Look at him. Welcome to the Daily Holy Story. How did Moshe Rabbeinu know where Yosef HaTzadik was buried? The Midrash (rabbinic teaching) says that Serach bat Asher, who was from Yosef’s generation, told Moshe that Yosef was buried under the Nile. The Egyptians made a heavy casket out of iron and planted it deep in the Nile River. Moshe Rabbeinu came to the Nile and threw in a charm with the words “Aleh Shor” (Come up, ox) on it. He called out to Yosef to come up from the Nile. All of a sudden, the heavy iron casket rose to the top of the Nile, and Moshe Rabbeinu picked it up. We see from this Midrash the power of the Chachamim (sages) to do miracles because of their holiness.
Such was the story of the holy Rabbi Chaim ben Atar, who, en route from Morocco to Eretz Yisrael (Israel) about 280 years ago, spent two years in Italy gathering people to send money to Eretz Yisrael for the yeshiva he was going to open. He gathered people and had many students who traveled with him by boat to Eretz Yisrael. They were destined to end up at the port of Yafo (Jaffa) in Israel. However, the captain of the ship made a mistake and took them to the port of Akko. Later on, it was revealed that this was a miracle because there was a terrible plague in Yafo, and many people died. So Rabbi Chaim ben Atar decided to establish a yeshiva in Akko, which was called Knesset Yisrael and was a center for many, many students. They traveled to visit the holy sites of the graves of the Tzadikim (righteous people), and he ended up with his students in Tiberias, where he met Rabbi Chaim Abulafia, and they became very close friends. Rabbi Chaim then returned to Akko with his students.
Pesach was coming. The house of Rabbi Chaim ben Atar was prepared for Pesach, but one thing was missing: he needed a guest for the night of the Seder (Passover ritual meal). How could he have a Seder without a poor guest? He went to his student and told him, “Go find me a guest.” The student went out to find a guest but couldn’t find one until he passed by the cemetery, and from there, he was gone. And from there, he was gone. And from there, he was gone. In the cemetery, he heard a cry. He went toward the sound of the cry and saw a Jew crying like a baby. He tried to approach him, but the Jew would not talk to him. His tears flowed down his cheeks, and every time the student tried to speak to him, he said, “Woe unto me. My life is not a life. I want to kill myself.” The student, Rabbi Chaim ben Atar was very sad. He was shaking. He went back to his Rebbe (rabbi) to tell him about the poor Jew.
The Or HaChaim HaKadosh didn’t delay. Immediately, he left all his preparation for the holiday and went with his student to the cemetery. He began to speak to the poor Jew, and he began to open his heart. He was a poor Jew who had decided to travel out of Eretz Yisrael. He left his wife and children behind. He tried to make some money and was successful. He came back to Eretz Yisrael to support his wife and children and open a business. He was so happy when the ship reached the port of Akko. He saw how happy his wife and children were with the heavy purse of money he had brought with him. But what happened when he got off the ship to go into a small canoe and reach the port? As he was entering the canoe, the purse fell deep into the waters of the ocean.
The man started crying again and saying, “Not only was there money for his wife and children, but also money for a bride who was an orphan and poor. How can I face the bride? How can I face my family and the family of the bride?” He said to Rabbi Chaim, “Rabbi Chaim,” with mercy from his eyes. Rabbi Chaim told him, “Come with me to the ocean.” The man was surprised, but he followed Rabbi Chaim to the ocean. When they reached the ocean, Rabbi Chaim said, “In a little bit, the ocean will bring forth all kinds of valuables, and among them will be your purse. But you have to be careful to take only your purse and nothing else.”
Rabbi Chaim began to pray a silent prayer and commanded the ocean to bring forth all the treasures it had taken in the past centuries. The man and the student watched, bewildered, as the waters began to become very, very unrestful. Within minutes, the ocean brought forth many, many different treasures with gold and silver. Among them was the man’s purse. The man couldn’t believe his eyes. He remembered what Rabbi Chaim ben Atar had told him and took only his purse. He opened it up and found in it all the coins that were supposed to be there, and also the money of the orphan girl. Unable to absorb the miracle that had happened, he turned to Rabbi Chaim ben Atar and said to them, “Rabbi, how can I pay you back?” A smile was on the face of Rabbi Chaim ben Atar. “You would do me a great favor if you could come tonight to spend the Seder with me.” The man accepted, and on the night of the Seder, it was difficult to know who was happier: the Jew who got his purse or the Or HaChaim who got his guest for the holiday of Pesach. Thank you for listening and have a wonderful, wonderful day.