Your prayer
requests can be brought directly to the gravesites of the greatest
kabbalists of all time and other holy sages. We escort visitors
to gravesites of the kabbalists in Safed twice weekly and will take
your prayers along. This service is FREE,
and your prayers will be delivered to the next gravesite we visit.
Special
delivery to a specific gravesite or on a specific date, or to accompany
the delivery with recitation of your request with tehillim can only
be done by making a small donation (click here). In order for your prayers to be delivered to a
specific gravesite and/or a specific date the contribution is $18.
If you want the prayer read with tehillim the contribution is $36.
Your contribution will be used to pay carfare and a small fee for
the person who will read the prayer and recite tehillim. All donations
are tax-deductible.
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SPECIAL DELIVERY OF YOUR PRAYER REQUEST,
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DELIVERY OF YOUR PRAYER REQUEST, WRITE YOUR PRAYER HERE:
Please include the Hebrew name and mother's Hebrew
name of the person to be prayed for in the box below (But if you don't
know the Hebrew names the "local language" ones will do).
Rabbi Shlomo
Alkabetz
Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz was one of the great kabbalists living
in Safed during the time of the great luminaries of Kabbala, Rabbi
Moshe Cordovero (Ramak) and Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (Arizal). Rabbi Shlomo
was born in Salonica c. 5260 (1500 CE) (according to some authorities
he was born in 5265). He studied Torah under Rabbi Yosef Taitatzak.
In 5289 (1529 CE) he married he daughter of one Yitzchak Cohen, a
wealthy householder living in Salonica. Instead of giving his wife
a more traditional wedding gift, he gave her his newly completed work
Manot HaLevi. His father-in-law and brother-in-law apparently revered
Torah scholars greatly for "their delight in receiving this gift
was many times greater than if he would have sent them jewelry and
precious stones of great monetary value." Shortly afterwards,
Rabbi Shlomo and his wife decided to settle in the Holy Land. On the
way there, the young Rabbi and his wife stopped over in Adrianople,
Turkey. The townsmen, including a group of kabbalists, begged him
to instruct them in the spiritual life and his methods of serving
G-d. He agreed and wrote several works during his stay in this town
- Beit Hashem, Avotot Ahava, Ayelet Ahavim and Brit HaLevi. This latter
work he dedicated to his admirers in Adrianople. Rabbi Shlomo eventually
continued his journey, teaching wherever he went. Several men who
were later to become great kabbalists themselves were deeply influenced
by Rabbi Shlomo. Among them were Rabbi Shmuel Ozida (author of Midrash
Shmuel on Pirkei Avot), Rabbi Eliezer Azikri, author of Sefer Chareidim,
a kabbalistic treatise on the correspondence of the limbs and organs
of the human body to the 613 mitzvot of the Torah; Rabbi Avraham Galante,
author of Yareach Yakar on Zohar and other works.
Rabbi Shlomo arrived in Safed around 5295 (1535 CE) where he settled.
Only in the Holy Land, he insisted, could one fathom the secrets of
Torah. Rabbi Shlomo attributed much of his depth of understanding
to his custom of prostrating himself at the graveside of tzadikim.
Many students gathered around him, including Rabbi Moshe Cordovero
(Ramak), who married Rabbi Shlomo's sister. It seems, however, that
Rabbi Shlomo later became the student of Ramak, a testimony to his
humbleness. Rabbi Yosef Caro was another student of Rabbi Shlomo.
Rabbi Shlomo tells the story that he was once studying with Rabbi
Yosef Caro when the latter's Maggid (an angelic teacher) appeared
to them. Rabbi Caro once asked his teacher to explain the kabbalistic
meaning of the verse "the two great luminaries" (Genesis
1:16) which he did in a lengthy dissertation. It seems that he served
as the head of a yeshiva in Meron, which lies across the valley from
Safed. He also appears to have served as a Rabbi in Safed. Rabbi Shlomo
is most renowned for his Lecha Dodi hymn, sung at the inauguration
of the Sabbath. It was composed according to kabbalistic teachings
regarding the ascent of the sefira of malchut (which represents both
the Shechinah and the Jewish soul) on the Sabbath, and it therefore
expresses the yearning of the Shechina and the Jewish soul for the
redemption. The hymn became so popular that it was incorporated into
the Sabbath liturgy of every community. Rabbi Shlomo passed on in
5340 (1580 CE) and is interred in Safed.
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Rabbi
Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi - the Holy Ari z"l
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi ben Shlomo
(5294-5332 = 1534-1572 c.e.)
Yahrtzeit: 5th of Av
Buried: the Old Cemetery of Tzfat
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria is commonly known as the Ari, an acronym standing
for Elohi Rabbi Yitzchak, the G-dly Rabbi Isaac. No other master or
sage ever had this extra letter Aleph, standing for Elohi [G-dly],
prefaced to his name. This was a sign of what his contemporaries thought
of him. Later generations, fearful that this appellation might be
misunderstood, said that this Aleph stood for Ashkenazi, indicating
that his family had originated in Germany, as indeed it had. But the
original meaning is the correct one, and to this day among Kabbalists,
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria is only referred to as Rabbenu HaAri, HaAri HaKadosh
[the holy Ari] or Arizal [the Ari of blessed memory]. The teachings
of the Ari were afforded the status of a Rishon [primary authority].
