Powerful Segulah of Pidyon HaRashash Short FAQ

A few people asked me about the Pidyon HaRashash here are a few answers to the questions:

1. What is a pidyon? A pidyon is a ritual where the donation is given to grant merit to help effect a yeshua the person's mazal is changed for the better and exchanges his tzelem for a new one.
2. What is Pidyon HaRashash it for? To help heal the sick, change mazal, hatlzacha for children, help for a zivug or Shidduch, help for parnassah and bring a yeshua or salvation to someone in need.
3. How does Pidyon HaRashash work?
   The procedure is that the pidyon is done as follows: The person who needs a yeshuah (or someone on his behalf) gives tzedaka (the common amount is $160 or more and this is given to support Torah scholars, I will see it gets to kollel yungeleit) this tzedaka is the pidyon that will imyh affect the yeshuah - the number 160 corresponds to the gematria tzelem and the one who performs the pidyon will have in mind the kavanos the 5 Divine Names and daven that the pidyon grant a new "tzelem" Elokim and affect the yeshua to the person who needs it. Then the 160 silver coins (Silver is Kessef also gematria 160) the silver coins are "exchanged" for the tzedaka so he can perform the ritual of the pidyon and counts and arranges the coins in the form of these 5 Divine Names and recombines them to cancel the dinim and sweeten the harsh decrees. After the pidyon we say a tefillah using Hebrew Name and Mother's Hebrew Name and recite 3 chapters of Tehillim it is beneficial but not necessary that the person who has the pidyon and anyone else who is related and wishes to, to also recite these 3 chapters every day for that week, any other questions?
4. Why does Pidyon HaRashash work? The Arizal taught Rav Chaim Vital that a sick person's Tzelem has been spiritually blemished and requires a tikkun, the pidyon HaRashash helps by drawing down a new Tzelem of Mochin deGadlus - according to Kabbalah this help heal the person and change his mazal.
5. Why does it cost money? Why isn't it free? First of all it does not cost money, the pidyon is an exchange for the 160 coins required to effect the ritual that draws down Mochin in a new Tzelem and heals and helps a yeshua for the person. Giving tzedaka is a well known practice to help a yeshua and here the tzedaka is given as a merit for the person who needs the healing or the help. The donation is a form of self sacrifice where the person donating gives of his hard earned funds to demonstrate his teshuvah much like a korban. Besides this many mitzvos in Yiddishkeit cost money and are not free, that is how Hashem set up the self-sacrifice from us to benefit from His Divine rewards for example besides tzedaka and maaser - korbanos were not free, the offerings cost money, yet they were required for atonement, tzitzis, tefillin, kosher food, etc. none of these things are free. While obviously we can always daven and say Tehillim for free the power of the pidyon requires an additional donation to tzedaka, that is how the Arizal taught it to Rav Chaim Vital. Besides the pidyon requires time and effort as well to do, just as doctors and nurses don't just work for free - the donation goes to avrechim who learn, study and perform the pidyon HaRashash, they have families to support and expenses to pay just as well all do.
6. Are there any "sources" for this? What are they? Yes in Shaar HaKavanos Rav Chaim Vital explains that he performed this pidyon annually on Erev Rosh HaShannah for a good new year and gave the tzedaka money distributing it by Sukkos. The form of the pidyon is found in the Kuntres Sefas Emes of Rav Ya'akov Ninyo, as well as the Yareh (Rav Raphael Yechiel Abulafia's) manuscript and other handwritten editions of the Siddur haRashash as well as the modern printed seforim such as Rechovos HaNahar and Nekudos HaKessef.
7. 
   
