Uncovering the Hidden Journals of Rabbi Meir Mazuz

Not everyone knows that Rabbi Meir Mazuz, zt"l, the head of Kise Rahamim Yeshiva, kept diaries documenting his life's journey from childhood to his final years," says Rabbi Harel Zanzuri, a close student responsible for publishing Rabbi Mazuz's writings. The nostalgia is apparent in his voice.

Rabbi Zanzuri recalls being a 19-year-old yeshiva student when Rabbi Mazuz appointed him the task of managing his writings and documents. This unique role revealed the most private secrets and captivating correspondence, coupled with unforgettable conversations with Rabbi Mazuz that continue to guide his life.

A Life Documented

"Rabbi Mazuz began maintaining journals back in Tunisia," Rabbi Zanzuri reveals. "He documented important events in personal journals and in the margins of his Talmudic studies. He even wrote notes on the front covers of his books, describing significant events in Hebrew and the distinctive Tunisian script. It was essential for him to preserve tradition, so he recorded his insights accordingly. When he needed to preserve important letters, he would use a typewriter with carbon paper."

Rabbi Zanzuri shares intriguing examples: "One of Rabbi Mazuz's earliest recorded memories is a childhood recollection from age seven. He notes his ability to recite sections of the Torah with precise intonation by age six and mentions, 'I read the Tazria-Metzora sections perfectly, with just two errors in Metzora.'

In another passage, he consoles a twelve-year-old boy whose teacher had passed away, sharing: 'I too experienced profound grief during childhood when my teacher, Rabbi Eliyahu Bachbout, passed. Life must go on, as this is the cycle of the world.' His journals also document other hardships he faced, each time finding solace in scripture, prayer, or numerological reflections.

The 'Page-a-Day' Project

Besides his journal, Rabbi Mazuz filled notebooks with Torah insights. His first such notebook dates back to age eight," shares Rabbi Zanzuri. "While other kids might have been playing, he was writing Torah insights. Living abroad, he created a 'treatise,' sent it to Israel, and it was published. It's astounding.

After Rabbi Zanzuri recently published Rabbi Mazuz's diary as a book, the arduous task of transcription, spanning over six years, came to fruition. Young men from the yeshiva would transcribe a page a day from the enlarged manuscripts, later typed by professional typists," he explains.

Embracing Adversity

Rabbi Mazuz's life was full of challenges. "At 26, he moved to Israel, and two years later suffered a severe accident, falling from a third-floor window. Subsequent long-term treatment and rehabilitation ensued, although even en route to the hospital, he planned his recovery thanksgiving speech," Zanzuri recounts.

Despite grim odds due to spinal damage, his recovery was miraculous, credited in part to the blessings of the Baba Sali, who expressed divine faith in Rabbi Mazuz's recovery.

Tragedy revisited with personal trials, including his wife's illness and his daughter's fatal accident. It was during heartfelt discussions about gratitude in adversity that Rabbi Mazuz candidly admitted, "At times, yes," when asked if he truly practiced blessing adversity as joyously as blessings for goodness.

Carrying Forward His Legacy

Following Rabbi Mazuz's guidelines, we continue his mission," says Zanzuri. "He requested we not mourn for him because he lived a life rich with purpose; our tears should be for those who do not."

While committed to continuing Rabbi Mazuz's work, Zanzuri solicits contributions of Rabbi Mazuz's writings, aiming to consolidate them into forthcoming publications. "By the shloshim (30-day memorial), I published 'The Journal' and an insightful book on the Baba Metzia tractate. We're now working on more volumes, including a comprehensive Q&A series named 'Beit Ne'eman.'"