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Weekly Chasidic Story #925 (s5775-48 / 2 Elul 5775) Defying the Mayor Rabbeinu Meir Abuchatzeira ("Baba Meir") instructed them to assemble all the Jews of the city that night in the local synagogue for the recitation of Selichot. The midnight hour was fast approaching. Connection: seasonal - the Month of Elul - Elul 2 is when Jews of Sephardic tradition begin reciting the Selichot/Forgiveness prayers.
Defying the MayorOne day during the month of ELUL, Rabbi Meir Abuhatzeira [son of the Baba Sali], arrived in one of the main cities of Morocco, intending to remain there for a few days to breathe fresh life into the community which had invited him to strengthen its spiritual state. The first night of his stay, Rabbeinu Meir, wishing to recite the Selichot, asked his host what time the people gathered in the synagogue. The host responded that the mayor forbade them to recite Selichot (the pre-Rosh Hashana prayers for forgiveness) because, he claimed, it disturbed the sleep of the Muslim neighbors. It was clear that Rabbeinu Meir was not happy with the situation, yet the people could not defy a decision signed and sealed by the mayor himself. Rabbeinu Meir, however, did not hesitate and asked his assistant to summon all the communal leaders immediately. He asked them if it was true that their fear of the mayor was preventing them from reciting Selichot. They admitted that it was, to their chagrin. Rabbeinu Meir instructed them to assemble all the Jews of the city that night in the local synagogue for the recitation of Selichot. The midnight hour was fast approaching.
The police officers, hearing about the Jewish prayer service led by Rabbeinu Meir, made haste to the mayor's house for orders. With rings of sleep clearly visible under his eyes, the mayor listened intently to the police commissioner's report. Fuming, he ordered the police to halt recitation of the Selichot immediately. One of the officers reported to him that Rabenu Meir, son of the Baba Sali, had organized the group and was even serving as Prayer Leader. The mayor, now furious sneered: "Who is the Baba Meir and who appointed him to so brazenly disobey the law?" As soon as the words were spoken, the mayor suddenly found himself unable to continue. His body became paralyzed and his face became contorted. He sank helplessly into his armchair while his racing eyes shouted that which he was unable to speak. It was obvious that his trouble was caused by his disdain for the honor of the tzadik. A messenger was dispatched to the synagogue to appeal to Rabbeinu Meir. As the messenger entered the sanctuary, the worshippers held their breath. There was utter silence as he hastily made his way to the raised platform at the center of the synagogue. Rabbeinu Meir, however, motioned that he was unable to interrupt even for the emissary of the mayor. To the congregation he signaled that they should continue praying with still more fervor. At the end of the Selichot, Rabenu Meir turned to the messenger to hear what he had to say. With some trepidation the man unfolded before him to story of the mayor in his mansion, lying like a stone. Rabenu Meir said to him: "Go and tell him that he will return to full strength only if he promises not to persecute the Jewish people and permits them to practice their religious beliefs." When the messenger told this to the mayor, he agreed by blinking his eyes to accept these conditions. In a matter of minutes his strength returned as if nothing had happened. The mayor trembled as he waited for Rabbeinu Meir at his host's house. The door opened and he fell at the Baba's feet, begging his forgiveness. Taking advantage of the moment, Rabbeinu Meir demanded that the mayor sign an explicit commitment not to hamper his Jewish citizens in observing Jewish tradition down to its finest detail. From that day on, the Jewish residents of the city encountered no more troubles in leading a Jewish life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Connection: seasonal - the Month of Elul - Elul 2 is when Jews of Sephardic tradion begin reciting the Selichot/Forgiveness prayers. Biographical note: ~~~~~~~~~~~
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Slightly
after two o'clock in the morning hundred of Jews gathered in the synagogue with
their prayer books in hand, in a mood of anticipation. Rabbeinu Meir himself
was to serve as Prayer Leader. Before Selichot he spoke encouragingly,
asking them to pour their hearts out to the Al-mighty and urging them to make
up for all they had missed until that day. He then began to pray out loud, with
the congregation following. The sounds of prayer emanated from the synagogue,
to the surprise of the non-Jewish neighbors who immediately summoned the police.
Yerachmiel
Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor
of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories
to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells
them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.