Every custom of the Ari was scrutinized, and many were accepted, even
against previous practice. The Magen Avraham (Rabbi Avraham Gombiner,
1635-1683) takes the Ari's personal customs as legally binding precedents.
In deciding disputes that had remained unresolved for centuries, he
often cites the Ari's custom as the final authority.
The Wonders of the Ari
The Ari was born in purity in the Old City of Yerushalayim in 5294
(1534, in what is now the Old Yishuv Court Museum. It is said that
Eliyau HaNavi himself was the Sandak at his Brit. Sefer HaKavanot
U'Ma'aseh Nissim records the following story:
There was once a very great chasid in Eretz Yisrael, named Rabbi Shlomo
Luria... One day he remained in the Beth Knesset alone, studying,
when Eliyahu HaNavi appeared to him and said, "I have been sent
to you by the Almighty to bring you tidings that your holy wife shall
conceive and bear a child, and that you must call him Yitzchak. He
shall begin to deliver Israel from the Klipot [husks, forces of evil].
Through him numerous souls will receive their tikkun. He is also destined
to reveal many hidden mysteries in the Torah and to expound on the
Zohar. His fame will spread throughout the world. Take care therefore
that you not circumcise him before I come to be the Sandak [who sits
in the Kisey Eliyahu and holds the child during the Brit Milah ceremony]."
As he finished speaking, he disappeared.
Rabbi Shlomo Luria went home but did not reveal this secret to
anyone, even his wife. When the Ari was born, the house was filled
with light, and on the eighth day they brought him to the Beth Knesset
to circumcise him. His father searched everywhere to see if Eliyahu
had come as he promised, but he did not see him. Everyone was urging
him to proceed, but he replied that not all the guests had arrived.
An hour went by, but Eliyahu still did not come. Then he thought
bitterly to himself: My sins must have prevented him from fulfilling
his promise. But as he was crying, Eliyahu appeared and said, "Do
not cry, servant of Hashem. Draw nigh unto the altar and offer your
son as a pure sacrifice dedicated entirely to Heaven. Sit on my
chair and I shall sit upon you." Whereupon, invisible to everyone
present except Rabbi Shlomo, Eliyahu sat on him, received the child
with both hands and held him during the entire circumcision. Neither
the Mohel nor those assembled saw anything but the father holding
his baby. After the Brit Milah, he again promised Rabbi Shlomo that
the child would bring great light to the entire world, and he disappeared.
Rabbi Shlomo passed away when the Ari was still a child. In 1541,
unable to support the family, his mother decided to travel to Egypt,
where they lived with her brother, Mordechai Frances, a wealthy
tax agent. His brilliance continued to shine in pilpul [dialectic]
and logic. His teachers were Rabbi David ben Zimra (Radbaz) and
Rabbi Betzalel Ashkenazi, author of Shittah Mekubetzet. By the time
he was fifteen, his expertise in Talmud had overwhelmed all the
sages in Egypt. Although he married his uncle's daughter at this
time, he spent seven years in almost total Hitbodedut [self-seclusion]
with Rabbi Betzalel Ashkenazi. It was around this time that a priceless
copy of one volume of the Zohar came into his hands. With this Zohar,
he was Mitboded alone for another six years. He then added to this,
secluding himself and reaching higher levels of kedushah-holiness.
This he did for two years straight, in a house near the Nile. There
he would remain alone, utterly isolated, not speaking to any human
being. He would return home on the eve of Shabbat, just before dark.
But even at home, he would not utter a word, even to his wife. When
it was absolutely necessary for him to say something, he would say
it in the least possible number of words, and then, he would speak
only in the Holy Tongue. He progressed in this manner until he was
worthy of Ruach HaKodesh. At times, Eliyahu HaNavi revealed himself
and taught him the mysteries of the Torah. He was also privileged
for his soul to ascend every night [into the heavenly realms]. Troops
of angels would greet him to safeguard his way, bringing him to
the heavenly academies. These angels would ask him which academy
he chose to visit. Sometimes it would be that of Rabbi Shimon bar
Yochai, and other times he would visit the academies of Rabbi Akiva
or Rabbi Eliezer the Great. On occasion he would also visit the
academies of the ancient prophets. In 1570, after he had attained
an extremely exalted rung of holiness in Egypt, Eliyahu told him
the time had come to ascend to Tzfat. There, he would meet Chayim
Vital, the man to whom he was destined to transmit the keys to the
ancient knowledge (Shiv'chey HaAri;
Toldot HaAri).
