מורשת יהדות מרוקו

Ben- Gurion University of the Negev

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Goldstein-Goren Department of Jewish Thought

Exile and Redemption in the Kabbalist Doctrine of Rabbi Abraham Azulai in ChesedL'Avraham

Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts degree (M.A)

Amram Ben-Yishai

Under the Supervision of Professor Oded Israeli

November 2018

Ben- Gurion University of the Negev

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Goldstein-Goren Department of Jewish Thought

Exile and Redemption in the Kabbalist Doctrine of Rabbi Abraham Azulai in ChesedL'Avraham

Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts degree (M.A)

Amram Ben-Yishai

Abstract

The subject of this research is the interpretation of the terms "Exile" and "Redemption" as they are expressed in the book ChesedL'Avraham by Rabbi Abraham Azulai (hereinafter R.A.A, 1643–1678) who lived in Fes, Morocco, and, according to researchers' assessment, migrated to Israel between the years 1604–1612. The research will examine influential sources on R.A.A.'s doctrine regarding exile, redemption and the land of Israel in light of the philosophy of the two pillars of the kabbalic world, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero and his disciple HaAri, as well as through the prism of the Moroccan sages' perception of these topics.

The preface will provide personal background regarding R.A.A., examine the factors which influenced his decision to leave Morocco and migrate to Israel, and describe his migration to Israel, and Hebron in particular, and his meeting with the Rabbis of Israel, as well as examine the sources of their influence on his Kabbalist writing. Furthermore, the preface will present a short review of the development of the terms Exile, Redemption and the Land of Israel in Judaism throughout the generations, from the bible to the Talmud and middle ages and up to the Kabbalah of HaAri, to allow the examination of R.A.A.'s perception of these issues from the historical context of the discussed terms.

The first chapter of the research will focus on the Kabbalistic doctrines of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero and HaAri. This chapter will feature a short review of their backgrounds, and Kabalistic methods regarding exile and redemption, the primal sin, Qlippot(shells), SheviratHaKeilim (the shattering of the vessels), Tikkun Shekhinah (repairing Shekhinah), redemption, the Messiah, the land of Israel, national redemption and redemption as reparation in the higher spheres.

The second chapter will discuss Moroccan sage's philosophy concerning matters of exile, redemption and the land of Israel, national redemption versus redemption as reparation in the higher spheres from the school of HaAri, and the amalgamation of the two concepts. This chapter will describe the socio-economical situation in Morocco to illuminate the factors which led R.A.A to migrate to Israel. Furthermore, I will discuss the ancient Moroccan Kabbalah, prior and subsequent to the external inspirations from the Sephardic and Safedi Kabbalah, the influence of Jews who were expelled from Spain and arrived in Morocco on kabbalah in community life, and the importance of the Zohar book in kabbalist works.

The third chapter will focus on inquiries of exile, redemption and the land of Israel in the Kabalistic doctrine of R.A.A. according to his book ChesedL'Avraham, and will demonstrate R.A.A.'s handling of kabbalist terms such as exile and its essence, national redemption and exile in the higher spheres, Shekhinah and Tikkun Shekhinah, the Tzadik and Tikkun Shekhinah, the notion of wandering as a form of Tikkun Shekhinah, the reasons for the exile of the Shekhinah, the soul as an aid to the Shekhinah, the collection of sparks, SheviratHaKeilim, the primal sin, uniting and mating with the Shekhinah and the significance of studying the Torah as part of the redemption process.

This chapter will emphasize the magnitude of the land of Israel in the R.A.A Kabbalah and will thoroughly discuss his perceptions of Israel in matters of Hashgacha (Divine Providence), Shells, prayers and the sanctity of the land, the importance of living in Israel, the influence of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero and HaAri on his writings on issues of exile and redemption and R.A.A.'s determination to combine the methods of his teachers.

Another issue which will be discussed in this chapter is the unpublished writings of Rabbi Hayyim Vital that reached the hands of R.A.A and their effect on his kabbalist writings. Since R.A.A. has written several books under the inspiration of these writings, I will examine whether these were written by Rabbi Hayyim Vital while he was the disciple of the Rabbi Moshe Cordovero or of HaAri.

In the closing chapter, I will summarize the conclusions which arise from the research of the writings, and answer the research questions.

Amram Ben-Yishai-Exile and Redemption in the Kabbalist Doctrine of Rabbi Abraham Azulai in ChesedL'Avraham