   
   
   
8. Who was the Rashash? Why is the Pidyon named for him if it comes from the Arizal? The Rashash is an acronym for Rav Shalom Sharabi from Yemen who came to Jerusalem and became the Rosh Yeshiva of Beis E"l he was a great Kabbalist and talmid chochom best known for his famed Siddur full of Divine Names and Meditations that take the Arizal's teachings to a whole new practical level, since his Siddur contains the tradition for how to perform the pidyon itself it is named after him by most people who refer to it. To distinguish it from other well-known pidyon ritual's taught and recorded attributed to Eliyahu HaNavi, the Ramban and others.
9. Can you use any amount donation? The custom is to give at least 160 in the denomination of that country, usually nowadays its $160, some people like to give more, others cannot afford it and give less. I once participated in a pidyon together with a minyan of ten kabbalists and talmidei chachamim and we did the pidyon for someone and the organizer who gathered us together told us that Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter told the donor for this pidyon that he must pay each of us $1800 and he did. That said the original 160 silver perutos that Rav Chaim Vital used are probably worth something like $20 today, but he distributed those 160 coins to tzedaka and $20 would not go a very long way today. The goal of the donation is to gain merit. Tzedaka has a value no matter how much you give and it varies and depends on the self sacrifice of the donor and his means.
10. Where do you get 160 silver coins from? Good question - BH we had a few generous sponsors and donors who covered the costs to purchase silver coins from bullion sellers - we are using silver dimes that went out of circulation in the 1960s.
11. Are there other pidyons? Yes there is a pidyon for 232 coins for the 4 Divine Names A"b Sa"g Ma"h Be"n and also there are a pidyon from Ramban and from Eliyahu HaNavi The most common performed is the Rashash.
12. Who can do the pidyon? Someone who has studied the teachings of the Arizal and Rashash and who has seen and performed the pidyon and knows the kavanos from Siddur HaRashash. 
13.  please contact me for more information on these if needed.

Make a donation https://thechesedfund.com/chassidusonline/please-help-me-produce-seforim
join the mailing list here: http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim
Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003VH9D48

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Free Audio Shiurim http://torahdownloads.com/s-276-rabbi-tal-moshe-zwecker.html

BH 

After Pesach we started a Kollel from 10 in the morning until 1pm Sunday through Thursday schedule is Otzros Chaim with chavrusas focused on peshat with a iyun shiur that I give once or twice a week based on Rav Dwek Eifa Sheleima and Rav Morgenstern sefer shiurim we also went into Etz Chaim mati velo mati and shaar hakdamos 

BH after  1230pm we are studying the Rashash matbea beracha kavanas in the siddur Rashash 

Looking for a place to study Kabbalah and Penimiyus haTorah in RBS? 

please be in touch if you would like more information on joining us studying and or sponsoring / funding and dedication opportunities

Schedule 

1. Leshem 10am
2. 10:30-1pm Chavrusa learning Otzros Chaim in depth with shiur and sekimum
3. Mon & Wed 12:15/12:30pm-1pm Kavanos Siddur HaRashash Matbea Berachah

Rav Karmi Ingber and Tal Moshe Zwecker

Yahrzeit Hillula of the author of Noam Elimelech

Today 21 Adar is the Yahrzeit Hillula of the author of Noam Elimelech, Rav Elimelech son of Eliezer Lipman ZYA
so study his Torah, recite his Tefillah light a candle and give tzedaka for his zechus
Please study and pass on

https://torahdownloads.com/assets/material/Mipeninei%20Noam%20Elimelech%20-%20Translation%20of%20Sefer%20Noam%20Elimelech.pdf

Noam Elimelech Yahrzeit Hillula

Today is the Yahrzeit Hillula of the author of Noam Elimelech, Rav Elimelech son of Eliezer Lipman ZYA

so study his Torah, recite his Tefillah light a candle and give tzedaka for his zechus

Please study and pass on

https://torahdownloads.com/assets/material/Mipeninei%20Noam%20Elimelech%20-%20Translation%20of%20Sefer%20Noam%20Elimelech.pdf

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
in Israel: 972-58-322-1218 (sorry no sms)

If I am in the USA 516-388-8814 ( sms yes) 
Help Fund a New Project https://thechesedfund.com/cause/new-english-noam-elimelech-on-parsha-moadim
Free Audio Shiurim http://torahdownloads.com/s-276-rabbi-tal-moshe-zwecker.html
join the mailing list here: http://groups.google.com/group/beermayimchaim
Author Page https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003VH9D48

