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The Ashkenazi Ari Synagogue, located in Safed,
The Ari-Ashkenazi Shul
on AscentOfSafed.com The Ari's tradition of welcoming the Sabbath during
The Ashkenazi HaAri Synagogue
{{Coord, 32.968635, N, 35.486655, E, display=title Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Israel Ashkenazi synagogues Greek-Jewish culture in Israel Jews and Judaism in Safed Sephardi Jewish culture in Israel Sephardi synagogues Synagogues in Safed Buildings and structures in Northern District (Israel) 16th-century synagogues Orthodox synagogues in Israel Isaac Luria 16th-century establishments in Ottoman Syria
The Ashkenazi Ari Synagogue, located in Safed, Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, was built in memory of Rabbi Isaac Luria
Isaac ben Solomon Luria Ashkenazi (1534 Fine 2003, p24/ref> – July 25, 1572) ( he, יִצְחָק בן שלמה לוּרְיָא אשכנזי ''Yitzhak Ben Sh'lomo Lurya Ashkenazi''), commonly known in Jewish religious circles as "Ha'ARI" (mea ...
(1534 - 1572), who was known by the Hebrew acronym "the ARI". It dates from the late 16th-century, it being constructed several years after the death of Luria, a great kabbalist who arrived in Safed in 1570. The synagogue is known for its colorful and ornate Holy Ark. It may be the oldest synagogue in Israel that is still in use.
Though the synagogue is associated by name with the Ashkenazi community, today it serves as a place of worship for both Hasidic and Sephardic Jews and remains popular among worshippers of different affiliations.
Another ancient Safed synagogue dedicated to Rabbi Isaac Luria is known as the Sephardic Ari Synagogue.
History
The synagogue was established by Sephardic immigrants fromGreece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders ...
who arrived in Safed during the sixteenth century. When Rabbi Isaac Luria arrived in 1570, he prayed in this synagogue on the eve of the Shabbat. During the service, he was accustomed to leave the synagogue with his disciples and walk to a nearby field to welcome the Sabbath. Alternatively, this was at the time a forested area at the margin of Safed, and the ARI used to welcome the Sabbath in these forests.on AscentOfSafed.com The Ari's tradition of welcoming the Sabbath during
Kabbalat Shabbat
Jewish prayer ( he, תְּפִלָּה, ; plural ; yi, תּפֿלה, tfile , plural ; Yinglish: davening from Yiddish 'pray') is the prayer recitation that forms part of the observance of Rabbinic Judaism. These prayers, often with i ...
is still echoed in Jewish communities around the world during the singing of Lecha Dodi
Lekha Dodi ( he, לכה דודי) is a Hebrew-language Jewish liturgical song recited Friday at dusk, usually at sundown, in synagogue to welcome the Sabbath prior to the evening services. It is part of Kabbalat Shabbat.
The refrain of ''Lek ...
, when worshippers turn toward the entrance of the synagogue to "greet" the sabbath.
In the eighteenth century, with the arrival of the Hasidim
Ḥasīd ( he, חסיד, "pious", "saintly", "godly man"; plural "Hasidim") is a Jewish honorific, frequently used as a term of exceptional respect in the Talmudic and early medieval periods. It denotes a person who is scrupulous in his observ ...
from Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whic ...
, the synagogue came to serve the Ashkenazi community.
The synagogue was destroyed in the Galilee earthquake of 1837
The Galilee earthquake of 1837, often called the Safed earthquake, shook the Galilee on January 1 and is one of a number of moderate to large events that have occurred along the Dead Sea Transform (DST) fault system that marks the boundary of t ...
, and was rebuilt 20 years later.
During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War a bomb is said to have fallen in the courtyard. Shrapnel
Shrapnel may refer to:
Military
* Shrapnel shell, explosive artillery munitions, generally for anti-personnel use
* Shrapnel (fragment), a hard loose material
Popular culture
* ''Shrapnel'' (Radical Comics)
* ''Shrapnel'', a game by Adam C ...
flew into the synagogue while it was packed with people seeking shelter, yet miraculously no one was hurt. This event is one of many miracles
A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divin ...
said to have taken place in Safed.
Description
A Hebrew inscription above the entrance lintel reads: ''"How awe-inspiring is this place, the synagogue of the Ari of blessed memory."'' The Holy Ark was carved from olive wood by a craftsman from Galicia, in the style of the synagogues of Eastern Europe. It includes an anthropomorphic image of a lion, alluding to Rabbi Luria's acronym Ari, which means lion.See also
*Oldest synagogues in the world
Historic synagogues include synagogues that date back to ancient times and synagogues that represent the earliest Jewish presence in cities around the world. Some synagogues were destroyed and rebuilt several times on the same site. Others we ...
* Oldest synagogues in Israel
References
External links
The Ashkenazi HaAri Synagogue
{{Coord, 32.968635, N, 35.486655, E, display=title Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Israel Ashkenazi synagogues Greek-Jewish culture in Israel Jews and Judaism in Safed Sephardi Jewish culture in Israel Sephardi synagogues Synagogues in Safed Buildings and structures in Northern District (Israel) 16th-century synagogues Orthodox synagogues in Israel Isaac Luria 16th-century establishments in Ottoman Syria