Background
Sar Shalom Sharabi was born in Jewish Sharab, Yemen.
Sar Shalom Sharabi was born in Jewish Sharab, Yemen.
In later life, he became the Rosh Yeshiva of Bet El Yeshiva in the Old City of Jerusalem. He moved to Palestine, then under Ottoman rule, in fulfilment of a vow. On his way he stayed in India, Baghdad and Damascus.
In Damascus, he was involved in a dispute of Halacha over the minimum olive size kezayit of matzah that one should eat at the Pesach Seder.
In Palestine he made a strong impression on the local rabbinic sages, and is frequently mentioned in their books At Bet El Yeshiva, he belonged to a group of 12 mekubalim along with Hida, Rabbi Yom-Tov Algazi and other sages of Sephardic and Yemenite congregations.
He remained at Bet El Yeshiva until his death, eventually becoming Rosh Yeshiva. According to legend, the prophet Elijah appeared to him, and he is understood by the major Kabbalists as being himself the Gilgul of the Arizal.
Members of Bet El continue to prostrate themselves on his grave on the Mount of Olives on the anniversary of his death.