Dedicated in memory of Mr. Irving Semah    

Left: Hacham Ovadia Yosef shelita at about age six Below: in his By Yehuda Azoulay early years as Chief It was Friday night, long after erev Shabbat prayers were over, when a loud banging noise coming from the ezrat nashim (ladies section) of the kinees (synagogue) startled the neighboring families. They quickly ran to summon the gabbai (caretaker), and when he opened the door, he found a young student, standing inside the synagogue. The youthful scholar was so immersed in his learning that he did not notice when the kinees was locked up and everyone went home. Some six decades later, this dedicated student is known to us as Maran Hagaon Hacham Ovadia Yosef, shelita. The learning habits of Hacham Ovadia, during his youth are nothing short of awe- inspiring. The stories here were originally compiled by Hacham Yizhak Yosef shelita, Hacham Ovadia's son, based on accounts he collected from and about his father. They are now part of a book entitled, Igeret Leben Torah, which seeks to offer guidance to young students on how to achieve greatness in Torah.

Single-minded Focus on Torah Tel-Aviv, until after he was married. All his stood up in honor of Hacham Ovadia and The Rambam, in Moreh Nevuchim1, energy was concentrated exclusively on his offered him the seat right beside his. Then writes that the secret to success in learning learning. Hacham Ovadia would proceed to tell the Torah is to be completely focused and A childhood friend described how, while rabbi all the halachic discourses he had immersed only in Torah. Hacham Ovadia the two were attending Torah Bnei read on Friday and Shabbat night, and once related how in his youth, and even for Zion, young Hacham Ovadia would go they would discuss them. Someone once several years after he got married, he never outside during recess and pull aside a mentioned to Rabbi Frank that it was not once read a newspaper or listened to the classmate – a different boy each day – and befitting his stature to accord such honor news on the radio. These were especially ask if he would review the lessons with to a young, Sephardic boy. Rabbi Frank turbulent times, when catastrophes such him. He would say, “Isn’t it a pity to waste answered, “This young man will answer as the Holocaust were befalling the Jewish time with pointless games when you could all the halachic questions for the next people, and yet he never even glanced at a use the time to study more?” His friends, generation.” newspaper. The only things that interested who were the same age, never made fun It was the custom of Hacham Ovadia to him were the words of the Gemara, the of his habits. They treated him with utmost spend Friday and Shabbat learning works Rishonim (Early Scholars) and Aharonim respect because they knew that he sincerely of teshuvot, the scholarly halachic responsa (Later Scholars)2. He also mentioned that meant what he said. of the Rishonim and Aharonim. He began in all his years learning in eress Yisrael, he this practice already in his youth. Hacham never even saw Israel’s largest metropolis, A Seat Among Giants Ben-Sion Abba Shaul z.s.l. (1924 – 1998) At the age of eighteen, Hacham Ovadia once recalled how in his younger years he 1 3:51. would go every Shabbat to the se’uda would learn together with Hacham Ovadia 2 Rishonim (Hebrew: the first ones) shelishit (third meal) of Rabbi Svi Pesach every Friday. He would hurry home a half- and Aharonim (Hebrew: last ones), were the leading and authorities of Frank z.s.l. (1873-1961), the Chief Rabbi hour before sheki’a (sunset) to prepare for Jewish law during the past millennium. of Jerusalem, who would invite some of Shabbat, but Hacham Ovadia would remain The Rishonim period was approximately his close friends and a number of talmide immersed in learning. Hacham Ben-Sion from the 11th to 15th centuries and hachamim (Torah students). Each week, also recalled how every night he would the Aharonim period spans roughly the 16th century to the present. when Hacham Ovadia arrived, Rabbi Frank walk with Hacham Ovadia from Yeshivat

36 Community Magazine Porat Yosef in the Old City of Jerusalem to Yeshivat Hevron in father raised his hand to strike the boy for putting himself in danger. the city’s Geula neighborhood. Along the way, they would review But Rabbi Shimon, who had seen Hacham Ovadia’s great thirst for from memory the pages of Gemara they were learning. He said Torah firsthand, interceded and said, “Do not hit the child, for he is that he would remember the discussion in the Gemara along with destined to be a leader of Kelal Yisrael!” the comments of Tosafot and the Rosh, but Hacham Ovadia would This is the secret to success in learning Torah: the constant even remember the exact names of all the Tannaim (Sages of the desire to know more, being absorbed only in learning, and not Mishna), Amoraim (Sages of the Gemara), and Baalei Tosafot simply making a set time for studying. When we read the halachic (Sages of the additional commentaries). After reviewing all the responses that Hacham Ovadia wrote during his youth, we can only

