Rev. Michael Laitman

Abraham ben Mordecai Azulai, born in Fez, Morocco around 1570, was a significant figure in Kabbalah. He relocated to Ottoman Palestine in 1599, establishing his residence in Hebron.

During his time in Hebron, Azulai authored a commentary on the Zohar titled Kiryat Arba. A plague in 1619 forced him to seek refuge in Gaza, where he composed his major Kabbalistic work, Chesed le-Abraham. This work, published posthumously in Amsterdam in 1685, delves into Kabbalistic concepts and is structured with an introduction and seven "fountains," further divided into "streams."

Azulai's writings explored profound mystical ideas, including the intricacies of Gilgul (reincarnation), as exemplified in a passage from Chesed le-Abraham. He passed away in Hebron on November 6, 1643, and is interred in the Old Jewish Cemetery there. Another manuscript, Ba'ale Berit Abraham, a Kabbalistic commentary on the Hebrew Bible, was published in 1873.

Abraham ben Mordecai Azulai was a notable Kabbalist whose writings focused on mystical interpretations of Jewish texts. His commentary on the Zohar, named Kiryat Arba, was written while he lived in Hebron. Following his displacement by a plague, he produced Chesed le-Abraham in Gaza. This significant work, published in Amsterdam in 1685, features an introduction called "The Cornerstone" and is organized into seven "fountains" containing numerous "streams" of mystical discourse. These sections explore deep esoteric themes, offering insights into concepts such as the transmigration of souls (Gilgul).

A notable aspect of Azulai's work, as presented in Chesed le-Abraham, is his detailed exposition on the concept of Gilgul, or reincarnation. He posits that a soul might undergo a limited number of human incarnations, suggesting a divine limit of three migrations for the wicked, based on interpretations of Job xxxiii. 29. The text further elaborates that after these human cycles, a soul might be incarnated into an animal. Azulai connects this to the practice of animal sacrifice, suggesting a miraculous intervention where a sacrificed animal could be an incarnation of a human soul, thereby doubly benefiting the offerer and the soul's ascent toward purity. This concept is linked to the biblical verse "O Lord, thou preservest man and beast."

Born in Morocco around 1570, Abraham ben Mordecai Azulai's life was marked by his move to Ottoman Palestine in 1599, where he settled in Hebron. His scholarly pursuits were interrupted by a plague in 1619, leading him to Gaza. He eventually returned to Hebron, where he died on November 6, 1643, and was buried. His legacy includes not only his written works but also a popular anecdote about his ability to retrieve the Sultan's sword from the Cave of Machpela, highlighting his perceived spiritual authority. His writings, like Chesed le-Abraham and Ba'ale Berit Abraham, continued to be published and studied long after his death.

“Know that God will not subject the soul of the wicked to more than three migrations; for it is written, "Lo, all these things doth God work twice, yea thrice, with a man" (Job xxxiii. 29). Which means, He makes him appear twice and thrice in a human incarnation; but the fourth time he is incarnated as a clean animal. And when a man offers a sacrifice, God will, by miraculous intervention, make him select an animal that is an incarnation of a human being. Then will the sacrifice be doubly profitable: to the one that offers it and to the soul imprisoned in the brute. For with the smoke of the sacrifice the soul ascends heavenward and attains its original purity. Thus is explained the mystery involved in the words, "O Lord, thou preservest man and beast" (Psalms xxxvi.7 [R. V. 6]).”