The Wonders of Harav Yitzchack Kadouri

The entrance to the Rav’s house on Fishel St. 107 the other younger Kabbalists, and Harav Nissim testi¿es how they would even witness his body rise some ten centimeters off of his chair, his face radiating great satisfaction and light, before he resumed learning as before. The draft for religious students In , the religious world was in upheaval over the planned legislation of the Israeli government. Demonstrations were planned to protest the /eftists’ proposal to draft the religious students into the army. Similarly, they had pre- pared a law allowing the commerce of pork and its related products. Some of the Rav’s ardent followers could not bring themselves to tolerate such anti- religious proposals, and they came to the Yazidim synagogue where the Rav prayed. It was erev Yom Kippur, and they devised a plan. The sexton opened the bidding for the honor to open the Holy Ark, and these men bought the pri- vilege, who then asked the Rav to do the honor. As the Rav opened the Ark, they approached the Rav and asked him to curse the /eftists who proposed the law and pushed for its passage in the Knesset. However, in contradiction to their request, the Rav said that they should be healthy and well and return to the Jewish way of life. Again they asked the Rav to curse them but the Rav refused. The Rav cried and prayed for their full repentance. This was his way, never cursing or wishing bad on others. D. tells us another story from that time period. The Rav would pray the Mor- ning Prayers in the Yazidim synagogue, whereas the Afternoon and (vening weekday prayers were held in his house on Fishel Street. His practice was to say a short shiur during the interval between the two, and many came to listen to his stories of the Ba’al Shem Tov. One thing the Rav did not allow was to be recorded or photographed without his consent. He openly announced his ob- jections on many occasions. /o and behold, those who did not pay heed to the Rav’s wishes and tried to photograph him found their ¿lm underdeveloped or their camera inoperative. Despite this, a family member tried to tape the shiur , hiding a cassette recorder under his clothing. After the shiur , the Rav turned to that person and said, “/ets hear what you taped.” Shamed and embarrassed for doing so, and for being caught by the Rav against his wishes, he tried to