For the Refuah Shleimah of Alon Yehuda Yosef ben Chana Miryam
Reb Noah was a devoted disciple of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, who lived in 18th century Russia. Among the Lubavitcher Hasidim, Reb Schneur Zalman is known as the Alter Rebbe because he was the first in the line of seven Lubavitcher Rebbes.
Reb Noah's son eventually married the Alter Rebbe's daughter and from that union came the Rebbe who was known as the Tzemach Tzedek. To this day, the memory of Reb Noah is well honoured amongst Lubavitchers, who tell this story about him.
After Reb Noah died and came before the Heavenly Court, they looked into his case and found that he had been a very good Jew. All his life he had observed the commandments as best he could and never missed any opportunity to perform an additional mitzvah.
Now, as is wellknown amongst the Hasidim, when a Jew says the appropriate blessing before doing a mitzvah, then a holy angel is born from that very act. These angels, it is said, will come to testify on behalf of the soul after death. And so it happened that when Reb Noah stood before the Heavenly Court, thousands upon thousands of luminous mitzvah angels came to his trial, saying "I was born from such-and-such a good deed performed by Reb Noah when he was alive on earth".
The Heavenly Court was very impressed by the testimony of all these mitzvah angels and was about to decide that Reb Noah should go immediately to Gan Eden. But suddenly another angel appeared, which was not very luminous at all. In fact, this angel was dull and lacking in light. The darkened angel stood before the Court and said "I was born from a sin that Reb Noah committed during his life on earth." Then the angel revealed to the Court exactly what the sin had been.
The three judges who sit on the Heavenly Court deliberated long and hard. On the one hand, Reb Noah was a holy man who had led a basically righteous life, so he deserved to go to Gan Eden. But on the other hand, he had committed the sin. Just as no good deed every goes unrewarded, so does no sin ever go unpunished. At long last, the Court decided to give Reb Noah two choices: he could spend a half-hour in Gehenna now, to atone for the sin, and then go straight to Gan Eden. Or, he could avoid the pain of purgatory by reincarnating on earth once again and atoning for the sin there.
Reb Noah answered: "With all due respect to this Court, I would like to consult with my Rebbe, Reb Schneur Zalman, before I make a decision. All my life I never did anything concerning my spiritual life without first asking the Rebbe's advice. And so I would like permission to ask the Rebbe about this now."
The Court consulted the Heavenly Records and found that it was indeed true. Reb Noah never did anything important without first asking the Rebbe's advice. "Very well" the Court replied, "you may return to earth in the spirit and consult with the Alter Rebbe about your decision".
Back on earth, Rabbi Schneur Zalman was sitting at the table as usual, learning Torah with his Hasidim. Then the soul of Reb Noah appeared to him in the spirit and posed the question: "Earth or Gehenna?" The Rebbe turned to his Hasidim and said "Reb Noah is here right now, and he is asking what judgment he should choose: a half hour in hell or to be reborn in this world another time."
The Hasidim said nothing. What could they say? If the Rebbe didn't know, how could they presume to decide for him? So they sat there in silence, waiting to hear what the Rebbe's answer would be.
The Alter Rebbe put his hand on his forehead, then rested his elbow on the table and concentrated very deeply. For a long long time he just sat there in silence, turning the question over in his mind, weighing all the consequences. Then came the answer: "Gehenna - to purgatory!"
As soon as the Rebbe had said the word "Gehenna", the Hasidim all heard a voice cry out "Oy, Rebbe!" At the same moment they saw, burned into the wall by the door, the outline of a human hand. It had been made by Reb Noah's soul as it entered Gehenna.
From this the Hasidim understood what a burden it is to come to this world. Better to spend half an hour in the fires of purgatory than a whole lifetime on earth once again!
Interrupting my own break to ask you to pray for the Refuah Shleimah for Rabbi Alon Anava who is currently in intensive care in Israel due to an infection in his blood. He is now in a life threatening situation. Please pray for Rabbi Alon Yehuda Yosef ben Chana Miryam.
Monday, October 28, 2019
To everyone who has written to me, thank you for your emails. I am taking an extended blogging break, I don't want to say I won't be back because i usually change my mind, but at this point I'm still enjoying the break and desperately needed to get away from things for a while. I have blocked comments for the moment. I'm still here, reading other peoples' blogs.... and doing other things and enjoying the spring weather.
