Rabbi Chaim ben Attar, widely known by the title Ohr HaChaim after his most famous sefer, is one of the few Jewish leaders throughout history referred to as Hakadosh, “the holy.” This rare title is shared only by a few others, including the Ari (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria), the Alshich, and the Shelah.
The Ohr HaChaim was born in the city of Sali, Morocco, in the year 5456 (1696) into a wealthy and respected family. As he matured, his deep knowledge of Torah and fear of Heaven became well known. He eventually opened a yeshiva and began publishing Torah insights. His first work, Chefetz Hashem, a collection of insights on the Talmud, was published in Amsterdam in 1732.
Despite his Torah greatness, his life was full of hardship. He was falsely accused by the authorities on several occasions and imprisoned. In one incident, he was even thrown into a lion’s den and miraculously emerged unharmed.
After famine struck Morocco in 1738, many people fled. Rabbi Chaim decided to leave permanently and journey to Eretz Yisrael, with the goal of opening a yeshiva in Jerusalem. His journey took him through Italy, where in 1741 he published his most famous work, Ohr HaChaim, a commentary on the Torah. He also authored Pri To’ar on Yoreh De’ah.
In Elul of that same year (5501/1741), he arrived in Eretz Yisrael, but was unable to travel to Jerusalem because of a plague. A full year later, he was finally able to fulfill his dream and open a yeshiva in the holy city. Among his students were two future Torah giants: the Chida and the Maharit Algazi. Sadly, he passed away just one year later on the night of 15 Tammuz 5503 (1743), at the young age of 47.
The passing of the Ohr HaChaim was felt around the world. At the same time he passed away in Jerusalem, the Baal Shem Tov in Mezhibuzh was preparing to wash his hands for the Shalosh Seudos. He cryptically said, “The Western candle was extinguished” (a reference to the Western candle of the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash). After Shabbos, his students asked him what he meant, and he answered that there’s a certain Kabbalistic intention when making a blessing for washing the hands that is only revealed from the Heavens to one person in the generation. When I washed my hands for the third meal, this intention was revealed to me, so I knew that the holy Ohr HaChaim had passed away. Simultaneously, in Teveria, Rabbi Chaim Abulafia fainted. When he regained consciousness, he told those around him that he had spiritually accompanied the Ohr HaChaim to the gates of Gan Eden.
The Ohr HaChaim is buried on Har HaZeisim (the Mount of Olives) in Jerusalem, and his grave has become known for great miracles. One of the most well-known stories is from the time of the 1948 war, when Jordanians took control of the mountain and began building a road through the cemetery. When a tractor approached the grave of the Ohr HaChaim, it suddenly broke down. A new tractor was brought the next day, but when it touched the grave, it overturned and fell into a valley, killing the driver. After this, the construction was stopped, and a new road was built higher up the mountain. The start of the original road is still visible today.
During World War II, when it seemed likely that Nazi forces under Rommel might enter the Land of Israel, leading rabbis in Jerusalem encouraged the people to daven at the grave of the Ohr HaChaim. Leading the group were the Rebbes of Hustien and Zehvil. After they recited Tehillim, they were seen smiling. When asked why, they said that the danger had passed. One of them described seeing the four-letter name of Hashem shining over the grave, a sign of Divine protection. Indeed, just two days later, Rommel’s army was defeated at the Battle of El Alamein, and Eretz Yisroel was spared.
Though the Ohr HaChaim himself had no children, The Lev Simcha of Gur said that his power to bring children into the world is embedded in his Torah commentary. Many people who struggled to have children took upon themselves to learn from the Ohr HaChaim regularly and later merited children.
One famous story is of Rabbi Moshe Hillel Slezinger, who was childless for many years. A cruel doctor once told him he would only have children when he grew hair on the palm of his hand. Desperate, Rabbi Slezinger went to pray at the Ohr HaChaim’s grave and promised to learn from his sefer every week. Within a year, he had a daughter and eventually raised a family of righteous children. One of his sons-in-law was Rabbi Moshe Halberstam, a major halachic authority.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 43.