Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai zt"l
הרב חיים יוסף דוד בן רפאל אזולאי זצ"ל
Adar 11 , 5566
Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai zt"l
HaRav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai, zt"l, was born in Yerushalayim in Sivan 5484 (1724) within the old city walls where his father, R' Yitzchok Zerachiah Azulai lived. At six years, his toiling in Torah had already begun. He learned with his Rebbi, R' Yisroel Mizrahi in the beis medrash Beis Yaakov with his uncle R' Yonah Navon, zt"l and with the chazzan Nachum, zt"l.
He married the Rabbanit Rochel, daughter of Rabbi Nissim Bracha, zt"l, one of the dayanim in Yerushalayim.
With the ascent of the Ohr Hachaim Hakodesh to Yerushalayim (5502-1742), the Chida acquainted himself with him, becoming his closest and most devoted follower. However, those sublime days were cut short when, after less than a year, the Ohr Hachaim passed away leaving his close talmid following in his footsteps, continuing in his customs and derech in Torah that he had learned in this short period of time.
After finishing all he could learn in the revealed part of Torah he turned to learning its mystical secrets of Kabalah with R' Sholom Sharabi.
The Chida was sent by the rabbonim to travel and raise funds for the Jews living in Chevron and his travels took him as far as Spain, France and Germany. He toured many libraries for their Jewish literature and upon finding various handwritten manuscripts of the Rishonim, he deciphered their writings and later printed them in his seforim.
In 5524 (1764) he accepted rabbonus in Egypt. In keeping with the dictum, "And hate the Rabbonus," the Chida looked forward to finishing the five years he had agreed upon and then he returned to Eretz Yisroel, where he settled in Chevron.
In 5535 (1775) he once again set out to travel into golus on behalf of the Jews of Chevron and, upon completing his mission, he settled for a time in Livorno (Leghorn) so that he could print his seforim there. He spread Torah and gave droshos from a yeshiva and beis medrash that a wealthy philanthropist placed for his use.
The local Jews tried to persuade him to be their official rov but the Chida refused, conceding only to speak on four Shabbosim of the year - Shabbos Hagodol, Shabbos Shuvoh, Shabbos Zochor and Shabbos lifnei Shavuos. However, in practice, he was the spiritual leader of Italy's Jews and particularly so in Livorno. Requests were repeatedly made to the Chida from various communities all over that he be their rov, from Amsterdam, Tzfas, and, after the petirah of the Rishon Letzion, from Yerushalayim. The answer was always the same, for the Chida truly "hated the rabbonus."
His yearning to return to the Holy Land never abated and on various occasions he prepared himself and his family for the long journey home. In 5547 (1787) they were actually ready to leave when they received a message that a terrible plague was rampant in Eretz Yisroel, canceling their trip.
When his son R' Avrohom left for Eretz Yisroel in 5543 (1783), the Chida also wanted to join him but was prevented from doing so; many are the thoughts in the heart of man, but Hashem's plan prevails and the Chida remained in Livorno.
On Friday night, Parshas Zochor, 11th Adar, the Chida returned his pure soul to his maker, bringing a heavy pall of mourning over Livorno. The rabbonim made an announcement that all Purim festivities that were in preparation should be halted due to the somber news, and fixed a takonoh that each year they would mourn the passing of the Chida.
His many works, spread over 85 seforim on all areas of Torah -- halacha, aggodoh, drush, sheilos uteshuvos, chiddushei masechtos, chidushei Shulchan Oruch, Seder Hadoros, and more. Sixty of these seforim went to print and the rest remained in manuscripts that apparently have been lost to us over the years.