The Arizal's teachings explained: (Introduction
to Sha'ar HaHakdamot, by Rabbi Chayim Vital)
The Ari overflowed with Torah. He was thoroughly expert in Tanach,
Mishnah, Talmud, Pilpul, Midrash, Agadah, Ma'aseh Bereshit and Ma'aseh
Merkavah. He was expert in the language of trees, the language of
birds, and the speech of angels. He could read faces in the manner
outlined in the Zohar (2:74b). He could discern all that any individual
had done, and could see what they would do in the future. He could
read people's thoughts, often before the thought even entered their
mind. He knew future events, was aware of everything happening here
on earth, and what was decreed in heaven. He knew the mysteries
of Gilgul [Reincarnation], who had been born previously, and who
was here for the first time. He could look at a person and tell
him how he was connected to the Supernal Man, and how he was related
to Adam. He could read wondrous things [about people] in the light
of a candle or in the flame of a fire. With his eyes he gazed and
was able to see the souls of the righteous, both those who had died
recently and those who had lived in ancient times. With these he
studied the true mysteries. By a person's scent he was able to know
all that he had done, an ability that the Zohar attributes to the
holy Yenuka [Child] (3:188a).
It was as if all these mysteries were lying in his bosom, waiting
to be activated whenever he desired. He did not have to Mitboded
[seclude himself] to seek them out. All this we saw with our own
eyes. These are not things that we heard from others. They were
wondrous things that had not been seen on earth since the time of
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. None of this was attained through Magic,
heaven forbid. There is a strong prohibition against these arts.
Instead, it came automatically, as a result of his saintliness and
asceticism, after many years of study in both the ancient and the
newer Kabbalistic texts. He then increased his piety, asceticism,
purity and holiness until he reached a level where Eliyahu would
constantly reveal himself to him, speaking to him "mouth to
mouth," teaching him these mysteries. This is what happened
to Raavad, as Recanati states. Although complete prophecy no longer
exists, Ruach HaKodesh is still here, manifest via Eliyahu. It is
as Eliyahu HaNavi taught his students, commenting on the verse,
"Devorah was a prophetess" (Shoftim 4:4): "I call
heaven and earth to bear witness, that any individual, man or woman,
Jew or Gentile, freeman or slave, can have Ruach HaKodesh bestowed
upon him. It all depends on his deeds" (Rabbi
Chayim Vital, Introduction to Sha'ar HaHakdamot, printed at the
beginning of all editions of Etz Chayim).
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Rabbi Yosef
Caro
5248-5335 1488-1575 CE
Rabbi Yosef Caro is most famous as the author of the Shulchan Aruch,
the Code of Jewish Law. He was born in Toledo, Spain during the
Inquisition years and fled from that country at the age of 4, with
his family together with myriads of Jews who were banished from
Spain in the year 5252 (1492 CE). His family wandered from city
to city, from country to country, not finding a safe haven until
they settled in Constantinople (Kushta), Turkey. Yosef was first
educated by his father, Rabbi Ephraim, a scholar in his own right,
who was later appointed chief rabbi of Nikopol, Bulgaria. Later
Rabbi Yosef would quote many teachings he heard from his father.
After his father passed away, he grew up in the home of his uncle,
Rabbi Yitzchak Caro, who adopted him as his own son. It was soon
realized that Yosef was destined for greatness, and even at a young
age he was regarded as a great sage and many turned to him for halachic
rulings.
He eventually moved from Constantinople to Adrianople, where he
married the daughter of a scholar named Rabbi Chaim ibn Albalag.
He soon established a Beit Midrash in Adrianople, and at the age
of 34 he began to write his monumental commentary Beit Yosef on
the entire Arbaah Turim. Together with his great assiduousness in
Torah study, Rabbi Caro lived a somewhat ascetic life of numerous
fasts and self-infliction. It was in Adrianople that he met the
kabbalist Rabbi Shlomo Molcho, who was burned at the stake by the
church for his "heretical beliefs." Rabbi Caro was greatly
affected by Rabbi Shlomo's charismatic personality and even expressed
the wish to die in the same way -- al kiddush Hashem (as a holy
martyr). It was here, too, that Rabbi Yosef met Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz,
author of the mystical hymn Lecha Dodi . It is possible that one
of them introduced Rabbi Yosef to the study of Kabbala. After his
first wife died at a young age, he married the daughter of Rabbi
Yitzchak Sabba. For a short while he lived in Nikopol, Bulgaria,
but decided to make his way to the Holy Land so that he could immerse
himself in its sanctity and complete his written works.
Passing through Salonica, he met the great kabbalist Rabbi Yosef
Taitatzak. He continued his journey to the Holy Land via Egypt and
eventually settled in Safed. He was soon appointed a member of the
rabbinical court of the city in the Beit Din of the famous Rabbi
Yaakov Beirav. When the latter re-instituted semicha (official rabbinical
ordination), which had been in abeyance for over 11 centuries, Rabbi
Yosef was one of the first he ordained. Here, too, Rabbi Caro established
a yeshiva and taught Torah to scores of eager students. Among Rabbi
Caro's more famous students were the renowned darshan (sermonist)
Rabbi Moshe Alshich , the kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Galanti and the
renowned kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (the Ramak). When Rabbi
Yaakov Beirav, the leading sage of Safed, passed away, Rabbi Yosef
Caro was regarded as his successor, and he and Rabbi Moshe of Trani
(the Mabit) headed the Rabbinical Court of Safed. In fact, by this
time, the Rabbinical Court of Safed had become the central rabbinical
court in all of Israel, and indeed of the Diaspora as well. Thus
there was not a single matter of national or global importance that
did not come to the attention and ruling of the Safed Beit Din.
