Kabbalah and the Journey of Souls: An Engaging Interview with Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri

What comes to your mind when you hear the term 'Kabbalah'? Do you immediately think of reincarnation, secrets, and mysteries from the Torah? How connected is Kabbalah to your practical life? Is it even permissible to study Kabbalah? And what about women – can they engage with it?

There’s no doubt that discussing Kabbalah opens a fascinating window into a subject that captivates many. In previous years, Kabbalah was the domain of a few great and exalted rabbis, but today it is welcoming more and more Torah scholars. Across the country, you can find seminaries dedicated to Kabbalah study, with scholars delving not just into *peshat*, *remez*, and *derash*, but definitely into *sod* as well.

On the occasion of the yahrzeit of the holy *Ari*, one of the greatest Kabbalists of Tzfat, which falls this week, we met for a fascinating conversation with Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri. This discussion reveals intriguing insights into the essence of Kabbalah and opens a portal to a captivating world.

(Photo: Flash 90)

Kabbalah Through the Generations

"I was fortunate to grow up in a family of Kabbalists and righteous individuals," Rabbi Batzri recounts. "Since I was a child, I remember my father, the great Kabbalist – Rabbi David Batzri, Shlit"a – would rise every night at midnight to learn with my grandfather – the Kabbalist Rabbi Salman Mutzafi (his father-in-law). They would learn together for many years. My grandfather would also come to us during the day to continue discussing Torah with Dad. In fact, my family has been engaged in the holy writings ever since we lived in Baghdad. At the head of our family was my great-grandfather, the divine Kabbalist – Rabbi Yosef Chaim, known as the *Ben Ish Chai*, and above him in holiness was Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim, his father, and even higher was the chief rabbi of Babylon, Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Chaim, may his memory be blessed.

Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri’s family originates from Tzfat and has a history that passed through Damascus to Baghdad. Regarding his grandfather, Rabbi Nawi, he shares that he studied Kabbalah alongside Rabbi Shmuel Vital, son of Rabbi Chaim Vital. Rabbi Nawi was, in fact, the great-grandfather of his other grandfather – the Kabbalist Rabbi Yehuda Patiah, may his memory be blessed.

From a young age, Rabbi Yitzhak was drawn to witnessing his father and righteous elders immersed in Torah day and night. His father made an effort to study with his brother, the Kabbalist Rabbi Sasson Batzri, may his memory be blessed. Regarding this, Rabbi Yitzhak recalls an interesting incident: "One day, my uncle approached me and asked to teach me a lesson in Kabbalah. We sat and learned together. After the lesson, I asked my uncle: 'Why did you teach me these things? I'm young. Why expose me to the secrets of Kabbalah?' His response startled and chilled me: 'I want there to come a day when you will write a commentary on the *Shas* according to Kabbalah.'"

Rabbi Batzri saw this at the time as a dream, but his uncle continued, telling him that the *Ari* studied the entire *Shas* six times according to *peshat* and once more according to Kabbalah. In fact, until today, no one has published a commentary on the writings of the *Ari* according to the *Shas* with Kabbalistic insights, and perhaps now the time has come. Ever since then, Rabbi Batzri cherished that dream in his heart and contemplated it for many years.

His uncle, Rabbi Sasson Batzri, passed away about a decade ago, leading Rabbi Yitzhak to decide to compose a commentary on the *Shas* for the elevation of his pure soul, thus writing his first book – *Pardes Yitzhak*. In the introduction, he even noted that the book was written thanks to his uncle's initiative.

When Rabbi Batzri completed his work on the commentary of the *Shas*, he discovered something interesting – the *Ari* wrote another book called *Likutey HaShas*. A book that is not available in stores and cannot be obtained. "I still managed to acquire the book," he shares, "and I noticed that it contains many errors and unclear transcriptions of the *Ari*'s writings. It was very difficult to understand his words, so I decided that this would be my mission. I took the book and arranged it in the format of a *Gemara page* – on one side, it is written in the language of the *Ari*, and on the other side, it is presented in the language of the *Gemara*, with variations and *likutim* of *Rashi* on the sides."

Naturally and out of curiosity, Rabbi Batzri continued to delve into other writings of the *Ari*, and one day someone pointed out to him that the *Ari* has another book on the *Shas* called *Sha'ar Ma'amarim Razal*. He looked into it and was introduced to something very intriguing. "I discovered," he explains, "that the *Ari* wrote many compositions, but the ones who printed these works were Rabbi Shmuel Vital, son of Rabbi Chaim Vital, and Rabbi Meir Papirosz, an Ashkenazi rabbi who was distressed that the *Ari*'s books were not being written or printed, so he decided to publish them. Thus, two editions of each book were created – the edition copied by Rabbi Papirosz and the edition by Rabbi Shmuel Vital. The book *Likutey HaShas* is most likely attributed to Meir Papirosz, and *Sha'ar Ma'amarim Razal* is attributed to Rabbi Shmuel Vital. By the way, regarding the book *Likutey HaShas*, there was a dispute about whether it indeed belongs to the *Ari*, but the *Chida* in his book *Shem HaG'dolim* attests that it is indeed the *Ari*'s work."