New Audio Shiurim What really happened to Dina bas Yaakov? The Zera Shimshon tells us based on the Arizal Rav Naphtali Ropshitzer in the Zera Kodesh Hashem builds Yerushalayim using our Torah and mitzvos We build Yerushalyim with our days Yaakov is the ladder bridging heaven and earth

1. https://soundcloud.com/parshapodcast/zera-kodesh-vayeitze-vayishlach-jacobs-ladder  Hashem builds Yerushalayim using our Torah and mitzvos We build Yerushalyim with our days Yaakov is the ladder bridging heaven and earth Hear how the heilige Rav Naphtali Ropshitzer in the Zera Kodesh describes Yaakov's duality as feet planted on the ground head soaring to heaven, why do we do mitzvos using physical objects like wool & leather?  
   

1. https://soundcloud.com/zera-shimshon/zera-shimshon-vayeitze-vayishlach  What really happened to Dina bas Yaakov? The Zera Shimshon tells us based on the Arizal 
   

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com

ZERA SHIMSHON TOLDOS AUDIO

https://soundcloud.com/zera-shimshon/zera-shimshon-english-toldos

ZERA SHIMSHON TOLDOS AUDIO

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
englishzerashimshon@gmail.com

PODCAST https://soundcloud.com/zera-shimshon

The Zera Shimson Segula  Rabbi Shimshon Chaim Nachmani promised that anyone that takes upon himself to learn from his seforim and teachings would be blessed by health wealth and children  

Or ha-Ḥayyim Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar - (5456; 1696-1743) Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh

Or ha-Ḥayyim  Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar - (5456; 1696-1743) Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh Hillula Yorzeit 15 Tammuz

https://thechesedfund.com/cause/ohr-hachaim-hakadosh-english-sefer-with-stories

Today the 15^th of Tammuz is the Yahrzeit or anniversary commemorating the petira and passing of the Ohr HaChaim, Rabbeinu Chaim ben Attar. 

Here are some facts about this great and holy Torah giant:

1. The Ohr HaChaim was born in Morocco and was niftar at age 47 less than a year after moving to Jerusalem and was buried on the Mount of Olives called Har HaZeisim.

2. The Holy Ohr HaChaim was one of a few yzadikim called 'holy'. This small group includes the Alshich and the Shelah. The Baal Shem Tov said that the Ohr HaChaim was a spark from the soul of Moshiach

3. Many stories abound talking about the great miracles people experienced by praying at his grave. One famous story was of Rabbi Moshe Hillel Slezinger who didn't have children for many years. One of his doctors was so mean as to exclaim that when he grows hair on the palm of his hand he will have children. Tearfully Rabbi Hillel went to the Ohr HaChaim's tzion and promised to learn from his sefer every week. Within a year he had a daughter. He raised a generation of righteous children and one of his sons in law was Rav Moshe Halberstam a dayan and halachic authority in the Eidah HaCharedis.

4. In WWII when the threat of Germany entering the Holy Land was palpable, the Jerusalem rabbinical courts told the masses to go to the grave of the Ohr HaChaim to pray and beseech G-d for salvation. This group was headed by the Admorim (Hassidic rabbis) of Husyatin and Zhvil. After they finished saying the Tehilim at the kever they were both smiling. People asked why they were smiling and they answered that "the danger has passed; we are no longer in danger of the Nazis invading Israel." People asked; "how do you know?" One Rabbi said "I saw the 4 letter name of G-d properly written shining and hovering over the grave of the Ohr HaChaim so I understood the danger has passed." Indeed 2 days later, the Germans led by Rommel were routed at El Alamein by General Montgomery and they also suffered heavy losses on the Syrian front. The Russians opened a third front against Germany and they retreated from the region to regroup against the new threat. Miraculously the Jews in Israel were saved.