http://www.chareidi.org/archives5761/terumah/features2.htm
Stories of Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai zt"l
When the Tzaddik Rav Chaim ben Attar came to live in Eretz Yisrael, his main focus was to establish a holy lofty Yeshiva and Bais Medrash, whose purpose was to study Torah lishma on the highest level. Its students would sit all day immersed in their studies, never uttering any mundane words, wrapped in tallis, crowned in tefillin and unifying the Shechina as they studied Gemora and Rambam, delving into the depths of the Talmud, swimming in its seas and immersing in the words of dvar Hashem zu Halocha. As he himself testified in a letter written on the 22nd of Shevat tov-kuf-bais to the financial supporters of the Yeshiva in Mantuba, Italy, he named the Bais Medrash “Heichal Ahava – Medrash Kenesses Yisrael – the Chamber of Love”, to awaken Hashem’s love for Kenesses Yisrael (Kenesses Yisrael alludes to the Shechina). From the Diaspora, Rav Chaim ben Attar brought with him talmidim, and gained new ones in Yerushalayim – among whom was the great Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai – the Chida. (Ner HaMaaravi, ch. 24 p. 227)
Once, when the Chida was on one of his travels in the lands of Ashkenaz, one of the Admorim asked him to relate a story that described his Rebbe’s holy avoda in nigla and in nistar, and here is one of the tales he told:
The Ohr HaChaim had a special minhag to prepare himself to make Kiddush on Shabbos. Every Erev Shabbos he would sit and study and review with his talmidim the laws of testimony and witnesses – Hilchos Eidus in the Rambam. They would especially review the laws dealing with what things disqualified a witness and rendered him posul – unfit to give testimony. They studied this in order to do full teshuva [over any of these disqualifications.] Not only did the Ohr HaChaim do this as a preparation before making Kiddush, but when he picked up the Kiddush cup to recite the berocha over it, he would be aflame with such excitement and thoughts of teshuva and kedusha that all those present were also seized with pangs of regret and remorse so great that they would beg and plead that they too should merit to be eidim kesherim (proper witnesses) to testify to the Creation of the world in six days! (By Rav Yitzchok Alfaya in Kuntres HaYachieli Section Bais Hashem Chapter Middos Tovos #18)
Rav Yekusiel Yehuda of Sanz-Klausenberg told the following story one Sholosh Seudos [see Shefa Chaim on Parshas Naso tov-shin-mem-daled] (also found in the kuntres Tav Chaim as a prelude to certain editions of the Chida’s sefer Shem HaGedolim):
Although the Chida was counted among the younger of the Ohr HaChaim’s talmidim, still Rav Chaim ben Attar greatly admired him, drew him close and bestowed upon the Chida a special and unique berocha that from Heaven the Chida should be sanctified with the kedusha of Aharon HaKohen!
At first the Chida misconstrued his Rebbe’s meaning and thought he had been blessed with the ability to give berochos to Am Yisrael be’ahava just as Aharon and the Kohanim bless the Jewish people. However, decades later, the true meaning of this special berocha was revealed in the following amazing manner:
In his old age, the Chida ended up in Leghorn, Italy, which the Jews know as Livorno. He had refused the position of Rav again and again, although the various communities’ elders and leaders tried to have him take up the post. Instead, the Chida preferred to sit and learn Torah uninterrupted except for a four-year stint when he took up the post of Rav while he was in Egypt. Nonetheless, although he held no official title or position, all the Jews knew of his greatness and accorded him the honor and respect due to a sage and Talmid Chochom, one of the Gedolim of the generation.
One day, a community leader came before the Chida and complained to him that his wife had been seen alone in the company of another man. “If this is so,” said the Chida, “you must divorce her, give her a get and she loses any rights to collect her kesuba.”
The Dayonim heard his decision and were baffled; how could he decide such a matter without any testimony or evidence? But they dared not contradict his ruling. The Chida asked that the wife be summoned to the place in the Bais Medrash where he sat and studied, immersed in Torah. The Chida tried to persuade her gently and kindly to accept a get of divorce from her husband, but the woman was brazen and arrogant. She answered the Rav back with chutzpa and as she spat back her arguments to the Rav, the Chida remembered the berocha he had received from the Ohr HaChaim, his Rebbe, all those years ago.
Turning to the insulting woman, the Chida asked, “Please, I have just one request. Listen as I read aloud to you a portion from the Parsha in the Torah.”
The arrogant woman acquiesced to this one request and stood still as the Chida took out a Torah and began to recite the Parsha of Naso where the Torah describes the sota. As the Chida read the pesukim the woman began to leave in the middle – but she did not escape in time, for just as she reached the stairs, the Chida concluded reading the Parsha of the sota, and no sooner did he finish the last words than she stopped with her foot resting on the step, while her face contorted and her eyes bulged out of their sockets. With a shriek she collapsed and dropped dead. Hearing her outcry, many people rushed to the scene as she breathed her last, and witnessed this miraculous event.