For a while, Rabbi Batzri hesitated whether to work on the book *Sha'ar Ma'amarim Razal*. "Of course, I very much wanted to, but the task challenged me in many ways," he explains. Ultimately, after many deliberations, he gathered his courage and decided to write an explanation of the book. "That night, my uncle came to me in a dream and said: 'Well done for returning to write on the *Shas*,'" he recounts. He is now completing the work on the book, which is set to be published. "Another chapter in the commentary of the holy *Ari* on the *Shas* has come to an end," Rabbi Batzri expresses with satisfaction.

Kabbalah for Everyone

What is the Rabbi's goal in writing these books? Are they suitable for everyone, or only for those who have been studying Kabbalah for years?

"I will try to explain my goal," Rabbi Batzri replies. "In fact, there are many Torah scholars today who study *peshat* and the teachings of the early authorities. Their feeling is that they have not been privileged to enter the world of Kabbalah, and they are completely unaware of the writings of the *Ari*. They believe that the world of Kabbalah is meant for a select few, those who have achieved high and exalted spiritual levels. This is a mistake; the reality is different. In fact, each of us is obligated to learn the Torah according to *peshat, remez, derash,* and *sod*. One cannot understand the *Gemara* without studying Kabbalah."

A photo from the book on *Likutey HaShas* of the *Ari*

What does the Rabbi mean?

"I will give an example. The *Gemara* says: 'Anyone who recites the *Shema* and is careful with its letters, cools his hell.' Over the years, I have been among Torah scholars trying to clarify what is meant by 'cools his hell'. The answers I received were fairly uniform – 'It means that the heat of the fiery hell becomes less hot.' This didn't sit right with me. Does it make a difference if someone throws an ice cube into a place with a heat of 500 degrees? There is no difference between 500 degrees and 200 degrees. I didn't find an answer to my questions."

Until I arrived at the writings of the holy *Ari*, where I found the answer. "I saw that the *Ari* writes that hell is not the world to come but this world. There is a person with an evil inclination who finds himself in hell in this world without peace of mind, his thoughts are scattered. He tries to chase after and attain things without success. This is frustrating and difficult, like hell. The *Zohar* states: 'When the sages came to the house of *Hinukh* to call the widow, the mother said to the child: 'Go ask the sages for a blessing.' He refused and told her he did not want to ask for a blessing because they are impure.' His mother got angry and asked: 'Why do you say they are impure?' He replied: 'Because they did not say the *Shema* this morning.' The sages replied: 'Correct, we were busy with the mitzvah of redeeming captives, and one engaged in a mitzvah is exempt from reciting the *Shema* and prayers.' Nevertheless, the reality proved that there was impurity left with them. The Zohar says that reciting the *Shema* removes impurity and the person becomes pure. Therefore, anyone who recites the *Shema* and is careful with its letters – his impurity is removed, and indeed at night, impurity rests on the person, and reciting the *Shema* in the morning removes this impurity, thus the evil inclination is removed. Accordingly, we can understand the intent of 'cools his hell.' The idea is that the evil inclination does not burn within him powerfully like fire, but rather weaker, enabling him to pass through hell in this world."

Rabbi Batzri emphasizes: "Today, one can see dozens of Kabbalistic seminaries throughout the land, with great scholars from all communities studying Kabbalah and engaging with it. It is not like in the past, where it was left only to special individuals. It is written in *Rashi* on the *Zohar*: 'And know that it will come out of exile in time, it will be revealed and everyone will engage with it and study it, and through this, redemption will come closer.' This is precisely what we see happening, because the book was hidden from people's eyes for years, and today it is being studied more and more."

Avoid the “Fortune Tellers”

The teachings of Kabbalah, which began to spread in the days of the *Ramban*, who revealed the *Zohar*, continued in the era of the holy *Ari*, and today is experiencing a blossoming and flourishing.

Does the Rabbi believe that every Jew can learn Kabbalah?

"Not everyone can. Only someone who has studied the *Shas* and the halakhic authorities and is proficient in them can progress to the study of Kabbalah. However, a Jew who has learned these things with holiness and purity can not only do so but must learn Kabbalah."

For some reason, when speaking with people about 'Kabbalah', images of fortune tellers come to mind, promising future predictions, explaining exactly why you receive reward and punishment, and demanding large sums in return...

