The Legendary Ari: A Glimpse into the Life of Rabbi Isaac Luria
Legend has it that the Ari regularly immersed in the sacred mikvah in Safed. On the eve of his passing, he requested that his body be washed there. Miraculously, during the burial preparations, he stood up to immerse himself.
- צוריאל גביזון
- פורסם כ' חשון התשע"ד
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The full name of the Ari is Rabbi Isaac Luria ben Solomon Ashkenazi.
Several acronyms exist for his name 'Ari', including Ashkenazi Rabbi Isaac, The Divine Rabbi Isaac, The Master Rabbi Isaac, Our Teacher Rabbi Isaac.
The Ari was born in Jerusalem in 1534 to a Sephardic mother and an Ashkenazi father. He was orphaned at a young age and raised by his uncle in Egypt, where he later married his cousin.
The Ari was the greatest kabbalist of all times, emerging as a leading figure in Jewish mysticism only after the death of his master, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, at the age of 36. He then moved to the holy city of Safed.
The Ari's students were a select few, known as the 'young lions of the Ari.' These included Rabbi Chaim Vital, Rabbi Yosef Ibn Tabul, Rabbi Moshe Yonah, and Rabbi Moshe Najara.
The Ari hardly wrote down his teachings during his lifetime. His extensive body of mystical work was authored by his foremost disciple, Rabbi Chaim Vital. However, we do have several liturgical poems for Shabbat penned by the Ari: 'Azamer Bishvachin', 'B'nei Heichalah', 'Atkinu Seuda', and 'Yom Zeh L'Yisrael Orah V'Simchah'.
Documents found in the Cairo Geniza reveal that the Ari made his living through the spice trade.
According to tradition, the Ari would immerse daily in the 'Ari's Mikvah', now located near the cemetery in Safed. It's said that he instructed for his body to be washed in this mikvah before his death. During the burial preparations, he miraculously stood to immerse himself.
The Ari is one of four rabbis bestowed with the title 'The Holy': the Holy Alsheich, the Holy Avdat, and the Holy Shlah.
The Ari passed away on the 5th of Av, at the young age of 38. His final resting place is in the old cemetery of Safed, near the graves of Rabbi Shlomo Alkabetz (author of 'Lecha Dodi') and his teacher, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero.
