Mourning enveloped the Torah world on Wednesday morning upon hearing the news of the petirah of HaTzadik HaGaon HaRav Dovid Shalom Tzadka, Z’l, the Rav of the city of Pardas Channa-Karkur, the son of Rosh Yeshivas Porat Yosef, HaGaon HaRav Yehudah Tzadka, ztl.

HaRav Tzadka, H’YD, passed away at the age of 88 after years of being ill.

The niftar was the second son born to his Gadol father in the Beis Yisrael neighborhood of Yerushalayim of old. As a bochur, he learned in Porat Yosef and was one of the close talmidim of the Rosh Yeshivah, HaGaon HaRav Ezra Attiya, H’yd.

After his marriage, he lived in Yerushalayim until he was called to serve as the Rav of the Jewish kehilla in Argentina. In 1970, he was appointed as the Sephardi Rav of Pardes Channa, originally serving along with the Ashkenazi Rav, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Yaakov Levin, z’tl. Since the petirah of Harav Levin in 1991, he served as the sole Rav of the city.

In addition to serving as Rav, HaRav Tzadka was oisek in being marbitz Torah and kiruv rechokim, delivering shiurim throughout Eretz Yisrael in addition to his regular halacha shiurim in Pardas Channa and Givat Olga.

HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef was maspid HaRav Tzadka, z’tl, saying: “A great Sar fell in Yisrael. The world of Rabbanut lost its best, the last remnant of the Dor Deah. We part with great tza’ar from the Rav of Pardes Channa, HaTzaddik HaGaon Rav Dovid Tzadka, z’tl, who was marbitz Torah for over 60 years and in the city of Pardas Channa-Karkour, was mechazeik religion, occupied himself in matters of Shamayim, toiled in Torah all his days and made his nights into days.”

“He was zocheh to continue the way of his father, Rosh Yeshivas Porat Yosef HaGaon HaRav Yehudah Tzadka, Z’tl, and was moser nefesh for kiruv rechokim, saving hundreds of thousands of Jewish children over the years from secular education and brought the hearts of Yisrael closer to their Father in Shamayim.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)