Elazar Abuhatzeira
Encyclopedia
Elazar Abuhatzeira was an Orthodox
Sefardi
rabbi
and kabbalist, known among his followers as the "Baba Elazar."
He was born in Rissani
, Morocco
to Meir and Simcha Abuhatzeira, was the grandson of the Baba Sali
, Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira, and the brother of Rabbi David Chai Abuhatzeira of Nahariya
.
He made aliyah
to Israel
in 1966, remaining in Beersheba
, where he ran a yeshiva
.
Abuhatzeira was known for his work and influence with business and political leaders, as well as his study of Kabbalah
. Abuhatzeira, who had studied at Porat Yosef Yeshiva
, had a following as a spiritual leader
.
He was one of Israel's leading kabbalists, and appeared in a list of the country's wealthiest people, with estimated assets of $80 million in 2011.
Abuhatzeira was known for wearing a cloak whose long hood covered most of his face, reportedly so he would not see any "immodest images of women". He had a tunnel dug between his home in Beersheba and the yeshiva he headed, where he received believers.
The articles prompted a police investigation against Abuhatzeira. In 2003, Abuhatzeira was ordered to pay NIS 100 million to the Israeli Income tax on money he received from followers, but in the end reached settlement to pay NIS 20 million to charitable organizations.
By 2004, Bar Moha claimed that the Rabbi's income had grown to NIS 500 million (USD 141 million in 2004 values), and he filed a joint petition with the Progressive Judaism Movement to the Israeli Supreme Court, demanding the tax settlement to be cancelled. The petition has been dismissed.
In 2009, a man was indicted for threatening to kill Abuhatzeira, claiming that the rabbi made him a medical promise that hadn't come true.
In 2010 Rabbi Abuhatzeira has been accused by New York Jews of charging hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange promised miracles that never came to fruition Yossi Bar Moha, the journalist who investigated the Rabbi in 1997, claimed that "Elazar Abuhatzeira is a charlatan, con man and impostor who takes advantage of people's innocence, exploits them and brings to the verge of poverty". One of the students of the Rabbi defended him, saying that the Rabbi is humble and modest, and would never do such a thing. Other disciples acknowledge that the rabbi was wealthy, but insisted he used his wealth for the poor, citing, for instance, a huge house owned by the rabbi which included a soup kitchen where hundreds of poor people were fed on a daily basis.
Due to investigation by the prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York, Abuhatzeira stopped traveling to the United States.
yeshiva, while hosting guests for consultation. According to an initial police investigation, the rabbi was stabbed in the upper body after receiving the killer for a private audience. The attacker, 42-year old Asher Dahan of El'ad
, was said to have been unhappy with marital advice the rabbi had given him. Dahan stabbed Abuhatzeira in the upper body before being subdued by his students, who handed him over to police. Magen David Adom
personnel attempted to recuscitate him before rushing him by ambulance to Soroka Medical Center
, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Abuhatzeira's funeral was held in Jerusalem on 29 July, and the rabbi was buried on the Mount of Olives
. The funeral was attended by tens of thousands of people, including Israel's chief rabbis, haredi ministers, and Knesset
members. Euologies were delivered at the Porat Yosef Yeshiva
and the Jerusalem neighborhood of Geula
.
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
Sefardi
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
and kabbalist, known among his followers as the "Baba Elazar."
He was born in Rissani
Rissani
Rissani is a town in eastern Morocco, located near Erfoud. It is in the region of Er-Rachidia, and is the closest town of significant size to the Erg Chebbi, the largest sand desert in Morocco...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
to Meir and Simcha Abuhatzeira, was the grandson of the Baba Sali
Baba Sali
After this incident, the Jewish population of Tafilalt fled to the nearby city of Arfoud, and then to the city of Boudnib. In Bodniv, Rabbi Yisrael was asked to succeed his brother as rav, but he refused. He wanted to travel to Palestine to print his brother's sefarim...
, Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira, and the brother of Rabbi David Chai Abuhatzeira of Nahariya
Nahariya
Nahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s...
.
He made aliyah
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1966, remaining in Beersheba
Beersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
, where he ran a yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
.
Abuhatzeira was known for his work and influence with business and political leaders, as well as his study of Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
. Abuhatzeira, who had studied at Porat Yosef Yeshiva
Porat Yosef Yeshiva
Porat Yosef Yeshiva is a leading Sephardic yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel, with locations in both the Old City and the Geula neighborhood.-History:...
