Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi's Nephew Shares Intimate Family Memories

Benjamin Sharabi, nephew of the renowned Kabbalist Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi, has shared deeply personal memories of his uncle, whom he viewed as a father figure. The recollections, shared around the anniversary of the Rabbi's passing, offer a glimpse into the private life of the Jerusalem-based sage.

Benjamin recounted a poignant warning from Rabbi Sharabi to his father not to go to war, a warning that went unheeded, resulting in his father's death. He also recalled how his uncle helped him overcome a severe stutter as a child, a moment where the Rabbi placed his hands on his head, after which the stutter disappeared.

During the Yom Kippur War, Benjamin received official notification that his close friend, known as 'Normo,' had been killed. He turned to his uncle for solace, only for the Rabbi to emphatically state that his friend was alive. Shortly thereafter, a correction arrived: the initial report was erroneous, and Normo had indeed survived.

Another significant memory involves the liberation of Jerusalem's Old City and the Western Wall in the Six-Day War. Benjamin took his uncle and aunt to the Wall, and discreetly took a rare photograph of Rabbi Sharabi there, as the Rabbi was averse to being photographed. This image has since become one of the most recognizable pictures of him.

Benjamin also described the immense respect his uncle commanded in Jerusalem, with shopkeepers pausing their work as he passed. He recalled witnessing a divine light surrounding his uncle. Even in his final days in the hospital, scholars sought his guidance, with one group falling to their knees and kissing his feet in gratitude for his insights. Despite his spiritual stature, Rabbi Sharabi lived a simple life in a small apartment, emphasizing honesty and integrity to Benjamin, lessons that profoundly shaped his own life and his upbringing of his children.