Ari Sephardi Synagogue

|image        = [[File:00000232 door ari sefaradi.jpg|215px|alt=Ari Sephardi Synagogue]]

|header1 = Hebrew:

|data2  = בית כנסת האר״י ספרדי

|header3 = Spelling:

|data4  = Arei, Hari, Sephardic, Sephardik, Sefardic, Sefardi, Sepharadic, Sepharadi

|header5 = Other Names:

|data6  = Arizal Shul

|header7 = Description:

|data8  = Old Synagogue in Safed, Israel named after Rabbi Yitzhak Luria.

[[File:00000137-sign-beit-knesset-ari-sefardi.jpg|thumb|180px|right|Sign at the shul entrance.]]The ARI Sepharadi was built in the 13th century above the [[Ancient Tzfat Cemetery|ancient Tzfat cemetery]]. At that time, the small Jewish community of approximately a dozen families was rebuilding after the defeat of the Crusaders who had [[Crusaders in Safed|ruled the area]] for much of the previous two centuries. They named the synagogue the “Eliyahu HaNavi” -- Elijah the Prophet -- synagogue and the synagogue served as a center of Jewish life as the community grew.

[[File:00000138L ari sephardi entrance eliyaho hanavi room.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Candles lit in the room.]] [[Rabbi Yitzchak Luria|Rabbi Isaac Luria]], known as The ARI -- The Lion -- arrived in [[Safed|Tzfat]] in 1570. He was already recognized as a renowned Kabbalistic scholar. His presence in Tzfat, alongside that of his students, elevated the city to become the City of Kabbalah, one of Judaism’s four Holy Cities.

The ARI prayed in the Eliyahu HaNavi synagogue and he also studied Kabbalah in a sideroom of the synagogue. Although the Arizal was Ashkenazi and not Sepharadi, he preferred to pray with a Sephardi minyan since he held their nusach was closer to the original wording created by the Anshi Kneset Hagdola in their attempt to fuse all the 12 tribal variations of prayer. Eliyahu HaNavi himself would come to sit with the ARI and study with him. The prophet would reveal new insights into Jewish mysticism which allowed the ARI to develop and expand Kabbalistic study. His stream of Kabbalah became the “Luranic Kabbalah,” the focus of most of today’s Kabbalah study.

After the ARI’s death the Tzfat community renamed the Eliyahu HaNavi synagogue after the ARI. Later, congregants of the Grecos Tzfat synagogue also wanted to name their synagogue the “ARI” synagogue The two synagogues differentiated by naming the older synagogue the “ARI Sepharadi”, and the second one the '[[Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue|ARI Ashkanazi]]'.

[[File:00000107 ari sefardi directly above cemetery.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Ari Sephardi Shul directly above cemetery.]]The ARI Sepharadi synagogue is open during the week. Visitors can see the artistically-decorated synagogue, including the room infront of where the ARI sat with Elijah the Prophet and learned Kabbalistic insights. The actual room used by the Arizal has been sealed up, to prevent unworthy people from entering. The synagogue is laid out in Sepharadi tradition with the “Bima” -- the center table -- raised six steps up in the center of the main floor. This custom is derived from Kabbalistic teachings that encourage creating a prayer area that replicates the manner in which the six days of the week lead to the Sabbath. Local artists have contributed their work to the synagogue’s intricate and detailed wall and Ark etchings and paintings. The Ari Sepharadi only has minyonim on Shabbos and holiday mornings.