The Satan is dying. Moshiach is coming and the Satan knows his time is almost up, and he's fighting to hold on and everyone is doing their darndest to remove the President. Rabbi Kessin has told us this for many years now.
As we rapidly rush towards 5780, there is an item that has gone viral all over the internet, and that is the story of Rabbi Kaduri and the Israeli election. [which I told you about back in June] But there's more to this story, if you have not yet seen it somewhere else.
A report in Israel's daily Yisrael Hayom this week addressed a report that's been spread recently on WhatsApp groups and social media that Rav Yitzchak Kaduri zt''lpredicted the current situation of the deadlock between Likud and Blue and White and the fights between the right and left.
The message on social media says that a ''sefer named U'Shevuato L'Yishchak'' which Rav Kaduri wrote in his youth, was recently found in the yeshiva of mekubalim Nachlas Yitzchak. A prediction was found in the sefer saying ''On the eve of the year 5780, the Year of Tikkunim, there won't be a government in Israel for an extended period of time. The camps will quarrel greatly with each other without reaching any decision. And then, on the day of Rosh Hashanah, the sitra achra [literally the other side - evil] will fight with the sitra d'kedusha [side of holiness] in Shamayim [Heaven] and HaKodesh Baruch Hu and His Legions will decide between them. This is all I can reveal, and from herein on I swore not to reveal more secrets.''
The report adds that ''In the ancient sefer ''The Bris of the Persimmon'' written by the mekubal R' Sasson Chai Shoshani who was called the ''Navi from Mitzrayim'', there is a wonderful quote which has special meaning during these days: 'The day will come that two ministers will win the government in Israel. The name of both will be Binyamin and neither will succeed in establishing a government. On that day you should know and understand that Moshiach is already standing by the door and on the Shabbos afterward, He will come and reveal Himself.'
Yisrael Hayom spoke to Moshe N, who is the assistant of R' Yosef Kaduri, Rav Yitzchak Kaduri's grandson, and the Rosh Yeshivah of Nachlas Yitzchak. ''In the yeshiva, there's all types of handwritten documents from Rav Kaduri with holy names and similar things that we keep in the safe' Moshe said. 'These are passed down from generation to generation, secretly - only between the mekubalim - and it's forbidden to reveal them.'
'In writings based on the kaballah of R' Sasson Chai Shoshani, Rav Kaduri speaks about the Geula and that before Moshiach comes they won't be able to form a government. So what was publicized [on social media] is very close to what is written in the documents, but the wording of the published report is not exact. The chavrusa of Rav Kaduri, Chacham Menachem Menashe, the author of Ahavas Chaim, wrote similar things. He wrote in the name of R' Sasson Chai Shoshani in Parshat Ki Tavo, the parsha we read this past Shabbat, on what will be at the end of days, how there will be a war with the Erev Rav about Shabbat and how the Erev Rav will have the majority.'
'The documents of Rav Kaduri say something similar but it's written in a more detailed way and it speaks specifically about this year as a year that can turn into a year of Geula. It doesn't say ''elections'' - that's an intepretation - but it writes about the fight between two different sides in Am Yisrael, that this is a stop on the way to Geula and one of it's signs. Ultimately, the Geula is dependent only on us, Am Yisrael.'
"The hidden things belong to the Lord, our God, but the revealed things apply to us and to our children forever: that we must fulfill all the words of this Torah."[Nitzavim 29:28]
[Written by Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein]
Rashi explains that a Jew is not expected to offer his friend rebuke for the sins that lie hidden within his heart, for how can he possibly know what another man is thinking? Therefore, in the case of hidden sins, Hashem exacts retribution from the sinner alone.
On the other hand, a Jew is expected to rebuke his fellow man for the sins he does openly. Consequently, when Jews overlook other people's misdeeds, Hashem's anger is brought upon all of them.
A terrible dispute broke out in Radin, the Chofetz Chaim's hometown. Though the Chofetz Chaim was by now in his later years, he rushed to the shul and approached the bimah. From there, he addressed the community.
"My dear brothers!" began the Chofetz Chaim. "If someone would have offered me 2,000 rubles to deliver a derashah in shul, I would not have accepted it! I am not willing to sell my precious time for money. However, because of the situation, I am forced to speak. We must know that there will come a time when each and every one of us will be required to stand before the Heavenly Court and give an account of all the deeds that he performed over the course of his life.
