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The bitter news of the petira of their beloved Chief Rabbi spread rapidly in Haifa on Monday, evening, 2 Elul. HaGaon HaRav Eliyahu Yosef Shar Yashuv HaKohen ZT”L, served as the city’s Chief Rabbi and Av Beis Din of the city for decades.
With the rav’s petira the image of this talmid chacham is removed from the city, a the rav was also known as extremely keen in his role as a dayan. Due to his unique approach, he was accepted by all walks of life in the city and this enabled him to reach many residents who would otherwise distance themselves from a person such as he.
The rav was born in Jerusalem on 9 Cheshvan 5688 to Rabbi Dovid HaKohen ZT”L, who was known as the ‘HaRav HaNazir’. According to family tradition he was the 18th generation of rabbonim. The source of the name Shar Yashuv is from Yeshayahu, the name of the son of Yeshayahu HaNavi. When the niftar was two, he became very ill and the name Eliyahu was added.
The niftar studied in Yeshivas Geula, then Eitz Chaim and Merkaz HaRav but he reportedly received most of his ‘Torah’ from his father. In his youth his acted in line with nezeirus, not cutting his hair, drinking wine and wore non-leather shoes. This continued until the age of 16.
He fought in the 1948 War of Independence and was involved I defending Gush Etzion. He was injured seriously while fighting in the Old City of Jerusalem and fell into the custody of the Jordanian Arab Legion. From there he was transferred to a prison camp and while held prisoner, surgery was performed on his leg injury and this resulting in the rav remaining partially disabled as a result.
He remained in the IDF for seven years, rising to the rank of lt.-colonel.
He became the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Haifa in 1975, and served in the post until 2011. He also served as Av Beis Din in the city and was known to work tirelessly to help his residents in whatever way he could.
The niftar authored a number of seforim including משנת הנזיר and חקרי הלכה.
His physical condition weakened over recent years and he collapsed in his home on Monday evening. EMS was summoned but the rav was niftar at the age of 88.
The levaya is set to take place in Haifa today, Tuesday, 3 Elul.
LEVAYA INFORMATION:
The levaya is expected to leave Haifa at about 10:00AM, heading to Yerushalayim. It will begin at Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav Kook at about 14:00.
Police are prepared and road closures in the area of Merkaz HaRav will begin at 13:30 and continue following hespedim towards Har HaZeisim.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
Where does it say that a Nazir may not walk with leather shoes?
B’DE. What a wonderful role model for kollel yingerleit to show that a true ben torah can also be a chayal to protect EY and assure the freedom for yidden of future generations to be safe and free to pursue whatever their dreams.
I believe he kept his nezeirus until much later than 16. He lived with my parents for two months one summer while taking a course at Brown University. He had long blond hair and ate only vegetables. If he was only 16 I would not have been born yet, and we did not live in that house until I was 7, which means he probably kept it until at least close to 30.
There goes the arrogantly and ignorantly named Ms. Gadolhadorah with one of her typical anti Torah, Zionist, daaton kalos diatribes again. As if she knows anything about what it takes to become a Rav or Posek. She sits all day in front of her computer on her rocking chair and fancies herself the final authority on Yiddishkeit. How pathetic, get out a Tehillim and join a ladies group and do something for the world instead of forever spouting your incessant silliness.
To No. 4
The Rav, Z’TL, was admired for many reasons, but to a large extent, for his ability to work with respect across the many segments of the frum tzibur in Haif. Your anger with someone with whom you disagree, is sad but perhaps learn a bit from from the life of this tzadik.
Uncle Ben, go back to eating rice and leave discussing Gedolim to those better qualified than you. Rav Shar Yashuv HaKohen ZT”L was respected and loved by people from all walks of Israeli and International Jewish society, haredi, Zionist, mainstream and non religious. That was a consummate personal achievement. You should live to be well until 120 but if your posting is anything to go by, very few people will miss you when you move on.
Yes one thing that I learned from Rav Cohen ztl was that he didn’t lecture his Mizrachi shita to the Chareidi tzibur. You however in your arrogant pomposity still have not learned that lesson!
Sima Batsheva; You misunderstood my comments. I was not referring to Rav Cohen Ztl but rather to Ms Pompedorah’s presumptuous and arrogant comments lecturing tha Chareidi tzibur.