Its rulings were accepted as final and conclusive, and Rabbi Yosef's
halachic decisions and clarifications were sought by sages from
every corner of the Diaspora. He came to be regarded as the leader
of the entire generation.
Although he rarely touched upon kabbalistic matters and customs
in his legal writings, Rabbi Yosef Caro was nevertheless very involved
in the study of kabbala. Together with his close friend Rabbi Shlomo
Alkabetz, he set out to explain some of the more difficult passages
in the Zohar. In his famous kabbalistic work Pardes Rimonim, Rabbi
Moshe Cordovero cites several innovative kabbalistic teachings of
Rabbi Caro, who was his master in the revealed teachings of the
Torah. In a dramatic testimonial, Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz testified
that in Salonica Rabbi Yosef became one of those rare individuals
who merited to be instructed by a maggid - a private angelic teacher
who revealed to him many kabbalistic teachings. The maggid exhorted
Rabbi Yosef to sanctify and purify himself, and he revealed to him
events that would take place in the future. It should be noted that
in Shaarei Kedusha, Rabbi Chaim Vital explains that visitation by
a maggid is a form of Divine Inspiration (ruach hakodesh). The teachings
of the maggid are recorded in his published work titled Maggid Meisharim,
although the Chida (Rabbi Chaim David Azulai) notes that only about
one fiftieth of the manuscript was ever published (see Works). However,
in numerous places in Maggid Meisharim it is stated that, "I
am the Mishna that speaks in your mouth,"indicating that the
Oral Torah itself (of which the Mishna is the fundamental part)
spoke within him. (However, these two explanations are not necessarily
contradictory -- in the merit of the Mishna Rabbi Caro constantly
reviewed, he was worthy of an angelic teacher). The maggid promised
him that he would have the merit of settling in Israel, and this
promise was fulfilled. Another promise, that he would merit to die
a martyr's death sanctifying God's Name like Rabbi Shlomo Molcho
had merited, did not transpire for an unspecified reason.
The kabbalistic teachings found in Rabbi Yosef's Maggid Meisharim
are in the style of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero's kabbala, rather than
the style of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (the Arizal). Nevertheless, Rabbi
Chaim Vital, the chief disciple of the Arizal, extolled the greatness
of Rabbi Yosef's soul, saying that it stemmed from the soul of the
great Tanna Rabbi Yehuda bar Ila'i and had an affinity with the
souls of Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet (the Rashba), Rabbi Aharon HaLevi
(the Raah) and Rabbi Vidal di Tolouse, author of Maggid Mishna,
an important commentary on Maimonides' Mishneh Torah. In the year
5324 (1564 CE) Rabbi Yosef's second wife, who had borne him his
son Shlomo, died. Following the dictate of the Sages that a man
should not live without a wife, he married again, despite his age.
His third wife was the daughter of Rabbi Zecharia ben Shlomo Zavasil
Ashkenazi, one of the sages of Jerusalem. When he was in his ninth
decade, his wife bore him another son, Yehuda. Rabbi Yosef continued
to preoccupy himself with Torah study and writing important works
and fulfilled his duties as the head of the Rabbinical Court in
Safed for the remainder of his extremely productive life.
He passed on to the World of Truth on the 13th day of Nissan 5335
(1575 CE) at the venerable age of 87. His loss was mourned by the
entire Jewish world. The author of Shenei Luchot HaBrit, Rabbi Yeshayahu
Horowitz 5320-5390 (1560-1630 CE) (the Shelah HaKadosh), writes
that one Friday night, Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan in the year 5365 (1605
CE), Rabbi Yosef, thirty years after his passing, appeared in a
dream to a certain sage living in Safed. He reported that he saw
Rabbi Yosef "sitting on a very majestic throne in the presence
of innumerable world-renowned rabbis. His face was shining like
the brightness of the sky… and he taught the meditations applicable
to kedusha."
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Rabbi Yehuda
bar Ilai
Many of our greatest Sages were sustained at spiritual "tables"
richly laden with the greatest delicacies, while their physical
tables were almost bare. One such Sage was Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai,
who lived in the time of the nasi (prince) Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel
It was of no importance to him that he ate only the simplest fare,
or even that he lacked proper clothing. His Torah learning sufficed
to nourish him, even to the extent that he glowed with happiness
and good health. Once he was studying with his teacher Rabbi Tarfon,
when his teacher remarked in surprise, "Why is your face shining
today like gold?" Rabbi Yehuda replied, "Yesterday your
servants bought teradim (an inexpensive type of beet) for us to
eat, and they were very delicious and healthful, and although we
ate them without salt since we had no money to buy it, they were
good. Had we been able to afford the salt, the teradim would have
been even tastier, and our appearance would be even better."