Rav Chaim Yosef Arye Prager of Brisk writes how the Chida once met the Gaon Rav Dovid Ashkenazi of Bichov, who lived in Teverya and was sent by Rav Avrohom Kalisker to collect funds for the nascent and struggling Chassidishe yishuv there. Rav Dovid traveled in the west for some seven years collecting, and on one of his travels he met the Chida in Livorno. During their discussion about how greatly esteemed his Rebbe, the Ohr HaChaim, was among the Chassidim, the Chida replied humbly that he did not consider himself worthy of being called a true talmid who knew the Ohr HaChaim, claiming that he was just someone who had studied there in his Yeshiva. He then related to Rav Dovid the following amazing story about his Rebbe, Rav Chaim ben Attar, the Ohr HaChaim:
Once, the Ohr HaChaim was late to arrive at the Yeshiva. This was uncharacteristic of him and all the talmidim who had gathered at the appointed time for his shiur wondered at this departure from custom. When the hour grew late and the delay continued, the Chida gathered his courage and himself went to his Rebbe’s home to see what the delay was about and to call on the Ohr HaChaim. When he got there, he engaged Rav Chaim in conversation and the Ohr HaChaim told the Chida in a totally nonchalant and dismissive manner as part of the conversation, “I was late because I was stuck on a difficult Tosafos which I simply couldn’t unravel or understand at all until…Rabbeinu Yitzchok, one of the Ba’alei Tosafos, came and explained to me what he meant.”
The Ohr HaChaim used to make frequent trips with his talmidim to daven at kivrei Tzaddikim in Yerushalayim. The Chida described one such trip that he himself went on and accompanied the Ohr HaChaim and what he saw the Ohr HaChaim do on that occasion:
“In my youth I merited to travel together with the wondrous holy Chassid, our Master, Rav Chaim ben Attar and the students of his Yeshiva, to travel to daven at the kivrei Tzaddikim in Yerushalayim. When we reached the matzeiva of the Rav, author of the sefer Pri Chodosh, we watch as the Rav [the Ohr HaChaim] remained there alone for some fifteen minutes or more, davening at the kever, and his lips moved as he was talking and we understood that he was asking mechila from the Pri Chodosh that he be forgiven [for Rav Chaim ben Attar, in his sefer Pri To’ar, would rule against him and argue on some of his points] and that all that he did was purely L’shem Shomayim (for the sake of Heaven).” (Shem HaGedolim, Section on Seforim, Entry for Pri To’ar)
One of Rav Mordechai Eliyohu's early predecessors as Rishon L'Tzion, Sephardic Chief Rav of Eretz Yisrael, was Rav Yitzchak Nissim, who had a special appreciation and admiration for the Chida. One of Rav Nissim's friends was Dr. Shlomo Umberto Nachon, a native of Livorno (Leghorn), where the Chida lived the end of his life and was buried.
In the late 1950’s, Dr. Nachon learned that the Italian authorities wished to build a highway through the Jewish cemetery of Livorno. He quickly informed Chief Rav Nissim and, understanding the urgency of the situation, they decided it was time to move the Chida to Eretz Yisrael. Dr. Nachon made the arrangements with the authorities in Livorno, and in 1960 Rav Nissim commissioned, after much coaxing, the then thirty-one-year-old Rav Mordechai Eliyohu, who was known to be intimately familiar with the Chida's writings, to head a team of esteemed Sephardic rabbonim (which included Rav Yisrael Abuhatzeira, the Baba Sali, and his brother the Baba Haki, Rav Yitzchak Abuhatzeira, chief Rav in the city of Ramle, who was an expert in Jewish burials in his native Morocco) for the reinterring of the bones of the Chida in Yerushalayim.
Rav Eliyohu related that when he arrived at Lod Airport with the other rabbonim, he met with the agency representative who had brought the bones of the Chida in a small wooden coffin. When the Rav saw it, he was appalled "What is this?" he asked. "The bones of the Chida are rolling around in a miniature coffin? How can such a thing be?"
He asked that a larger coffin be brought, so that the bones could transferred to it and be laid out properly for an honorable burial. Then he requested that the Baba Haki's driver go with his driver, and that they immerse in a mikva [ritual bath], and afterwards buy a Phillips screwdriver to open the coffin.
When they returned, Rav Mordechai Eliyohu made a large hole in the bottom of the new large coffin so that there would be no barrier between the bones and the soil upon burial, but temporarily closed the hole with a stopper. Then the small coffin was inserted into the larger one.
Rav Eliyahu had the small coffin opened, whereupon he put his hand in to arrange the bones. But after a few moments, he trembled and closed his eyes. Saying in a broken voice that he had no power to do it, he asked pleadingly that the Chida ‘please do this task by yourself’ to put his own bones in order!
Immediately, a powerful, almost explosive sound was heard, the coffin began to shake, and a rattling sound - made by the Chida's remains striking the coffin's walls -- was heard. All the other rabbonim fainted on the spot. Rav Mordechai did not faint, explaining afterwards that his absorption in the mitzva helped him remain conscious.
