Jerusalem – The murder of Rabbi Elazar Abuhatzeira, the “Baba Elazar,” on Thursday night saved the people of Israel from other tragedies, leading rabbis said Friday.
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“Harsh punishments were decreed on the people of Israel, and he wanted to nullify them,” said the slain rabbi’s uncle, Rabbi Baruch Abuhatzeira, also known as the Baba Baruch, speaking at Rabbi Abuhatzeira’s funeral.
He added, “As he nullified many harsh decrees for us…We ask you, Rabbi Elazar: go before the Throne of Glory and pray there for the people of Israel. Pray for the entire family. Pray for your sons, your daughters, your grandchildren and wife,” Rabbi Baruch continued. He said, “There is much to say, but the mind is confused.”
Rabbi Shlomo Amar, the Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel, made similar comments to Arutz Sheva on Friday.
“Who knows what kind of decree G-d’s people was under? And [Rabbi Abuhatzeira] was strong for us, and he bore the atonement for our generation,” Rabbi Amar said.
“Alongside the great sorrow and terrible shock, we must arouse our hearts to return to G-d with all of our hearts, and search our deeds, both those between man and G-d and between man and his fellow man,” the rabbi continued. “Bloodshed in particular has grown more common among our people in recent years, and has become a routine thing. We hear about it and return to our routines.
“We must wake up regarding the education we give the children of Israel, we must teach them to be of good character and treat their fellow man properly, and each individual should make a true effort to rid himself of hate or jealousy, and to increase in love and unity, to avoid anger and strictness, and to be pleasant and forgiving and good, with G-d and man,” he concluded.
” he bore the atonement for our generation”
With all due respect to Reb Abuhatzeira (z’l), isn’t that a christian concept?
Its amazing that these rabbonim claim to know what the Ebeshter had decreed on klal yisroel and that the murder of a Rav (whose own murder seems to have been the result of his own fortune telling gone wrong) will somehow be the factor that results in the Ebeshter changing his mind (i.e. Rav Abuhatzeira was a korbon to save the rest of us). Why do these rabbonim feel they have to “explain” everything that happens when they obviously don’t know any more than we do???
No it’s a vey Jewish concept.
to #1 : yes, and also Jewish. The Christians did take a few true things with them when they left Yiddishkeit. Remember Moed Kattan 28a about the death of Miriam?
to #2 : Nobody knows anything. But we also know that when a tragedy happens, people ought to reflect on their sins and do teshuva, not just twiddle their thumbs and say “hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work we go.” And I hope they know more than we do. They are talmidei chachamim and leaders who dedicated their lives to study of Torah and service of Klal Yisrael. To NOT know more than we do they would need Siyata Dishmaya for being stupid.
Its plain and simple the message of Hashem:
When Jews believe in Kabbalist and Rabbis, and have more Emunah in them, then a plain simple Kapital Tehillim davenining to hashem, your noting less then praying to Avodah Zorah.. so Hahsem is sending a clear message, that after all Hahsem is the almighty in power, and no one else, no matter how many Yechidim, and Kabballh you know.
All u commenters stop already! u are all so fakrumpt with ur lack of understanding of Yiddishkeit. Xtianity got their ideas from Judaism not vice versa! So stop asking if Jewsih ideas are Xtian its the exact opposite. These Rabbis are holy, and again and again, we are having tragedies. Start introspecting and stop asking if the Rabbis know anything! Of course we must do teshuva with all this happening! Especially bt man and fellow man! Stop bashing and commenting on the Rabbis! Don’t u ever learn we are not having the happiest summer! If u have nothing nice to say DON’T say it. Jews have been killed by JEWS!
Some one who believes in hashem but not tzadikim is an apikores
through tzadikim hashem reveals himself
I agree with #3. Ikd like to believe that he was a tzadik gamur with no blemishes,however, when there’s smoke, there is fire. There were claims that he or his brother was a “black sheep” type who was also twisted as he was extorting money from some and issued curses causing someone to die from the heartache. Maybe this was a revenge crime,who knows. B’DE
His great grandfather Rabbi Yaakov died al kidush Hashem in exchange for klal yisroel, as the story I read he told everyone to leave the country after he will be die as he had pleaded with Hashem not punish klal yisroel but to take him instead. After he said that he was accused of spying or something to that nature and he was shot and killed r’l
I only created my VIN account now for the first time because I feel that a majority of the posts on this story are creating further kitrugim and it has to stop. It is amazing how ignorant, unlearned people could babble about concepts that they clearly know nothing about.
#1: Dying for the sins of the people is not a Christian concept. It may be something that the Christians adopted but it is not so at its root. Lets remember who the father of Christianity was, what he was in a previous lifetime and his colleagues whom we speak of reguarly when we open a blatt Gemara.
In fact the Degel Machane Ephraim, grandson of the Baal Shem Tov writes on the verse, “Mipnei Hara’a ne’esaf Hatzaddik” That as a result of the bad committed by the generation Tzaddikim are taken away from us. If you listen to Reb Slomo Amars hesped you will here him wailing, “Gadol Silukan shel Tzaddikim yoser m’churban Beis Hamikdash, In other words, for those who don’t understand, the loss of the righteous is much more painful and a much greater loss than the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash. Tzaddikim protect us, with Baba Elazar no longer in this world we are like orphans without a father.