"There is absolutely no connection between 'fortune tellers' or similar names and the teachings of Kabbalah," Rabbi Batzri clarifies firmly. "There must be no confusion. A Kabbalistic rabbi is a Jew who has Torah scholars around him who learn and receive teachings from him, not someone who receives the public and tries to predict their futures. My father once told me: 'A true Kabbalist has no time to receive the public.' He meant that a genuine Kabbalist is constantly involved in study, intentions, and teaching classes to succeed in finishing his study materials. I can testify from close experience – my grandfather, the genius Rabbi Salman Mutzafi, may his memory be blessed, never received the public, while my father accepted visitors once a week for only two hours. They both consistently distanced themselves from that due to time constraints. They were engrossed in study, fasts, and self-denial throughout the week."

Rabbi Batzri shares personally: "I am sure that the merit of my ancestors, who were great Torah scholars, has helped me in recent years when I was privileged to publish the commentary on the writings of the *Ari*. I personally had the opportunity to learn with my father for thirty years in *chavrutah*. We learned every day for four or five hours, and this is a study that stays for life."

The Secrets of Reincarnation

To better understand the essence of learning through Kabbalah, Rabbi Batzri brings the well-known story of Elazar ben Dordaya, who, after committing severe and terrible sins, went and sat between two mountains and hills. He asked the mountains to plead for mercy on his behalf, but they refused, he turned to the heavens and the earth, and they also refused. Likewise, when he appealed to the sun, moon, stars, and constellations, they also refused. Finally, he said: 'The matter depends only on me.' He placed his head between his knees and wept until his soul left him. A divine voice then declared: 'Rabbi Elazar ben Dordaya is destined for the world to come.' And they add and write: 'The Rabbi cried and said: 'Some acquire their world in many years, and some acquire their world in just one hour.' And the Rabbi said: 'It is not enough for penitents that they are accepted; they are even called Rabbi.'"

Rabbi Batzri notes that he has always been amazed by the story. The very fact that Rabbi Elazar ben Dordaya became a penitent and was accepted into the world to come – that can be understood. But what does it mean that he is called "Rabbi"? It is brought in the *Gemara* that a Rabbi is the great of the generation, such as the *Amoraim* who lived their lives in holiness and purity through abstinence. How is it possible to elevate him to such a degree? Indeed, according to the simple understanding, a significant question remains here.

However, here precisely is the place to bring the words of the *Ari*, which explains that Rabbi Elazar ben Dordaya is essentially the reincarnation of Yochanan, the High Priest, who served for seventy years in the Holy of Holies and finally became a *Tzeduki*. Yochanan the High Priest came into the world in the reincarnation of Elazar ben Dordaya, and after having committed all those sins, he returned to be Rabbi Yochanan the High Priest, and then he reverted to being a 'Rabbi', a righteous foundational figure of the world.

Regarding this point, Rabbi Batzri makes an important observation: "Sometimes we see people suddenly change from one extreme to another, return to repentance, and their entire essence transforms. We cannot know what they were in their previous incarnation. Perhaps they were great Torah scholars, and now they are returning to those elevated spiritual levels? The high ranks they had in their previous incarnation are what help them in their current spiritual endeavors. Therefore, we must never judge people based on external appearances. We have no idea what they were in the past and what they came to correct in this world. Our Rabbi, the holy *Ari*, knew how to see the roots of souls and the reincarnations of each person; he revealed to us many fascinating insights in this vein."

Additionally, besides Rabbi Batzri's books dealing with the commentary of the *Ari* on the *Shas*, he has also written a series of books called *Shiach Yitzhak*, which includes a special explanation before each tractate noting the reincarnations of the souls of all those appearing in the tractate, along with interesting questions in halakhah and aggadah. The material is written in a clear and vivid language so that anyone can read and understand it. "One of my sisters told me she went through these books from start to finish," he smiles.

Wait a moment, can women learn the *Shas*?

"I don’t want to answer this question definitively, as there are different opinions on the matter, but I can share about my grandmother, may she rest in peace – my grandfather Rabbi Yosef Batzri, may his memory be blessed, was the brother of the *Ben Ish Chai*. She had studied the entire *Shas* by heart and knew all the laws. My grandmother used to sit in the women’s section of the synagogue and listen to her cousin Rabbi Yaakov Chaim Sofer (*Kaf HaChaim*) while he taught. She would correct him, saying: 'The *Ben Ish Chai* did not say thus and such.' She would engage deeply in study and remained in the synagogue from dawn until late at night. I also have an aunt named Lulu, daughter of Rabbi Yehuda Patiah, who was known to engage in dialogue with her father, who would ask her questions about the *Gemara*. So I don’t want to make a definitive ruling. In any case – the specific book I composed on reincarnations is not considered Kabbalah, so any woman can review it."