Rabbi Yehuda never dressed in the noble manner befitting a person
of his stature. In fact, he didn't even own any warm clothing at
all. One day his wife managed to purchase some inexpensive wool
yarn. She spun it and wove it into cloth. From this material she
fashioned a loose robe worn as a cloak. She even decorated it with
beautiful embroidery to give it a finer appearance, as was fitting
for her distinguished husband. Now, this type of garment was worn
at that time by men and women alike, so Rabbi Yehuda and his wife
shared it. When she needed to do errands in the marketplace she
wore it; when Rabbi Yehuda went to the study hall he would wear
the new cloak. He was, in fact, so pleased to own this warm coat
that he composed a special blessing to be recited before putting
it on: "Blessed is G-d who has enwrapped me in a cloak."
Never mind that his coat was made of coarse homespun wool or that
others had cloaks of far superior quality--Rabbi Yehuda was completely
satisfied with his and never even noticed the others.
Once Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel declared a day of public fast and
prayer because of a problem which beset the Jewish community. On
such a day it was customary for all the Sages to gather together
at the residence of the Nasi to pray as a group. This time, as well,
they all came, with the exception of Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai. It so
happened that when the fast day was proclaimed, Rabbi Yehuda's wife
was wearing the shared cape. Rabbi Yehuda, lacking a coat, was unable
to join his colleagues. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel noted his absence
with surprise, and questioned the other Sages to discover the reason
he had failed to come. They explained to the Nasi that Rabbi Yehuda
was unable to come because he had no coat to wear. When the Nasi
heard this he was quick to dispatch a messenger to Rabbi Yehuda
bearing a beautiful new cloak. When the messenger arrived, Rabbi
Yehuda was seated on a mat on the floor engaged in the study of
Torah. "The Nasi has sent this coat to the Rabbi as a gift,"
said the messenger. "He asks that Rabbi Yehuda wear it and
come to pray with the other Sages." Rabbi Yehuda answered:
"I have no need for a gift, as I already have a coat, thank
G-d. My wife will return soon and bring it, and then I will come
to the Nasi's house. I lack nothing; as you can see I am very wealthy."
And with those words he lifted a corner of the mat on which he sat.
There, sparkling like fire, were hundreds of gold dinars. The messenger
was left speechless by the sight of such an enormous fortune. Rabbi
Yehuda explained: "You see, I have enormous wealth if I want
it, but I do not desire to benefit from this world any more than
necessary." As he spoke, the golden coins disappeared, fulfilling
his spoken desire. Rabbi Yehuda lived as always, in poverty. But
he was satisfied with what he had, and he exemplified the words
of the Sages: "Who is a rich man. He who is happy with his
lot."
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Choni haMaagel
Chone haMaagel was once asked to pray for rain. So he drew a circle
and declared: "Master of the Universe! See how Your children
have turned to me! I swear by Your Great Name that I will not move
from here until You have shown Mercy towards them! At that moment
a few drop of rain began to fall. Choni exclaimed: "I prayed
for enough rain to fill the wells and the ditches!" Torrential
rain started to pour down from the Heavens. Choni then called out:
"I didn't ask for this type of rain either! I prayed for rains
of blessing and favor." Immediately, the right kind of rain
began to fall… Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach later said: "I
would have excommunicated anyone else but you Choni! What can I
do with you, who insulted the Almighty but made Him do what you
want, just like a son who insults his father but gets him to do
what he wants?" (Taanis)
On the ground at the centre of the area in front of the tomb is
a circle which has been drawn around two footprints. This is meant
to represent the circle which Choni drew around himself when he
declared that he would not move until G-d had Mercy upon His children.
According to some opinions, Choni's grandchildren are also buried
at this site. Over the years it has become customary to offer prayers
for rain at the tomb during times of drought.
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Benyamin
HaTzaddik
The tomb of Benyamin HaTzaddik is one of Tzfat's more colorful gravesites.
It is also the most homey. The cinammon-red oriental rugs, decorative
head scarfs draped around the walls and electric urn perking to provide
the visitor with a hot drink combine to create a special warm feeling.
It seems a most appropriate tribute for this Mishnaic sage, a disciple
of Rabbi Akiva. It was his unselfish giving from his own personal
funds that sustained a desperately poor woman and her seven children.
The Talmud tractate "Bava Basra" relates this dramatic
saga, taking today's reader back almost a thousand years ago to
the days when Benyamin HaTzaddik was administrator over the community
charity fund. "Parnasi!" - Provide for me!" came
a woman's heartwrenching plea, as she approached the tzadik for
sustenance. Unfortunately, a famine endured, and times were very
bad. "I swear in the name of the Holy Temple that there is
nothing left in the charity fund," Benyamin sadly told her.
