Ovadia Yosef

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ( ) (born Abdullah Youssef on September 23 1920, Basra , Iraq and now living in Jerusalem) is a Mizrahi Haredi rabbi , Talmudic scholar, and recognized halakhic authority. He is the former Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel (although technically " Sephardi " refers to Jews whose families came from Spain, colloquially all middle-eastern Jews are often referred to as Sephardi due to the similarities of their traditions and culture). Yosef is also the current spiritual leader of the Shas political party in the Israeli Knesset . He is highly revered in the religious world, especially in the Sephardi and Mizrahi communities, for his erudition and Torah scholarship. He is among the most important poskim of the past few generations and is regarded by many as the foremost Rabbinical authority and a source of Daat Torah . He has been referred to as the Posek HaDor ("Posek of the present Generation"), Gadol HaDor ("great/est (one of) the generation"), Maor Yisrael ("The Light of Israel") and Maran . Rabbi Yosef's halakhic responsa are highly regarded within Orthodox circles and are considered binding in many Mizrahi communities, among whom he is regarded as "the most important living halachic authority." . Rabbi Yosef's responsa are noted for citing almost every source regarding a specific topic and are often referred to simply as indices of all previous rulings. Rabbi Yosef has two central projects, intertwined with each other, which are embodied in the slogan "Restoring the Crown to its Old State" (Hebrew: להחזיר עטרה ליושנה). The first, a Halakhic project, is an attempt to create a unified Halakhic codex subject to the rulings of Rabbi Yosef Karo . This project is essentially innovative, in that its attempt to unify the various Halakhic traditions in light of the rulings of Yosef Karo does not constitute a return to the traditionally accepted Sephardic approach (nor, indeed, to the traditional approach of the Jews of Baghdad, where Rabbi Yosef was born). As part of this project Rabbi Yosef aims to unify the minhagim of the various Jewish groups in Israel by calling upon them to relinquish minhagim and traditions (often rooted in the Kabbalah ) which they practiced in the lands where they resided prior to their immigration to the Land of Israel . His second project, a social one, is to improve the status of Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews in light of the hegemony of Ashkenazi Jews in the Torah world. This hegemony has somewhat diminished over the past few decades, in no small part because of his own political and religious activities. As spiritual leader of the Shas political party, Rabbi Yosef is seen as a prime mover in improving the status of Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews in the State of Israel. He believes that voting in parliamentary elections and participating in Israeli politics is the key to such improvements.

Born in Iraq , he was the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983. Yosef's responsa (religious law rulings) were highly regarded within Haredi circles, particularly among Mizrahi communities, among whom he was regarded as "the most important living halakhic authority." Yosef became a notable figure in Israel’s politics after founding the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party in 1984. He later took a less active role in party politics but remained the party's spiritual leader until his death. Shas champions the interests of Jews, especially religious Jews, originating from North Africa and the Middle East. On occasion, Yosef made statements relating to various groups and individuals which were deemed controversial by his critics. In response, supporters of Yosef claimed he was misquoted or his words taken out of context. What has been called "hate speech" on his part has been condemned by the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League .

( Learn how and when to remove this message ) Ovadia Yosef ( , ; September 24, 1920 – October 7, 2013) was an Iraqi -born Talmudic scholar, a posek , the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983, and a founder and long-time spiritual leader of Israel's ultra-Orthodox Shas party. Yosef's responsa were highly regarded within Haredi circles, particularly among Mizrahi communities, among whom he was regarded as "the most important living halakhic authority". On occasion, Yosef made statements relating to various groups and individuals which were deemed controversial by his critics. In response, supporters of Yosef claimed he was misquoted or his words taken out of context. What has been called "hate speech" on his part has been condemned by the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League .

Talmudic scholar, posek and Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983 Ovadia Yosef ( , ; September 24, 1920 – October 7, 2013) was an Iraqi -born Talmudic scholar, a posek , the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983, and a founder and long-time spiritual leader of Israel's ultra-Orthodox Shas party. Yosef's responsa were highly regarded within Haredi circles, particularly among Mizrahi communities, among whom he was regarded as "the most important living halakhic authority".

Talmudic scholar, posek and Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983 Ovadia Yosef ( Hebrew : עובדיה יוסף , romanized : Ovadya Yosef , Arabic : عبد الله يوسف , romanized : ‘Abd Allāh Yūsuf ; September 24, 1920 – October 7, 2013) also known as Maran ( Hebrew : מרן) "Our Master", was an Iraqi -born Talmudic scholar, hakham , posek , and the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1973 to 1983. Also known as Gadol Yisrael "great one of Israel". He is highly regarded as one of the most influential Sephardic religious authorities of all time. He is also a founder and long-time spiritual leader of Israel's religious Shas party. Yosef's responsa were highly regarded within Haredi circles, particularly among Mizrahi communities, among whom he was regarded as "the most important living halakhic authority". The Jerusalem Post . 7 October 2013 . "Rabbi Ovadia Yosef – "Maran" – Breslev" .