A Short Tribute

Hacham Yom Tov Yedid Halevy was born in 1923 in Aram Tzova, now called Aleppo. He was Hacham Moshe Tawil's student and when, in 1959, his teacher immigrated to Israel, Hacham Yom Tov Yedid Halevy was appointed Rabbi of Aleppo and Head of the Beit HaNassi Beit Midrash. He led the community for many years and helped preserve it, often through difficult times. Known for his stringency, he was nonetheless accepted and loved by his community. As Head of the Beit HaNassi study house, he trained the last generation of its Torah scholars, some of whom lead the Jewish communities from Aleppo throughout the world to this day.

In 1985 Hacham Yom Tov Yedid Halevy moved to New York City and joined its community of Syrian Jews. He refused to take on any public position and devoted himself to Torah study in the Ahiezer Beit Midrash.

Hacham Yom Tov Yedid Halevy passed away on 22 Tammuz 5776 (2016) in New York and was buried in the Har HaMenuhot cemetery in Jerusalem.

Hacham Yom Tov Yedid Halevy authored 15 books of biblical commentary, published during his lifetime by his son, Hacham Meir Yedid Halevy, as a series entitled Meir Tov.