Tzfat is one of four Holy cities of the Land of Israel, besides Jerusalem, Hebron, and Tiberias. Each of these cities is associated in Jewish tradition with the four essential elements of nature, of which Tzfat is a City of Air. (Other three cities represent, respectively, Fire, Earth, Water)
Being a mountain city, the air is pure, and the light has a magical quality. The height of the mountain and the purity of light allows to see far away. It has been also called a city of “Vision”, and, not accidentally, from Talmudic times, it has been known as the location of growing the most beautiful Hadassim (myrtle) – one of the 4 species used on Sukkot Holiday, that has leaves resembling shape of the eyes, and representing vision.
Besides the ability to clearly see surrounding areas, the air of Tzfat is also conducive to the clarity of perception, and it attracted from medieval times great Torah sages, and became an important center of Torah learning.
The first printing press in the Land of Israel was set up in 16th century in Tzfat, and Torah works started to be printed and propagated from here. The local library of the Breslov Synagogue still has those first editions of books on Jewish Law and Kabbalah.
Rabbi Joseph Karo completed, in 16th century in Tzfat, his 20-year long work of unifying previously existing Torah codes and commentaries, and creating the Shulhan Aruch – a most influential book of Halacha (The Jewish Law) in the world today. His contemporary Rabbi Moshe Cordovero evaluated and systematized all previously existing work on Kabbalah, creating several masterpiece works. He also emphasized importance of Kavannah – inner vision of deep meditative concentration. Here in Tzfat the saintly Rabbi Luria (Arizal) taught his students the mysteries of the Zohar, and his teachings were written down by his major disciple, Chaim Vital.
Arizal’s understanding of Kabbalah and his clarity of vision were beyond normal human abilities. He understood the chirping of the birds, the rustling of leaves, and the speech of angels. By looking at a person he could tell everything that happened to him in his lifetime and previous incarnations, his purpose in the world, and prescribe a remedy for his soul.
Those great Torah lights, and others that followed them through the centuries, left their imprint on the city, and today the desire to clearly “see” the truth of the Torah and its deeper meaning is very much alive in Tzfat.
Even the taxi drivers are well versed in Talmud. The average person here is well aware of Kabbalistics concepts. One of the local book stores has a sidewalk display, which include books on how to read the lines on foreheads and palms, the spiritual significance of precious stones, the interpretation of dreams, and many books on Segulot (spiritual remedies and protections). Almost every Torah class in the city has multiple references to the Zohar (the major work on Kabalah) , and it is assumed that listeners understand its basic ideas. One of the local wine makers trains every vine he grows to create a shape with kabbalistic significance, the basics of which would take too long to explain in a short post. If you want to know more about holy and mystical aspects of wine-making, you have to go to the “Ancient Tzfat Winery” and contact Rav Moshe. Zohar is being taught in many places of learning, two of which are Rabbi Alon Anava’s Beit Medrash (in English – www.alonanava.com), and Yeshiva Minchat Yehuda (in Hebrew.)
Not surprisingly, Tzfat is a place that attracted Rabbi Meir Sendor, formerly Rabbi of Young Israel of Sharon, MA, whose major focus of interest is authentic Jewish Meditation using kabbalistic approach. (http://www.talorot.org)
We are attending his by-weekly Friday morning meditation sessions. We meet in a typical ancient stone room with high arched dome ceiling, with simple seating on rugs and divans, and large arched windows. The entrance to the room is from the garden with beautiful trees and flowers.
Guided by Rabbi Sendor, we start with five minutes of silent meditation, followed by Kabalistic meditation with specific spiritual goals. After the session is over, we return looking at the world in a different way: the Tzfat way.