Baba sali biography of michael

I recently acquired two handwritten documents, written by the Baba Sali in his early years, which tell of the personality and greatness of the man before his later fame as a miracle worker.

Born in 1889 in Morocco, R. Israel Abuhatzeira (died 1984) was the son of R. Masoud and grandson of R. Yaakov Abuhatzeira who served as rabbis in the Tafilalt region in Eastern Morocco. In 1908, the Baba Sali’s father Rabbi Masoud passed away, and the eldest son R.

David took his place as rabbi of the community. In 1919, there were local revolts against the ruling French by local Muslim rulers. Viewed as having leanings towards the French rulers, the Jews were persecuted by the revolting Muslim local rulers, led by Mulai Mohamad who decreed that all the Jewish inhabitants of the Tafilalt region be murdered.

On Dec. 6, 1919, R. David Abuhatzeira, leader of the community, alongside two other leaders of the community, was murdered by Mulai Mohamed and his henchmen