Yaakov Moshe Hillel

Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Hillel (born August 29, 1945) is the head of[1] the Kabbalah Yeshiva Ahavat Shalom in Jerusalem. He has been described as a prolific author and publisher of sefarim;[2] most of his numerous works, are about Kabbalah.

Among his primary students[3] are rabbis Daniel Frisch[4] and Shimshon Pinkus.[5]

Biography

He was born in Mumbai, India to Moshe Hillel (grandson of Rabbi Avraham Hillel who served as a rabbi in Iraq). In adulthood, he lived in England, studied at the Gateshead Yeshiva, and later immigrated to Israel and studied at the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, where he became attached to and became a Talmid Muvhak of Rav Shach.[6]

He married Ziona, daughter of Rabbi Yitzhak Ohana, who was the chief rabbi of Kiryat Shmona.

After marrying, he studied at the Dayan and Rabbinical Training Institute established by Rishon Lezion, Rabbi Yitzhak Nissim, and at the Harry Fishel Institute.[7] Among other things, he learned the basics of Kabbalah from Rabbi Mordechai Attia (the grandfather).

Among his organization-building accomplishments are:[6]

  • He founded a yeshiva named Ahavat Shalom in the early 1970s, at which he began his daily classes in Kabbalah. Nowadays is the third biggest Yeshivah of the world, after Lakewood's and Mir.
  • Uses his (British) English-speaking background from his years at Gateshead to facilitate his Kiruv work.
  • Founded a girl's seminary, Bnos Elisheva, in 2002.[8]

Personal

He had 19 children. Prior to marrying, he was an artist, hence the title of Kol Hazman's biography: From Artist/Painter to Gaonic Kabbalist."[6]

Works

Many of the titles that use the word Yam (Hebrew: ים‎ or י"ם) refer to Hillel's initials, Yud Mem (for Yaakov Moshe). Similary, HaYam adds the letter Hay (ה), for Hillel.

His books[9] are:

  • (5754) VaYaShav HaYam - She'elot U'Teshuvot[10] (3 volume set; volume 3: 5772) - Volume 1 is about practical yet technical aspects of writing Torah scrolls and Tefillin.
    • (5772) VaYaShav HaYam (Volume 3) - She'elot U'Teshuvot[11] - Practical aspects, foundational issues, Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law)
  • (5760) HaVayn BeChochma (understand with wisdom)[12][13] - (3 volumes) Articles and Notes on Kabbalah Theory and Intention of the Rash
  • (5765) Aid HaGaL HaZeh[14] - about Lag BaOmer and Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon bar YoChai)
  • (5768) Aspaklariya DeNahara[15] - Annotation on the Preface of the River Streets of the Rash. Contains two commentaries: one called "Nahara uPashta" and the other named "MayAmKay HaYam."
  • (5771) GeVurot Ha-Ari[16] - Answers and Articles on resolving halachic and Kabalistic disputes
  • (5772) GaLay HaYam[17] - about the morning prayers in the synagogue (and praying with devotion)
  • (5772) Sefat HaYam (Hebrew: שפת הים‎) - a seven volume set:[18]
Topics of the other four volumes include ShoVaVim,[22] Chanukah and Purim.
  • (5777) Ruach HaYam[23] - assorted conversations and articles (22 chapters): Kiruv, Peter Chamor, laws dealing with a new Sefer Torah, the mitzvah of Torah study, preventing desecration of graves, proper inspection of Torah scrolls & Tefillin.[24]
    • Ruach HaYam - Hespedim (euologies): a same-year publication of Divrei Hesped for Rav Shach, Rav Elyashiv, and 11 others. Also has 4 more chapters done in honor/in memory of.[25]
  • (5778) Pe'At HaYam al Shaar HaKaVaNot[26] - writings about Passover, the counting of the Omer, and Shavuot.
  • (57xx)[27] PeTach Shaar HaShamayim & Binyan Ariel[28] - about studying Kabbalah (who should, how, when)
  • (57xx/74)[29] Shorshei HaYam at Etz Chaim (5 volumes)[30] - teachings based on Chaim Vital's Etz Chaim.

English
  • Faith and Folly: The Occult in Torah Perspective[31] was originally published in Hebrew as Tamim Tiheyeh (Hebrew: תמים תהיה‎).[32]
  • Ascending Jacob's Ladder[33] - a collection of essays on basic Jewish topics (Shabbat/Holidays, Prayers, Torah study), based on "Midrash, Mussar, and Kabbalah."
  • Roni Akarah: A Guide for the Childless[34]
  • (EDITOR) The Ben Ish Hai: The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Yosef Hayym[35]

Manuscripts/editing

He also edited works, based on existing manuscripts, on various Halachic topics:

  • Bein ZroOs Olam (Hebrew: בין זרועות עולם‎) - regarding positioning of a bed
  • Oter Yisroel BeSifAra (Hebrew: עוטר ישראל בתפארה‎) - regarding Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam's Tefillin; whether they may both be worn simultaneously.
  • VaYaTzetz Tzitz (Hebrew: ויצץ ציץ‎) - Kabbalistic view on having the fringes of the "minor" Talis (Arba Kanfot/Talis Katan) should be visible.
  • Yismach Moshe (Hebrew: ישמח משה‎) - regarding laws of mourning.