(In those days they did not swear in G-d's name!). But the woman
persisted and told him of her dire plight, concluding that if he
could not help her "a woman and her seven sons will perish!"
Moved by her plea, Benyamin offered her money from his own personal
funds.
His selfless, life-sustaining assistance took place on earth but,
the Talmud relates, the heavens clearly took notice. Years later
when Benyamin was very ill and near death, an angel arose in the
heavenly courts and argued in his behalf: "If a person saves
one life, it is as if he saved a whole world. How much more so that
he sustained this woman and her seven children. How can such a man's
life be cut so short?" The decree was cancelled and 22 years
were added to Benyamin's life.
A short version of this story is actually etched into granite on
the side of Benyamin's gravesite, which is located just a few minutes
from the heart of Tzfat, one block southeast of the city's landmark
coffee factory and directly across the street to the south of the
city's vocational school. The tombsite itself is identifiable by
the mult-colored banners flapping in the breeze under a fairly new
wooden pavilion. Just the other day, a worker was putting finishing
touches on the seven steps leading up the grave, which were just
rebuilt and widened to make passage easier.
At the south end of the site a picture is hung on the wall depicting
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai as he was hiding in his cave for 13 years,
fleeing the Roman soldiers and penning the most famous work explaining
the mystical aspects of the Torah, the Zohar.
Plenty of holy books fill the shelves and every Friday afternoon
a minyan prays at this site, welcoming the Shabbos Queen earlier
than most other Tzfat minyans.
Its location off a main road makes access easy, yet that it is
setback on a side-street across from a tree-filled lot provides
a peaceful location for anyone to stop by and pray or say Tehillim
(Psalms).
It is taught in Kabbala that while the soul ascends to greater
spiritual levels once it is free from the restrictions of the body,
a certain level or aspect of the soul remains at its bodily resting
place. It's further said that a tzadik has the merit to help our
own personal prayers ascend on high. How much that teaches us about
our actions in this world and their effect in the upper worlds!
And how much more so the large metal tzedaka boxes at Benyamin's
gravesite -- and his own personal story -- remind us of the importance
of giving charity.
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Leib
Baal HaYissurim
Rabbi Leib "Baal Ha'yissurin" -- "The Master of
Suffering" or "The Afflicted One"-- was an outstanding scholar and
G-d-fearing man, a major disciple of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the first
Rebbe of Chabad. He was the first Chabad chasid to emigrate to the
holy city of Hebron. It is not known how he acquired his title. At the
end of his life he settled in Tsfat (Safed), where he passed away, old
and accomplished, on the 15th of Mar-Cheshvan 1836.
Knowing his end to be near, he let it be known that anyone who found
himself beset by insoluble problems (G-d forbid) should visit his
grave. This amounted to a commitment to come to a person's aid, and to
this very day there are many who who visit his grave in Tsfat hoping
to benefit from his assistance to their prayers, especially on
Fridays.
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Rabbi Nachum
Ish Gamzu
He was Rabbi Akiva's rabbi for 22 years. He is called by this name
because he always said the expression: "And that is also for
the good. " (in Hebrew: ish gamzo = the man(who says) that
is also...). And his student Rabbi Akiva also would say: "All
that G-d does is for the good." He was called by the title
'Ish Gamzu' - because whenever anything unpleasant happened to him,
he would say 'Gam Zu le'Tovah'. The Chachamim decided to send specifically
Nachum Ish Gamzu to present the Emperor with a gift - because he
was accustomed to miracles (and they realized the possible hazards
that faced a person on such a trip to Rome). He arrived at the Emperor's
palace with a box of earth, and not with the jewels and precious
stones with which he had set out - because the owners of one of
the inn where he stayed overnight decided to investigate what the
box contained whilst he slept. When they discovered what was in
it, they emptied it, and replaced its previous contents with earth
from their garden. When the Emperor found the box to contain nothing
but earth, he had Nachum Ish Gamzu imprisoned. Nachum accepted this
with his usual 'Gam Zu le'Tovah' - and a miracle occurred, in the
form of a visit from Eliyahu ha'Navi, who suggested to the Emperor
that this might be special earth from Avraham the father of the
Jews, who, during the battle against the four kings, threw earth
at them which turned into swords (and straw which turned into arrows).
When the Emperor tried it out on an enemy whom he had hitherto found
invincible, and he routed him, he set Nachum Ish Gamzu free, filled
the box with jewels and precious stones and sent him home with great
honor. When the owners of the inn realized what had happened - they
demolished their house and brought the dust to the Emperor as a
gift (thinking that all the earth on their property was special
'miracle earth'). But of course, nothing happened with the earth
that they brought, and the Emperor had them killed for mocking him.