Left: Hacham Ovadia Yosef shelita in his study; Center: giving a to students in the kinees; Right: with his father-in-law, Hacham Abraham Fattal z.s.l. pages of the Gemara with the Tosafot, they would delve into the marvel at the vast number of opinions he already knew then from intricacies of the Rishonim and Aharonim such as the Maharsha, the Rishonim, the Ge’onim and even the later Aharonim. These the Meiri, Maharam Shif, Maharitz Hiyot, and the Penei Yehoshua. essays also reflect his exceptional clarity and keen understanding, which he developed already at a young age. He elucidates every A Teenage Prodigy topic in a clear, straightforward fashion, meticulously organized to Hacham Ovadia returned home very late from yeshiva one night, ensure that the reader could easily understand the material. and his family had already locked the door for the night. Not When Hacham Ovadia would visit the Rishon LeSion Hacham wanting to wake anyone, he sat down on the steps and continued Ben-Sion Uziel z.s.l. (1880-1953), he would bring with him learning by the light of the moon until morning. When his father left questions and answers from the Tosafot and Rishonim. Rabbi Uziel the house to pray at sunrise, he found young Ovadia sitting there on would say to him, “Don’t be satisfied knowing only the Rishonim the steps, bent over his sefer. Hacham Ovadia told him that when – learn more of the Acharonim!” And when he would visit the he came home and saw the door was locked, he decided to continue home of Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin z.s.l. (1888-1978) and discuss learning by moonlight, rather than sit there wasting time. with him the debates of the Rishonim and Acharonim, Rabbi Zevin Hacham Ovadia’s brother, Hacham Naim, recounted that on one would encourage him to put all his effort into mastering Tosafot and rainy morning, Hacham Ovadia couldn’t find his shoes as he was the other Rishonim. Hacham Yizhak Yosef recalled that when his preparing to leave early in the morning. Not wanting to wake up father mentioned this to him, he ended by saying, “Baruch Hashem any of his brothers by rummaging through the room, he put on I managed to accomplish both!” several layers of socks in place of shoes, and went outside in the rain to go to yeshiva. The Final Arbiter When Hacham Ovadia was thirteen years old, Jerusalem was Rabbi Moshe Rosenthal, author of Kerem Sion, related that when shelled by enemy artillery, and the entire city was blacked out. Hacham Ovadia returned to Israel from Egypt, he could not study in Even these conditions could not deter a young Hacham Ovadia Porat Yosef, where he had learned in his earlier years, as the yeshiva from immersing himself in his beloved Torah. With a candle in did not accept older married men at that time. So Rabbi Rosenthal hand, he went to a bet midrash in the Bet Yisrael neighborhood and advised him to join the of Rabbi Svi Pesach Frank. During started learning. A number of students from a nearby yeshiva were the years that Hacham Ovadia spent in that kollel, he learned with walking in the street and saw a candle burning in the window of the several leaders of the generation including Rabbi Shmuel Rozovsky synagogue. They assumed that looters had raided the kinees. The (1913-1979) z.s.l., the son-in-law of Rabbi Svi Pesach Frank, students quickly summoned the leading rabbi of the neighborhood, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rabbi Shalom Schwadron, Rabbi a brilliant Torah scholar named Rabbi Shimon of Teplik z.s.l. The Shimon Zelaznik, Rabbi Bezalel Zolty and Rabbi Chaikel Miletsky. rabbi entered the synagogue and saw a young man poring over his When these scholars arrived at the kollel, they would often book. He gently tapped Hacham Ovadia’s shoulder, so as not to argue over a certain matter, and if they could not reach a definitive startle him, and told him that it was not the time to be learning in conclusion, they would say, “Let us wait for Hacham Ovadia and the synagogue in light of the dangerous conditions. Rabbi Shimon ask his opinion on the matter.” When Hacham Ovadia would arrive, took his hand and led him home. Meanwhile, Hacham Ovadia’s he would hear the question and immediately give the answer, father and brothers were running through the streets searching citing opinions from a vast array of sefarim (holy books). Besides for him. When Hacham Ovadia appeared with Rabbi Shimon, his just presenting the different views, the hacham would explain the