"You must be aware that strife is a very serious matter! A person may have performed scores of mitzvos in his life, but if he was guilty of causing or involving himself in matters of dispute, then he is like a person who tried filling a bag that had a large hole at its bottom - all the mitzvos he performed will be lost.
"I have no doubt that when the individuals from Radin who were involved in the dispute come before the Heavenly Court, they will attempt to clear themselves by stating the following:
"We cannot be held accountable! For in our city there lived an elderly Jew, by the name of Yisrael Meir, whom we deemed to be a talmid chacham. He saw all that was transpiring, yet he remained silent."
"Therefore, my dear brothers" concluded the Chofetz Chaim in a voice filled with emotion, "I beg of you - do not mention my name before the Heavenly Court!"
As these words left the mouth of the Chofetz Chaim, he broke down and wept bitterly, and his frail body trembled. This sight made a very powerful impression on the people of Radin, and the dispute was resolved immediately.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. .... Edmund Burke Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.....Elie Wiesel
"Cursed is he who secretly strikes his fellowman" [Ki Tavo 27:24]
Rashi explains that this curse refers to one who speaks lashon hora - when someone speaks evil, he secretly "strikes" his fellowman.
The Chofetz Chaim was traveling in the company of a well-known rabbi on their way to performing a mitzvah.
After traveling for some time, they decided to rest at an inn.
The woman who owned the inn realized that her two new guests were highly esteemed rabbis, so she quickly set a table and offered them various delicacies.
When they had finished eating, she approached them and asked "How was the meal?"
"It was excellent!" remarked the Chofetz Chaim. "The food was delicious."
"And how did you enjoy the food?" asked the hostess to the other rabbi.
"The food" answered the rabbi, "was certainly adequate, but it could have used a bit more salt."
Their hostess cleared the table and entered the kitchen.
As soon as she left the room, the Chofetz Chaim turned to the rabbi and, with sorrow in his voice, said: "All my life, I have taken the utmost care not to speak or hear words of lashon hora. But now that I am in your company, you have caused me to falter - I am greatly distressed that I have made this trip. I am sure that this trip was not truly for the sake of a mitzvah, for it is impossible that one who has set out to perform a mitzvah should come to violate such a grave transgression!"
"But what did I say?" asked the rabbi. "I said the food was good. I just added that the food could have used a little salt."
"You have no idea," answered the Chofetz Chaim, "of the incredible power of one's words. In all likelihood, the cook is a poor widow who works in this inn to support her family. I am sure that because of your comment, the hostess will go to this poor widow and tell her that the guests are complaining about her cooking. The widow, in defence of her cooking, will deny that the guests have any grounds for complaints. At that point, the hostess will become incensed and shout at her "Do you think the distinguished guests are lying? You are the one who is the liar!" Ultimately, the hostess, in a fit of anger, will fire the poor unfortunate cook."
"Just look at how many sins you have committed with your words: (1) You spoke lashon hora; (2) you caused both the hostess and myself to hear lashon hora; (3) you caused the hostess to relate the words of lashon hora to the cook; (4) you caused the cook to lie in defence of her cooking; (5) you caused the cook terrible suffering."
"Surely you are exaggerating" said the rabbi to the Chofetz Chaim.
"Not in the least" responded the Chofetz Chaim. "Come with me and I'll show you."
The two rabbis entered the kitchen and were greeted with a sorry sight. The poor cook was standing with her head in her hands, sobbing.
The rabbi took one look at the widow, and immediately understood just how correct the Chofetz Chaim had been. He quickly made his way to the hostess and pleaded with her to forgive the cook and restore her to her position.
"Chai Elul" -- the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Elul -- is a most significant date on the Chassidic calendar. The founder of Chassidism, Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, was born on this date, in 1698. It is also the day, 36 years later, on which the Baal Shem Tov began to publicly disseminate his teachings, after many years as a member of the society of "hidden tzaddikim" during which he lived disguised as a simple innkeeper and clay-digger, his greatness known only to a very small circle of fellow mystics and disciples.
