“The sun set midday today as we lost the leader of generations” stated Ramat Gan Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Ariel Shlita. Rav Ariel explained to Kol Chai Radio “only once in generations does Am Yisrael merit a neshama such a Maran HaGaon HaRav Chaim Ovadia Yosef ZT”L, and he is no longer and we must now cope.”

Rav Ariel lamented the loss and stated that most simply cannot grasp the depth of the profound understanding of Torah that Maran held, adding that while his works can be found, studied and accessed on computers, his knowledge was far greater than computers, which we hold in awe.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)