Rabbi Chaim ben Attar (1696–1743), universally known as the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh ("The Holy Ohr Hachaim"), was one of the most towering Torah scholars, Talmudists, and kabbalists of the 18th century.

Born in Morocco, his influence spread like wildfire across the globe. He is one of the rare figures in Jewish history to be granted the title "Hakadosh" (The Holy) by universal consensus—revered equally by Sephardic communities, Lithuanian Talmudists, and Eastern European Chassidim.

1. Early Life and the Moroccan Period

Rabbi Chaim was born in Salé, Morocco, into a distinguished family of Spanish exiles. He was taught primarily by his grandfather, a renowned scholar also named Rabbi Chaim ben Attar.

• Hardship and Famine: His years in Morocco were marked by intense political instability, religious persecution, and a devastating famine that struck the region in 1738.

• The Flight from Morocco: Forced to flee his home due to the economic collapse and exorbitant taxes levied on the Jewish community, he began a wandering journey. He lived temporarily in Fez and Tetouan before making a monumental decision: he would realize his lifelong dream of moving to Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel).

2. The Journey and the Livorno Turning Point

In 1739, Rabbi Chaim arrived in Livorno (Leghorn), Italy, a major Mediterranean port city with a wealthy, vibrant Jewish community. This stopover changed the course of Jewish literary history.

• Captivating Italy: The Italian Jewish community was utterly spellbound by his profound brilliance, his ascetic holiness, and his magnetic speaking style.

• Funding the Dream: The wealthy philanthropists of Livorno offered to fully fund his dream. They raised massive sums of money to support him, his family, and a large group of disciples so he could establish a premier kabbalistic academy in Jerusalem.

• Publishing the Masterpieces: While in Italy, he took the opportunity to print his most famous manuscripts, ensuring his teachings would be preserved globally before he sailed for Israel.

3. Arrival in the Holy Land

In 1741, Rabbi Chaim and his entourage arrived in Israel. Because of a severe plague raging in Jerusalem, they initially established themselves in the northern port town of Acre (Akko) and later moved to Peki'in.

In 1742, they finally entered the holy gates of Jerusalem.

• The Yeshiva: He established the Knesset Yisrael Yeshiva in the Old City. The academy was split into two divisions: one dedicated to open, intensive Talmudic study, and an elite inner circle dedicated to the midnight study of the hidden secrets of Kabbalah.

• Tragic Premature Passing: Rabbi Chaim’s leadership in Jerusalem was tragically short-lived. He passed away in 1743 at the young age of 47, just one year after his arrival. He was buried on the western slopes of Har Hazeitim (the Mount of Olives), where his gravesite remains an epicenter for prayer to this day.

4. Masterworks and Literary Style

The Ohr Hachaim was a prolific author whose works span across all facets of Jewish law and mysticism.

Ohr Hachaim (Light of Life)

This is his undisputed magnum opus—a multi-layered commentary on the Five Books of Moses.

• It seamlessly blends four levels of interpretation: literal meaning (Peshat), homiletics (Remez), philosophical/legal analysis (Derash), and deep Kabbalistic secrets (Sod).

• The work is written with an intense poetic beauty and a burning love for the divine soul of humanity. It became so popular that it was widely printed alongside the standard text of the Torah in most Jewish editions.

Other Vital Works

• Pri Toar (Beautiful Fruit): A highly complex, advanced commentary on the Shulchan Aruch (the Code of Jewish Law), specifically dealing with the intricate laws of kosher dietary dietary requirements.

• Chefetz Hashem (God's Desire): A brilliant collection of legal novellae and analytical explanations on several tractates of the Talmud, written during his early years in Morocco.

5. The Chassidic Adoration

One of the most unique phenomena surrounding Rabbi Chaim ben Attar is how deeply he was adopted by the Chassidic movement of Eastern Europe, despite being a Sephardic sage from North Africa who never set foot in Poland or Ukraine.

The Baal Shem Tov (the founder of Chassidism) revered the Ohr Hachaim to a supernatural degree.

• The Baal Shem Tov famously testified that he could spiritually sense when Shabbat had arrived by watching the soul of the Ohr Hachaim illuminate the upper worlds.

• The Besht asserted that the Ohr Hachaim’s soul was a direct spark of the Messiah. He famously attempted to travel to Israel under highly perilous conditions, declaring that if he could only physically meet the Ohr Hachaim, their combined spiritual energy would bring about the final redemption of the world.

Because of this profound endorsement, Chassidic Jews to this day study the Ohr Hachaim commentary every single Friday night, viewing his words as a direct conduit for elevating their Sabbath joy.