Once, when he was traveling to his father-in-law's house with camel-loads
of good things, he was too slow in providing a poor man who approached
him for help (perhaps he should have jumped off the camel to help
him, perhaps he should have torn open the sacks of food or perhaps
he should not have told him to wait until he unloaded the sacks),
and the man died before he had a chance to received help. He then
decreed that his eyes that did not have pity on the poor man's eyes,
should go blind, his hands that did not have pity on the poor man's
hands, should be cut off, his feet that did not have pity on the
poor man's feet, should be cut off. And he was not satisfied until
he added that his whole body should be covered in boils. The legs
of Nachum Ish Gamzu's bed were placed in bowls of water - because
in addition to being bed-ridden, as his hands were cut off he would
have been unable to remove the ants that would otherwise have crawled
over his body. When his disciples said in anguish 'Woe to us that
we see you in this state!' - he replied 'Woe to me if you would
not see me in this state'! When his disciples planned to take his
bed out of the rickety apartment first and the vessels afterwards
- he instructed them to reverse the order, because he knew that,
as long as he was in the house, it would not collapse.
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Rabbi
Moshe Cordevero (the 'Ramak') of Safed
Among the great luminaries of Kabbalah, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero holds
a particularly important place as one of the most prolific and systematic
exponents of the teachings of the Zohar as well as the writings of
almost all the early Kabbalists. Moshe Cordovero - or Ramak
(an acronym taken from the first letters of his title and name - Rabbi
Moshe Cordovero),
as he is commonly known. Although it is not certain that Ramak himself
was born in Safed, he spent most of his life in that holy city, the
home of Kabbala.
In the revealed aspects of Torah - the Talmud and associated works
-the Ramak was a student of the renowned Rabbi Yosef Caro, author
of Shulchan Aruch. The teacher highly praised the acumen and vast
knowledge of his young student. The Ramak's greatness in Talmudic
law is further confirmed by the fact that at the tender age of eighteen,
he was ordained by Rabbi Yaakov BeRav. Of the four men accorded semichah
(rabbinic ordination) by Rabbi Yaakov, Ramak was by far the youngest.
According to the testimony of Rabbi Menachem Azariah deFano, Ramak
served in Safed as a Talmud teacher and legal authority.
At age twenty, Ramak became a student of his brother-in-law, Rabbi
Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz (author of the Lecha Dodi hymn), in the esoteric
aspect of Torah - the Kabbala. Despite Ramak's formidable achievements
in Talmud, he states that until he began learning Kabbala, he was
as if asleep and pursuing idle thoughts (Pardes Rimonim, Intro.)
Ramak became one of the leading Kabbalists in Safed. He acted as spokesman
for the group of Kabbalists headed by Rabbi Alkabetz, and he wrote
several treatises explaining the fallacies of philosophy. In addition,
he exhorted Torah students everywhere to study Kabbala.
Ramak led an ascetic life, part of it in self-imposed exile. These
exiles are detailed in his Sefer Gerushin (Venice, 1543). Through
such self-purification and penances, Ramak became worthy of the revelation
of Eliyahu (Shem HaGedolim).
At the young age of forty-eight, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero passed away
in Safed on 23rd of Tammuz, 5330 (1570). In his eulogy, the Arizal
declared that Rabbi Moshe was so pure and saintly that his death could
only be attributed to the sin of Adam. According to the Arizal's testimony,
the bier bearing Ramak to his burial place in Safed was preceded by
a pillar of fire.
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Rebbi
Pinchas ben Yair
Rebbi Pinchas ben Yair was the father-in-law of Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai.
The gemorah (Chulin 7) tells
that he was extremely careful never to partake from someone else's
meal. He also refused to accept support from others. He was once on
his way to redeem a captured prisoner (piyon shevuyim) -one of the
most important mitzvos-when he reached the Ginnai River. He asked
the river to please split so that he could cross to the other side.
After it had split for him, he then asked it to split twice more so
that two others that he met would also be able to get across, and
the river obeyed his command. Hearing this, Rebbi Yossi remarked,
"He is even greater then Moshe, for whom the sea split only once".
When his students once asked him if they would also be able to decree
that the water should split on their behalf, he told them that it
would work only if they are sure that they never hurt another persons
feelings or harmed a person in any other way during their entire life.
(Yerushalmi)
When Rabbeinu Hakodosh heard that Rebbi Pinchas was passing by, he
pleaded with him to be his guest and join him for a meal. Reluctantly
Rebbi Pinchas agreed and Rebbi was very happy. However Rebbi Pinchas
told Rebbi that he was on his way to do an important mitzvah and he
would therefore stop by on his way back. Upon returning, he noticed
a wild white mule in front of Rebbi's house and therefore refused
to enter despite Rebbi's pleas and promises to get rid of it. He felt
that such an animal may not be kept, since it can cause great damage
to others.
He was convinced that every problem that occurred is on account of
not fulfilling the mitzvos properly. He once came to a place where
the people complained to him that the mice were causing great damage
and eating their grain. He told them that this was because they didn't
give proper ma'aser from their grain. As soon as they corrected the
problem and took the proper ma'aseros, the mice stopped eating their
grain. On another occasion, when the people complained to him that
their wells weren't supplying them with enough water, he told them
that this was a punishment for not fulfilling the mitzvos of trumos
and ma'aseros. As soon as they began doing these mitzvos properly,
their water supply reached its proper level. He lies buried at the
bottom of the hill in Tzfas. There is a minhag to circle his grave
seven times.
