Rav Avrohom Azulai Chessed LeAvraham (Cheshvan 21, 5404 / 1643 - 381st Yahrzeit)
(Some say the Yahrzeit is on the 24th of Cheshvan)
Rav Avrohom Azulai was born in Fes to Rav Mordechai Azulai. In 1600, he fulfilled his life’s dream and boarded a ship for Eretz Yisrael. The only possessions he took with him were the many manuscripts of his chiddushim. These were all lost at sea during a storm. He moved to Chevron in 1609 and became the holy city’s chief Rav. In Chevron, Rav Avrohom wrote his major work on Kabbola, entitled Kiryas Arba. It is based on the teachings of the four great Mekubolim: the Ramak, the Arizal, Rav Chaim Vital and Rav Avrohom Galanti. Later, in Aza (Gaza), Rav Avrohom wrote three more seforim: Ba’alei Bris Avrohom, a commentary on the twenty-four books of the Tanach and Chessed l’Avrohom, which contains kabbalistic deroshos. In addition to these, he also wrote Ohr HaChama, Ohr HaLevana, Machzeh Avraham and Kanaf Renanim, a summary of the kavonos of the tefillos according to the Arizal; Ma’aseh Chosheiv, a summary of the kavonos of the Arizal on the mitzvos; Ahava BaTa’anugim on the Mishna Pirkei Avos, and Hagahos l’Sefer HaLevush on the Shulchon Aruch. His great-grandson was Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai, the Chida. [According to Hamodia 2006, he was born in 1570 and was niftar on this date in 1643, and his grandfather, Rav Avrohom Azulai HaZoken settled in Fez after being expelled from Castille, Spain, in 1492.]
