Renowned Kabbalist Rabbi David Badri Dies at 85

Rabbi David Shalom Badri, considered one of the leading Kabbalists of our generation, passed away Friday at the age of 85. Rabbi Badri, head of the "HaShalom" yeshiva in Jerusalem, was known for his expertise in "secret lore" and served as a source of counsel and blessings for many.

His maternal lineage traced back to prominent Sephardic sages, including Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad, author of the "Ben Ish Chai," and the Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Petyah. Badri studied at the "Porat Yosef" yeshiva in Jerusalem's Old City, where he was influenced by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, both former Chief Rabbis of Israel.

In his youth, Rabbi Badri founded the "HaShalom" yeshiva for Kabbalists in Jerusalem, named after Rabbi Shalom Sharabi. The Shas party issued a statement mourning his passing, calling him "the elder of the Kabbalists, a pious, holy, and separated man" who supported the party and spoke out against those who sought to weaken Torah study.

Chief Rabbi David Yosef also eulogized Badri, recalling his father, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's, high regard for Badri's knowledge of both revealed and hidden Torah. He described Badri as a "great scholar, a holy and pure man" whose greatness in Torah was matched by his humility and piety, and who inspired many through his teachings and prayers for the Jewish people.