The Baba Sali: Difference between revisions

A close connection formed between the Baba Sali and his son the Baba Meir with the Rebbe's shliach to Morocco Rabbi Shlomo Matusof, and thus began the connection between the Baba Sali, Chabad and the Rebbe. The connection was rooted in the initial establishment of institutions in the city of Erfoud where the Baba Sali served as rabbi and head of the rabbinical court. When Rabbi Matusof arrived in Erfoud to establish a yeshiva there, the Baba Sali was a full and active partner in establishing the institutions.

== Connections with the Rebbe ==

He merited to maintain correspondence with the Rebbe, parts of which were later printed in Igros Kodesh.

Several months after the Baba Sali arrived in Eretz Hakodesh, the Rebbe sent him - on 26 Teves 5712 - a letter containing words of blessing and encouragement to work with the Sephardic community. At the beginning of the letter, the Rebbe addresses the Baba Sali with rare titles, one of which is "chad mib'nei aliyah" which means a complete tzaddik according to Tanya: "Pillar of Torah, luminous light, one of the elevated ones, from his head above a great golden crown."

And in the merit of his work fulfilling this role with mesirus nefesh, may Hashem lengthen his days and years with goodness and pleasantness, and he shall still flourish in old age, vigorous and fresh, and succeed in his mighty work to increase and glorify Torah, and in his personal matters from soul to flesh, sufficiently and more."

A short time after arriving in Eretz Hakodesh, he considered immigrating to the United States, due to his despair over bringing close the Moroccan immigrants who had come to Eretz Hakodesh. In his biography "Sidna Baba Sali" it is told about his letter to the Rebbe from 1952 regarding his desire to leave his flock in Eretz Hakodesh and immigrate to the United States:

On 13 Nissan 5713 the Rebbe was happy to hear that he had no complaint about his aforementioned letter that advised him "to dedicate his powers for the community and not sit alone. And as understood in the known letter of Rav Sherira Gaon, that when Rav came to Babylon and arrived at a place of Torah, he did not establish his residence there, but rather went to a place where there was no Torah, and dedicated his powers to build a fence in the valley that he found."

Since getting to know Chabad, the Baba Sali supported all the Rebbe's activities in Eretz Hakodesh, Morocco, and in general. He maintained friendly connections with important Chabad chassidim in Morocco, Eretz Hakodesh, and France.

On 21 Tammuz 5712, the Rebbe wrote to the administration of Reshet Oholei Yosef Yitzchak in Eretz Hakodesh: "I learned that Rabbi Abuchatzeira published a letter about them, and it is surprising that they did not inform me about this beforehand, please send a copy of his letter."

The Rebbe wrote to them again on 9 Elul 5713: "Surely they will maintain connection with the Gaon and Chassid etc. etc. Rabbi Israel Abuchatzeira... drawing close from both sides will surely bring benefit."

When he returned to Morocco in 5714, and saw what the shluchim had accomplished there in all the cities and villages, he sent a very enthusiastic letter of thanks to the Rebbe.

As he related, the Rebbe would send him the seforim of Chabad Rebbes to Morocco, and he would send the seforim of his grandfather the Admor Rabbi Yaakov Abuchatzeira ztvk"l.

Between 5714-5724, the Baba Sali lived in Erfoud and would visit Casablanca, and also travel to France, where he frequently visited and stayed at Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Brunoy and studied Likkutei Torah there and maintained close connections with the yeshiva heads and rabbis: Rabbi Yosef Goldberg Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Nissan Nemenov Mashpia and Director, Rabbi Yisroel Noach Belinitzky.

The Baba Sali would periodically visit Casablanca and would come to visit the Chabad yeshiva. Sometimes this was to immerse in the mikvah on the yeshiva grounds and when they knew he was coming, they would immediately heat the water for the tzaddik.

His son Rabbi Baruch Abuchatzeira studied in Yeshivas Chabad in Casablanca and maintained friendly connections with Chabad throughout the years.

When he returned to Eretz Hakodesh in 5724 he continued the warm connection with the Rebbe and his shluchim in Eretz Yisrael. When "Mivtza Tefillin" was announced, he issued a call to join the campaign together with Rabbi Ezra Attiah and Rabbi Raphael Baruch Toledano. He also issued a holy call to encourage Mivtza Neiros Shabbos Kodesh by girls who reached chinuch age.

In 5741 he published a letter of blessing for all those who participated in buying letters in the Torah scroll of Jewish children: "We are all waiting and anticipating the complete redemption that will come immediately with Moshiach Tzidkeinu, and for this we must unite and unite all of Am Yisrael. The Lubavitcher Rebbe has recently called to unite all Jewish children through writing a special Torah scroll for Jewish children who are Tzivos Hashem. It is a great merit for each Jewish boy and girl to buy one letter in this Torah scroll, and parents should do everything so their children will buy and merit one letter from the Torah scroll. My personal blessing is sent to every boy and girl who register for the Torah scroll of Tzivos Hashem. And surely we will all merit immediately the coming of King Moshiach, may he come and redeem us and lead us upright to our Holy Land. Servant of Hashem awaiting the near redemption. Israel Abuchatzeira."

At the beginning of Menachem Av 5743 he published (together with Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri) a warning proclamation against those who harmed chassidim who taught the Tanya in Williamsburg: "All this because of spreading the teachings of Chassidus and their attachment to the light of the seven days the holy Baal Shem Tov in the way of Chabad's analytical and deep teachings whose foundations are in holy mountains through the divine Tanna our master the Baal HaTanya and Shulchan Aruch and his holy successors, until may he be separated for good long life the wonder of the generation, genius of Israel and its holy one, the honorable holy master our teacher and Rebbe of Lubavitch shlita."

* Once some young men came to him speaking against Chassidus. He did not want to receive them, saying: "Anyone who opposes the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov is distancing Moshiach."

The Baba Sali's son-in-law, Rabbi Yashar Edrei related: "When the Baba Sali was sitting shiva after the passing of his righteous son Rabbi Meir z"l, he received a letter of condolence from the Rebbe. Upon receiving the letter, the Baba Sali rose from his place crying and said: Who am I and what am I that the Admor of Lubavitch shlita should think of me and send me a letter of condolence?!"

The Baba Sali's son-in-law, Rabbi Yashar Edrei relates: "The Baba Sali's attendant, Rabbi Eliyahu Alfasi, showed the Baba Sali the album 'The Rebbe - Thirty Years of Leadership' while whispering to him: 'They say he [=the Rebbe] is Moshiach'. The Baba Sali answered him with a smile and an expression of amazement and admiration: 'Istahel kol shei!' (This is an Arabic expression meaning: everything suits him, everything is coming to him!)."