Renowned Kabbalist Rabbi David Batsri Dies at 85

Rabbi David Batsri, a prominent Kabbalist and head of the 'HaShalom' yeshiva, passed away at the age of 85. He collapsed suddenly at his home in Bnei Brak on the morning before the Sukkot holiday. Emergency medical services performed prolonged resuscitation efforts before he was evacuated in critical condition to Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer, where he was pronounced dead.

Rabbi Batsri was known for his leadership in the study of Kabbalah in Jerusalem and for conducting exorcism ceremonies to remove dybbuks, which garnered significant media attention. Despite recent health challenges and hospitalizations, he remained dedicated to teaching esoteric Jewish mysticism, offering counsel and blessings, and performing spiritual rectifications for individuals and the public.

Born in Jerusalem in 1941, Rabbi Batsri came from a distinguished lineage of Babylonian sages. His mother was a great-granddaughter of Rabbi Yosef Chaim, author of the "Ben Ish Chai," and Rabbi Yehuda Petyah, a renowned Kabbalist. He studied at the Porat Yosef Yeshiva in Jerusalem under Rabbi Ezra Attia and later delved deeper into Kabbalah with his father-in-law, Rabbi Salman Mutzafi.

In the early 1970s, he co-headed the "Hevrat Ahava V'Shalom" yeshiva before establishing the 'HaShalom' Kabbalah yeshiva in Jerusalem with his son, Rabbi Yitzchak Batsri. The yeshiva became a center for Kabbalistic study, focusing on prayer intentions according to the Siddur of Rabbi Shalom Sharabi and performing spiritual rectifications for various needs, including marriage, health, livelihood, and peace in the home. Thousands sought his blessings and advice.

Rabbi Batsri was also recognized for his deep knowledge of divine names and spirits, a tradition passed down from his ancestor Rabbi Yehuda Petyah. He gained widespread fame for several dramatic dybbuk removal ceremonies, including one in 1999 that was witnessed by a large crowd and involved the sounding of the shofar. Another notable ceremony in 2010 involved an Argentinean man suffering from a severe dybbuk.

Beyond his yeshiva work, Rabbi Batsri was an inspiring preacher who traveled throughout Israel, encouraging adherence to Shabbat observance, family purity, modesty, and reverence for God. He was a staunch defender of Jerusalem's sanctity and pure Judaism, fearlessly expressing his views on public and spiritual matters and urging the public toward repentance and anticipation of complete redemption. His passing is mourned by the Torah and Kabbalah communities as the loss of a great sage and righteous man.