It was beyond belief! The banging and shaking continued until, bone by bone, until the entire skeleton was arranged perfectly - in the merit of the holy Rav, the Chida!
"Hashem will grant you special Providence, and bring my remains out of this place." [Bereishis 50:25]
"He said to me, 'Can these bones live?'…As I prophesied, there was a roaring sound, and the bones came together and joined one another…. 'I am going to open your graves; I will take you out of your graves, My People, and bring you to the Land of Israel.'" [Yechezkel 37:3, 7, 12]
Thousands accompanied the funeral procession from the Yerushalayim neighborhood of Sanhedria to the cemetery at Har HaMenuchos. At the burial, Rav Eliyohu described the events that had taken place as "Nisei nissim - absolute miracles."
At a later date, Rav Mordechai Eliyohu announced that whoever needs personal salvation can go to pray at the grave of the Chida.
It is no wonder that when Rav Mordechai Eliyohu passed on to his heavenly great reward fifty years later that he was buried near the Chida on Har HaMenuchos!
The Chida had finally come home.
His memory continued to live in the hearts of his people. Many Jews used to make pilgrimages to his grave or send kvittlach to be deposited there, praying that the saintly Rav be an intercessor for them in the Heavenly Court.
(Ed. Note: Rav Mordechai Steiner Shlita related that the B’nei Yisasschar often was quoted that even if he can’t always find the source for the Chida’s Torah chidushim, he fully believes that they are accepted by the Bais Din Shel Ma’ala and his segulos are kodesh and divine. See B’nei Yisasschar Tishrei 4:14:39).
It is of interest to note that the Noam Elimelech, R' Elimelech of Lizhensk remarked that Hashem always keeps things equal. At the time that Mendelssohn came and wrote his heretical explanations on the Chumash, Hashem sent the Chida to counteract, with his holy seforim, strengthening our basic beliefs in Hashem.
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In the yeshiva of the mekubalim in Yerushalayim Beis El sat the holy mekubal HaRav Sholom Sharabi better known as the Rashash. Drinking his words of Torah were the future giants of Kabalah: Rabbeinu Yom Tov Algazi, the Chida, and more.
Once they had learned their fill of the Torah as we see it, they listened as their rov delved into the depths of the secrets of Kabalah. These exalted men formed a pact together, working on themselves and taking on certain takonos. One of the most prestigious members of these holy groups was the Chida.
One day word spread that the Chida had taken upon himself to separate from the group and go out into the great world outside Eretz Yisroel to collect funds for the poor and needy of Chevron. The reason too soon became known.
Rabbeinu R' Shalom Sharabi felt that the time was now a favorable one in heaven to daven and try to hasten the final redemption. Under his instructions all the members of his holy group cut themselves off from all worldly matters, afflicting themselves in various ways after which they sanctified their bodies with a fast of 3 days without a break. However, the time was not yet ripe and after the three-day fast was over they heard a heavenly voice calling out to them, "My dear sons, my time for the redemption is not yet ripe. You have no right to hasten it by force. Besides one of you will have to suffer the trials of going out into golus."
Since there was no mention of who would be the one, they drew lots, the Chida being the one picked out. When the men of Chevron asked the Chida soon after this if he could travel abroad to collect funds, they were pleasantly surprised at his quick agreement. They had planned to ask him, for his great name and personality and powerful oratory would cause people to contribute handsomely to their worthy cause but they hadn't been prepared for him to accede so easily to their request.
The Chida immediately left by way of Egypt and then on to other countries to persuade Jews in foreign lands to donate their money for the poor of Eretz Yisroel. His travels led him to Livorno, the greater part of Italy and over to the German states.
Early on in his wanderings, he was warmly greeted and given great honor, for his name and greatness had preceded him, the rabbonim already learnt from his seforim and some of the laymen knew who he was.
In contrast, in the greater part of Europe the name of the Chida had not yet spread, causing the people to ask him wherever he went for his letter of proof and approbation. Somewhere along the tiring journey, the Chida lost all his documents. Upon arriving at the next city, he went to the rov and introduced himself. However he had no proof to present showing that this was indeed the Chida and not an imposter out to trick the people.
Seeing that he had no documents, the rov demanded that he say some chiddushim that are written in the seforim of the Chida. If he knew them really well that would be adequate proof.
Hearing this, the Chida refused to speak. His aide the Chacham Shmuel Ben Chaim tried to persuade him to talk for if the locals would not see his greatness they would drive him out in shame and disgrace and no money would be collected for the poor. Moreover in Italy and all the other places the Chida had spoken at great lengths teaching Torah wherever he went, and just here he would be struck dumb.
