20 Tevet · Yahrzeit
Rabbi Yaakov Abuchatzeira - Abir Yaakov
Rabbi Yaakov ben Masoud Abuchatzeira - Abir Yaakov - the greatest Mekubal of Morocco, grandfather of Baba Sali.
Yahrzeit - 20 Tevet
Resting place - Damanhur, Naqraha, Damanhour, Egypt
The History of the Abuchatzeira Family Name - the Most Famous Dynasty of Mekubalim
In the generation of the holy Arizal in Damascus lived the greatest of his students - Rabbeinu Chaim Vital. One of his study partners - his "chavruta" - was the holy Gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Shmuel Elbaz. Once he needed to visit the Jewish community of Turkey, which at that time was fastest and easiest to reach by sea.
Rabbi Shmuel arrived at the port and found a ship that was sailing to Turkey. He asked the captain of the vessel to take him aboard to the shores of Turkey, but the captain would not agree to take a passenger without money. Then Rabbi Shmuel took a book and a mat (rug) out of his bag, spread the mat on the shore next to the gangway, and began to study.
The captain, seeing this, decided that the Jew was about to start begging to collect enough for the journey - but the man never once lifted his eyes from the book. Some of those boarding asked the captain about the strange Jew who had found such an unsuitable place to study - and he told them with a smirk about the "poor Jew" who had decided to cross to Turkey "for free" in the company of the "faithful." To the astonishment of everyone watching the events unfold from the deck of the ship, when the gangway was raised, the "yahud" ("little Jew" in Arabic) did not jump or beg to be taken aboard. He simply stood up, took his mat in his hands, and after waiting for the ship to cast off, he laid the mat on the water and sat down on top of it. The mat not only did not sink with a gurgle - it began to sail alongside the ship. The passengers of the vessel called the captain. Seeing this miracle, he understood that he was dealing with a righteous Jew - and all the Arabs knew their power. The captain began calling to Rabbi Shmuel to come aboard, but the rabbi paid him no attention whatsoever. So they sailed all the way to the shores of Turkey. In the port, before the astonished eyes of sailors, dockworkers and other onlookers, Rabbi Shmuel floated to shore on his mat, stood up, picked up the mat, and, shaking the water off it, walked unhurriedly toward the Jewish quarter.
When this story became known among the Jews of Turkey, Rabbi Shmuel Elbaz came to be called "Master of the Mat" - in Arabic, "Abu Hatzira." This nickname later became the surname of his descendants. Rabbi Shmuel Elbaz is buried in Jobar, near Damascus.
The great-grandson of Rabbi Shmuel, the famous Gaon and kabbalist Rabbi Yaakov Abuchatzeira, was nicknamed the Mighty One - "Abir Yaakov." It is notable that in the Sephardic Selichot, in the prayer "Aneinu," we recall Yaakov Avinu with this very phrase for 40 days: "Aneinu, Elokei Avraham, Aneinu. Aneinu, u-Fachad Yitzchak, Aneinu. Aneinu, Abir Yaakov, Aneinu."
"Abir Yaakov" was known throughout the world for his wisdom, holiness and miracles. He was born in Tafilalt (in northeastern Morocco). In hot Morocco, Rabbi Yaakov's father - Rabbi Masoud (the Arabic form of the name Moshe) - began teaching his son the fundamentals of the holy Torah. Very quickly his son became a young genius. Already at a young age he became the rabbi of Tafilalt.
The Tefillin of Abir Yaakov
Once, while Rabbi Yaakov was staying in the city of Marrakesh, he felt that something had happened to his tefillin. Upon inspection, it turned out that with age the ink of one letter had separated from the parchment, thereby rendering the tefillin unfit for use. Abir Yaakov asked the local Jews whether there was a sofer (scribe) among them who thoroughly knew his craft, including knowledge of the hidden Torah. He was told that indeed, there lived among them a rabbi known for his holiness, his wisdom in Torah (including the hidden Torah), and his beautiful handwriting. Rabbi Yaakov asked the sofer whether he was willing to write tefillin for him. The sofer answered yes. But Rabbi Yaakov asked: "Even if I set you many conditions - will you fulfill all of them exactly?" The sofer promised to carry out all the tzadik's instructions precisely. Abir Yaakov gave him a small examination on the knowledge of the Arizal's kavanot - and was pleased with the sofer's knowledge.
Then Rabbi Yaakov first of all told the sofer not to worry about payment for his work - he would receive as much as he himself deemed fit (it is known that the Arizal used to hand his purse to a sofer and tell him to take from it as much as he needed).
Secondly, Abir Yaakov strictly instructed him to immerse in a mikveh before writing each Name of the Almighty.
