A Short Tribute
Hacham Mori Yaish Koriani, son of Hacham Moussa, was born in Yemen. One of the sages of the Hujrah province of Yemen, he was appointed Head of the Rabbinic Court and Chief Rabbi of the city of Moitzira. Hacham David Haddad and Hacham Yosef Hassan officiated alongside him in the rabbinic court.
Hacham Mori Yaish Koriani, proficient in both the hidden and revealed facets of Torah, led a saintly and ascetic life, and reached great spiritual heights. A large number of students, including Hacham Mori Shlomo Tebib and Hacham Mori Haim Sinaoui, succeeded him.
Hacham Yaish Koriani passed away on 20 Adar, 5677 (1917). He authored many works, some of which have been lost over time: Tipei Shemen, Peirot HaIlan, Neve Hochma and others. His principal work, Makhmadei Shama’im, on the Torah, survived and was published in 2007.
A few quotes from the Rabbi on 'Traditions of the Fathers' in which he shares a talisman to avoid transgression – drawing and gazing on a portrait of one’s parents
People have the need and a great obligation towards the lofty attribute of walking the best and excellent path, to be under the watchful eyes of their parents, in particular after their demise; to have their thoughts, hearts and sights fixed upon them. A person can draw their portrait upon which to gaze, as a talisman that helps avoid wayward deliberations and negative thoughts, and to avoid all sin and guilt, as would a righteous person choose. There is an important obligation to pray and plead for their sake after their death, and to fast on the anniversaries of their death - as many of those bearing the awe of God in their hearts are accustomed to doing.
This also applies to praying and pleading to the Holy One, blessed be He, for their sake, that He show compassion and forgive them their transgressions; this should be done every twelve months on the anniversaries of their death. Visit their graves every New Moon, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, every fifteenth of the month, and during the entire month of Elul. These are days to prostrate oneself [at their tomb] so that no human harm attains you. On other days, when one has the time, one should go some distance from their grave to a place from where it can be seen, stand there and pray for them, and recite a few words of Torah that come to mind at that time.
Mahmadei Shama’im, p. 326, Beit Midrash “Or Hai”, Jerusalem, 2007
