Rav Yosef recalled at Rambam Mesivta in Lawrence

From Rambam Mesivta

Upon hearing of the passing of Rav OvadIa Yosef, the talmidim of Rambam Mesivta were assembled to learn more about this Torah giant, leader, and the impact he had on Klal Yisrael. His loss will be felt for generations to come.

“The mere fact that 800,000 people attended the levaya in Israel on short notice ­— the equivalent of over 50 million people travelling to Washington for a funeral in America — is an indication of the role he played as a Manhig Yisrael (towering Jewish leader),” said  Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, Rambam’s Rosh HaMesivta.

 Rabbi Friedman spoke about Rav Yosef’s unchallenged role as an authority in psak halacha and his ability to unite all of Sephardic Jewry under the banner of Torah.

 Rabbi Daniel Bennun, who leads the daily Sephardic minyan at Rambam, spoke to the entire Rambam Mesivta about some personal anecdotes and recollections he had of Rav Yosef zt’l. “His photographic memory was unparalleled” said Rabbi Bennun, “as was his commitment to help all of those in need.”

 Rabbi Bennun explained how Rav Yosef tackled such difficult community problems as Agunot (wives whose husbands never returned from Yom Kippur War battles); Shmitta for farmers in Eretz Yisrael; the status of Ethiopian Jewry, and many other issues which required encyclopedic knowledge of Torah and “broad shoulders” in halacha.

Rav Ovadia Yosef’s petirah truly was a loss for world Jewry.