Established more than 35 years ago in Yerushalayim, the holy city, Shuvi Nafshi Institutions include a variety of educational services:
Dozens of erudite Torah scholars study diligently in our Bet Midrash each day, beginning at 4 in the morning. While most people are still fast asleep, a distinguished group of young men begin their day poring over the ancient texts of the Kabbalah, preparing themselves spiritually for an inspiring Shaharit. Besides their studies, these scholars devote part of the pre-dawn hours to special prayers on behalf of the Jewish nation in general and for specific individuals upon request. Throughout the hours of the day and night, groups of outstanding Torah scholars study in Shuvi Nafshi’s Bet Midrash, following a variety of curricula.
The purpose of our course for hora’a and dayanut is to train young Torah students in the proper approach toward the study of practical halakha. Those signed up for these courses are divided into several groups, as follows:
Hora’ah studies
The rabbis assigned to this course study sections of the Shulhan Arukh (Orah Hayim and Yore De’a), especially those pertaining to the halakhot of Shabbat, the Yamim Tovim, kashruth, and family purity, among others. They begin with the primary sources found in Talmud Bavli with the classic commentaries, continue with the Tur, the Bet Yosef, and their major commentaries, followed by the Shulhan Arukh and the works of the leading rabbis of recent generations. Our students emphasize the practical application of the halakha in the light of modern lifestyle and technology. After several years of study, the scholars are certified, authorizing them to rule on halakhic questions and to serve as rabbis of synagogues and communities.
Dayanim – Rabbinical Judges
The scholars participating in this course are all graduates of the course for hora’ah. These advanced students concentrate on the Hoshen Mishpat and Even Ha’ezer sections of the Shulhan Arukh. Again, they study the pertinent sections in the Talmud Bavli with classic commentaries, continue with the Tur and Bet Yosef, and fine tune their conclusions with the Shulhan Arukh and the works of the Torah authorities in the last few centuries. An emphasis is placed on applying the halakha to our modern lifestyle and technological advances. All those participating in these courses teach Torah classes for the public’s benefit, and they author various books on halakhic subjects. Those scholars who pass all the necessary tests are awarded official certificates testifying that they are authorized to serve as rabbis in Israeli communities or as judges in rabbinical courts.
Along with the studies earmarked for those who wish to accreditted as judges, the rabbis are assigned actual cases brought before the Tzedek Umesharim rabbinical court, which consists of prominent, veteran rabbinical judges, and they are asked to offer their opinions based on their understanding of the halakha. This court, by the way, is an indivisible part of Shuvi Nafshi’s activities.
We have invested great efforts and resources in developing these men to serve as rabbinical leaders for Jewish communities. This is because Shuvi Nafshi’s vision is focused on our nation’s future, in Eretz Yisrael and throughout the world.
For many centuries, the study of Talmud Bavli has been the full-time occupation of Torah scholars. Thousands of volumes of commentary on the Talmid were composed, helping to shed light on its words and those of Rashi, Tosafot, and other classic commentators. In Spain, a tradition of researching the Talmud in depth was developed and followed through the generations by the Sephardic descendants of those scholars. In more recent times, however, a new approach to Talmud study called pilpul has brought about a steep decline in the number of Torah scholars and the quality of their scholarship.
Shuvi Nafshi’s policy is to restore and continue the glorious tradition of Sephardic Torah scholarship. Its scholars and students study the Talmud in this manner, page after page, tractate after tractate, with the goal of mastering a thorough understanding of the entire Talmud. To this end, each of our courses is supervised and navigated by prominent rabbis who direct the students, showing them the proper method of research.
The study of Kabbalah – Jewish mysticism – is an inseparable part of the four levels of Torah wisdom: peshat, darush, remez, and sod. Those who make this study their central occupation separate themselves from all the mundane and frivolous activities of the world around them and focus on perfecting their character traits and developing an ever deeper sense of the fear of Hashem.
The Kabbalah is founded on the esoteric teachings that were revealed to the world by Ribbi Shimon bar Yohai and his disciples, whose merit continues to protect us from evil. For many generations this wisdom was maintained as an oral tradition, passed on from teacher to student when the latter was deemed worthy. Only a handful of the most pious scholars in each generation were introduced to this wisdom. With the revelation of the basic Kabbalic text, the Zohar, in thirteenth century Spain, the knowledge of Kabbalah began to spread.
When Harav Yosef Karo immigrated to Tzefat, the city was at the height of its spiritual greatness. It was graced by the presence of the illustrious fathers of Kabbalah: Harav Moshe Cordevero, Harav Yitzhak Luria (the Arizal), and his leading disciple Harav Hayim Vital. These great men laid the founding principles of this study, based on their mastery of the Zohar and other works authored by the Tanna’im. Their published works have illuminated our eyes through the generations. Today, our scholars study Kabbalah based on the Arizal’s teachings as recorded in the published works of Harav Hayim Vital: the Etz Hayim and the eight “Gates.” The Arizal himself was taught the system by none other than Eliyahu the prophet. Although these are published volumes, Kabbalah still cannot be studied independently. To be successful, one must be taught by someone who has been taught by yet another person.