5. A spiritual remedy for having children is to accept upon yourself to learn from the Ohr HaChaim's commentary on a steady basis and in this way you will merit to have righteous boys that will learn Torah and keep mitzvoth. The admor 'Lev Simcha' of Gur said that the Ohr HaChaim had no children of his own so all of his strength to procreate is embedded in his holy commentary. That is why each portion of this holy book can bring fertility and righteous children.  

6. Learning the Ohr HaChaim is a spiritual remedy for recovering from sickness, to strengthen your faith in G-d, wealth, a long life, fear of G-d and purity of the soul. In the book "Kiymu Vekiblu" it says that a person who learns the Ohr HaChaim's commentary on the Torah Portions of Acharei and Kedoshim is guaranteed not to leave this world without Teshuva and repentance.

7. The Baba Sali, Rabbi Yisrael AbuChatzeira would sit studying and complete the commentary of the Ohr HaChaim for that week's Torah portion every Friday.

8.  The Ohr HaChaim passed away at the beginning of a Saturday night the 15^th of Tammuz (Motzai Shabbat like this year). When he passed away the Baal Shem Tov in Mezhibuzh was washing his hands for the third meal as it was still day time in Mezhibuzh. He cryptically stated; "The Western candle was extinguished" (alluding to the western candle of the menorah). His talmidim asked him what he meant after Shabbat and the Baal Shem Tov explained that Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar, the holy Ohr HaChaim passed away. They asked him how he knew and he answered that there's a certain kavana - a mystical intention when making the beracha for washing the hands that is only revealed from the heavens to one person in the generation. When I washed my hands for the third meal this intention was revealed to me so I knew that the holy Ohr HaChaim passed away.

9. The grave or tzion of the Ohr Hachaim is considered a holy site: People visit it today on his Yohrzeit to pray there and they also visit there all year round to pray and daven for yeshuos and salvations.
  based on https://www.hidabroot.com/article/193697/9-Facts-About-the-Ohr-HaChaim-in-Honor-of-his-Yohrzeit

https://thechesedfund.com/cause/ohr-hachaim-hakadosh-english-sefer-with-stories

The Ohr Hachaim

Monday, October 30, 2017 at 2:55 pm | י' חשון תשע"ח

By Rabbi Y.Y. Rubinstein

It is an old debate whether a man is shaped by his times or a man shapes the times he lives in. But it is only relevant to those few individuals whose impact on their era leaves an indelible historical mark.

In 1732 a British citizen was born in Virginia whose life would certainly change the course of history. His name was George Washington. The American Revolution in which he played a leading role would shake the entire world of the 18th century. It would set the stage for the French Revolution 13 years later. It would be a century in which many revolutions would occur.

For Klal Yisrael, the 1700s would see other leaders, lehavdil, who would bring about change and leave their mark, not on battlefields or in parliaments but in the world of ruchniyus. Far away in Europe, the Baal Shem Tov was born. His revolution would be more profound and far-reaching than one could ever imagine.

Around the same time, on yet another continent, Africa, another Torah leader was born whose impact on the Jewish world would be enormous. His influence would reach beyond the city and country of his birth, would touch every part of Klal Yisrael, and would reverberate to this very day.

In 5456/1696 in the town of Salé on Morocco's Atlantic coast, Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar, the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh, was born. The name Salé in Arabic means "the place the sun sets." Its full title is al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyyah — the Kingdom of the West.

Morocco had first become unified under the Alaouite Dynasty (which rules to this day) in 1666. Salé was the center of the infamous Barbary pirates who attacked European ships and sold their passengers and crews into slavery.

The Attar family (The name Ben Attar means spices or spice seller) lived in perilous times and in a dangerous place. They had arrived in Morocco after the expulsion from Spain.

The Ohr Hachaim's grandfather, also called Chaim, was one of the leading chachamim of Salé and its Rosh Yeshivah. His son, Moshe, followed in his father's footsteps; his grandson and namesake was destined to climb his grandfather's path too, and reach even greater heights than those who preceded him.

