Rav Yaakov Chai Yosef zt”l

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yaakov-yosef-1It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Rav Yaakov Chai Yosef zt”l, eldest son of Chacham Ovadia Yosef, at the age of 66 this afternoon, following a long battle with cancer.

As reported previously by Matzav.com Israel, Rav Yosef had been hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Keren Medical Center earlier this week after his medical condition worsened.

Thousands attended the levaya, which started from the Borchov Shul in the Bucharim section of Yerushalayim.

Rav Yaakov was known for his phenomenal memory and yedios haTorah, and his integrity was well known.

Despite his illness, Rav Yaakov accepted his suffering with great emunah.

Rav Yaakov served as the rov of the Givat Moshe neighborhood in Yerushalayim.

Rav Yaakov was born in 1946 in Yerushalayim, the second child of Rav Ovadia Rebbetzin Margalit. He learned at Yeshivat Porat Yosef and Yeshivat Kol Torah, at Kollel Kol Yaakov and at Mossad HaRav Kook in Yerushalayim, where he received semichah.

Between 1983 and 1984 he served as a member of the Yerushalayim City Council on behalf of the Shas party. Ahead of the elections to the 11th Knesset, he was placed on the Shas list, when it first ran in the Israeli elections, and was elected to the Knesset. During his tenure as an MK he served on the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, the Education and Culture Committee, and the parliamentary investigation committee into road accidents.

Over the years, Rav Yaakov delivered regular weekly drashos in various neighborhoods in Yerushalayim, which were characterized by a simple, popular style and which caused him to be loved and revered by many.

Rav Yaakov founded and headed Yeshiva Chazon Yaakov, named for his grandfather, Rav Yaakov Ovadia.

“Rav Yaakov was a highly learned and respected Torah and halachic talmid chochom,” said Israeli Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger. “His passing is a great loss for the Jewish people, Eretz Yisroel and the world of Sephardic halacha and jurisprudence. He was well known for his phenomenal memory and his name was a byword for straightforwardness.

“The truth was his guiding light and quite a few times he found himself on one side of the river and the rest of the world on the other, but he stuck to his inner truth and didn’t give up. His love for Eretz Yisroel was great and he experienced great regret over every foot of the Land of Israel that was given away, as if it were a precious diamond that was lost and shouted out from the depths of his heart over it.”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed his deep sorrow this afternoon over the passing of Rav Yaakov.

“Rav Yosef was a great Torah scholar, teacher and a posek who followed in the footsteps of his father, may he have a long life,” said Netanyahu.

Kevurah took place on Har Hamenuchos.

He is survived by his father, Chacham Ovadiah; his siblings, Rav Dovid Yosef, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, Rav Avrohom Yosef and Rav Moshe Yosef; his rebbetzin; and eight children.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}


9 COMMENTS

  1. BDH. A big loss for all of Klal Yisrael. He was a great talmid hakham and his shiurim were amazing.
    I just listened to his last public shiur given on the topic of Sefirat Haomer. So sad to hear his voice so weak, but such hizuq to see how he was marbitz Torah even with so many yisurim.
    It’s so sad knowing that his father, Hakham Ovadia Shlit’a will be so upset this shabbat. No father should ever have to know of such sadness.
    Hashem should comfort the entire family.
    Tenuhamu min hashamayim velo toseefu leda’ava od!

  2. BDE:
    Tragic & Shocking as we keep losing our leader & guidance one by one R”L

    lAST ONE TO LEAVE US RECENTLY was Rabbi Yerachmiel Shlomo Rothenberg Zt”l- Rosh Yeshiva of Mountaindale Yeshiva-March 4 2013-71 years old.

    Look at their young ages. its a shocking loss.

    when will each of us admit-to ourselves-that its time for us to do teshuva so the tzaros in klal yisroel can finally end & mashiach can come?

    its all in OUR hands & choice if our days should be filled with Simcha or tzaros C”V.
    Were only causing this tzaros to continue & it could’ve ended long ago.

    may we all do teshuva very soon

  3. The name CHai was added wehn he turned ill. Now that he passed away, it is no longer part of his name, and at teh lvaya and on teh signs, and matzeva, it only stated Rav Yaakov. Please correct.

  4. hi shmuel dovid # 3 . you do have a strong point but still the way to encourage us your brothers and sisters and remove the ayin hora from bnei Yisroel is to rephrase what you said into how ‘we kept losing’ our leaders. its enough ! we dont want to lose more Hashem Yeracheim!

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