Elul 18 is also the birthday -- in 1745 -- of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, who often referred to himself as the Baal Shem Tov's "spiritual grandson" [Rabbi Schneur Zalman was the disciple of Rabbi Israel's disciple, Rabbi DovBer of Mezeritch]. After gaining fame as a child prodigy and young Talmudic genius, Rabbi Schneur Zalman journeyed to Mezeritch to study under the tutelage of the Baal Shem Tov's successor--as he later explained, "to study I knew somewhat, but I needed to learn how to pray"--and was soon accepted into the intimate circle of Rabbi DovBer's leading disciples. Rabbi Schneur Zalman established the "Chabad" branch of Chassidism, which emphasizes in-depth study and intense contemplation as the key to vitalizing the entire person, from sublime mind to practical deed.
The words above ''pekod pedoti'' refers to the order of the counting of years. Rabbi Kessin tells us - in the video blogged yesterday] that the gematria of פקד פקדתי represents the year 5780 - the letters adding up to 780. He says this is an indication that in 5780 we will stop the counting due to Moshiach's arrival. [Note this is not a prophecy, it is customary to look for hints in the number of the year. We hope and pray that Rabbi Kessin's words are indeed a small prophecy]
Rabbi Kessin was asked the question ''will this be the last Israeli election before Moshiach?'' [as predicted by Rabbi Kaduri]
Video: 11 minutes - sound not great, turn up speakers to maximum
Why is life so frantic at the moment? It seems like things are unusually hectic, not just for me but everyone I talk to. Shifts in personal life, career moves, some good and some bad, big stuff and massive changes, all in the last week or so. Is something going on spiritually that I should know about?
Answer:
Oh yes. We are in the final month of the Jewish year, the month of Ellul. A lot has to happen in these last weeks of the year.
The Jewish view is that time has a personality. Each year has a character of its own. It's like a guest who stays with you for twelve months, follows you around everywhere you go, and then leaves so another guest can move in. Each year arrives with its particular energy and feel, and then that energy makes way for a new year with its own personality and style.
Some guests are easy, others can be quite demanding. But each leaves a gift behind -the lessons learned, the challenges faced, and tasks fulfilled in the year gone by.
Every year on Rosh Hashana it is decreed in heaven what each person needs to face in the year to come. We are each given a specific set of obstacles to overcome, lessons to learn and changes to make over the course of the year.
As the year comes to a close, we need to deal with any unfinished business. We must complete this year's spiritual task list while this year still exists. Rosh Hashana will come and this year will be gone, along with all its challenges and opportunities. New ones will then arrive, but first we have to finish up with the old. Next year has its own energy and its own tasks.
So now, at the end of the year, the pace speeds up, the intensity is increased and everything is thrown at us. Our guest is about to leave. We need to say goodbye to this year soon, but before we do we need to squeeze every last opportunity out of it. No wonder it's hectic. It is the drama of saying farewell forever. There is no time to waste. This year will never be again.
''I always look orange'' says Donald Trump, blaming it on the LED lightbulbs.
It's not the lightbulbs.... it's the Eisav effect.... Eisav was orange, actually it's described as red:
And the first one emerged ruddy; he was completely like a coat of hair, and they named him Esau. [Toldot 25:25]
According to Rabbi Kessin, at the End of Days Eisav does teshuva, making Trump the tov she'b Eisav - the good part of Eisav.
Isaac told Esau that he would be a slave to his brother. However, when Jacob’s descendants would rebel against G‑d and his Torah, Esau’s descendants would be able to throw off their yoke and rise up against their masters. Only then would Esau have any power over Jacob. It is interesting to note how similar Jacob’s blessing was to Esau’s. They were both blessed with the dew of the heavens and the fatness of the earth, and there would be times when each one would dominate. The primary difference between the two is that Jacob would control when he would have mastery over Esau, i.e., when he fulfilled G‑d's will, whereas Esau would not. He would have to bide his time until the Jews rebelled against G‑d. Only then would he have power. Perhaps the reason for the similarity is that after Jacob received the blessings, and it was established that Jacob would be the one to elevate Esau and the world, Esau could now also receive the blessings, along with the ability to refine himself if he tried. That is why he was also blessed with “dew,” which, as we explained, refers to a transcendental revelation of G‑dliness necessary to refine the world.
[Source: Chabad]
In this weeks Torah portion of Ki Teitzei God instructs us to construct a fence around the roofof our new homes in order to prevent someone from falling off the roof and being killed [Deuteronomy 22:8]. This commandment is the origin of the general directive to do what we can to prevent danger and bloodshed, particularly in our own homes. The image of the fence around the roof is the image of the epitome of the value of life.