38 Community Magazine visit the house during the holiday and take time away from his learning. His desire to learn Torah was so fierce that he literally ran away from distractions. When the family came and begged him to eat at noon, he persistently declined. He would eat quickly before PACE University praying Minha (afternoon prayers) and Arvit (evening prayers), and then MASTER’S DEGREE CHILDHOOD & SPECIAL EDUCATION deliver his public shiur (lecture). Every Friday night in the winter, 30% OFF TUITION. (via a Pace University scholarship available to TEAM participants.) after delivering his sermon at Yeshivat  Special Education & Childhood Certifi cations. Porat Yosef, the hacham would return Traditional B.A. or Yeshiva B.A. accepted. *Yeshiva B.A. holders need to complete only 13 prerequisites courses to enter into this program. home and sit down to learn. Because the houses were not properly heated in One evening a week only. (Wednesday evening classes) *The Wednesday classes are supplemented with online coursework. those days, he sat wrapped in his coat Eligible for Internship Teacher Certifi cate after completion of fi rst half of the program. over his head, learning this way late (24 credits) into the night. A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP: The Tchebin Yeshiva was located • This Master of Science for Teachers Degree in Childhood and Special Education is a joint right near Hacham Ovadia’s house. effort between Pace University and T.E.A.M. Education Services. The program will draw on Late one night, the students were the rich resources of Pace University’s Department of Education. Pace University’s School of learning the halachot of bishul Education will provide all coursework and all academic services. (cooking) on Shabbat, and were • T.E.A.M. Education Services will serve as an intermediary between participating students. uncertain about the practical halacha regarding a certain issue. Initially, FINANCIAL AID they were sure that it was too late to ask Hacham Ovadia for the halacha, IS ALSO AVAILABLE. but when they checked through the This Program begins September 2010. window, they were astonished to see To register go to www.GoTeamEd.com or him deeply engrossed in his learning. call Mr. Aaron Braunstein, T.E.A.M. Education An Ashkenazic Rabbi who lectured in a yeshiva in Bnei Brak told his Director at 516-528-8871 students that he had been Hacham You may also call the T.E.A.M. offi ce at Ovadia’s neighbor in Tel-Aviv. One (347) 560-TEAM Friday night, the electricity went out Separate classes bet. Men & Women. at 1am in Hacham Ovadia’s home. Visit our website for more information at: The neighbor saw him go out onto his www.GoTeamEd.com balcony and continue learning by the light of the street lamps. The neighbor PACE Contact Information: observed him study this way for a long Ms. Sonaly Rivera-Perez, Director, Student Support Services time. When the man woke up at first 212-346-1338 • [email protected] • www.pace.edu light to pray shaharit, he saw Hacham Ovadia still sitting in the same position, background information underlying each side of the debate. Each bent over his sefarim. He was able to immerse himself in learning day, the scholars would anxiously await Hacham Ovadia’s arrival and concentrate for many hours at a time, even under difficult so that he could settle their disputes. circumstances. When the work Taharat HaBayit (Hacham Ovadia’s work on the laws of family purity) was going to print, it was discovered that one page of the manuscript was missing and could not be found anywhere. Hacham Ovadia asked to be left alone in a room of the printing shop and in remarkably short order he rewrote the entire page from memory, including all the notations.

Unquenchable Thirst for Knowledge During the days of Hol HaMoed, between the years 5720-5729 / 1960-1969, Hacham Ovadia would eat breakfast very quickly and then escape to the Tzofiof Bet Midrash in the Bucharian neighborhood, where he would learn until three or four in the afternoon. He did this to avoid the distraction of people who would