Our Rosh Yeshivah, Harav Ezriel Mansour, shalit”a, is one of those who has mastered the traditional study of Kabbalah, having studied it under the leading kabbalists of the previous generation. He has devoted himself to these studies for forty-five years, having been directed to them by his mentors, Harav Yehudah Tzadka, zt”l, and Harav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, zt”l. Rav Mansour principle teacher was the famed kabbalist Harav Avraham Barazani, zt”l, who in turn was the favorite disciple of Harav Yehudah Fetaya, zt”l, who gained fame for his work benefitting the entire Jewish nation.
Rav Fetaya’s magnum opus is the Bet Lehem Yehudah, a commentary on the entire Etz Hayim. His unique approach to the study of Kabbalah was passed on to only a handful of his students, but most of them did not succeed in passing it onward. Among Rav Fetaya’s primary disciples was Harav Avraham Barazani, who eventually married Rav Fetaya’s niece. Rav Barazani not only excelled in the study of Kabbalah; he also became proficient in practical Kabbalah, which Rav Fetaya taught him privately, without anyone’s knowledge, and authorized him to practice what he had learned.
Before Rav Barazani immigrated to Eretz Yisrael, he studied Kabbalah with two disciples of Harav Yosef Hayim (author of Ben Ish Hai) – Harav Ben Tzion Hazan, zt”l, and Harav Efrayim Hakohen, zt”l. Despite all of Rav Barazani’s greatness in this wisdom, Rav Mansour did not limit himself to studying under him alone. He also spent a lengthy period studying every day under the master kabbalist Harav Mordechai Sharabi, zt”l, and two years studying with Harav Tzion Beracha, zt”l, who was one of Rav Sharabi’s foremost disciples. Rav Mansour supplemented his wisdom by learning with several “hidden tzaddikim” of the previous generation.
But foremost in Rav Mansour’s qualifications is the fact that he sat at the feet of Harav Yaakov Mussafi, zt”l, head of Yerushalayim’s Sephardic Bet Din, for more than a decade, learning how to use his wisdom, how to behave and how to deal with issues and problems. Rav Mussafi is known to have held Rav Mansour in great esteem.
The one who truly recognized Rav Mansour’s potential and who urged and encouraged him to establish the Shuvi Nafshi Institutions was Harav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, zt”l. For many years, Rav Abba Shaul studied Kabbalah together with Rav Mansour, often for hours at a stretch. Thanks to Rav Abba Shaul, Rav Mansour has since then trained many students, both in Kabbalah and in other areas of Torah wisdom.
As mentioned above, some of the Kabbalah students of Shuvi Nafshi begin their day of studies well before dawn. Later in the day, they are joined by several other dozen scholars in eager pursuit of mastering the deep works of Harav Hayim Vital, especially his Etz Hayim.
Besides their many hours of study, Shuvi Nafshi’s kabbalists sponsor many powerful prayer sessions following the formulas laid down by the great kabbalist Harav Shalom Sharabi (the Rashash), zt”l, who was the head of the famed Bet El yeshivah of Kabbalah studies in Yerushalayim. During the winter weeks of Shoshavim, the kabbalists sponsor special learning sessions, and lead the public in fasting and prayers each Thursday of this special period, for the purpose of rectifying sins. The ultimate purpose of these prayers and studies is to raise the holy Shekhina’s status and to facilitate the arrival of the Mashi’ah.
Some twenty years ago, Shuvi Nafshi founded an entirely new division dedicated to preparing unpublished manuscripts for publication, and for republishing works that had become rare and out of print. Over the years, this division has published several dozen works totaling hundreds of thousands of volumes. Some of these are from manuscripts that never saw print before, since their authors did not manage to have them published. Others are reworked editions of previously published works.
This painstaking work is done by a dedicated staff of Torah scholars who have expertise in this field. They begin by deciphering and copying the text from the manuscript, studying it in depth and editing it accordingly. All sources cited in the text are verified, and footnotes are added comparing the author’s text with those of other authors. Finally, the work is thoroughly and carefully proofread to ensure that the text is faithful to the original manuscript and/or earlier editions.
A Torah Library
The scholars at work in this division have at their disposal a vast library of Torah texts with tens of thousands of volumes, including copies of hundreds of unpublished manuscripts, some of which are more than 500 years old. The library includes halakhic responsa, novellae on the Torah, novellae on the Talmud, novellae on Kabbalah, and more. Hundreds of the volumes are quite old, having been published over a century ago. Many were the personal property of leading rabbis of previous generations, and the margins are filled with their valuable glosses.
The library includes texts covering every area of Torah wisdom. All this is at the disposal of our scholars and the public in general, as an aid in their pursuit of the Torah’s truth.
Part of Shuvi Nafshi’s activities is to provide financial support for widows and orphans. In the season just before the major holidays, assistance is distributed to large families with little means, and to other indigent people. Without our help, many of these people and families would be lacking even the most basic necessities.
After examining the financial abilities of our applicants, we provide a monetary stipend to those found to be eligible, so that they should be able to purchase their needed food and clothing. We also help with medical expenses that are not covered by the national health insurance funds or any other government agency.
In order to maintain all these projects and activities, Shuvi Nafshi needs tens of thousands of dollars each month. We depend entirely on the generosity of donors who appreciate our activities and find them worthy of their support. We wish to magnify and glorify the Torah, and our continued success depends on you.