Mysticism in Tzfat

by Ethan Wellerstein,  11^th grade,   CA

The Kabbalists were a unique group of Jews that were obsessed with the bringing of the Mashiach. They believed that if all Jews strictly adhered to the same Halacha, the Mashiach would come. This was the goal of Rabbi Yosef Karo with his book, the Shulchan Aruch, or The Set Table. This was a complete guide to Sephardic Halacha and was meant to set Jewish Law in stone. The Kabbalist rabbis tried to bring themselves closer to God by positioning themselves on one of the highest points in Israel. Rabbi Luria and Moshe Cordovero also started teaching the ideas of Kabbalah, in hopes that this, combined with the Halacha of Rabbi Yosef Karo could trigger the Messianic Age.

In Judaism, it is thought that after a great tragedy, the Mashiach will appear and the Jewish people will return to Eretz Yisrael. After the destruction of the Second Temple, for example, Bar Kochba arose and was thought to have been the Mashiach by many, including Rabbi Akiva. This same phenomena occurred after the Chmielnitzki Massacres in 1648. This led to many Jews believing that Shabbatai Zvi was the Mashiach, sent to fulfill God’s promise. And the expulsion of the Jews from Spain proved no different. This ended the Jewish Golden Age and forced Jews to flee the country that many of them saw as home. This tragedy prompted many Jewish scholars to believe in the imminent coming of the Mashiach, thus they tried to trigger this event in any way possible. This caused this group of rabbis to move back to Israel and try many new methods to bring about the Messianic Age.

Interior of the Yosef Karo Synagogue in Tzfat

Tzfat is an incredible place. The architecture is beautiful and has the effect of transporting one back in time. The cobbled paths, narrow walkways and rustic synagogue made me feel like I was in a different era. The people there were mostly shopkeepers but I did see several Chassidim in the city, going about life as usual. Almost all of the buildings had the same off white color and pale blue accents. This looked beautiful during the sunset and reflected the calm nature of this place.

Before Yosef Karo wrote the Shulchan Aruch in the early 1500s, Halacha was often debated over and differed from group to group. Since observance of the mitzvoth was the most important thing for Jews during the time in the Diaspora, it would make sense that they should all have a universal and agreed upon set of laws. This would help keep the Jewish people united, despite the large distances between them, and hopefully bring about the Messianic Age. As David mentioned, the Halacha was like a chessboard, and the pieces were frequently being moved around. Then, Rabbi Yosef Karo covered the board with the Shulchan Aruch. This finalized set of Halacha was according to Sephardic tradition ended most Halachic debates.

Kabbalat Shabbat was a tradition that was created by the men living in Tzfat in the 16th century. When they were in the fields, they wanted to welcome in the Sabbath bride from where they were, without having to go back to the Synagogue to pray. Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz wrote L’Cha Dodi, a tune welcoming the Sabbath Bride, which today has over 2,000 melodies. This tradition of Kabbalat Shabbat started in Tzfat and quickly spread all over the Jewish world.

Beit HaKnesset Ha Ari in Tzfat named for 16th century kabbalistic rabbi Yitzhak Luria

Today, Kabbalah is not incredibly important to Reform Jewish life too. The basic rules for learning about Kabbalah restrict most Jews from even attempting to study it. It is meant to be a way to learn the secrets of the Torah and read in between the lines of the word of God. I believe that some Jews might be able to find a way to apply this to everyday Judaism and life or find it to be genuinely interesting. But as for me, I’m content with good ol’ vanilla Judaism. I think that people should learn about what they want to. If Madonna wants to study it, why not let her. We live in a time when exploring other cultures and faiths is more possible than ever, and I believe it should be encouraged and open for all who express a genuine interest.