מרן זצ"ל על קברו של רבי יעקב אביחצרא
Some have the custom to visit the cemetery of Erev Rosh Hashanah. The Gemara (Ta’anit 16a) states, “Why do we go to visit a cemetery on a public fast day? In order to show that we are like the dead and in order for the deceased to request Heavenly mercy on our behalf.” The Gemara states further (Sotah 14a), “Why was Moshe Rabbeinu’s grave hidden from all human beings? This is because Hashem knew that in the future, the Bet Hamikdash would eventually be destroyed and that the Jewish nation would be exiled from their land. If they would come to the tomb of Moshe and weep there and beg him to pray on their behalf, Moshe would have arisen and nullified the harsh decree, for the righteous are more beloved after their passing than during their life.” Based on these sources, there are those who customarily pray at the graves of the righteous on Erev Rosh Hashanah. The Rama rules likewise in the laws of Rosh Hashanah and writes that it is customary to visit the cemetery on Erev Rosh Hashanah in order to pray copiously there.
Nevertheless, Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes in the name of the Poskim that one who visits a cemetery should not pray to the deceased themselves as if they have the power to save or help him as several other nations do; rather, one should request Heavenly mercy from Hashem in the merit of the deceased righteous individual.
However, this does not mean that one may not ask anything of the deceased; rather, this just means that one may not request salvation from the deceased. For instance, if one is next to the grave of a righteous man, one may not exclaim, “May it be your will, Rabbi so-and-so, that you save me and help me etc.” Rather, one may request from the soul of the righteous person to speak favorably on one’s behalf before Hashem so that Hashem help him regarding whatever the issue is.
Indeed, Maran zt”l rules likewise in his Chazon Ovadia-Avelut (Volume 3, page 210) that it is permissible to request from the soul of a righteous man to speak favorably on our behalf so that Hashem grant one many years many years to serve Him. He writes that the great luminary, the saintly Ari z”l, that when one visits the graves of the righteous, especially those who know how to concentrate on certain things known only to those who are well-versed in Kabbalah, the soul of the deceased shall greatly help that individual.
Once, in the year 5749 (1989), Maran zt”l traveled to Egypt in order to meet with the President at that time, Hosni Mubarak, in order to request his assistance for the Jewish community there regarding certain issues, especially regarding a certain Jew who was sentenced to death in Egypt. Maran then requested that the President pardon him. Maran continued to request his assistance regarding the Jewish cemetery in Cairo, where Hagaon Harav Chaim Chafusi zt”l Ba’al Ha’Ness was buried, since the Egyptian government wished to make a wide street through the cemetery. Indeed, the President heeded Maran’s request and he instructed that the Jewish inmate be pardoned and to cancel the planned street through the cemetery. When Maran zt”l finished speaking, President Mubarak requested that all of his close confidants exit the room and then turned to Maran and said, “Honored Rabbi, I truly believe in your blessing and your holiness. Please bless me!” Maran zt”l then placed his hands upon the head of the President and blessed him that his reign should continue for many years. Indeed, Hosni Mubarak merited that his tenure lasted for approximately thirty years, much longer than any of Egypt’s prior leaders in the past generation.
During the same visit, Maran zt”l traveled to Damanhur, Egypt in order to visit the grave of the great and saintly Hagaon Harav Yaakov Abuchatzera zt”l who was buried there. When Maran arrived in close proximity of this righteous man’s grave, he exclaimed, “Rabbi Yaakov, We have come here for the sake of Heaven so that the Egyptians do not destroy the Jewish cemetery. Please help our cause in Heaven!” (Heard from Rabbi Aryeh Deri, Maran’s close confidant, who accompanied Maran throughout the entire trip.)
Nevertheless, this must be done in the right balance, for sometimes, the harm in entering a cemetery outweighs the benefit, for the Mekubalim write that when one enters a cemetery, many bad and impure spirits may attach themselves to him. Indeed, Hagaon Rabbeinu Eliyahu of Vilna would not visit cemeteries and when it was the Yahrzeit of his mother (whom he honored very much), he was requested to visit his mother’s grave in honor of his mother’s memory and that this would cause her great satisfaction. The Gaon replied that the last time he visited his mother’s grave, she was so happy, she actually clapped her hands! Nevertheless, the great Gaon refused and said that although this would no doubt cause his mother great satisfaction, however, this would cause him great harm. Indeed, on the day of Maran zt”l’s father’s Yahrzeit, he would not visit his grave and said that it would be better if he learned Torah at home in the merit of his soul and that this would cause him greater satisfaction. (Nonetheless, Maran would visit the grave of his wife on the day of her Yahrzeit.) On the other hand, in a cemetery where only righteous people are buried, such as the grave of the Rambam in Teveria, it seems that what we have discussed above does not apply.
