Why the Chesed L'Avraham Had a Seal with a Drawing of a Ship • For the Yom

Today, the 24th of Marheshvan, marks the 381st Hillula (anniversary of passing) (5404/1643 - 5785/2024) of the author of the Chesed L'Avraham—the holy Kabbalist and Tzaddik, Rabbeinu Abraham Azulai, son of Rabbi Mordechai, the great-great-grandfather of our master the Chida zy"a (may his merit protect us). Below is an excerpt from a lesson in which our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a (may he live long and good days), explains why the Chesed L'Avraham used a seal with a drawing of a ship, and the greatness of dwelling in the Land of Israel:

The Chesed L'Avraham writes that even if one might drown, it is worthwhile to ascend to the Land of Israel. For the Chesed L'Avraham had a seal with a drawing of a ship, because on his journey, the ship almost sank and he was saved; therefore, he would sign with a drawing of a ship. The Chesed L'Avraham writes that anyone who dies on the way to the Land immediately ascends to learn Torah from the mouth of the Holy One, Blessed be He (Hashem), and the Holy One, Blessed be He, immediately receives him and gives him wings. Everyone who ascended to the Land will have wings, and in the future to come, those who remained outside of the Land will see those who traveled to the Land—that they have wings and are ascending to hear Torah from Hashem Yisborach (the Blessed Name) and descending. They will ask them what they heard, what chiddushim (original Torah insights) they heard; they will hear chiddushim on Parshat Vayeshev.

It was a miracle that he held onto his Tefillin (phylacteries); nothing remained for him except the Tefillin, and then he made a seal in the shape of a ship. All the seals of the Chesed L'Avraham are seals with the shape of a ship. So even to drown in the sea, even to be drowned—the main thing is to ascend to the Land of Israel, it doesn't matter. The Chesed L'Avraham in the third "Ma'ayan" (Spring), the "Spring of the Land," says a person is obligated to ascend to the Land of Israel, even if he knows he will drown in the sea, or knows he will be sold as a slave. In the Land of Israel, we are in the World of Yetzirah (Formation); therefore, those who "descend" (leave the Land) to go outside of the Land descend from Yetzirah to Asiyah (Action), and the soul is exchanged. When a person leaves the Land, they exchange his soul; when he returns to the Land, they return his soul to him.

(Collected from the lessons of our teacher, the Rav, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, over the years. If an error is found, it should be attributed to the collector and writer and not, Heaven forbid, to the Rav shlit"a, and may our error remain with us.)

Prayer from the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a for his holy grave in the Jewish cemetery in Hebron:

https://www.shuvubanimint.com/53502/

Prayer from the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a for the Yom Hillula (written on the Yom Hillula 5784 - last year):

Please Hashem, in the merit of the Chesed L'Avraham, merit us to reach the days of the Mashiach (Messiah) and the life of the World to Come, and may we merit to see the complete Geulah (Redemption), and Mashiach ben David. May we merit to see the Holy Temple of fire descending from Heaven, and Eliyahu HaNavi (Elijah the Prophet) bringing the sacrifices, and may we merit to offer them day by day—the daily offerings in their order and the additional offerings (musafim) according to their laws. Also, the musaf offerings of the Shabbat and the musaf offerings of the Festivals, may we merit to offer them in their time and their appointed season. And through this, may we merit the complete Geulah, and may there be no more exile!