Today marks 283 years since the passing of Rabbi Chaim ben Attar, known as the holy Ohr HaChaim — a rabbi, leader, commentator, and kabbalist. Here are five facts about him:
1. Rabbi Chaim ben Attar was born in the city of Salé, Morocco, to a family descended from Jews expelled from Spain. The name Attar means perfume, and indeed, through his Torah, he brought a pleasant fragrance to the entire Jewish world.
2. He lived in Morocco during a turbulent period of persecution against the Jews, yet he studied Torah with extraordinary devotion. In one of his books, he explains why the commentary is uneven — some sections are long and others brief — noting that the unrest around him often made it impossible to concentrate.
3. At the age of 43, he left Morocco and made his way to the Land of Israel, traveling through Italy and Algeria. He did not only make Aliyah himself; he also encouraged others to join him. He arrived at the port of Akko with a group of about 30 students and their families, and later established a yeshivah in Jerusalem where the hidden dimensions of Torah were also studied. He passed away at just 47, and was buried on the Mount of Olives. His gravesite became a place of pilgrimage. During World War II, a famous prayer gathering was held there, when there was fear that the German army would reach the Land of Israel.
4. He is known by the name of his book, Ohr HaChaim, his famous commentary on the Torah. The work was embraced by Jewish communities everywhere, and this Sephardic sage became revered even in Poland and Ukraine. To this day, he remains a figure who transcends sectors and communities, beloved across the Jewish people.
5. And here is one famous line from his teachings: “If people would truly feel the sweetness and pleasantness of the goodness of Torah, they would become overwhelmed with longing and passion for it… for the Torah contains all the goodness in the world.”
In his memory.
