Rabbi Salman Mutzafi

Rabbi Salman Mutzafi - Mekubal from Baghdad. Rabbi Salman Mutzafi was one of the rare Torah giants of the previous generation. Yahrzeit - 17 Tevet Resting place - Har HaMenuchot, Jerusalem Rabbi Salman Mutzafi is the father of Gaon Rabbi Ben Tzion Mutzafi (shlita). His daughter Tzipora became the wife of Mekubal David Batzri (shlita) - their son is Gaon Yitzchak Batzri. Rabbi David Shalom Batzri was born and raised in Jerusalem to Rabbi Yosef and Victoria Batzri. He is the great-grandson of the sister of the Ben Ish Chai and the great-grandson of Rabbi Yehuda Petaya, who was also like a father to him. Rabbi Salman was born in Baghdad, and he was only 9 years old when the Ben Ish Chai passed away, yet little Salman was already captivated by him. In those very young years he did everything he could to push through the crowds of people listening to the Ben Ish Chai's shiurim - just to catch a glimpse of this giant, kiss his hands, hear a few words of true holiness - and receive his blessing for success in life. His family were descendants of refugees from Spain and bore the surname Musafia, but because people mispronounced it, it eventually changed to Mutzafi. He began studying Talmud at the age of 5, and by age 6 he already read the entire Torah completely fluently. At the age of 9 he secretly left home to attend the funeral of the Ben Ish Chai - and took upon himself the commitment to devote his life to Torah study. At night he would tie a rope to his finger, run it through the door to his father's room, and carefully tie it to the handle - so that when his father woke at midnight to recite Tikkun Chatzot and study Torah, he could join him. When his father passed away, he immersed himself in the kavanot (mystical intentions of prayer) of the Rashash - the great Rabbi Shalom Sharabi. By the age of 16 he had already worked through the entire Tur, and at 18 he was certified as a shochet and mohel. In the Holy Land he joined the great kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Petaya (a student of the Ben Ish Chai), and it was Rabbi Yehuda Petaya himself who gave him semicha. For 40 years he immersed himself in meditations and mystical kavanot according to the Siddur of the Rashash. It would take him an hour to recite Kriat Shema! Reciting the morning blessings took him two hours.   Tikkun Chatzot One morning Rabbi Salman was walking, as usual, to prayer, not knowing that the British had imposed a curfew that night. The Rav was detained and taken to a camp where 300 Jews were already being held, having also violated the curfew and being suspected of ties to the underground. Awaiting interrogation, everyone was in a state of numb shock. Rabbi Salman looked around and decided that there should be no room for idleness; a unique opportunity had presented itself to him right now! At once Rabbi Salman began expounding Torah, and people were drawn to listen to the Rav. Words that come from the heart enter the heart, and when the Rav began reciting "Tikkun Chatzot," everyone began repeating after him line by line; they recited the prayer for the Redemption, cried out "Ha-Shem is G-d," and said the Shema Yisrael prayer... The British policemen, seeing that the place of detention had turned into an enormous synagogue where people were pouring out their souls in prayer, said, "These are not terrorists," and released them all... The Rav returned home. The Rebbetzin was worried by his lateness. She knew that a curfew had been declared and feared that the Rav had been arrested and might be sentenced to imprisonment. The Rav told her: "I really was detained, but not in order to end up in prison, but in order to tell other Jews about Ha-Shem." The Rav told her what had happened and concluded: "Spirituality and physicality are connected and intertwined with each other. The spark of spirituality drawn out of the souls of these people led to their physical release. And if this happens for the entire nation of Israel, physical redemption will happen as well." During the Nazi invasion of North Africa, upon learning of Rommel's planned advance, several respected Jerusalem elders approached Rabbi Salman Mutzafi with a request that he curse Hitler. However, he refused, after being warned in a dream not to do so.   Meeting with Baba Sali Rav Salman heard that the renowned Moroccan chacham Rabbi Israel Abuchatzeira (Baba Sali) had arrived in Eretz Yisrael, who was said to be well-versed in Kabbalah. Rabbi Salman visited his childhood friend, Rabbi Nissim Kadouri Chazan, an outstanding talmid chacham, and persuaded him to visit the guest together with him. When they approached Baba Sali's door, dressed as simple Jews, they resembled ordinary baalei batim in every respect. Their true nature, however, did not escape Baba Sali's discerning eye, for as soon as they entered his study he understood that they were talmidei chachamim. "Which country are you both from?" Baba Sali asked them. They replied that they were from Baghdad, Iraq, where Rabbi Yosef Chaim (the Ben Ish Chai) had lived. The mere mention