As he travels and gives hespedim for his father, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L, Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita last week visited Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh.

Rav Yosef explained that following the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Maran was faced with about 1,000 cases in which women found themselves agunos as a result of the war. At the end of the process, Maran ZT”L managed to find a heter to free each and every one of them. He told the rabbonim and talmidim that among the agunos were widows of talmidim from the very yeshiva that they attend and some were tested by the rav just days before the war broke out.

Rav Yosef explained his father maintained a relationship with the yeshiva throughout the years, attending semicha celebrations and making a number of visits.

“Abba does not require the hespedim. He was entirely kodesh and possessed a comprehensive knowledge of Torah and poskim over the generations.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)