Thirdly, he was to focus on all the necessary kavanot of the Arizal before writing each of these Names (for, as is known, it is precisely while writing the Names that the sofer channels into the tefillin - and through them into this world - all the Light of the Almighty that will illuminate the prayer, study, and even the material success of the one who wears these tefillin).
The sofer went home and set about his holy and difficult work. Toward the end of writing the tefillin, before writing one of the Names, having returned from the mikveh, the sofer forgot to focus on the necessary kavanot of the Arizal. Only when he stood up from the table to go to the mikveh before the next Name did he remember that he had forgotten to fulfill Abir Yaakov's request the previous time. But should he start all over again? After all, no one but the tzadik would be willing to pay such a large sum for the effort and time he had already put into these tefillin... in the end, this tefillin had turned out to be the most kosher of all he had written in his life. In short, he finished writing the tefillin and brought them to Abir Yaakov - if the tzadik noticed, he would write a new set; if not, these would do.
When Rabbi Yaakov took the tefillin in his hands, he unrolled them and began examining each letter in order. When he reached the Name before which the sofer had not focused on the necessary kavanot, Abir Yaakov frowned. He examined this Name for a long time, and then asked the sofer whether he had followed his instructions exactly, especially regarding this Name. The sofer realized he was dealing with "Ruach HaKodesh" (a prophetic spirit) - and immediately confessed his lapse. Having received forgiveness, he committed to writing new tefillin right away. Abir Yaakov agreed - and soon held in his hands freshly written tefillin, with which he was satisfied. The great Abir Yaakov left this world on 20 Tevet (1880) in the city of Damanhur, in Egypt, where he is buried.
His grandson was the famous tzadik and kabbalist Rabbi Yisrael Abuchatzeira, known by the name Baba Sali.
A Chiddush of Abir Yaakov - and the Secret of Lashon Hara in the Torah
- "And Mitzrayim begot Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehavim, and Naftuchim; and Patrusim, and Kasluchim, from whom came the Pelishtim, and Kaftorim." (Bereishit 10:13-14)
Rabbi Yaakov Abuchatzeira found in these verses the following lesson about lashon hara (evil speech).
The gematria of the word "Mitzrayim" = 380 and equals the gematria of the word "lashon" (tongue/speech).
The names of the children of Mitzrayim point to the consequences of "lashon hara" (for this gematria to work, lashon hara must be written "chaser"/"deficient," that is, without the letter "vav").
So, the first child of Mitzrayim was Ludim, connected to the word "v'lad" (newborn).
The name of the second child, Anamim, relates to the word "na'im" (pleasant). Although every newborn is by nature pleasant and beloved, lashon hara brings Lehavim, "flames of hatred."
This, in turn, leads to Naftuchim, containing the word "petach" - "an opening," because lashon hara opens up (breaks apart) the strong bonds that tie friends together.
The names of the next sons, Patrusim and Kasluchim, allude to the fact that even the recipient of kindness and mercy can turn against his benefactor through lashon hara.
Specifically, in the word Patrusim - the first syllable, "pat," alludes to "pat" - "bread"; while the first syllable of Kasluchim alludes to "kos" (a drink) - together hinting at charity.
Nevertheless, the second syllable of Kasluchim hints at war [lochem - warrior].
Finally, one who speaks lashon hara ultimately denies G-d. This is alluded to in the name Kaftorim, which is composed of the words "kofer" - one who denies - and "Torah," meaning that one who speaks lashon hara may end up denying the truth of the Torah.
Arak (Anise Vodka) and the Abuchatzeira Family
It is worth explaining the custom by which all the Rabbis of the Abuchatzeira line blessed the Jewish people with arak (anise vodka), for it is obvious that they abstained from all worldly pleasures and led an ascetic life, wearing themselves out with fasts - so why arak?
It turns out that this tradition too has a secret.
The most famous descendant of Abir Yaakov - Baba Sali, once explained that "arak" - ערק - is an acronym for "Kabel Rinat A'mecha" - the second verse of the well-known prayer "Ana BeKoach." And we know that this prayer is an encoded 42-letter Name of Hashem. This means that "arak" is numerically equivalent (the same letters) to "Kra" - from the phrase "Kra Satan" (tear apart [the accuser]...).
There is also a known tradition that Baba Sali would cover a bottle of arak with a towel when pouring it out for Jews, and the arak would pour from that bottle for a long time without running out. This is a blessing for shefa (abundance)...
Rav Adir Amrotzi reveals to us his secret, that in many communities arak was made from tmarim (dates), so that there would be shefa, since the tamar (date) is a symbol of shefa.
The sages of the Abuchatzeira family blessed through arak, performing great and holy yichudim, connecting the Holy Shechinah, who is today in exile, with her Source.
May the merit of the Tzadik and his holy descendants protect Am Yisrael!
Pilgrimage site:
Grave: Eliezer ben Yaakov