The Ohr HaChaim

Chaim ibn Attar, known as the Ohr HaChaim ('Light of Life'), was a Moroccan rabbi, kabbalist, and biblical commentator born in Fez around 1696. He became renowned throughout North Africa for his piety, learning, and mystical insights. In his fifties, he made aliyah to Jerusalem, where he established a yeshiva and spent his final years in intense study and contemplation until his death in 1743. He is best remembered for his Torah commentary of the same name, which weaves together peshat (literal meaning), derush (homiletical interpretation), and kabbalistic depth. His works profoundly influenced subsequent Jewish thought, and he is venerated in Jewish tradition as a spiritual giant whose prayers and teachings continue to inspire.