of the Ben Ish Chai's name made Baba Sali tremble. Eagerly he asked the two men whether they could tell him anything about the great piety, holiness, and Torah knowledge of the Ben Ish Chai. Rabbi Salman Mutzafi began discussing certain passages from the sefarim of Rabbi Yosef Chaim that point to the degree of spiritual level the author attained in his lifetime. Being extremely well-versed in the works of the Ben Ish Chai, Baba Sali drew the two men into an exhilarating exchange of quotations and opinions concerning various works of the Ben Ish Chai, including "Rav Pealim," his monumental halachic work. The two visitors, who had at first decided not to reveal their knowledge, soon lost themselves in the discussion of various topics. The conversation gradually turned to more mystical subjects, and soon the three men were speaking in hushed tones about the deepest secrets of Kabbalah. Before long, Baba Sali saw the true depth of knowledge of both rabbis. When the pace of the conversation slowed somewhat, Rabbi Salman expressed his amazement at Baba Sali's extensive knowledge of the Ben Ish Chai's works. Baba Sali answered: "You should know that I made use of all the works of Rav Yosef Chaim that were available in Morocco, and I studied them from cover to cover without any interruptions. I gave many lectures based on his writings. I follow all the halachic rulings of Rabbi Yosef Chaim, except in cases where the Abir Yaakov ruled otherwise." Family A young man who was a member of Rav Salman's community had a bitter dispute with his parents. The situation deteriorated over time to the point that the man simply stopped speaking with them. He would not even greet them when he met them in the street. The parents were deeply hurt but did not know how to resolve the problem. Word of this family's troubles reached Rav Salman, and he was deeply pained to hear that disputes were tearing the family apart. One Thursday, Rav Salman assigned this young man a great many books to study. The main book was "Reishit Chochmah," which deals with honoring one's parents. Rav Salman told the young man: "You don't have to listen to me, but listen to what the Chachmei Yisrael say. At the very least, study what is written in 'Reishit Chochmah.'" Rav Salman continued: "I see that you are still in the midst of a youthful rebellion, but I must tell you that there is no difference between one who desecrates Shabbat and one who does not honor his parents. It is the same thing. You probably think that if you keep nine out of ten mitzvot, you will be saved, but all these mitzvot were on the very same tablets that Ha-Shem gave to Moshe Rabbeinu." Rav Salman understood that this man was stubborn and that it would not be easy for him to change himself and put an end to his wrongdoing. Rav Salman told him: "The Heavenly Court does not punish a person unless he has been warned. I am a messenger of the Heavenly Court - you have 3 days to set things right." Three days passed. Rav Salman saw this man in the street, but he was busy talking with people. Rav Salman told him: "I will come back in a few minutes to talk." Rav Salman left. When he returned, he saw an ambulance driving out of the area. The man was no longer alive. The ambulance was carrying away the son who did not know how important it is to honor one's parents.   Snow for Kabbalists His grandson Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Batzri of the kabbalistic synagogue "HaShalom" relates in the name of Rabbi Salman Mutzafi that snowy days are festive occasions for kabbalists. The Snow Tikkun involves rolling in the snow 9 times, but he warned: "There is no permission for this except for one who is in a state of holiness and righteousness. Entering the snow with a bare body can cause very dangerous burns, and people who do this may lose their breath." The Snow Tikkun for ordinary people is to take snow in one's palms and pass it over one's hands 9 times and over one's forehead three times. Passing snow over the forehead is considered a segula for improving memory. Rabbi Batzri, son of Mekubal Rabbi David Batzri, also related that his father would carry buckets of snow from Jerusalem for people who came to perform the Tikkun. He also said: "I see tzadikim who do this and are not harmed, and they are healthy and strong as lions." Kabbalists explain that rolling naked in the snow is a segula for personal and collective rectification of four transgressions: using practical Kabbalah, relations with a non-Jew, relations with a niddah, and relations with a man. The Sages teach that just as there is a Gehinnom of burning fire, there is a Gehinnom of freezing snow, intended for the rectification of transgressions that require cooling of the body, and that one who rolls in the snow is saved from the Gehinnom of snow. More about the Snow Tikkunim - here: https://silatehilim.com/тайны-снега-тикуним-и-сгулот/ May the merit of this great tzadik protect Am Yisrael!   (material compiled from the book "Gates of the East" by Rav Israel Spector, based on a lesson by Gaon Ben Tzion Mutzafi)