Full Breakdown
Rabbi David Shalom Batzri, Leading Kabbalist, Dies at 85
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Death and Immediate Circumstances
Rabbi David Shalom Batzri collapsed on a Friday morning at his residence on Rabbi Landau Street in Bnei Brak. Emergency crews found him unconscious, without a pulse, and performed prolonged resuscitation before evacuating him in critical condition to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, where he was pronounced dead. The rabbi had experienced intermittent health problems and hospitalizations in recent years but remained active in teaching and performing spiritual rectifications.
Life, Scholarship, and Institutional Role
Born in Jerusalem in 1941, Batzri descended from prominent Iraqi-Jewish scholars, including Rabbi Yosef Chaim Ben Ish Chai and Rabbi Yehuda Fatiyah. He studied at the historic Porat Yosef Yeshiva under Rabbi Ezra Attiya, Rabbi Yehuda Tzadka, and Rabbi Salman Mutzafi. Later he founded Yeshivat HaShalom (also called Yeshivat Hashalom) on Tahkemoni Street in Jerusalem, naming it for the 18th-century Yemenite mystic Rabbi Shalom Sharabi (Rashash). The academy became a central hub for the study of Lurianic Kabbalah, the Zohar, and the teachings of the Rashash. Batzri was known for public lectures, blessings, and “tikkunim” ceremonies such as pidyon nefesh, drawing seekers from across Israel and abroad. His son, Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri, continues to teach at the yeshiva.
Official Reactions
The Shas party issued a statement mourning the loss, calling Batzri the “elder of the Kabbalists” and praising his humility, prayer, and support for the movement. Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef, president of the Supreme Rabbinical Court, recalled a close bond between Batzri and his father, the late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, noting the elder’s deep respect for Batzri’s mastery of both the revealed and hidden Torah.
Verbatim Quotes
- “There was a special and deep bond between him and my father and teacher, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef,” — David Yosef, sephardic chief
- “I remember how, in those days, my father told me to go study the teachings of Kabbalah with the deceased,” — David Yosef, sephardic chief
- “Many had the privilege of hearing his Torah teachings, receiving his advice and being inspired by his prayers and his unique service of God,” — David Yosef, sephardic chief
Legacy
Rabbi Batzri’s death marks the passing of one of Israel’s most prominent contemporary Kabbalists. His scholarly lineage, the yeshiva he established, and the spiritual services he provided have left a lasting imprint on Sephardic and broader Orthodox communities, ensuring that his teachings will continue to influence future generations.