Danger soon engulfed the Attar family. The local vizier persecuted and oppressed the city's Jews, and young Chaim, who had already shown prodigious ability in Torah by the age of 9, was forced to flee with his family to nearby Meknes, finding refuge with relatives.

Later a shidduch was arranged between the Ohr Hachaim and his cousin Fatzonia. The marriage was not blessed with children and Fatzonia encouraged her husband to marry a second wife, Esther.

In 5485/1725, shortly after the passing of his father-in-law, the Ohr Hachaim felt it was safe to return to Salé.

The story of an event that occurred there has an intriguing connection to one of his most famous insights in his commentary on Chumash, one that subsequently intrigued baalei hashkafah and filled pages of their sefarim:

The commentary is regarding the story of Reuven stopping his brothers from killing Yosef for crimes they believed merited execution. Reuven "saved him from their hands" and persuaded them instead to throw him into a pit. The passuk says the pit was "empty, containing no water." Rashi comments that it was empty only of water, but was full of scorpions and snakes.

The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh explains Reuven's actions: "Human beings have freedom of choice and are able to kill someone who is not in fact chayav misah (does not deserve the death penalty)." In other words, if they had killed Yosef that would not be proof that he deserved to die. But this is not the case if a wild animal kills a man, since an animal has no bechirah. When Reuven "saved him from their hands," it means he saved Yosef from their bechirah.

Now the story: The governor of Salé was marrying off his daughter. His entire family bought expensive clothing and sent them to the Ohr Hachaim, who was a goldsmith. He was ordered to weave gold threads into the material. The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh demurred, explaining that "every month I work just enough to earn my livelihood, and the rest of the time I devote to Torah study. This month I have already earned enough money."

When the governor learned of Rav Chaim's refusal to perform the work, he took steps to avenge what he saw as a personal insult.

He ordered that the lions he kept in his palace be starved. He then dispatched soldiers to take Rav Chaim from his home and throw him into the lion's den. The Ohr Hachaim sat down among the lions and recited Tehillim. The hungry animals sat around him, ignoring their hunger pangs and the governor's "suggestion" of what would remove them.

As the Ohr Hachaim had written, a wild animal kills a man only if the victim is sentenced to die by Heaven's decree. No such decree had been issued.

Facing ongoing danger and persecution, the Ohr Hachaim decided to move to Eretz Hakodesh. In 5499/1739, at age 43, he set out with his family and two talmidim. They traveled from the Kingdom of the West across North Africa to Algeria. From there they sailed to Livorno in Italy.

The Ohr Hachaim's arrival in Italy was met with great enthusiasm, and he was persuaded to spend two years there teaching Torah. Though he had arrived penniless, he was able to earn enough for his family and talmidim to undertake the next stage of the their journey. Benefactors also provided for the publication of his great commentary on Chumash in Venice. From the date of its publication in 1742, it has been studied and found universal acceptance and admiration.

That admiration was particularly intense among the followers of the spiritual revolution that was occurring at that time throughout Europe.

The Rebbe Reb Pinchas of Koretz said, "Sefer Ohr Hachaim protects the home, and learning it has the same effect on the neshamah as learning the Zohar."

Those words were echoed by the Yesod Haavodah of Slonim and the Admor Harav Yisrael of Ruzhin.

The Ohr Hachaim's arrival and entry to Yerushalayim was dddelayed due to an epidemic in the city. Settling instead in Akko, he set up his yeshivah, teaching Gemara in the derech of the Rambam. On 15 Elul 5502/1742 Rav Chaim ben Attar entered Yerushalayim at last but sadly, was niftar less than a year later.

It is related that during Shalosh Seudas, the Baal Shem Tov sensed that Rav Chaim Ben Attar had passed away, and before it was possible for anyone in Europe to know of this tragic news, the Besh"t exclaimed, "The light from the West has been extinguished!"

On the passuk "And Moshe the servant of Hashem died there in the Land of Moav by the word of Hashem," the Ohr Hachaim writes:

"He died there, but only there. He lives on in another holy and sublime place by the word of Hashem."