40 Community Magazine hurried to look at the footnote that the Rivash mentioned in the dream as the place where he hints to the correct explanation. Indeed, there in that footnote, the Rivash clearly resolves the matter in question. The Yom Kippur War of 1973, which took the lives of over 2,500 Israeli soldiers, resulted in more than 960 agunot (women whose husbands were missing but not confirmed dead). Hacham Ovadia sat at the head of a Bet Din that convened to decide on these cases. He worked tirelessly to find a halachic resolution that would allow them to remarry. The question that arose was whether the dog tag on a fallen soldier could be relied on for identification according to halacha. After deliberating for a long time, Hacham Ovadia decided that a dog tag has a similar status as a personalized money bag, and therefore it is questionable if it can be used as proof to identify the soldier. He was pained by his inability to find a solution for these women. He went to sleep that night with the bitter taste of defeat, knowing that all the hours he spent trying to find a solution were for naught, for according to the Shulhan Aruch, these women could not remarry. As he slept, a certain prominent, deceased Torah sage appeared to him in a dream. He said that in the sefer he authored, he wrote that a dog tag could be considered proof of identity, since its purpose is solely to identify the wearer. When Hacham Ovadia woke up, he was overjoyed at having found a solution for the agunot even according to the Shulhan Earning Divine Assistance Aruch. This point is clarified in his work Teshuvot Yabia Omer On another occasion, Hacham Ovadia awoke one morning 6:3. Several months later, Hacham Ovadia spoke at an assembly and immediately after washing his hands and reciting the birkat of the Ichud HaRabbanim, and while speaking about the criteria he ha’Torah, rushed to look something up in the responsa of the had established for allowing the agunot to remarry, he related this Rivash (Rabbi Yizhak bar Sheshet, 1326-1408). The children incident. Undoubtedly, the hacham’s selfless devotion to the needs wondered why their father needed so urgently to look something of the Jewish people rendered him worthy of this Divine guidance. up first thing in the morning. After their repeated requests for an explanation, Hacham Ovadia told them that the night before, while Serving the Community vs. Personal Growth learning the Rivash, he had difficulty understanding a certain Whenever one of his students got married, Hacham Ovadia would passage. There seemed to be a contradiction in the author’s words, urge him to learn the laws pertaining to the separation of milk and but after thinking about the issue for a while, he came up with an meat. Then, he would instruct him to study the entire Even Haezer explanation. He went to sleep, and during the night, the Rivash section of the Tur with the Bet Yosef and the other commentaries. appeared to him in a dream with a long white beard, and said, “I am After the student completed this material, Hacham Ovadia urged Rabbi Yizhak bar Sheshet. Let your mind be at peace for you have him to study the Hoshen Mishpat section of the Tur and Shulhan indeed understood my intention which I have hinted to in another Aruch, which discusses the laws of business and other financial place.” Immediately upon arising in the morning, Hacham Ovadia matters, together with the Bet Yosef and the other commentaries.

42 Community Magazine his own Torah learning. The Talmud teaches in Masechet Berachot that the early hasidim (righteous men) would arrive at the bet kenesset one hour Stay Connected before the prayer service in order to © prepare themselves spiritually to pray. They would also remain for one hour after prayers. One would think that this practice would adversely affect their learning, as they had fewer hours to study than other scholars. However, the Gemara says, these hasidim were WorldWide© International Wireless & Data Rental Solutions in fact blessed with the ability to quickly absorb and understand the material, and to quickly derive the New! Keep your phone and practical halacha based on what they number - NeveR ReNT AGAIN! studied. The merit of their special devotion to tefila ensured that their USB CardS & BlaCkBerry rentalS learning would not suffer as a result of the extra time they invested in praying,

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Local U.S. & Toll Free Numbers one’s Torah scholarship. Free Pickup in the U.S. & Canada When Hacham Ovadia worked as a Satellite Phones & GPS Rentals teacher in Cairo, he wrote extensively USA Phones & USB Cards despite his intensive involvement in communal matters. In addition to Group & Student Specials running his yeshiva Ahava Ve’ahva and delivering a daily shiur, he served as a judge on the Bet Din and performed marriages, divorces and halissot (ceremony by which a widow and her husband’s brother could avoid the duty to marry after the husband’s death), among other responsibilities. And yet, after a full day of work, Hacham Ovadia would return at night www.travelcell.com | [email protected] to his beloved holy books and write 1.877.Cell.Phone 1981 Coney Island avenue Brooklyn, ny scholarly halachic essays until the late hours. He would instruct the groom to learn the material slowly, and to Hacham Ovadia kept a similarly grueling schedule during the look up all the sources mentioned in the Bet Yosef and study them time he served as Chief Rabbi of Tel-Aviv, in the years 5728-5733/ in depth – the same way Hacham Ovadia himself studied. 1968- 1973, and later when he was Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel. He would also encourage and urge his students to become For many years, he traveled every evening from city to city to speak rabbanim and dayanim. Sometimes people would ask him, “Isn’t it and fulfill his leadership duties. He was rarely home in the evenings more important to aspire to be a maggid shiur (lecturer in a yeshiva) during that time. There was almost no city or town or village that or Rosh Yeshiva, positions which allow a person more time for was not graced by a visit from the rabbi during those years. And personal growth in Torah?” Hacham Ovadia would respond that we yet, after his shiurim and presentations, he would return to his have an obligation to use all our abilities to serve the spiritual needs books and delve deeply into his learning. Even during this period of the public, and not to think only of our own spiritual growth. He when he traveled extensively to disseminate Torah, he managed to explained that this is why the mishna in Pirkei Avot admonishes, complete many volumes of important halachic works. “Make for yourself a rabbi.” The rabbi should be “for yourself,” he Whenever Hacham Ovadia would speak to his students, he would must use his position to help and advance the people he serves, and always encourage them to do one thing: absorb themselves in their not as a means of advancing only himself. learning and desire to know more and more. He would tell the When a person dedicates himself to the community, and uses fair young married men who delivered shiurim to laymen not to return judgment, he receives heavenly assistance and enjoys success in home afterwards and go to bed, but to instead set aside extra time for

