Rabbi Bazri: "Mother Dreamed She Was Told in Heaven to Light a Candle, the Next Day She Passed Away"

On the eve of Passover, Rabbanit Tzipora Bazri, the wife of the kabbalist Rabbi David Bazri, head of the Yeshivat HaShalom in Jerusalem, passed away. In an interview with her son, the kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Bazri, he sheds light on her noble and modest persona. "Mother never spoke ill of others," he recounts, "and exactly because of that, she limited her social interactions to avoid the risk of lashon hara (evil speech)." When I delve deeper into the roots from which the Rabbanit hailed, a rich and deeply rooted picture emerges of a Jerusalemite righteous figure.

"Mother was the daughter of the holy kabbalist Rabbi Salman Mutzafi, who prayed with the intentions of the Rashash," continues the son. "He was also a student of the kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Petaya, the grandfather of my father. Rabbi Petaya saw mother in her youth, caring for all her father's needs, Rabbi Mutzafi, which likely led to the match with his grandson."

Rabbi David Bazri

Lineage of the Righteous

When Rabbi Bazri begins to recount the figures that glorified the world of Kabbalah in previous generations, my heart fills with emotion. "Rabbi Salman Mutzafi arrived in Israel from Baghdad. He took upon himself to be the gabbai of the 'Ohel Rachel' synagogue on David Yellin Street in Jerusalem. Many miracles were performed by him, but what etched into my memory was his unique perseverance. Rabbi Salman would enter the synagogue on Motzei Shabbat, study continuously all week, and only leave on Friday. He never left the synagogue throughout the week. My mother, Rabbanit Tzipora, would bring him food daily to the synagogue and attended to all his needs. Moreover, she would also clean the synagogue with holiness and purity. Her father would say that due to these acts of kindness and respect for the synagogue, she would merit a husband who was a scholar, and indeed, we see the blessing fulfilled. To her, the honor of the synagogue was of utmost importance. Upon entering, she wouldn’t speak a word, nodding respectfully to anyone who greeted her, and would immediately return to her prayer. If time allowed after, she would read Psalms."

You mentioned earlier that she was very particular about "between man and his fellow." How was this evident in her life?

"This manifested in many ways. Her entire lifestyle revolved around interpersonal relationships. Mother stayed away from markets, upholding the idea that 'the entire honor of the king's daughter is within.' She only went out when absolutely necessary. Neighbors testify they don’t recall her outside the home."

"I remember as a child, father would rise at midnight after mother ensured he was awake, and he would go to Tikkun Chatzot and studied Torah at the study hall all night. Mother would arrange a taxi for father, but feared it would arrive at midnight, not see anyone waiting, and start honking, disturbing the neighbors. So, she asked father to wait downstairs, and she watched him from the window to ensure nothing wrong happened while he was alone on the street late at night. That was mother."

What was her occupation?

"Your question ties directly into points mentioned earlier; mother devoted much of her life to educating daughters of Israel. After marriage, she taught at Beit Yaakov Seminary for Teachers until the children were born and then quit everything, saying she preferred raising them herself rather than using nannies. However, after marrying off all her children, she returned to education, managing 'Beit Devorah' School for Girls in the Ir Ganim neighborhood in Jerusalem. The school catered to girls from homes not as strong spiritually. The educators in the institution recall she managed the school in a pleasant atmosphere, always exuding grace and joy. It's said about her, "words of the wise are heard in calm." Thanks to her, many girls who studied there went on to establish faithful homes in Israel."

And when exactly did she pass away?

"Mother, of blessed memory, passed away on the eve of Passover at dawn and was laid to rest in the Sanhedria Cemetery, near the late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, and across from Rabbanit, wife of Harav Chaim Cohen. She was buried immediately on the eve of Passover and received moving eulogies. We sat shiva for a few hours until the holiday began, as the law indicates that the holiday cancels the shiva."

The Moving Dream

Rabbi Yitzchak appears noticeably moved by something he wishes to share about his mother. "Have you heard about the dream?", he asks me. I had heard, but as it turns out, hearing the story firsthand was different. He recounts the incident with awe: "The day before mother passed away, she shared that her parents came to her in a dream. Along with them was her sister, Rabbanit Sarah Feniry a"h, who passed away two years ago. Her sister told her she needed to light a candle, and then she awoke. She told this dream to my sister, adding that she understood from it that her time was limited and near. But that's not the only thing she revealed. On her last day, when I came to visit her, mother suddenly fell asleep for an extended period. We weren't used to her sleeping so deeply, as in her last days she struggled with sleep. When she awoke, she said to me—'Thank you for staying with me so long, but know that I was not asleep. I was in the World of Truth and saw the righteous debating whether to bring redemption immediately or to wait a little longer. I interceded and told them to bring redemption now because we are already late in the sixth millennium.' These were her precise words. My wife, who was present at this moving moment, asked if she had prayed in the World of Truth for her own health. She replied: 'We are all preoccupied with matters of the collective, not the individual.' When she said 'we are all preoccupied,' who knows what she meant, beyond our understanding."

I gather from your words that redemption held a very central place in her life.

