Everything about Shalom Sharabi totally explained
Sar Shalom Sharabi (
Hebrew: שר שלום
מזרחי דידיע שרעבי), also known as
the Rashash,
the Shemesh or
Ribbi Shalom Mizraḥi deyedi`a Sharabi (
Jewish Sharab,
Yemen 1720 - Jerusalem 1777/(10
shevat 5537)), was a
Yemenite Jewish Rabbi,
Halachist,
Chazzan and
Kabbalist. In later life he became the
Rosh Yeshiva of
Bet El Yeshiva. He was one of the Jewish world's foremost masters of
Kabbalah,
Torah,
Talmud and
Halacha in the 18th Century, and one of the first Yemenite Jews to have a major influence on the wider Jewish world. He is now considered to rank among the
Acharonim, to be the direct successor to
the Ari and one of the most important
Oriental Rabbis in history.
Although he's primarily known as a Kabbalist, his rulings on
Halakha (Jewish law) were and still are considered to have high authority, particularly among
Yemenite Jews, but to some extent among
Jews world wide. He was also a pioneer of
Talmud Torah schools in Israel and Yemen,
Warrior on behalf of the
Old Yishuv and a leading
Merchant in the
Middle East. He was also a Jewish
Sexton for many properties in
Jerusalem,
Israel.
Sharabi's son
Rabbi Yitzhak Mizraḥi Sharabi (d. at Jerusalem in 1803) bore the same high reputation for piety as his father, whom he succeeded as Rosh Yeshiva of the
Bet El Yeshiva.
Life
He was a
talmid hakham (master scholar of the corpus of Torah and Talmud) and
mekubbal (kabbalist), and was considered the leading authority among all the
mekubbalim of his generation. Moreover, he was the head of the Jerusalem
mekubbalim who were the leaders of the original
Bet El Yeshiva (sometimes known as "Yeshivat ha-Mekubbalim") located in the Old City of
Jerusalem.
In addition to his great wisdom he was known for his moral values, human qualities and
Ruach Ha-Kodesh (holy/Divine inspiration), and was an inspiration for the growing renewal of Jewish youth in Jerusalem.
As a young man he spent time in
Sanaa during his post-teenage years and finally made
aliyah to
Eretz Israel (the
Land of Israel), at that time under
Ottoman rule, in fulfilment of a vow (
neder). On his way he stayed in India, Baghdad and Damascus. In Damascus, he was involved in a dispute of
Halacha over the minimum olive size
kezayit of matzah that one should eat at the Pesach
Seder.
In
Eretz Yisrael he made a strong impression on the local rabbinic sages, and is frequently mentioned in their books. Within the
Bet El Yeshiva there was formed a group of 12 chosen "
mekubalim of Bet-El", corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel. This group specialized in
Kabbalah and piety, and in addition to the Rashash himself included the
Hida, Rabbi Yom-Tov Algazi and other sages of Sephardic and Yemenite congregations. He remained at
Bet El Yeshiva until his death, eventually becoming
Rosh Yeshiva and making the Yeshiva one of the world's most important
Yeshivot. He himself was a devotee of the Rabbi
Isaac Luria, and a principal innovator within Lurianic
Kabbalah. In the
Land of Israel, he successfully defended the
Yishuv and the city of
Jerusalem against Arab bandits over a period of 30 years, with no assistance from the
military of the Ottoman Empire.
Sharabi's life was embellished by astonishing facts and legends even from his youth, and in
Eretz Yisrael he was famous as a
Ilui and miracle worker, much like later the later
Baba Sali. Popular tradition links his departure from Yemen with a miracle that occurred after a rich Arab woman tried to seduce him. In
Bet El he worked as a servant and hid his learning from others; only miraculously was his deep knowledge of Kabbalah discovered and he became a member of the kabbalistic circle. According to legend, the prophet
Elijah appeared to him, and he was an incarnation of Luria. After his death, his name became greatly revered among the
Yishuv and among the kabbalists of
Bet El. His grandson,
Solomon Moses Hai Gagin Sharabi, wrote a poem of praise on his mastery of the
Etz Hayyim and
Shemonah She'arim of
Hayyim Vital. The members of
Bet El used to
prostrate themselves on his grave on the
Mount of Olives on the commemoration of his death.
His major
Talmidim included R.
Abraham Gershon of Kitov, R.
Chaim Joseph David Azulai (the
Hida), R. Yom-Tov Algazi and R. Chaim De Roza.
His Works
He was the first commentator on the works of the
Ari, a major source of Kabbalah. His
Siddur was known as the "Siddur Ha-Kavvanot," and is still used by Kabbalists today for prayer, meditation and Yeshiva study. It is a Siddur with extensive Kabbalistic meditations by way of commentary.
His writings are among the most important sources of the Kabbalah. They include "Emet va-Shalom", "Rehovot Hanahar", "Derech Shalom" and "Nahar Shalom", in which the Rashash answers 70 questions of the Hahamim of Tunis, who were among the leading
Sephardic authorities in the 18th century. He also commented on the
minhagim (customs) of the
Yemenite Jews and compiled them in volumes known as "Minhagei Rashash", an exclusive edition of the
Shulchan Aruch, where he gives his interpretations of the
halachot contained within it, as well as noting the particular customs of the
Shami Yemenite community. At the present day these volumes are used by that community as one of many halachic sources to determine Halachic decisions regarding holidays and other technicalities, such as marriage and Shabbat services.
Legacy
He is revered by students, especially students of
Kabbalah, in all major world Yeshivas, including those in
Jerusalem, Israel. He is also greatly admired as a major sage in the
Mizrahi and
Sephardi worlds. The recently-departed 20th century kabbalist, Rabbi
Yitzchak Kaduri, considered by some to have been even greater than the Rashash, was a great admirer of the Rashash, and was noted for using 'Rashash intentions' in his prayers. His leading descendant, Rabbi
Mordechai Sharabi, until his passing away in 5744 (1984), was also a great promoter and follower of his teachings, especially in
Jerusalem, where he headed
Yeshivat Nahar Shalom.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Shalom Sharabi'.
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