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Rabbi Eliyahu Mani
Born: Baghdad, Iraq
Died: Hebron, Eretz Yisrael, 1899
Kabbalist, rabbi of Hebron in the late 1800s.
Rabbi Eliyahu Mani was an associate of Rabbi Yosef Chaim of Baghdad (The Ben Ish
Chai) (1833-1909).
With the blessings of the Ben Ish Chai, rabbi Eliyahu Mani decided to go and
live in Israel. He settled in Hebron and served as the head rabbi of the Jewish
community. He was already married upon arriving in Israel and his three children
were born in Israel.
Rabbi Eliyahu Mani was so accepted and admired by the Arabs that they called him
'Sheikh.' When he died - the Jews buried him in the Jewish cemetery, but the
Arabs wanted him to be buried near them, so they stole the body and buried it in
the Muslim cemetery. The Jews had to snatch the body back and stand guard over
the grave.
After his death, a manuscript of one of his books was found stating the
following : "I have accepted upon myself not to question the writings of
the Divrei Shalom, because of what happened to me." What led to this
statement is the following incident:
Once Rabbi Eliyahu Mani sat and learned the text of the Divrei Shalom with his
colleague Rabbi Nissim Ini. They discussed the interpretation of a difficult
Kabbalistic issue that his grandfather, the Rashash(Rabbi Shalom Sharabi)
addressed. After reading the Divrei Shalom's understanding of the issue, Rabbi
Mani proclaimed, "This was not the Rashash's meaning!" Rabbi Mani,
with his great knowledge, was able to show the true meaning of the Rashash's
work. Immediately, after saying these words, Rabbi Mani became mute. He began to
cry, and formed the words of the Vidui with his lips. Soon afterwards, he
regained his power of speech. Rabbi Mani explained that while he was mute, he
had a vision of the Rashash who said, "What right do you have to say that
my grandson didn't understand me! You are the one who misunderstood the great
words of my grandson." Only after Rabbi Mani further asked for forgiveness,
did he become healed.
May the merit of the tzaddik Rabbi Eliyahu
Mani protect us all, Amen
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