From Chabad.org:
Rabbi Isaac Luria Ashkenazi, known as Ari HaKadosh passed away on the 5th of Av of the year 5332 from creation (1572 CE).
Born in Jerusalem in 1534, he spent many years in secluded study near Cairo, Egypt. In 1570 he settled in Safed, where he lived for two years until his passing at age 38.
During that brief period, the Ari revolutionized the study of Kabbalah, and came to be universally regarded as one of the most important figures in Jewish mysticism.
It was he who proclaimed, “In these times, we are allowed and duty-bound to reveal this wisdom,” opening the door to the integration of the teachings of Kabbalah–until then the province of a select few in each generation–into “mainstream” Judaism.
VIDEO:
Dr. Henry Abramson, Dean of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences in Flatbush, New York, speaks about the Arizal emerging from the 16th century Safed circle of Jewish mystics and his influence on later Jewish movements, in particular Chassidism, to this day.
Photos: Davening at the Arizal’s kever last night in Tzfas, Israel
Thanks for the kind words! Glad to see the lecture is useful. HMA
Being that most of Lubavitch Minhagim & our Nusach is Arizal so it’s an important day for Lubavitch, especially the fact that a lot of chassidus is based on Kisvei H’Arizal, The Alter Rebbe based his Sidur on the Arizal’s Sidur.
Thank You, such a great presentation
There was a magnificent tent put up by Chabad by Rabbi Kaplan of Tzefas. There was food beharchavasdo tastefully served,video of the Rebbe playing & Chassidus sefarim sold. There were thousands if people there. How did u miss it?
great mekurav to chabad…great teacher and professor…
former student