Za’atar, the Book of Jonah and Oil Against Paralysis: 10 Rare Merits Attributed to Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l

Today marks the yahrzeit of the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l. Tens of thousands are ascending to his holy gravesite on Mount HaMenuchot to pray and ask for the welfare of the people of Israel before the teacher of halakhic rulings and one who brought salvation in Israel. Here we have gathered 10 wonderful merits for all times and occasions from his many writings. “He will advocate good for us.”

1. The Melaveh Malkah meal, eaten on Saturday night, is considered to have many merits for the healing of body and soul. The meal is hinted at in the verse, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds,” when the word “Mechabash” is understood as an acronym for Motzaei Shabbat, chamin, belugma. Its merit is to heal sadness and anger and distance harmful forces from a person. In addition, it is known as a merit for a pregnant woman to have an easy birth, and it is the only meal that nourishes the “luz” bone, from which the dead will one day rise.

2. The za’atar plant has a special spiritual merit for driving away negative forces. In the writings of the holy Arizal it is brought that this plant has the power to remove a spirit of impurity. The importance of za’atar is also reflected in the conduct of sages. It is told that Rabbi Yehuda Tzadka zt”l was very careful that the za’atar on his table be completely clean, מתוך appreciation for its spiritual and halakhic significance.

3. What is the source in the Torah for visiting the sick? As it is written, “If these men die the common death of all men, and if they are visited as all men are visited...” Rava said, “If these men die the common death of all men,” meaning they are sick and lying in their beds and people visit them. The explanation is that Moses our teacher feared that if people visited them and fulfilled the commandment of visiting the sick, perhaps, by virtue of the merit they would gain through such an important mitzvah, they might be saved and thereby pray for them with mercy. This teaches us how important this mitzvah is, whose merit is immense and awesome, because it can even save Korah and his assembly, who rebelled against Moses our teacher.

4. A merit for good dreams, recite Shema: A person who wants to always dream good dreams should recite the bedtime Shema from a siddur. The best practice is to go to sleep with words of Torah, study a passage of Zohar or Mishnayot, or listen to a recording of Torah teachings.

5. I found it written that it is good for a person to accustom himself to say these three verses every day: “And David blessed the Lord before all the congregation, and David said, ‘Blessed are You, Lord, God of Israel our father, from everlasting to everlasting’,” “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the might,” and “Wealth and honor come from before You,” as established by the sages in the daily hymns. A person should say them on his own every day seven or ten times, and each time he should add the verse, “Blessed are You, Lord, teach me Your statutes.” In addition to the hidden benefit in reciting them, this will help him complete the count of 100 blessings in a time of need.

6. Regarding reading the Book of Jonah as a merit for an easy birth, know that the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l, used to recommend this merit.

7. One who prays before setting out on a journey, the preferred halakhic practice within the Amidah in the blessing of “Shomea Tefillah” is to recite the traveler’s prayer before leaving on the road. This is considered as taking permission and counsel from the Holy One, blessed be He. This обращение to God before departing is already mentioned in the Gemara in Tractate Berakhot: “Consult your Creator and go.”

8. The Sha’arei Teshuvah wrote, in the name of the kavanot of the Arizal, that “the sweat a person sweats for the needs of Shabbat is a merit for erasing sins like tears, and therefore one must toil greatly for the honor of Shabbat.” This should be done early in the morning and not right before Shabbat, so that one enters Shabbat calmly. Such was the custom of our teacher, the esteemed Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l, who prepared the candles in the morning, and the dishes were ready before midday.

9. Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l related: I was close to the Baba Sali. Once I asked him, what did Your Honor merit that your prayers are answered immediately? He replied that it was because of the merit of his ancestors. I said to him, I also have the merit of ancestors, but I do not have the strength that Your Honor has. He did not answer. I asked him again and pressed him further, and in the end he said: I guard my mouth from speaking lashon hara and guard my eyes from any sight, and together with the merit of my ancestors, I bless people.

10. Parents once came to the home of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l with a completely paralyzed girl who had fallen from a great height and been injured in the spine. The rabbanit heard the story and was shaken, and she asked the rabbi to do everything possible to save the child from a lifetime of paralysis. The rabbi said, “We have a little left of the Hanukkah candle oil. Give them the remaining oil from the lighting of the Hanukkah candles, and let them smear it on the place that was injured.” The parents did as the rabbi said, and the girl recovered completely. (“Tana Devei Eliyahu”)