44 Community Magazine learning, even though they were very busy preparing and delivering their shiurim. Hacham Ovadia impressed upon them their sacred obligation to immerse themselves in learning, to channel all their energy toward Torah. Only if they invest all their time and energy in learning, without any other interests, would they be successful Torah scholars.

The Rabbi’s Rabbi Hacham Ovadia once recounted his appointment to the Sephardic Bet Din in Jerusalem shortly after his wedding, despite his young age. He sat on the Bet Din along with the well known Rosh Yeshiva and scholar Hacham Ezra Attia, Hacham Handmade Jewelry Yehuda Shako and others. Only a small number of cases came before the court, and thus they would often finish their work early. Hacham From Within The Old City Of Jerusalem Ovadia utilized the free time to sit and The Purity of The Dead Sea, with the Rosh Yeshiva and clarify Sitton Jewelry Brings You many topics in halacha, and to review Israeli Hand Crafted and Uniquely Designed Rings, drafts of Hacham Ovadia’s soon to be Bracelets, Necklaces, Pendants & Earrings. famous work Halikhot Olam on the Ben Ish Hai. If Hacham Ezra strongly disagreed with any halachic ruling in his sefer, Hacham Ovadia erased it as soon as he arrived home. During that time, he fulfilled the exhortation of our sages, “Serving the Torah is greater than learning it.” He would frequently go to the Rosh Yeshiva’s home to consult with him on matters of halacha. The Rosh Yeshiva harbored great affection for the young Hacham Ovadia, and would rush out to joyously great him whenever he came to his home. Hacham Ezra also escorted his beloved student all the way to the street when he left, even in his older years. Today, Hacham Ovadia, may Hashem protect him with a long Hacham Ezra Attia strongly encouraged Hacham Ovadia to and pleasant life, continues to teach, lead and inspire mllions as a accept a position in the rabbinate. He believed that his vast supreme halachic authority . Remarkably, in spite of difficulties he Torah knowledge was needed in the religious courts to ensure the continues to deliver many classes each week, including his famous Sephardic halacha was carried out properly and accurately. mossaei Shabbat lectures which are broadcast live around the world When Hacham Ovadia won the election as Chief Rabbi of Tel- via satellite. These lectures incorporate practical halacha, musar Aviv, a delegation of his students, led by Hacham Yosef Dweck, (tradition) and occasionally even politics and contemporary issues. went to complain to the Rosh Yeshiva that Hacham Ovadia was The mossaei Shabbat lectures are screened for public viewing at leaving their community. The Rosh Yeshiva replied, “This Rabbinic Congregation Bnai Yosef, 1616 Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, on post is not Hacham Ovadia’s last stop. He will eventually return Tuesday nights at 8:30pm and again on Saturday nights at 9:30pm. to Jerusalem and assume a much more important position. That Yehuda Azoulay is the author of A Legacy of position, too, will serve the same and only purpose as the one he has Leaders, a groundbreaking English series containing just received: to fulfill the will of Hakadosh Baruch Hu to publicize biographies and stories of Sephardic hachamim. the halachic decisions and conclusions of Hacham Ovadia. These positions are the means that enable him to achieve that goal, that the More information and articles can be viewed on his masses will recognize his name and accept his rulings in halacha.” website at www.SephardicLegacy.com

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