Transcript
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In 1889 in the town of Risani in
southern Morocco, a baby was born to the
glorious Abu Hadzer family. His father
Rabi Masoud Abu Hadzer was the son of
the famous Zadic Rabi Yakov Abu Hadzer,
author of the Abiryakov.
Even at his birth, the elders prophesied
that this baby named Israel was destined
to illuminate the world.
The family [music] lived in a modest
house in Risani, a city that was an
important Torah center in Morocco. It is
said that even in his childhood when his
[music] father was asked why he treated
his young son with such great respect,
he replied, "You do not know who he is.
You will yet see his greatness." From a
very young age, special signs of
holiness were revealed in the young
Israel.
While children his age played outside,
[music]
he would sit for long hours in the study
hall, immersed in the study of the
Torah. It is said that [music] by the
age of eight, he already knew the entire
Tanakh by heart. And at age nine, he
began to study the teachings of Cabala.
His conduct was wondrous. He would fast
for 6 days a week from the end of one
Sabbath until the beginning of the next.
On cold winter days, he [music] would
break the ice with his hands in order to
immerse himself. His persistence in his
studies was wondrous. He would study
[music] 20 hours a day in complete
silence and stopping only for prayers
and a little sleep. When he reached
[music] the age of Mitzvot, his father
married him to Rahma, his sister's
daughter. The first marriage ended in
tragedy when Rahma died in childbirth
along with their baby girl. At the age
of 16, he married his second wife,
Freya, of the Amsalam family who was a
righteous woman and stood by his side
for [music] many years. When he was only
18 years old, after his father's
passing, and at the instruction of his
older brother, Rabbi David, he was
appointed head of the yeshiva in
Rousani. His students testified that
despite his young age, his lessons were
deep and enlightening, combining the
revealed [music] and the hidden. He
would begin every lesson with words of
ethics and fear of heaven, and only then
would he move on to studying the subject
matter.
In 1919, the event that [music] would
shake his life occurred. During the war
of the tribes against the French
conquerors, his older brother, Rabbi
David, was brutally murdered.
It was on the holy Sabbath when a local
leader accused the Abuhhatzer family of
collaborating with the French and
ordered Rabbi David to be executed by
cannon fire. This tragedy forced the
Babasali and his brother Rabbi Yitsak to
flee to the [music] town of Budnib.
There they reestablished the yeshiva and
the Babasali was appointed rabbi of the
entire Tafil region. Despite the immense
pain, he continued to lead the community
with a strong hand and with kindness.
