Hacham David Ben Zimra


Hacham David Ben Zimra

Date of Birth: 5240 (1479)
Date of Death: 21st of Cheshvan, 5334 (1573)
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A Short Tribute

Hacham David Ben Zimra, the son of Hacham Shlomo Ben Zimra and known as the RaDBa"Z, was born in Spain in 1479. In 1492, when he was 13 of age, as a result of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, he and his family to moved to Fes (Morocco), and then to Safed, where he studied with Hacham Yosef Saragosi, Hacham Levi Ben Habib, and Rabbi Yosef Taitachak.

Hacham David Ben Zimra left Jerusalem for Egypt, where he was appointed head of the rabbinic court. He earned his living from commerce, and his success enabled him to develop ties with government officials; he also supported Torah scholars. In 1517, when the Ottomans conquered Egypt, Hacham David Ben Zimra was chosen to lead the Egyptian Jewish community. His outstanding student was Rabbi Bezalel Ashkenazi, author of Shitta Mekubetzet on the Talmud. Another famous student of his Beit Midrash was the HAAR"I. In 1553, Hacham David Ben Zimra returned to the Land of Israel and settled in Safed.

Hacham David Ben Zimra instated the calendar system based on the date of the creation that we use to this day. Two of his declarations are famous, and still considered accurate: Concerning the verse, "Miriam and Aaron spoke out against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, He married a Cushite woman" – he clarified that "she was of the seed of Dan, who reside in the mountains of Cush"; he also ruled that the location of the Holy of Holies is beneath the Dome of the Rock, on the Temple Mount.

Hacham David Ben Zimra passed away on 21 Heshvan 5333 (1573) and lies buried in the ancient cemetery of Safed.

His halakhic Responsa were collected in the RaDBa"Z Responsa and Divrei David; his book Yakar Tiferet contains commentary on Maimonides; Metzudat David clarifies the reasons for the commandments. His commentary on the Song of Songs is titled Michtav LeDavid; Magen David is a book of Kabbala that explains the letters of the [Hebrew] alphabet. The RaDBa"Z’s Talmudic principles appear in MeHarerei Nemeirim, the book written by Hacham Abraham 'Akara.

A few quotes from the Rabbi on Heritage of the Fathers
in which he instructs not to be ungrateful toward one's parents, there being no worse attribute
The reason behind the commandment to honor parents is understandable at the intellectual level, since they bring us into the world and raise us, go hungry to feed us, go naked to clothe us and meet all our needs until we mature. It is therefore appropriate not to be ungrateful, there being no worse attribute. Our sages, of blessed memory, said that a person has three partners, and equated the honor and reverence due to them with those pertaining to the Holy one, blessed be He. The importance of this obligation is established in the Ten Commandments. It comes with a reward, since it says "so that you may fare well and have a long life".
Hacham David Ben Zimra, Metzudat David, commandment 577, p. 514, published by Yerid HaSefarim, Jerusalem, 2013 From 'The Daily Sage'
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“Even if all of the skies are a blank parchment, and all human beings are clerks, and all of the forests are quills, we would never be able to write down what our Sages have taught us. But even a few righteous are also good, and thanks to the sacred Torah and the teachings that Israel will learn in the Sage’s name on the anniversary of his death, the Holy One Blessed be He, will share our part with them, and we will never be ashamed because of our faith in the Holy One Blessed be He, and on his great benevolence and truth will we lean, for He hides his abundant goodness for those who are worthy and revere Him.”

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Rabbi Chananaia son of Akashia stated, God wanted to grant merits to Israel, therefore he gave them many laws and commandments as it states, "Because God wants righteousness he increased the amount of Torah and splendor." (Isaiah 42:21).