"Exactly so. Mother prayed for redemption all her life, completing the Book of Psalms three times a day. Once at dawn (and that after going to bed past midnight), again at noon, and a third time in the afternoon. The Book of Psalms was never out of her hand. All the sons and daughters in our home knew that during Psalm reading, it was impossible to reach mother as she would disconnect her phone and be absorbed in Psalms. This was her entire world during the reading, constantly expressing her yearning for the coming of the Messiah and the nearing redemption. She simply never stopped longing for redemption throughout her life."

"All of mother's dialogue was elevated, beyond our comprehension. She would recount tales with yearning about her parents, Rabbi Salman Mutzafi z"l and Rabbanit Tova a"h. Once, she told me how her father would be absent for two months each year, during the period of Shovavim, for praying for redemption at the graves of the righteous in the north. From that, she inherited the profound concern for the people of Israel in exile."

Rabbi Bazri's words, a descendant of the holy seed, deeply move and shake me. To merit hearing firsthand the stories he saw and heard himself. I remain silent, not to disrupt the charged atmosphere. Rabbi Bazri continues to share: "Mother told me that miracles performed by her father were commonplace. Once, when grandfather was at the graves of the righteous, a Jew came to their home seeking him for a blessing. Grandfather, as mentioned, was not home, and grandmother asked him what he wanted. The Jew stood before her, silent. Grandmother asked him again what he wanted, and he continued to stand silently. After several attempts with no reply, she raised her voice and asked again, 'What do you want?' Then, after the scolding, he began to speak his request. Mother told me she witnessed this as a child. It was revealed the Jew was mute and didn’t know how to speak, but from grandmother's scolding, he started to speak. This miracle came from the rebuke of a righteous woman, who knows what could happen from the smile of a righteous woman—it boggles the mind."

Not of This World

From Rabbi Bazri's words, I gather that the material concepts with which we live, do not relate to the life world his parents and grandparents lived in previous generations. And if any doubt about his words remained, he shares the following story: "Mother used to say that after the weddings of each of her siblings, the parents would talk among themselves, recounting who attended the wedding. And do not think I mean people of this world, they spoke of the deceased family members and rabbis. Father would say, 'I saw in the men's section the grandfathers who attended the wedding.' Mother would say, 'I saw the grandmothers and aunts who attended the wedding.' They saw them with their own eyes, tangibly, not with physical eyes, but with spiritual ones."

"This ties into what mother, of blessed memory, always quoted from grandfather, 'The dead, when they conclude their earthly lives, essentially just move a room.' That's how she lived this world throughout her entire life, until her last moments."

When did you last see her?

"On Tuesday evening before Passover, the night of the chametz check. I sat next to her, and she asked me to study Torah by her side. She attentively listened to every word of Torah shared and greatly enjoyed them. At a quarter past two in the morning, father told me to rest, so I did as he commanded, while my wife stayed to attend her through the night. At five in the morning, mother felt very weak and asked my wife to call an ambulance. They arrived at the hospital quickly, where her condition rapidly deteriorated, and half an hour later the hospital staff informed us that mother passed away from cardiac arrest. I was praying at the time and learned of her passing only afterward. Father was in the middle of prayer when I found out. Throughout the prayer, father asked about mother's condition, but I signaled to him to continue praying not to disrupt his Shacharit prayer. After his Amidah prayer, he was informed of her passing. Father entered the room, crying bitterly and loudly, turning to the Lord and saying, 'Lord of the Universe, the woman you gave me was the most righteous of our generation. I can testify she never sinned. She allowed me to study all night and never complained, wasn’t afraid to be alone. She raised all the children alone so I could study Torah without worries. Therefore, I ask you, that she enters directly into Gan Eden, without any delay or hindrance.' Father was deeply pained by mother's passing."

And all this happens on the morning before Passover, at the time of burning chametz?

"Correct. There wasn’t much time, everything was very pressing. We expedited her burial, and she was honored to be buried after noon on the eve of Passover."

How did the Seder night appear under such circumstances?

"Father came to me for Seder night. We sat together until half past two in the night, conducting the Seder with all appropriate intentions for the holy night. After the Seder ended, I broke down in tears over the great loss. But Father warned me that now we must be strong and not lose heart. In the morning, we discovered where mother was on Seder night."

What do you mean, Rabbi?

"The next morning, my youngest child, nine years old, told my wife that he saw grandmother in Gan Eden. He vividly described it. He said he saw grandmother in a very large place, where another Seder table was set up, surrounded by all the righteous in heaven, with grandmother sitting at the head, her father, Rabbi Salman, on her right, and her mother, Grandma Tova, on her left. The table was lavishly set with special gold and silver utensils, with the guests being served by angels. He added that grandmother looked youthful, healthy, happy, and radiant. When they reached 'Yachatz' in heaven, they brought her the matzah so she could break it into two. That was the child's dream." Rabbi Bazri explains to me, "as known, according to the intentions of the Ari, 'Yachatz' symbolizes the birth of Ze'er Anpin and Nukva, which means, when Israel is in exile, it’s considered as pregnancy, and when there's a birth, it’s a sign redemption has arrived. The middle matzah symbolizes birth. When I told father about the dream, he said that the dream is true, and in heaven, her prayers were accepted for the redemption to come, very soon."