Rav Pinchas Edri zt”l, Chief Rabbi of Givatayim

It is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the petirah of Rav Pinchas Edri zt”l, longtime Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Givatayim. Rav Edri was niftar Monday evening at the age of 81 after battling illness in recent years. He served in his position for decades, endearing the rabbanus to the city’s residents and leaving behind a legacy of leadership, Torah, and ahavas Yisroel.

The levayah was held today at the beis medrash Rav Edri founded and nurtured, Rabi Meir Baal Hanes, located on Rechov Kibbutz Galuyos in Givatayim. The procession continued to the Nachalas Yitzchok Bais Hachaim, where Rav Edri was buried beside his predecessor, Rav Yosef Meir Gliksberg zt”l.

Rav Edri was born in Morocco on the 5th of Teves in 1944 to his father Rav Yaakov Edri zt”l and his mother Rabbanit Simcha a”h. He studied at the Otzar HaTorah institutions in Marrakesh and moved to Eretz Yisroel at age 17. Before his aliyah, he received semichah from two of the great Torah giants of Morocco: Rav Shalom Messas zt”l, who later served as Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim, and Rav Makhlouf Abuchatzeira zt”l, Chief Rabbi of Marrakesh.

He began his rabbinic career as the rav of Moshav Aseret and later served as the regional rabbi of Gderot in southern Israel, also acting as Chairman of the Rabbis of the Settlements Council.

In 1982, following the passing of the previous Sephardic rav of Givatayim, Rav Yehoshua Moshe zt”l — a talmid of the Ben Ish Chai and the city’s first Sephardic rav — Rav Edri was appointed Chief Rabbi of Givatayim. In this role, he dedicated himself to bringing Jews closer to the Ribono Shel Olam. He delivered shiurim throughout the city and inspired countless people with his warmth and wisdom. Though Givatayim was known as a largely secular city, Rav Edri managed to reach the hearts of its residents with ahavas Yisroel and warmth. He was beloved by all and was a respected presence at national rabbinic conferences.

Rav Edri was deeply connected to influential leaders, government officials, and rabbanim, utilizing those relationships to strengthen Torah life and uphold kedushas Yisroel. He maintained close ties with Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, and he viewed himself as a talmid of the Rishon Letzion Rav Mordechai Eliyahu zt”l.

He established a beis medrash for rabbanim called Shalom Yisrael, which became a hub for leading poskim and rabbanim to discuss halachic and communal issues. Rav Edri played an active role in hosting gatherings and forums attended by the Rishon Letzion and other prominent Torah leaders. He was known for his eloquence and grace in speech, capturing the attention of audiences wherever he spoke.

In addition to his role as Chief Rabbi, he served as rav of the Rabi Meir Baal Hanes shul in Givatayim.

He served alongside Rav Yosef Meir Gliksberg zt”l, Ashkenazic rav of Givatayim and a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council, who passed away this past Teves. After retiring recently, Rav Edri was succeeded by Rav Chen Saida and Rav Asher Wiesel.

Rav Edri is survived by an illustrious family devoted to Torah and avodas hakodesh. His son Rav Eliav Edri is a senior rav in Ashdod and a prominent maggid shiur who has authored the well-known ten-volume series Benoam Sichah. His son Rav Moshe Yosef Edri is the head of Kollel Rav Pe’alim and a dayan who recently began delivering shiurim in Givatayim alongside his father. Another son, Rav Yaakov Edri, is a kollel yungerman in Har Nof and the son-in-law of former Interior Minister Rav Eliyahu Suissa. Rav Yitzchak Edri, another son, is married to the daughter of Rav Amram Ibgui, former Deputy Mayor of Bnei Brak. Among his sons-in-law are Rav Michoel Elmalich, a kollel yungerman in Har Nof and the son of Rav Moshe Elmalich zt”l, rav of Atlit; Rav Yisrael Meir Biton, Chief Rabbi of the city of Chadera; and Rav Yechiel Vizgan, a prominent talmid chacham from Yerushalayim.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}