Rabbi Chaim explained, "are kept in a special jar in his house in Mogador. Go quickly to Mogador and bring back the jar, and then you will be able to perform the tahara properly."

The members of the Chevra Kadisha were baffled by the tzadik's suggestion. "How can we get something from Mogador? It is very far from here, and the round trip will take several days. Leaving the body unburied during that time is a desecration of the deceased."

Rabbi Chaim agreed that the deceased could not be allowed to remain unburied for such a long period. He went into his room to think the situation over once more, and then came out and announced: "Wait a little, and the jar will come to you by itself."

Rabbi Chaim went to the Beit Knesset Alazama in Marrakesh and reverently opened the Aron HaKodesh. When he came out, he was holding a jar filled with Rabbi David Chazan's tears.

To their astonishment, Rabbi Chaim Pinto handed them the jar. The members of the Chevra Kadisha first immersed in a mikveh to purify themselves in honor of the deceased. After that, they washed Rabbi David's holy body with his tears. Miraculously, the tears in the jar were enough for the entire washing process.

Then Rabbi David Chazan's body was finally taken to be buried. Crowds of people came to accompany him in Marrakesh.

A small structure was built over Rabbi David Chazan's grave, and the following words were written on the headstone: "This is the grave of the exalted Rav, the Divine Mekubal, Moreinu VeRabbeinu Rabbi David Chazan, of the city of Mogador, who studied Torah with Eliyahu HaNavi. He was called up to the Heavenly Yeshiva here, in Marrakesh. 16 Av."