Publisher

Hillel oversees publication of works published by his yeshiva; these are not limited to writings about Kabbalah.

A professional reviewer praised one such work's introduction by Hillel, that it "observes correctly .. that the notes taken.. author .. proficiency."[36]

In his name

An article about a 3 volume set, "KitVuNi LeDoRot"[37] says that "large parts of the book were copied from his[38] book Binyan Ariel.[39] The published work was written to honor Hillel, and the title, which means write about me for posterity refers to a statement by Queen Esther.[40]

MeKavTsiel magazine

His teachings are also published in MeKavTsiel magazine.[41]

As a Sephardic sage,[42][43][2] he has been visiting Yeshiva Darchei Torah (Far Rockaway)[44] since 2004.[42]

Additional reading

References
  1. "Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Hillel (Ahavat Shalom)". Books of kabbalah by Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Hillel of Yeshivat Ahavat Shalom.
  2. "Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel Inspires Talmidim At Darchei". 5tJt.com (Five Towns Jewish Times). January 23, 2014.
  3. Talmid MuvHak
  4. Frish
  5. Pinkus/Pincus
  6. "Ohayv Shalom - צייר שהפך לגאון מקובל". Kol Hazman כל הזמן (All The Time).
  7. Harry Fishel Institute (Mechon Harry Fishel)
  8. Hebrew Wiki article: "Bnos Elisheva".
  9. https://seforimcenter.com/HEBREW-Books/Kabbalah/Rabbi-Yaakov-Moshe-Hillel-Ahavat-Shalom__c-p-0-0-73-77-209.aspx
  10. She'elot U'Teshuvot - Vayeshev HaYam: Volumes 1 & 2. Hebrew: וישב הים‎
  11. She'elot U'Teshuvot - Vayeshev HaYam, Volume #3. Hebrew: וישב הים‎
  12. Haven B'Chachma. Hebrew: הבן בחכמה‎
  13. volume 1 published 5760, volume 2 5776, volume 3 also published 5776
  14. Ed HaGal HaZeh. Hebrew: עד הגל הזה‎
  15. Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Hillel. "Aspaklaria de Nahara". Hebrew: אספקלריא דנהר"א‎
  16. Gevurat HaAri. Hebrew: גבורת הארי‎
  17. Galei HaYam al Shaar HaKavanot. Hebrew: גלי הים‎
  18. The Hebrew wiki says that these are commentaries about writings of the Ari and Rashash (R'Shalom Sharabi)
  19. Sefat HaYam: Rosh HaShanah, Sukkot & Shavuot.
  20. Sefat HaYam: Sfirat HaOmer.
  21. Sefat HaYam: Seuda & Birkat HaNeHeNin.
  22. The weeks of Shmos thru MishPaTim
  23. Ruach HaYam - Drashot u'Maamarim. Hebrew: רוח חיים‎
  24. Note: Hebrew Wiki's description (3 volumes: conversations and articles on the High Holidays, Passover and Shavuot) doesn't match table of content from LOOK INSIDE.
  25. one is for his late father
  26. Pe'at HaYam al Shaar HaKavanot. Hebrew: פאת הים‎
  27. no date @ cited URL
  28. PeTach Shaar HaShamayim & Binyan Ariel. Hebrew: פתח שער השמים‎
  29. no date @ cited URL for volumes 1-4; volume 5 has 5774
  30. |url=https://seforimcenter.com/showScannedImages.aspx?pfile=8272.jpg |title=Shorshei HaYam at Etz Chaim |quote=Hebrew: שרשי הים‎
  31. Yaakov Moshe Hillel (1990). Faith and Folly: The Occult in Torah Perspective. ISBN 0873065360.
  32. "Faith and Folly: The Occult in Torah Perspective". Feldheim Publishers.
  33. Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Hillel (2007). Ascending Jacob's Ladder. ArtScroll. ISBN 978-1422602270.
  34. Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Hillel (2016). Roni Akarah: A Guide for the Childless. ISBN 978-1602802919.
  35. Yaakov Moshe Hillel (Editor) (2018). The Ben Ish Hai: The Life and Legacy of Rabbi Yosef Hayym. KTAV Publishing House. ISBN 978-9659169337.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  36. "Rabbi E.E. Dessler's Novellae on the Talmud". Hillel ... under whose auspices the volume has been published
  37. Shivchei HaAri / HaAri U'GuRav / Kitvuni L'Dorot. Hebrew: כתבוני לדורות‎
  38. meaning Hillel's
  39. Yosef Aviv, Page 85 - there is a Hebrew wiki article about the author.
  40. Tractate Megillah, 7a
  41. Issue for Nissan-Tamuz, 5765: "MeKavTsiel (magazine)". MeKavTziel. Hebrew: מקבציאל‎
  42. "Sephardic sage visits Darchei". The Jewish Star (New York) (TheJewishStar.com). February 1, 2017.
  43. current age: 75 years. Sage: Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), 5:25 (.. 50, 60, 70 ..)
  44. a large largely Ashkenaz Yeshiva that also has a sizeablye number of Sephardi students
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