Rabbi David Ben Baruch HaKohen Azog

Rabbi David Ben Baruch HaKohen Azog Yahrzeit - 3 Tevet Burial place - Cimetière juif, Taroudant, Morocco   Rabbi David Ben Baruch HaKohen Azog (1760) was, according to preserved family tradition, a direct descendant of Aaron HaKohen's grandson – Pinchas and the Kohen Gadol Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha. He was a Baal Mofet (miracle-worker), both during his lifetime and after his passing. The surname Azog comes from a Berber word meaning "great," and also refers to the status of women who could not marry into families of Kohanim Gedolim. The Forehead Band When Rabbi David ben Baruch was born, his holy father noticed that the child possessed special holiness, and that the Name שדי shone upon his son's forehead. He placed a band on his son's forehead and instructed the family members never to take the boy out of the house bareheaded and without the band on his forehead, because if an unworthy person were to look at the child, harm would immediately befall him. In the village of Imin Tagha, little David once went out to play with children his age, one of whom was the son of the village sheikh. During the game, the sheikh's son threw a stone at David Ben Baruch; the band shifted, his forehead was exposed, and the offender immediately lost his sight and went blind. After this incident, the sheikh, having looked into the matter, asked the family to leave the village, offering to cover the cost of their travel. Among the revered members of the family are Baruch Ben David (also known as Baba L'Aziz) of Casablanca, David Ben Baruch of Essaouira, and Baruch Ben David (also known as Baba Dudu) of Taroudant. Their graves in Taroudant and Casablanca are recognized as holy sites by both Jews and local Muslims. Several members of the Azog family live in Casablanca, preserving the traditions of pilgrimage and their sacred status. Simplicity in Greatness Once, one of the great sages of Morocco, Rabbi Chananya of Marrakesh, performed a "she'elat chalom" (a dream inquiry), asking who his companion in the World to Come would be. In the dream he was answered that his companion, both in this world and in Heaven, would be a righteous man named Rabbi David ben Baruch. Rabbi Chananya wanted to know who this tzadik was, so he sent a messenger to the town of Taroudant to announce that Rabbi Chananya of Marrakesh would be coming to meet an important person in their community. Rabbi Chananya arrived, and the people came out to greet him and received him with great honor. Rabbi Chananya explained the purpose of his visit, but they replied that their town was small and they knew everyone in it, and that no such tzadik lived there. "I know that such a man exists," replied Rabbi Chananya. "Go through every house and ask who Rabbi David ben Baruch is." The people went to search. Two days later they returned and said: "We checked everyone - there is no such person. There is a simple Jew who works in the field, but he is not a tzadik." "It is exactly this man I am looking for. He may be simple in your eyes, but not in mine - take me to his home." When Rabbi David Ben Baruch returned from the field after his work, he saw Rabbi Chananya in his home and immediately ran to honor the rabbi. Rabbi Chananya asked Rabbi David ben Baruch whether he could stay in his home for a couple of days - he wanted to understand what was special about him, such that Heaven had destined him to be Rabbi Chananya's companion in both worlds. Tikkun Chatzot, prayer, study - like any other Jew, the rabbi saw nothing special in him. Rabbi Chananya called Rabbi David and said: "I am judging you by the Torah - tell me what your deeds are. I want to know - I asked in a dream who would be my companion in Heaven, and I was answered from Heaven, Rabbi David ben Baruch. I have spent my whole life in Torah, and I want to know the reason why you are my chavruta in Heaven." Rabbi David ben Baruch answered him: "I will tell you only one thing that I know - from the day I became aware of myself, when I pray, I have no extraneous thoughts; my mind is clear and pure, and not a single stray thought enters my head. This is what my prayer looks like, day after day." Rabbi Chananya was moved: "Blessed am I and my portion, that you are my company in Heaven."   Shidduch When Rabbi David ben Baruch grew older, he could not find his match for a long time; he kept looking and saying, "This is not mine." Everyone wanted to marry him, yet he could not choose his own. Rabbi David ben Baruch went to the holy Rabbi Khalifa Malka in Hagadi to ask for his blessing. Perhaps he would know of some special woman whom he could marry. Rabbi Khalifa Malka was overjoyed to welcome such a holy man, whose name was known throughout Morocco. In the middle of Shabbat, Rabbi David ben Baruch said to Rabbi Khalifa Malka: "I have found my match." The rabbi was surprised and said, "So quickly - and who is it?" "It is your daughter," answered Rabbi David ben Baruch. "But my daughter is older than you - to our great sorrow, we were not able to find her a match in her time." Rabbi David replied: "B'Ruach HaKodesh I saw that she is my other half." Some time later the young couple married, and in the middle of the wedding, the great Mekubalim - Rabbi Shalom Pinto and Rabbi Chaim Pinto HaGadol - decided to give him a special gift. They taught him how to elevate his soul during the Kedusha of the Mussaf Shabbat prayer - "Keter Yitnu Lecha" - they taught him how to ascend to Heaven to see what takes place in the higher worlds.   Kfitzat HaDerech - Shortening the Way In a beit midrash in Jerusalem sat a group of Torah scholars. One of the sages was struggling with a question on the weekly parasha; everyone tried to find an answer, but without success. Chacham Shlomo Machanias of Marrakesh stood up and said there was only one tzadik who could resolve this matter. They asked who it was, and he answered - Rabbi David Ben Baruch of Morocco. They told him that Morocco was too far from Israel. They began to think whom to send with a letter to the tzadik, and settled on an Arab man. They gave him money for the journey, food, and the tzadik's address, and instructed him to deliver the letter to Rabbi David ben Baruch and bring back the answer. He agreed and set out on his way. G-d had mercy on him and shortened the journey, and within a month he arrived at Rabbi David ben Baruch's home with the letter. Rabbi David immediately opened the letter, answered the difficult question with profound commentary, sealed the letter in an envelope, and gave it to the messenger. Before this, Rabbi David ben Baruch had told his wife to prepare challah for the sages of Jerusalem. He took the challah out of the oven and said to the Arab man: "Take this bread and give it to the sages of Jerusalem." The messenger began to protest, saying that by the time he arrived, two months would pass and the bread would go stale. Rabbi David ben Baruch told him not to worry, to deliver the bread, and that they would hold a seudah with this challah. When the Arab man mounted his horse, Rabbi David uttered holy Names and told him to close his eyes and ride, which he did. After a while he opened his eyes and saw familiar surroundings - it was Jerusalem. How could this be? He could not believe what he was seeing. Within a few hours he arrived in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem sages saw him and said: "You lazy man, are you still here? Haven't you set out yet?" "Why, of course," answered the Arab man, "I have already returned and brought you the letter. Open it and see." The Jerusalem sages did not believe him and asked again whether he was certain this was the tzadik's handwriting, whether he was certain he had truly been there. The Arab man replied that not only was he certain, but he had also brought challah for a seudah. He took the challah out of his sack and found it still warm, and immediately became a witness at the seudah. He had performed "kfitzat haderech" (a shortening of the way) with holy Names, so that the sages of Jerusalem could quickly receive the explanation of the holy words of the Torah. Rabbi David's resting place is located near Azrou n'Bahamou and Oulad Berhil, not far from Taroudant.   May the merit of the tzadik protect Am Yisrael!   (https://dailyzohar.com/tzadikim/256-Rabbi-David-ben-Baruch-HaKohen-Azog)