Harashba – Rabbi Shimon Agassi

Rabbi Shimon Agassi and His Son Ezra Zion, Baghdad, 1910, Courtesy of Shimon Agassi, grandson of Rabbi Shimon Agassi

Curator: Orly Baher Levy

Rabbi Shimon Agassi (1852-1914), known as "Harashba," was one of the most eminent Baghdadi rabbis in the modern period – the head of a yeshiva, a Kabbalist, a scriptural interpreter, a liturgist, and a beacon for the community in times of crisis and anguish.

While still a teenager, Rabbi Agassi was drawn to Kabbalah, which he continued to study throughout his life, together with his close friend Rabbi Yehuda Ftaya. Following the heart-rending death of his son Aharon, he delved deeper into Shaar Hagilgulim (Gate of Reincarnations) by Rabbi Isaac Luria  – The Holy Ari. In 1908, Rabbi Agassi published an annotated and in-depth commentary on Shaar HaGilgulim, entitled Bnei Aharon. That work was circulated widely in Baghdad, Jerusalem, North Africa and Europe. During the same period, he also continued to write new commentaries on the Torah, as well as sermons, essays on Jewish laws, and liturgies.

This exhibition showcases personal artifacts and replicas of various writings, which shed light on the life and multifaceted endeavors of Rabbi Shimon Agassi.