The Mashiach Connection
The image of the roof also connects to the image of Mashiach. In Psalms 102:8 King David writes: “I have been diligent, and I have become like a lone bird on the roof.”
The image of the bird is the image of Mashiach (as explained in Rabbi Ginsburgh’s audio lecture on the Torah portion of Va’etchanan). Mashiach is described as a bird sitting in a nest in the Garden of Eden, waiting to redeem the world. In this verse in Psalms, the image of Mashiach is the image of a bird on the roof. In a related image in the Midrash, [Yalkut Shimoni, Isaiah 60:499], the Mashiach once again appears on the roof, this time as a human being.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe would often quote this Midrash, in which the Mashiach stands on the roof of the holy Temple in Jerusalem and turns to the Jewish People saying, “Humble ones, (humility is a basic characteristic needed to merit the redemption) the time of your redemption has come.”
The Eternal Bird of the Soul
As birds obviously do not need a fence on a roof, the commandment to construct such a fence clearly relates to people. The verse supports the need for a fence by saying that “you should not put ‘blood’ (dam) in your home.” The two letters of the Hebrew word dam –dalet, mem – are the two last letters of the Hebrew word for “man,” adam (alef, dalet, mem). If a person falls off the roof and is killed, it is the dam that is being destroyed. Only the dalet and mem of adam need a protective fence. The first letter, alef, is not touched. It is the inner bird of the soul of adam, and is eternal.
Messianic Newness
Our verse specifies to construct a fence when we build a new home, implying that all old homes will have already been built with a fence. The new home also alludes to the new, third Temple. The concept of newness always relates to Mashiach, who teaches us the new, inner dimensions of the Torah. The commandment to build a fence around the roof of a new home is unique in its expression of consciousness of Messianic newness.
The Home — The Written Torah
The concept of the home also relates to the House of Israel and the lineage of King David and the Mashiach, called the House of David.
In our meditation, the image of the home is the image of the Written Torah (the five books of Moses, the Prophets and Scriptures). The Written Torah comes from the faculty of chochmah, (“wisdom”) and is a relatively male intellectual faculty.
The Roof — The Oral Torah
Our verse begins with the words “Ki tivneh” (“When you build…”). The Hebrew word tivneh can also be read as tevunah, “deep understanding.” Tevunah is the origin of the Oral Torah. (The oral tradition began with the Patriarchs. It is comprised of the laws and traditions passed from generation to generation). It is a relatively female mentality. When we build a new home, we build (tivneh) from the faculty of tevunah. Tevunah is the place in the mind that dictates that we must make a fence around the roof of a new home. In Kabbalah and Chassidut we learn that this commandment to actively protect life is one of the central and original thoughts behind the oral tradition of the Torah. It alludes to the origin and purpose of the Oral Torah, which is to create a fence around the Written Torah to protect it from spiritual danger.
The Fence Around the Roof
When we ascend in our consciousness to the high point, the “roof” of an idea or experience, we have reached its climax or epitome. It is precisely here that danger lies. Thus, the first teaching of the first mishnah of the Oral Torah is that we must make a “fence” (syag) around the Torah. If one doesn’t have a fence at the high point of his new house — his new consciousness and new Messianic dimension of the Torah — he is liable to fall.
The Fallen Sparks
The word in our verse (which is part of the Written Torah) for “fence” is ma’akeh. The word in the first mishnah of the Oral Torah for a fence is syag. The numerical value of ma’akeh is 215, while the numerical value of syag is 73. Together they equal 288, one of the most important numbers in Kabbalah. 288 is the number of sparks that have fallen into creation after God created high-energy, unstable worlds, which collapsed. These 288 sparks dispersed throughout reality, where they are captured and hidden. The purpose of the descent of our souls to the world is to redeem these 288 sparks. When this is accomplished, the redemption will be imminent.
Mathematical Fencing
The number 288 is a double square — 2 times 12 squared. Thus, the average value of the words ma’akeh and syag is 12 squared. The initial letters of these two words, mem and samech, equal 100, which is 10 squared. So we see that these two words fit together nicely.
