Rabbi Yosef Chaim Mizrahi Reveals Black Market Trade in Ben Ish Chai Manuscripts

Rabbi Yosef Chaim Mizrahi, who has dedicated his life to uncovering the writings of the Ben Ish Chai, gave an exclusive interview to Kikar HaShabbat. In a special episode of the series "Yitgadel Veyitkabel" by Yossi Abdo, set to be released tomorrow, Rabbi Mizrahi exposes troubling details about the fate of the Ben Ish Chai's written legacy. He reveals the existence of a black market that continues to trade in these manuscripts, often selling them page by page to maximize profits. This practice has resulted in complete works being irreparably fragmented, as different buyers hold separate pages, making reconstruction impossible.

Rabbi Mizrahi describes how manuscripts were stolen, torn apart, and sold in pieces, leaving many texts incomplete or damaged. Some of these stolen writings eventually made their way to Israel through various channels, handled by the very traders profiting from this illicit market. He recounts the pain of seeing sacred texts from the Baghdad community left vulnerable to such exploitation.

The interview also touches on a recent publication, "Chizayon Yehuda," by the kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Fatya, which includes a vision suggesting that heavenly forces guarded the Ben Ish Chai’s strictness toward the community. Rabbi Mizrahi refrains from fully endorsing this vision, emphasizing that not all dreams or visions reflect definitive religious law. He clarifies that the Ben Ish Chai’s approach was not merely harsh but was a nuanced blend of literal interpretation and Kabbalistic teachings, striving to balance strictness with leniency where appropriate.

Rabbi Mizrahi cites Rabbi Rahamim, author of "Atzei HaYa'ar," who praised the Ben Ish Chai’s influence, stating that if the people of the prophet Ezekiel’s time had followed a leader like Rabbi Yosef Chaim, the Messiah would have already arrived. The full interview will be available tomorrow on the Kikar HaShabbat website.