For those of you who have read my posts in the last couple of days will know that I believe in the veracity and authority of our rabbanim and gedolim and am a strong advocate. In this situation, however, having a tough time…
I once heard from one of the leading figures today in hashkafa and mussar that anyone who attributes any tragedy to a specific cause has the din of a navi sheker
#2 : Sorry to say, you are probably more ignorant and less learned then your friend in comment #1 . The Gemara in Bava Basra says that when G-d created the world he saw that the righteous will be few therefor he planted them in every generation. The Tzaddikim are like precious Jewels that G-d understood at the dawn of creation that each generation would need their succor. Does it make sense that Hashem would plant people in every generation who have no idea what their talking about and who do not know more than me and you????? Either that or you don’t believe that he is a Tzaddik, in which case, why would tens of thousand’s join his funeral procession and why would Reb Amar, Reb Ovadiah Yosef who is more politically incorrect then anyone in todays generation feel the need to eulogize him. It must be that he was a special individual who was infused with a sense of divinity that me and you are not privy to. He is buried on Har Hazeisim in case you want to go ask him mechila for all of your false accusations.
The Zohar writes on the Pasuk, Shalosh Peamim Bashana Yeiraeh kol zechurcha es pnei Ha’adon H’. He asks, Ma’an Pnei Adon H’? Da Rashbi. In other words, he represents the G-ds face
We are all a Cheilek Elokah Mima’al, a piece of G-d above but the Tzaddikim posses a certain sense of transparency, holiness and spirit of omniscience that we dont have and therefore they have the authority to tell us what is going on. We have the free will to take their advice or make fun of it like you do. But rest assured you all will be held accountable for the words that you utter or type.
After the news of Baba Elazars murder broke I was talking to a prominent Chacham and he told me a Zohar which says that in the end of days the Erev Rav, the mixed multitude who got us in trouble in the desert, will be revealed from amongst Klal Yisrael. Which kind of makes sense since they only joined us prior to our exodus from Egypt at the behest of Moshe Rabbenu. Levi Aron and Asher Dahan are among them because yidden who are rachmanim, bayshanim and gomlei chassadim dont murder.
To #22
Look in Gemoro Sota 14a End of Perek Regarding Moshe Rabainu “Vehu Chaite Rabim Noso”
Yehi Zichro Baruch
Hi everyone,
I posted the #1 comment – you know, I am a recent baal-teshuva, and was asking an innocent question as I don’t know much about Judaism (note the respectful tone of my question). But after reading the answers to my question, I am really questioning my recent approximation with orthodox Judaism. Are these the type of people that sit next to me at shul? Thank you for your attention, and have a good shabbos (and 3 weeks, since isn’t that time when you are supposed to work on baseless hatred?)”
Listen to all of you arguing! Is there going to be anything that will make you stop disparaging one another? – any tragic loss that will make us reflect on our on arrogance? There is no coincidence or ‘accident!’ This is a message for us. Please stop the bickering. Please G-D! No more Jews killing Jews..Let there be peace among brothers…
First of all to Srugy, as you can see most people here are questioning not asking and therefore even when asking an innocent question you may get some people angry. The ones you sit with in shul know you on a personal level and know your true kavanah. Now, to the arrogant #35 , you have probably heard of the Chazal that Moshe Rabeinu was mikabel kol ma she’talmid vasik asid lichadesh and therefore any true chidushei torah will gain the status of torah she’baal peh. The only question left is if the writings of the Ariz”l are within this geder. Let it be known to you that the Gr”a even though he differed with the Ar”i on some points brings the writings of the Ariz”l countless times so please ask the forgiveness of these great people for calling their works anything less than torah she’baal pe.
i can’t get over the fact that Jews believe that Ha-Shem accepts human sacrifice. all day today on Shabbos i couldn’t shake this thought… how could Ha-Shem sacrifice one of us as an attonement for the entire community? this month saw two pure and precious Jewish souls killed by people in the Jewish community … and i heard this same idea (of Jewish human sacrifice) for both of them (precious Leiby and now Baba Abuhatzeira) ….. how is this possible? the whole topic is chilling and gruesome … i also never fully believed the story about the 7 sons of the woman we read about during Yom Kippur … this is incomprehensible to me … it is heartbreaking to think this …maybe because i am ashkenazi … but i always thought that Ha-Shem doesn’t believe in this and the entire ideology of this is not Jewish …. rather christian or muslem or some other religion …
In regards to Kabala being part of traditional Oral Torah, please look in “Hilchos Talmud Torah” from the Baal HaTanya, Perek 2, the end of Halacha 1. There he explains that, according to the Talmud, a Jew should divide his learning into 3 parts: Tanach. Mishnah and Gemara [Talmud]. At the end of the Halach, he maintains that “Knowledge of Kabala is considered to be the third part of learning, namely Talmud”. The sources quoted are Rambam, Hilchos Talmud Torah 1:12, and the Schach on Yoreh Deah, Siman 246, Seif Katan 6. The Kabala of the Ariz”l & Chaim Vital was accepted by all segments of Judaism, and is constantly brought down by the Magan Avraham, who is the main commentary on the Shulchan Orach Orech Chaim. This has nothing to do directly with Chassidus.