The Ohr Hachaim lives on through his powerful and penetrating peirush, studied and quoted throughout the world in shuls, yeshivos, schools and homes. It appears in the Mikra'os Gedolos, where his words are printed below the words of Hashem.

from the https://hamodia.com/frominyan/the-ohr-hachaim/

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
in Israel: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-58-322-1218

https://thechesedfund.com/cause/ohr-hachaim-hakadosh-english-sefer-with-stories

Or ha-Ḥayyim Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar - (5456; 1696-1743) Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh

Or ha-Ḥayyim  Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar - (5456; 1696-1743) Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh Hillula Yorzeit 15 Tammuz

https://thechesedfund.com/cause/ohr-hachaim-hakadosh-english-sefer-with-stories

Today the 15^th of Tammuz is the Yahrzeit or anniversary commemorating the petira and passing of the Ohr HaChaim, Rabbeinu Chaim ben Attar. 

Here are some facts about this great and holy Torah giant:

1. The Ohr HaChaim was born in Morocco and was niftar at age 47 less than a year after moving to Jerusalem and was buried on the Mount of Olives called Har HaZeisim.

2. The Holy Ohr HaChaim was one of a few yzadikim called 'holy'. This small group includes the Alshich and the Shelah. The Baal Shem Tov said that the Ohr HaChaim was a spark from the soul of Moshiach

3. Many stories abound talking about the great miracles people experienced by praying at his grave. One famous story was of Rabbi Moshe Hillel Slezinger who didn't have children for many years. One of his doctors was so mean as to exclaim that when he grows hair on the palm of his hand he will have children. Tearfully Rabbi Hillel went to the Ohr HaChaim's tzion and promised to learn from his sefer every week. Within a year he had a daughter. He raised a generation of righteous children and one of his sons in law was Rav Moshe Halberstam a dayan and halachic authority in the Eidah HaCharedis.

4. In WWII when the threat of Germany entering the Holy Land was palpable, the Jerusalem rabbinical courts told the masses to go to the grave of the Ohr HaChaim to pray and beseech G-d for salvation. This group was headed by the Admorim (Hassidic rabbis) of Husyatin and Zhvil. After they finished saying the Tehilim at the kever they were both smiling. People asked why they were smiling and they answered that "the danger has passed; we are no longer in danger of the Nazis invading Israel." People asked; "how do you know?" One Rabbi said "I saw the 4 letter name of G-d properly written shining and hovering over the grave of the Ohr HaChaim so I understood the danger has passed." Indeed 2 days later, the Germans led by Rommel were routed at El Alamein by General Montgomery and they also suffered heavy losses on the Syrian front. The Russians opened a third front against Germany and they retreated from the region to regroup against the new threat. Miraculously the Jews in Israel were saved.

5. A spiritual remedy for having children is to accept upon yourself to learn from the Ohr HaChaim's commentary on a steady basis and in this way you will merit to have righteous boys that will learn Torah and keep mitzvoth. The admor 'Lev Simcha' of Gur said that the Ohr HaChaim had no children of his own so all of his strength to procreate is embedded in his holy commentary. That is why each portion of this holy book can bring fertility and righteous children.  

6. Learning the Ohr HaChaim is a spiritual remedy for recovering from sickness, to strengthen your faith in G-d, wealth, a long life, fear of G-d and purity of the soul. In the book "Kiymu Vekiblu" it says that a person who learns the Ohr HaChaim's commentary on the Torah Portions of Acharei and Kedoshim is guaranteed not to leave this world without Teshuva and repentance.

7. The Baba Sali, Rabbi Yisrael AbuChatzeira would sit studying and complete the commentary of the Ohr HaChaim for that week's Torah portion every Friday.