, had a following as a spiritual leader
Spiritual leader
Spiritual leader is a form of title that is used to refer to religious leaders.In Buddhism, spiritual leaders are usually the people who have attained high level of spiritual awareness. Those spiritual teachers can guide people on their path toward spiritual awakening.Spiritual Leader may be a...
.
He was one of Israel's leading kabbalists, and appeared in a list of the country's wealthiest people, with estimated assets of $80 million in 2011.
Abuhatzeira was known for wearing a cloak whose long hood covered most of his face, reportedly so he would not see any "immodest images of women". He had a tunnel dug between his home in Beersheba and the yeshiva he headed, where he received believers.
Fraud and tax evasion claims
In 1997, a investigation by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz led by the journalist Yossi Bar-Moha, linked several incidents of corruption to Abuhatzeira. The articles further claimed that Abuhatzeira tried to impress people, persuaded them to pay him in exchange for a blessing, and threatened them with a curse if necessary. The 1997 report claimed that Abuhatzeira had sold land designated for a religious girls school instead of building the school, and was evading property tax in Beer Sheva. Bar-Moha discovered that the Rabbi's bank account contained NIS 250 million in gifts and contributions.The articles prompted a police investigation against Abuhatzeira. In 2003, Abuhatzeira was ordered to pay NIS 100 million to the Israeli Income tax on money he received from followers, but in the end reached settlement to pay NIS 20 million to charitable organizations.
By 2004, Bar Moha claimed that the Rabbi's income had grown to NIS 500 million (USD 141 million in 2004 values), and he filed a joint petition with the Progressive Judaism Movement to the Israeli Supreme Court, demanding the tax settlement to be cancelled. The petition has been dismissed.
In 2009, a man was indicted for threatening to kill Abuhatzeira, claiming that the rabbi made him a medical promise that hadn't come true.
In 2010 Rabbi Abuhatzeira has been accused by New York Jews of charging hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange promised miracles that never came to fruition Yossi Bar Moha, the journalist who investigated the Rabbi in 1997, claimed that "Elazar Abuhatzeira is a charlatan, con man and impostor who takes advantage of people's innocence, exploits them and brings to the verge of poverty". One of the students of the Rabbi defended him, saying that the Rabbi is humble and modest, and would never do such a thing. Other disciples acknowledge that the rabbi was wealthy, but insisted he used his wealth for the poor, citing, for instance, a huge house owned by the rabbi which included a soup kitchen where hundreds of poor people were fed on a daily basis.
Due to investigation by the prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York, Abuhatzeira stopped traveling to the United States.
Death
Elazar Abuhatzeira was murdered on 28 July 2011 in his BeershebaBeersheba
Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300....
yeshiva, while hosting guests for consultation. According to an initial police investigation, the rabbi was stabbed in the upper body after receiving the killer for a private audience. The attacker, 42-year old Asher Dahan of El'ad
El'ad
El'ad, also spelled Elad , is a city in the Center District of Israel. Located about east of Tel Aviv on Route 444 between Rosh HaAyin and Shoham.In 2007 the town had a total population of 31,300. Its current population is estimated at over 32,000...
, was said to have been unhappy with marital advice the rabbi had given him. Dahan stabbed Abuhatzeira in the upper body before being subdued by his students, who handed him over to police. Magen David Adom
Magen David Adom
The Magen David Adom is Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service. The name means "Red Star of David"...
personnel attempted to recuscitate him before rushing him by ambulance to Soroka Medical Center
Soroka Medical Center
Soroka Medical Center is a hospital in Beersheba, Israel. It is the largest medical center in southern region of the country, and the fourth largest in Israel with approximately 1000 beds. It is owned by Clalit, the largest Health Maintenance Organization in Israel. Soroka services diverse ethnic...
, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Abuhatzeira's funeral was held in Jerusalem on 29 July, and the rabbi was buried on the Mount of Olives
Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge in East Jerusalem with three peaks running from north to south. The highest, at-Tur, rises to 818 meters . It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes...
. The funeral was attended by tens of thousands of people, including Israel's chief rabbis, haredi ministers, and Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
members. Euologies were delivered at the Porat Yosef Yeshiva
Porat Yosef Yeshiva
Porat Yosef Yeshiva is a leading Sephardic yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel, with locations in both the Old City and the Geula neighborhood.-History:...
and the Jerusalem neighborhood of Geula
Geula
Geula is a neighborhood in the center of Jerusalem, Israel populated mainly by Haredi Jews. Geula is bordered by Zikhron Moshe and Mekor Baruch on the west, the Bukharim neighborhood on the north, Meah Shearim on the east and the Jerusalem city center on the south.-History:Geula was established in...
.