If we calculate the triangles of 215 and 73 we will arrive at another amazing phenomenon. The triangle of a number is the sum of all numbers up to and including it. (For example, the triangle of 3 is 1 plus 2 plus 3 = 6). The triangle of 215 (ma’akeh) is 23, 220. The triangle of 73 (syag) is 2,701. The sum of these two numbers is 25,921. This number is a perfect square, the square of 161. 161 is another important number in Kabbalah. It is the numerical value of the Divine Name of God that represents tevunah, the faculty that builds a new home, as above. Tevunah is the spiritual force that creates the conditions in which the new dimension of Torah (the new home) is revealed. That new dimension has a roof, which is its epitome and summit. When the new Torah consciousness reaches that epitome, it needs to have a fence to protect it.
Electrum
Although our meditation is based on an image from the Torah portion and is beautified by mathematical associations, its most important goal is to help us to better serve God. Let us explore the image of the fence in our Divine service.
In Kabbalah, the fence symbolizes a field of light that protects one from falling — both spiritually and physically. This light is called chashmal. (In modern Hebrew, chashmal means “electricity.”) This word appears in the Bible only in the book of Ezekiel [chapter 1], in the vision of the Divine chariot — the deepest and most mystical part of the Bible. The meaning of chashmal in Ezekiel is the light of electrum, a certain color of light related to electricity. (The Talmud tells of a very spiritual child who once played with chashmal, became electrified and died). This light can be dangerous, but in our context it represents the secret of the fence that protects the person on the roof.
The Electric Fence
The Ba’al Shem Tov teaches that the secret of chashmal is the secret of the electric fence around the roof. He explains that in our service of God, chashmal represents the three-staged process of submission, separation and lowliness. Submission is being in a state of existential lowliness. This is followed by separation, the ability in the soul to clearly separate between positive and negative energies. The final stage of this process is sweetening, in which we reincorporate some of the negative energies into the positive, transforming the negative to sweetened goodness.
This spiritual service is the secret of the fence. The fence ensures that we retain the consciousness of beginning every moment anew with submission, and then progress to separation and sweetening. This consciousness is particularly crucial during our spiritual “highs,” when we experience the Messianic powers with which God has endowed us. The gift of these Messianic powers makes us responsible for our own environment. When we begin all that we do with submission, we will be protected on the roof of our spiritual endeavors. In this state of lowliness, we can address our environment just as the Mashiach, saying “Humble ones, the time of your redemption has come.” The redemption itself is the redemption of the 288 sparks – the ma’akeh and the syag.
Who is the Faller?
The Torah commands us to put a fence around our roof, adding the unusual phrase, “Lest the faller fall.” Our Sages explain that “the faller” is someone who is predisposed to fall. In Kabbalah we learn that the quintessential “fallers” are the 288 fallen sparks, which are in a state of existential fall since the beginning of creation. The commandment of the fence and its power is to raise and redeem those fallen sparks.
This is the most important directive for us to fulfill. When we strongly identify with the oral tradition of the Torah, the mate of the Written Torah, we create a complete home with a foundation and a roof. When we add the electrified fence of submission, separation and sweetening, we pave the way for Messianic consciousness to redeem the 288 fallen sparks and subsequently to redeem the entire world.
To read some of his teachings and connect with his soul on his yarzheit, click on the BEN ISH CHAI label below this post.
The date of his yarzheit this year - 13 Elul/13 September - will see a rare Harvest Moon - click here to read more.
by Chana Lewis
Chacham Yosef Chaim (1832-1909), known as the Ben Ish Chai, was a highly-revered Torah scholar and master of Kabbalah. Based in Baghdad, Iraq, he was recognized by the Sephardic community both locally and abroad as an eminent Halachic authority.
Youth
Yosef Chaim was born on the 27th of Av, 1832, into a long chain of rabbinic figures renowned for their spiritual influence on the Baghdad Jewish community over the centuries. His father, Chacham Eliyahu Chaim, the son of Chacham Moshe Chaim, was the head rabbi and leader of Baghdad's Jewish community.
At the age of seven, Yosef Chaim fell into a deep pit in the courtyard of his home while playing with his sister. He was eventually saved by a miracle, and in gratitude to G‑d he decided to devote his life to the study of Torah. As a young boy, he spent many hours absorbing Torah from the books in his father's extensive library. He went on to attend Beit Zilka, the Jewish seminary of Baghdad, headed by Rabbi Abdallah Someich.