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Benayahu
ben Yehoyada
The easily accessible gravesite of the great Davidian-era sage and
warrior, Benayahu ben Yehoyada in the Tsfat suburb of Beriya wasn't
always so simple to find. In fact, it took no less of a luminary that
the holy Ari to "sense" that a certain spot where he was
hiking with his disciples nearly 500 years ago on the outskirts of
Tsfat was indeed the resting place of Ben Yehoyada.
Benayahu was considered the most brilliant warrior of his day. Even
more, he was someone whose extraordinary Torah knowledge and virtues
destined him to become the leader of the highest Torah law body, the
Sanhedrin. He also became David's chief counsel.
We are introduced to the heroic greatness and righteousness of
Benayahu in the Second Book of Samuel, especially chapter 23, verses
20-23. They begin: "Benayahu the son of Jehoiada, the son
of a valiant man (ben ish chayil) great in deeds, of Kabzeel, he
smote the two mighty men of Moab…."
Our sages explain:
"Son of a valiant man" -- Benayahu's courage and
strength were inherited from his father. However, the written form
of the three words is actually
"Ben ish chai" - "the son of a man yet alive."
This indicates that Yehoyada, other than having been a valiant warrior,
was also a very righteous man, for the deeds of the truly righteous
outlive their physical existence, in this manner keeping their memories
alive.
"Great in deeds" - Great in military accomplishments,
great in his deeds of righteousness
"The two mighty men of Moab" - Our rabbis stated that
he left no one like him, neither in the period of the First Temple
nor the period of the Second Temple. Further, in the Zohar (1:7a)
it is stated, "Benayahu never departed from the walls of David's
heart. There will never be a separation between them."
"Of Moab" - The Temple is here referred to as "of
Moab" because Solomon built it who was a descendant of Ruth
the Moabitess.
Nowadays, many visitors to Tsfat as well as locals often take time
to visit Ben Yehoyada's gravesite to connect on a spiritual level
with the soul of the man in whose merit, it is said, both the first
and second Holy Temples stood -- one of the 36 righteous men found
in every generation in whose merit the very world exists.
Rabbi Yosef Chaim, the famous sage and kabbalist who was chief
rabbi of Bagdad for 50 years (1859-1909), titled four of his books
after words in the above quoted verse books -- "Ben Ish Chai," "Benayahu",
"Ben Yehoyada," and "Rav Pe'alim"- because he understood himself
to be an incarnation of Benayahu.
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Rabbi Shimon
Bar Yochai
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the most important sages in Jewish
history, lived over 1800 years ago. Teachings in his name abound
throughout the Mishnah, Gemorrah, and Midrashim, while the Zohar,
the primary source text of Kabbalah, is built around Rabbi Shimon's
revelations to his inner circle of disciples. During the hours before
his passing, on Lag b'Omer, he disclosed the "most sublime"
secrets of Torah (see quote below), in order to ensure that the
day would always be an occasion for great joy, untouched by sadness
because of the Omer period and mourning for him. The seminal importance
of the Zohar in Jewish thought and the annual pilgrimage to Meron
on Lag b"omer are testimonies to his success.
Praises of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai TALMUD:
Every woman who gives birth to a son should pray that he grows up
to be like Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Bar Yochai is accustomed to
miracles (happening for him). MIDRASH: Throughout his lifetime,
a rainbow (which signifies that the world deserves punishment) was
never seen. ZOHAR: "In a single bond I am bound with G-d, united
with Him, aflame,..." During a severe drought, a delegation
came and requested him to pray for rain. He started to lecture on
the verse "Hinei mah tov..." ("How good and pleasant
when brothers sit together..." - Ps. 133). Immediately, rain
began to fall. "This day (his last--Lag b'Omer) I have revealed
holy secrets never before revealed...I see that G?d and all the
righteous in Heaven agree to this...and all of them are rejoicing
in my (time of) joy." "With this book (Zohar) of yours,
the Jewish People will be redeemed from exile with mercy.
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Rabbi
Yonaton ben Uziel
Help for the lovelorn!
Rabbi Yonaton ben Uziel neglected to marry, dedicating his time in
this world to learning Torah. Many people believe that he dedicates
his efforts in the World of Truth to helping soul mates find one another.
In any case, the thousands who pray at his gravesite for help in finding
their true mate have elected him to the job! Yonatan ben Uziel lived
2000 years ago. He was the greatest of all the students of Rabbi Hillel.
The Talmud [Sukkah 28a] reports that birds passing above his head
would burn from the light of his Torah study!
Known for his famous Targum ["Translation"] of The Prophets,
it is said [Talmud, Megillah 3a]
that he also planned to author a translation-commentary on The Writings,
but was prevented by Heaven so that he would not reveal the secrets
of the final redemption.
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