On 24 Tevet 5597, January 1, 1837, a severe earthquake struck Safed and the surrounding area. Homes and synagogues were damaged, and the community faced heavy loss and widespread destruction. Within the memory of the disaster, a rescue story was preserved concerning the study hall of Rabbi Avraham Dov of Avritch, author of Bat Ayin.
The Worshippers Gather around the Tzaddik
According to tradition, the Bat Ayin was in his Safed study hall when the earthquake struck and instructed the worshippers to gather around him. Part of the building collapsed, while the part occupied by the tzaddik and his students remained standing, and they survived. The account appears in an article by Yisrael Shapira in Kikar HaShabbat, which refers to the book Toldot Adam.
The Memorial Plaque at the Avritch Synagogue
The photograph accompanying this article shows the inscription now at the entrance to the Bat Ayin synagogue in Safed. It commemorates the tradition that half the study hall remained standing and that the rabbi and his students survived. This is a photograph of the present-day memorial plaque, rather than an image from the time of the earthquake.
For visitors, the inscription connects today's study hall with the memory of the community that lived there. Read more about The Tomb and Study Hall in Safed and about this chapter in the Bat Ayin's life.
From Rescue to Rebuilding Safed
The Bat Ayin's work continued beyond the rescue of the worshippers. According to the Abbo family website, Rabbi Shmuel Abbo and the Rabbi of Avritch worked together to rebuild the city, bringing builders from Damascus to repair ruined homes. Alongside the tradition of the miracle, the memory of leadership and concern for restoring communal life was preserved.
For more stories about the tzaddik and his students, visit Stories and Testimonies. Learn about his annual commemoration and studying his teachings at the hillula meal on our The Bat Ayin Hillula.