The Chida was obstinate, however, insisting he cannot say divrei Torah to these people. Degraded and scoffed at by the people, the Chida saw he was getting nowhere and had no choice but to write a letter to Chevron suggesting that they quickly send new papers to replace the last once, proving that he was in fact the Chida.
As soon as the awaited letter arrived, the elders of the community apologized profusely to the Chida, begging him to give public speeches and discussed Torah subjects with him as students to their rabbi. Puzzled, they asked the Chida, "Why did Rabbeinu not tell us his Torah earlier, thus saving himself all the humiliation. Had we heard a few words out of your holy mouth we would have realized that there stands before us a Godol Hador of unique caliber."
"In a place where people know me and ask me to speak the words of Hashem or to stir their hearts and bring them close to our Father in heaven, I do not refuse," replied the Chida. "For this is the purpose of man -- to glorify the Torah. But to gain personal honor and fame through divrei Torah I cannot do. You wanted, through Torah, to test me and discover who I am, forcing me to use the Torah to show my personality and strength which is not allowed. I preferred, therefore, the humiliation of being suspected as a deceiver and a cheat to using the crown of Torah for my personal gain."
The residents who heard his words were extremely impressed and rushed to do his bidding, collecting a large amount of money towards his cause. How great is the Torah of a man who refuses to be personally glorified by it, at the cost of his own dignity.
http://www.chareidi.org/archives5761/terumah/features2.htm
Divrei Torah of Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai zt"l
kabbola teaches that esther was a reincarnation of eve
Esther: Scent from Above
From the teachings of Rav Tzvi Elimelech (Shapira) of Dinov
The Midrash states: "Hadassa" [Hebrew for "myrtle"] is [another name for] Esther. In the same way that myrtle has a sweet smell but a bitter taste, so was Esther sweet for Mordechai, yet bitter to Haman. (Esther Rabba 6:5)
...Esther sweet for Mordechai, yet bitter to Haman.
The Chida wrote: Esther was a reincarnation of Eve, the Serpent was enclothed in Haman, and Mordechai was the reincarnation of Yaakov, as recorded by the students of the Ari HaKodosh. Thus, Esther (as Eve) was bitter to Haman, who was the Serpent, who had brought her to sin - and sweet to Mordechai, who, as a reincarnation of Yaakov, was also the reincarnation of Adam. (Dvash L'pi 5:2)
And here I come to add, in accordance with what I've written on many an occasion, that every one of the [five] senses was recorded in the account of the sin of Adom - except that of the sense of smell. Therefore, understand that the sense of smell wasn't ever really blemished, and for this reason it is a thing which the soul [Neshama] gets pleasure from, as opposed to the body.
Thus, the scent was sweet to Mordechai. (And also because he himself is called "pure myrrh" [see Targum Onkelos on Shemos 30:23]. Thus, "[Mordechai] shouted a great shout" (Esther 4:1) for "the voice is good for [the quality of] spices". (Yerushalmi Talmud, Yoma 23a)
And the taste was bitter to Haman, for [it was him, as] the Serpent, who seduced Eve [to sin essentially with] the sense of taste [and received his punishment from the reincarnation of Eve, measure for measure].
[From B’nei Yisasschar, Adar 7:10]
mordechai was the reincarnation of yaakov and haman the reincarnation of esav
From Yaakov to Mordechai
From the teachings of Rav Chaim Yosef David Azulai
[When Yaakov saw that Esau was coming] he went ahead of [his family] and bowed down seven times until he reached his brother. (Bereishis 33:3)
It says in Sefer Hakinuyim that Mordechai was the reincarnation of Yaakov and Haman the reincarnation of Esau. Since Yaakov did wrong by bowing before Esau seven times, Mordechai came and repaired Yaakov's failing by refusing to bow down to Haman.
Yaakov was guilty of giving a false impression….
[The question is:] how could Yaakov, the most perfect of the patriarchs, bow down to the wicked Esau? He surely knew that it is forbidden to greet an evildoer.
[The answer is:] Yaakov did not do anything wrong. When he prostrated himself he was bowing down to the Shechina that was coming to meet him.
Then why is it counted as a failing that needs rectification?
Yaakov was guilty of giving a false impression to his wives and his children, causing them to think that he was bowing down to Esau.
Mordechai repaired this misstep by refusing to bow down to Haman.
זכר צדיק וקדוש לברכה