DISCOVERED! - The Humility of the Chida Uncovered through His Personal Artifacts

Humility is a trademark of greatness. One of the greatest Hahamim of the last 500 years, Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, a man of great ability in so many different diverse areas, one of the most prolific writers in history, but showcased in a personal check signed by the Hida in the year 17 87, March 30th, the 11th of Nissan, to Shabtai Cohen. A check for 3,000 sterlings. Its value today, the check value of the amount of money that that was being transferred was close to a million dollars. But you see the great ability of the Hida because he was able to sign his name even in English, displaying one of the many talents of Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai. But bemakom gedulasa, in the place of his greatness, sham, timtza anvasanusa, there you will see his humility. The Hida wrote six Haggadahs, six commentaries on the Haggadah. And in his commentary called Batei Hanefesh, he brings an amazing idea of Rav Yaakov Yosef Kats in the sefer Ben Porat Yosef, that the reason we were exiled to Mitzrayim, the reason for galut Mitzrayim, the reason for the long and bitter galut, was because of arrogance. It was an arrogance that we actually picked up from the Egyptians. And the redemp- the redemption came from inculcating the mida of humility and shalom. That's why Hashem says, behotziacha et ami Mitzrayim, ta'avdun et Elohim al hahar hazeh. On the mountain. What did they do on that mountain? Vayihan sham Yisrael neged hahar. They came in unity at that mountain. Says the Hida, this would explain why why we're commanded to eat matzah. Matzah denotes, it connotes, it reflects humility. So, in the place of matzah u'meriva, in the place of strife and fighting, we consume the matzah and try to inculcate humility. Therefore, says the Hida, the tzeifatei vot is ha lahama anya d' alef alef alef yud, 13, unity. And if we do that, we'll come to kol dichfin yeitei veyeichol, we'll come to the mitzvah of tzedakah. And if we come to tzedakah, we know tzedakah brings the geulah, and therefore hashata hacha, leshana haba, b'ara d'Yisrael. And in this volume, and I thank a dear friend of mine who recently was able to obtain these two historic items. Firstly, as we mentioned, the check personally signed by the Hida. And secondly, Shailot u'Tshuvot Beit David of Rav David of Salonika, where the Hida signed this sefer three times. Well, friends, let's take a look at how the Hida signs his name. If you look at the signature of the Hida, we see his expression of humility. The Hida signs his name, No'um. This is the the signature of The Hida says, l'eved Hashem, the servant of God. L'David, David, that was his name, hakatan, the small one. Tza'ir anochi, I am young, venivzeh, and despicable. This was the expression of humility of Gaonenu Zaken Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, l'eved Hashem, the servant of God. L'David hakatan, David, the small one. Tza'ir anochi, I am young, venivzeh. And according to the Hida, this is one of the great lessons of the matzah. In the place of strife, we consume the matzah and we humble ourselves, and thereby we're zocheh l'geulat Mitzrayim, and b'ezrat Hashem, in the merit of learning this lesson taught by the Hida, we should be zocheh l'geulah sheleima and the fulfillment of hashata hacha, leshana haba, b'ara d'Yisrael.