8.  The Ohr HaChaim passed away at the beginning of a Saturday night the 15^th of Tammuz (Motzai Shabbat like this year). When he passed away the Baal Shem Tov in Mezhibuzh was washing his hands for the third meal as it was still day time in Mezhibuzh. He cryptically stated; "The Western candle was extinguished" (alluding to the western candle of the menorah). His talmidim asked him what he meant after Shabbat and the Baal Shem Tov explained that Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar, the holy Ohr HaChaim passed away. They asked him how he knew and he answered that there's a certain kavana - a mystical intention when making the beracha for washing the hands that is only revealed from the heavens to one person in the generation. When I washed my hands for the third meal this intention was revealed to me so I knew that the holy Ohr HaChaim passed away.

9. The grave or tzion of the Ohr Hachaim is considered a holy site: People visit it today on his Yohrzeit to pray there and they also visit there all year round to pray and daven for yeshuos and salvations.
  based on https://www.hidabroot.com/article/193697/9-Facts-About-the-Ohr-HaChaim-in-Honor-of-his-Yohrzeit

https://thechesedfund.com/cause/ohr-hachaim-hakadosh-english-sefer-with-stories

The Ohr Hachaim

Monday, October 30, 2017 at 2:55 pm | י' חשון תשע"ח

By Rabbi Y.Y. Rubinstein

It is an old debate whether a man is shaped by his times or a man shapes the times he lives in. But it is only relevant to those few individuals whose impact on their era leaves an indelible historical mark.

In 1732 a British citizen was born in Virginia whose life would certainly change the course of history. His name was George Washington. The American Revolution in which he played a leading role would shake the entire world of the 18th century. It would set the stage for the French Revolution 13 years later. It would be a century in which many revolutions would occur.

For Klal Yisrael, the 1700s would see other leaders, lehavdil, who would bring about change and leave their mark, not on battlefields or in parliaments but in the world of ruchniyus. Far away in Europe, the Baal Shem Tov was born. His revolution would be more profound and far-reaching than one could ever imagine.

Around the same time, on yet another continent, Africa, another Torah leader was born whose impact on the Jewish world would be enormous. His influence would reach beyond the city and country of his birth, would touch every part of Klal Yisrael, and would reverberate to this very day.

In 5456/1696 in the town of Salé on Morocco's Atlantic coast, Rabbi Chaim Ibn Attar, the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh, was born. The name Salé in Arabic means "the place the sun sets." Its full title is al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyyah — the Kingdom of the West.

Morocco had first become unified under the Alaouite Dynasty (which rules to this day) in 1666. Salé was the center of the infamous Barbary pirates who attacked European ships and sold their passengers and crews into slavery.

The Attar family (The name Ben Attar means spices or spice seller) lived in perilous times and in a dangerous place. They had arrived in Morocco after the expulsion from Spain.

The Ohr Hachaim's grandfather, also called Chaim, was one of the leading chachamim of Salé and its Rosh Yeshivah. His son, Moshe, followed in his father's footsteps; his grandson and namesake was destined to climb his grandfather's path too, and reach even greater heights than those who preceded him.

Danger soon engulfed the Attar family. The local vizier persecuted and oppressed the city's Jews, and young Chaim, who had already shown prodigious ability in Torah by the age of 9, was forced to flee with his family to nearby Meknes, finding refuge with relatives.

Later a shidduch was arranged between the Ohr Hachaim and his cousin Fatzonia. The marriage was not blessed with children and Fatzonia encouraged her husband to marry a second wife, Esther.

In 5485/1725, shortly after the passing of his father-in-law, the Ohr Hachaim felt it was safe to return to Salé.

The story of an event that occurred there has an intriguing connection to one of his most famous insights in his commentary on Chumash, one that subsequently intrigued baalei hashkafah and filled pages of their sefarim:

The commentary is regarding the story of Reuven stopping his brothers from killing Yosef for crimes they believed merited execution. Reuven "saved him from their hands" and persuaded them instead to throw him into a pit. The passuk says the pit was "empty, containing no water." Rashi comments that it was empty only of water, but was full of scorpions and snakes.

