A young Rav Ovadia and his family |
He was a giant not only to his own Sephardi community, but
to the entire Torah world. His achievements include publications of encyclopedic works of Halacha. He is also perhaps the most famous and
influential Chief Rabbi of Israel since Rav Avrohom Yitzchok Kook. He also united the
Sephardi community politically and created the Shas Party… which has become one
of the largest political parties in Israel. Sephardim, no matter how much or
how little their level of observance saw Rav Yosef as their Gadol. And that’s
why Shas became so large and influential.
He
was indeed a Gadol. I do not use that word lightly. But in his case, it applies
in spades. He was from a previous generation of Gedolim the likes of which are
not to be found in our day.
He will be sorely missed.