When Yosef Chaim was fourteen years old, a question arrived for his father from Rabbi Chaim Palag'i, the chief rabbi of Turkey. His father was very busy and unable to answer for several days, so the young Yosef Chaim answered the question in his father's stead. The Turkish rabbi was so impressed with the boy's response that he predicted he would be a great sage. In a letter to Yosef Chaim's father, he enthused: "Your son, dear to your soul, has already preceded you and decided this case. May his father rejoice in him…"
In a special room secluded for study, Yosef Chaim continued to strive toward spiritual perfection, studying all of the Torah day and night. At midnight he would rise to recite the Tikkun Chatzot, lamenting the destruction of the Holy Temple, and at sunrise he would recite the morning prayers. For six consecutive years, he fasted by day and ate only at night, to weaken physical drives that could interfere with his Divine service. He built a mikvah, a ritual bath, in his home, so he could purify himself at any time.
At the age of eighteen, he married Rachel, the daughter of Rabbi Yehudah Someich, a relative of his teacher. Together, they had one daughter and a son. Yosef Chaim was known for the attention he showered upon his children, teaching them Torah and conversing with them, despite his demanding schedule. He often composed little riddles and puzzles to entertain them, some of which are recorded in his book Imrei Binah.
Leader of the Baghdad Community
When Yosef Chaim was twenty-five years old, his father passed away, and he became the unofficial leader of the Baghdad community. The title chacham – "wise one," the traditional Sephardic title bestowed upon rabbis – was appended to his name. Despite his young age, he was highly respected, and one of his disciples, Rabbi Dovid Chai Hacohen, testified that if Rabbi Yosef Chaim had lived during the time of the Temple, it would never have been destroyed. For unlike then, when the Jews disregarded the admonitions of the prophets, the entire Baghdad community lovingly obeyed every word uttered by Rabbi Yosef Chaim. During his lifetime, per his influence, all the Jews of Baghdad observed Shabbat and Torah law. Chacham Yosef Chaim refused a salary for his public service. Instead, he supported his family by partnering in his brother's business. He personally funded the publishing of his books, refusing sponsorship or charity, and any income from these books would be distributed to the poor. He was also known to donate his books for free to Torah scholars.
He attempted to bridge the gap between the Sephardi and Ashkenazi communities, who often followed widely differing practices, by referencing his contemporaries abroad, and reflecting on their approaches in his own writings. He felt strongly that Torah scholars needed to show mutual recognition for one another, even when they disagreed, lest their names be forgotten with the passage of time.
Though his legal decisions carried weight primarily amongst Sephardi populaces, his Ashkenazi counterparts recognized his genius, held him in high esteem, and often quoted his rulings.
For fifty years, from his appointment until his death, he lectured for one hour daily on Torah law and aggadah (historical and anecdotal material) in the Tsallat L'ziri, "the small synagogue." Four times a year, he lectured at the Great Synagogue of Baghdad, built with dirt from the land of Israel.
Chacham Yosef Chaim understood that cut-and-dry Torah law would not appeal to many, so the bulk of his discourses were coupled with Kabbalah and Aggadah. He helped his followers make associations between Biblical lore and the law, so their hearts would be drawn to the wisdom of Torah, and they would remember it.
His seminal work, the Ben Ish Chai, is based on the three-hour classes he presented each Shabbat. He'd begin each lecture with a Kabbalistic interpretation, in simple language, of the Torah portion of the week, and then present a selection of related practical laws. Two important figures guided his work: Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, and Rabbi Isaac Luria, the Arizal.
His approach was based on preservation of local traditions, even in Halachic rulings. He would not recommend a change in local tradition unless there was compelling reason to do so. His rulings testify to his innovative approach which gave credence to local tradition, and to Ashkenazi and Sephardi rulings alike.
The Ben Ish Chai became the standard reference book for Torah law among Sephardim. It appealed to a wide audience, scholars and commoners alike, including women, who were usually not provided a religious education. Due to its widespread popularity, Chacham Yosef Chaim came to be called by the name of his book.
Many stories testify to his greatness. On one occasion, a scholar from Baghdad visited a great rabbi in Jerusalem, Rabbi Yaakov Shaul Elishar, to request his blessings. The elderly sage responded, "Why have you come to me? You have Chacham Yosef Chaim in Baghdad. There is no one like him in the world."
