He Bought a Home in Israel—But Wouldn’t Live in It

On the 18th of Cheshvan, we mark the yahrzeit (anniversary of passing) of Rabbi Raphael Baruch Toledano, one of the great leaders and spiritual guides of Moroccan Jewry. In honor of this day, we share a touching story told by the beloved maggid (Torah storyteller) Rabbi Reuven Karlinstein, which offers a window into the deep humility and spiritual clarity of Rabbi Toledano’s life.

In his later years, Rabbi Raphael Baruch Toledano moved from Morocco to Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel), settling in Bnei Brak. Though he was not a wealthy man, he put together savings—some from here, some from there—and even took small loans, all so he could fulfill the mitzvah (commandment) of yishuv Eretz Yisrael, settling the Land.

After some time, he was finally able to buy a modest apartment. The family was overjoyed. They renovated the home, gave it a fresh coat of paint, and when everything was ready, they excitedly told the Rabbi, “Baruch Hashem (thank God), the apartment is ready! We can move in now!”

To their surprise, Rabbi Toledano smiled and said, “No, we will not live in this apartment. I will rent it out—and with that money, I will rent a different apartment for us to live in.”

The family was puzzled. Why would he choose to live in a rented home when he now had his own place? “Why, Saba (Grandfather)?” they asked. “Why not live in the home you worked so hard to buy?”

Rabbi Toledano’s answer was simple, but it stayed with them forever. “Even back in Morocco, I never lived in a home I owned. I am afraid—afraid to forget that I am only a visitor in this world. When you rent, you are reminded of that. The landlord can ask you to leave, and you move again. But when a person owns a home, they might begin to believe they are permanent. And I never want to forget—I am only passing through.”

His grandchildren were amazed by his words. He had worked so hard to buy a home in the holy Land of Israel—not for comfort, but for a mitzvah. But to him, the real comfort came from remembering that this world is not forever. Only Torah, mitzvot, and our connection to Hashem truly last.

Rabbi Karlinstein, who shared this story, added a beautiful idea: “The Torah says, ‘All the citizens of Israel shall dwell in sukkot.’ A tzaddik (righteous person) lives in a sukkah, even outside of Sukkot. Not literally—but in spirit. He lives with the awareness that this world is temporary. No gold, no silver, no permanence—only what you build in the world of the soul truly remains.”

Through this quiet but powerful choice, Rabbi Toledano gave his family—and all of us—a gift: a reminder to stay humble, to live with purpose, and to never forget where we are truly going.