Today (20 Cheshvan) is the hilulah of the renowned Kabbalist Rabbi Mordechai Yehuda Yefet Sharabi, nicknamed "Elder of the Kabbalists".
Born in Yemen between the years 1909 and 1912, he was orphaned at a young age and grew up in the home of his grandfather, Rabbi Avraham Yefet Ta'izi, who taught him Torah. Afterwards, he studied with Rabbi Chaim Sinwani, in the yeshiva of Rabbi Meshomer Nissim in Aden, Yemen, and in the Shaarei Zion Yeshiva in Jerusalem with Rabbi Ben-Zion Meir Chai Uziel.
In 1932, he immigrated to Eretz Israel and settled in Jerusalem, where he changed his name to Sharabi, an acronym for "Shalom Rav Al-Bnei Yisrael". He was known as a miracle worker and was characterized by his modesty. He distributed the money he received from the public to the needy and Torah students.
Rabbi Sharabi founded the Nahar Shalom Yeshiva in Jerusalem, where he taught Torah both nigle and nistar. Among his students are Rabbi Meir Yehuda Getz, Rabbi Chaim Avihu Schwartz, Rabbi Zion Bracha, Rabbi Moshe Tzuriel, Rabbi Shalom Shmueli and Rabbi Benyahu Shmueli, who took his place as the head of the yeshiva.
It is said that the greatest Kabbalists, among them Rabbi Ovadia Hadaya, would come to him when they had doubts. Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who learned from him personally, said of him: "He was the greatest of the generation, and and there was no one like him in Kabbalah."
Rabbi Sharabi used to sleep only 20 minutes a night, immerse himself in the mikveh every morning, and put on two pairs of tefillin together. He instructed that the "Avinu Malkeinu" prayer be recited throughout the year and that the dissolution of vows should be held every Friday.
He argued that studying Torah on Shabbat for an hour is equivalent to a full year of study on weekdays. Rav Sharabi supported Rav Kook's path of bringing people closer to each other, which he saw as "the ways of Noam and all its paths are peace."
Rabbi Sharabi passed away on October 27, 1983 (20 Cheshvan, Tashmad) and was buried on the Mount of Rest in Jerusalem. Many Torah institutions were established in his name, including the Chazon Mordechai Yeshiva in Herzliya, the Shaare Mordechai Yeshiva in Jerusalem, and the Meishar Yeshiva in Bat Yam.
* Kikar Hashabbat contributed to this article.