The Remarkable Journey of Rabbi Elazar Abuhatzeira

Rabbi Elazar Abuhatzeira, popularly known as "Baba Elazar," was born in 1948 and was a descendant of the illustrious Abuhatzeira family, a renowned lineage of Kabbalists from Morocco, most of whom were rabbis and spiritual leaders. Rabbi Elazar was the son of Rabbi Meir Abuhatzeira and the grandson of the famous "Baba Sali," Rabbi Israel Abuhatzeira. His brother, Rabbi David Hai Abuhatzeira, resides in Nahariya in the north, while his uncle is Rabbi Baruch Abuhatzeira, also known as "Baba Baruch," who is considered the successor of Baba Sali.

Baba Elazar established his court on Cyprus Street in Be'er Sheva, where followers, common folk, politicians, and public figures alike would flock to seek blessings from the tzaddik.

Like his ancestors, Baba Elazar was a dedicated scholar and a public leader who delved into mystical Torah and mastered the secrets of Kabbalah. The stories surrounding his persona and blessings suggested that Baba Elazar possessed unique and special powers.

Although Baba Elazar received countless visitors in his home, few had the privilege of seeing his face. The mitzvah of guarding one's eyes was paramount to him, thus he always kept his head bowed, and his body was draped in a black cloak covering most of his face. Despite the wealth that his disciples and visitors offered him, he did not indulge in personal pleasures and stayed committed to the ascetic lifestyle he chose. Rabbi Elazar spent his childhood in Rissani, in Morocco's Tafilalt Region, growing up without his mother, Simcha Abuhatzeira, who passed away when he was young. When he immigrated to Israel with his father and brother in 1966, he settled in Ashdod.

Over time, he began his studies at the "Rambam" Yeshiva in Tel Aviv under Rabbi Avraham Haputa, who was close to his grandfather Baba Sali. Rabbi Elazar also studied at the Porat Yosef Yeshiva in Jerusalem, from where his funeral procession departed last Friday.

It seems that the tragic circumstances of his death were not unfamiliar to his family. In the early 20th century, when the Abuhatzeira family was still in Morocco, the local governor intended to kill the area’s Jews. Rabbi David Abuhatzeira, grandson of Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira and eldest brother of Baba Sali and Baba Haki, saved the Jews by sacrificing himself in their stead. He left this world fulfilling the mitzvah of sanctifying Hashem's name.

Some say that Baba Elazar's death was also an atonement for the people of Israel and that his tragic demise likely prevented a significant decree from descending upon the world. May his merit and Torah protect and defend us. Amen.