The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh explains Reuven's actions: "Human beings have freedom of choice and are able to kill someone who is not in fact chayav misah (does not deserve the death penalty)." In other words, if they had killed Yosef that would not be proof that he deserved to die. But this is not the case if a wild animal kills a man, since an animal has no bechirah. When Reuven "saved him from their hands," it means he saved Yosef from their bechirah.

Now the story: The governor of Salé was marrying off his daughter. His entire family bought expensive clothing and sent them to the Ohr Hachaim, who was a goldsmith. He was ordered to weave gold threads into the material. The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh demurred, explaining that "every month I work just enough to earn my livelihood, and the rest of the time I devote to Torah study. This month I have already earned enough money."

When the governor learned of Rav Chaim's refusal to perform the work, he took steps to avenge what he saw as a personal insult.

He ordered that the lions he kept in his palace be starved. He then dispatched soldiers to take Rav Chaim from his home and throw him into the lion's den. The Ohr Hachaim sat down among the lions and recited Tehillim. The hungry animals sat around him, ignoring their hunger pangs and the governor's "suggestion" of what would remove them.

As the Ohr Hachaim had written, a wild animal kills a man only if the victim is sentenced to die by Heaven's decree. No such decree had been issued.

Facing ongoing danger and persecution, the Ohr Hachaim decided to move to Eretz Hakodesh. In 5499/1739, at age 43, he set out with his family and two talmidim. They traveled from the Kingdom of the West across North Africa to Algeria. From there they sailed to Livorno in Italy.

The Ohr Hachaim's arrival in Italy was met with great enthusiasm, and he was persuaded to spend two years there teaching Torah. Though he had arrived penniless, he was able to earn enough for his family and talmidim to undertake the next stage of the their journey. Benefactors also provided for the publication of his great commentary on Chumash in Venice. From the date of its publication in 1742, it has been studied and found universal acceptance and admiration.

That admiration was particularly intense among the followers of the spiritual revolution that was occurring at that time throughout Europe.

The Rebbe Reb Pinchas of Koretz said, "Sefer Ohr Hachaim protects the home, and learning it has the same effect on the neshamah as learning the Zohar."

Those words were echoed by the Yesod Haavodah of Slonim and the Admor Harav Yisrael of Ruzhin.

The Ohr Hachaim's arrival and entry to Yerushalayim was dddelayed due to an epidemic in the city. Settling instead in Akko, he set up his yeshivah, teaching Gemara in the derech of the Rambam. On 15 Elul 5502/1742 Rav Chaim ben Attar entered Yerushalayim at last but sadly, was niftar less than a year later.

It is related that during Shalosh Seudas, the Baal Shem Tov sensed that Rav Chaim Ben Attar had passed away, and before it was possible for anyone in Europe to know of this tragic news, the Besh"t exclaimed, "The light from the West has been extinguished!"

On the passuk "And Moshe the servant of Hashem died there in the Land of Moav by the word of Hashem," the Ohr Hachaim writes:

"He died there, but only there. He lives on in another holy and sublime place by the word of Hashem."

The Ohr Hachaim lives on through his powerful and penetrating peirush, studied and quoted throughout the world in shuls, yeshivos, schools and homes. It appears in the Mikra'os Gedolos, where his words are printed below the words of Hashem.

from the https://hamodia.com/frominyan/the-ohr-hachaim/

Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
in Israel: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-58-322-1218

https://thechesedfund.com/cause/ohr-hachaim-hakadosh-english-sefer-with-stories

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"Lag BaOmer Heart of Sefiras HaOmer" VIDEO AUDIO SHIUR

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http://www.torahway.org.uk/archive/03-05-2018.wma

"Lag BaOmer Heart of Sefiras HaOmer" VIDEO: http://www.kolhalashon.com/New/Media/PlayShiur.aspx?FileName=6169-20180503-102934.mp3&Video=True

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Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim Publishing
Chassidic Classics in the English Language
www.chassidusonline.com
chassidusonline@gmail.com
in Israel: 972-2-992-1218 / Cell: 972-58-322-1218

It's Out! Ma'asei Avos by Rabbi Tal Zwecker

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