Chacham Yosef Chaim deeply loved the Land of Israel. He supported the Jewish settlement by printing all his books there, and throughout his life, gave money to the messengers from Israel who came to collect for the poor. In 1869, he journeyed to Israel where he visited the gravesites of numerous holy figures in Jerusalem and Hebron, and met with eminent Kabbalists. Though offered a rabbinical post there, he decided to return to Iraq. He brought back with him a large stone to be placed at the entrance to the synagogue where he lectured.
Days before his death, on the 8th of Elul, Chacham Yosef Chaim went on a pilgrimage to the grave of the prophet Ezekiel, and he became sick shortly after. On the 13th of Elul, 1909, he died and was buried that same night. He was deeply mourned, his funeral attended by over ten thousand people—Jews and non-Jews alike. Years after his death, Jews still made it practice to visit his gravesite every Friday.
Legacy
Despite his passing over 100 years ago, his legacy is very much alive in the hearts of those who continue to live by his seminal work, the Ben Ish Chai. Many of his disciples became great Jewish scholars who continued to disperse his teachings.
The extensive work of Chacham Yosef Chaim encompasses all aspects of Judaism: Torah law, Kabbalah, Q and A's, sermons, parables, proverbs, and prayers, liturgics and poetry for Shabbat and holidays. His work reflects simultaneously broad knowledge of the sciences, medicine, astronomy, physics and economics. His approach to Torah, though stringent, is imbued with love for its practice, and his followers, whose numbers continue to grow even today, revere his commitment to Torah law and the inspiration he brought to it.
Many schools, particularly in Israel, have been built in his name. Thousands continue to glean from the wisdom of Chacham Yosef Chaim, studying his books, but more importantly, living by them.
The term ''false prophet'' has been used a couple of times in the past month: once by a blogger who linked to me, and yesterday by a blogger referring to other people.
One of the reasons I started blogging was because I was sucked in to someone else's fake Torah. I wanted to start a site that only contained TRUE Torah.
To that end, I started to publish short articles from Torah giants. When you read Torah on my blog you can be sure it is real Torah. Such greats as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Ben Ish Chai, Noam Elimelech etc.
When you watch a video on my blog, you can also be certain that the Rabbis I choose are teaching True Torah.... such as Rabbi Anava to name just one.
There is a grey area when it comes to predicting future events. One of my favourite lecturers, Rabbi Mendel Kessin, has often stated that he is NOT a prophet and he could be wrong when he predicts future events. Everyone needs to bear this in mind - his 21st Century series of videos where he speaks about America, Israel and Moshiach are his interpretation of current events but he is not a Prophet. Hashem will do whatever Hashem will do, and no rabbi, however great, can be sure of how things will turn out. I think it is important to remember that.
I took great offence when the blogger who I will not name called me a False Prophet.... I don't do prophecy and I hope that nothing on this blog has caused anyone to lose faith in anything.... although I myself threw my hands up in the air and deleted my entire blog back in 5770 when Moshiach didn't come.... even I was susceptible back then.
Nothing is certain, everything is unknown, even the way the Geula will play out. No human these days knows for sure and we must all keep that in mind when we listen to some of the lectures that I post here regarding future events. The most important thing is to keep praying for the Geula and keep learning Torah.
This new video is published on You Tube by ''The Nation of Israel'' who I haven't heard of before. They sat down with Rabbi Mendel Kessin to speak about the misrepresentation of Trump's comments about Jews being disloyal to Israel, Bernie Sanders, orgs like IfNotNow and J Street...as well as the upcoming Israeli election. A few minutes into this video, he is asked about Trump's ''chosen'' comment although that word is not used..... and he has the answer for all the doubters out there. [The sound is not great on this video, and I have my volume at 100%.... although my computer's sound is not the greatest at the best of times !]... actually I just remembered that I can now get You Tube on my TV....
Following my brief visit to the other side of town, so to speak, here is an old Rabbi Kessin lecture which just came up on my FB feed together with an annoucement which I didn't really understand, about Judea/Shomron and some kind of plan to be revealed after the elections. If you know what this is about, please leave a comment. Meanwhile here is Rabbi Kessin from 2016 discussing the Purification of America. This seems like something I need to hear to purify myself :) My blog is back to normal folks !
Someone sent me this video, which is only in Hebrew and no English sub-titles.... but fortunately for me someone translated it and so I can ...
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"But I don't want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad." "How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."
