Love of Israel
The Sephardic Jewish sages taught us to love each and every one of Israel. They saw the good and judged on merit. They increased peace in the world, distanced themselves from controversy and saw the virtue of each community. We have gathered from the words of their Torah in order to learn and teach.
Hacham Abraham Alkalay - in which he teaches that one reciting the Shacharit morning prayer while the congregation is praying the Moussaf festival prayer, should mention the dew, as they do.
Hacham Abraham Dayan - in which he praises those who retract their anger and admonishes those who becomes angry with their fellow men and takes out their fury on their wives
Hacham Abraham Hai Shaki - in which he rules that a person who kills himself out of sorrow or a broken heart does not lose his place
Hacham Avraham Cohen - in which he teaches that a person who receives only God-fearing people in his home is lacking in their own fear of God
Hacham Avraham David Shalem - in which he teaches not to prevent a child from studying and to petition the judge to save him from his oppressor
Hacham Eliyahu Ben Harosh - in which he teaches to speak gently to those who are connected and united, that they be as one house
Hacham Eliyahu Benamozegh - in which he teaches that brotherly love applies to all types of people, whoever they be.
Hacham Eliyahu Lavi - in which he teaches that He redeemed them Himself, in His glory, for the People of Israel are unique in their world
Hacham Eliyahu Yitzhak Hazan - in which he teaches to recognize the merit of penitents [ba'alei teshuva], because they restore the letter Aleph in the Name
Hakham Abraham Halevi - in which he teaches that the one descending from reading the Torah should respectfully make way for the one being called up to the Torah
Hacham Bechor Meyuhas Raphael - in which he permits making benches for the synagogue during the Festival to accommodate guests
Hacham Ben Zion Meir Chai Uziel - in which he interprets brotherly love as respecting every individual's opinions and feelings
Hacham Benzion Raphael Hacohen Frizzi - in which he teaches that working in the fields is as fundamental to Torah as study
Hacham David Eben Khalifa - in which he teaches that a sacrifice is not accepted unless those involved are as one person
Hacham David Nahmias - in which he teaches that not all, the righteous and the youth, will be lost by the generation's sinning
Hacham Haim Houri - in which he explains that pride leads to conflict and is an obstacle that leads to Halakhic rulings that do not follow the Law
Hacham Haim Palagi - in which he teaches that a person who has no merit of their own has a share in their fellow-person's merit, as they are partners
Hacham Hezekiah Shabtai - in which he teaches that one who loves peace is already worthy of being drawn closer to Torah
Hacham Yaakov Chaim Sofer - in which he explains why the text enumerates the names of the Children of Israel that descended to Egypt
Hacham Yaakov Chaim Sofer - in which he comments on "unity": A person who fulfills a commandment is considered as having fulfilled them all.
Hacham Yaakov Douek Hacohen - in which he teaches that a person should offer rebuke as though they were a sage, the child of prominent parents, and of saintly lineage
Hacham Yaakov Hacohen Tarab - in which he teaches that the half shekel is so that the whole person envision that he is comparable to half a person.
Hacham Yehezkel Ezra Halevy - in which he clarifies that a prayer recited for a friend is remembered in times of need
Hacham Yehuda Fetaya - in which he explains that the wise will seek repair (tikun) and take pains to bring the sinful to repent
Hacham Yehuda Leon Ashkenazi - in which he teaches that "love thy neighbor" applies to close friends, it being easier to love from afar.
Hacham Yihya Moshe Abudi - in which he teaches that it is permitted to flatter one's wife, master, and student so that he not lose his way
Hacham Yitzhak Abihatzeira - in which he expresses his wish to strive for total unity and end discrimination
Hacham Yitzhak Eliyahu Laniado - in which he teaches that even one who fulfills [a mitzvah] without kavvanah [devotional intent] yet takes pleasure in it, repairs the approach to Atzilut [the Kabbalistic sphere of Divine emanation]
Hacham Yitzhak Houri - in which he teaches that a single Hakhel (assembly) with no divisive conflict is an equivalent of fulfilling all 613 commandments
Hacham Yosef Massass - in which he teaches to share bread with those who do not recite the blessings, there being a commandment to welcome guests.
Hacham Yoseph Genassia - in which he teaches how the Four Sons' questions show that women are obligated to eat matzah
Hacham Cadir Shlomo Atun - in which he teaches that hatred of kinsfolk that may have been forgotten must be forgiven
Hacham Kalphon Moshe Hacohen - in which he teaches not to ignore argument but to eliminate it entirely
Hacham Masoud Revach - in which he teaches that a person should adhere to the community and, by so doing, benefit from the general pardon
Hacham Mordecai Sigron - in which he explains that those excluded from Torah are to be counted so that they may return to their ancestral roots.
Hacham Moshe David Walli - in which he teaches that "He who fashions the hearts of them all" leads them all to the common good
Hacham Moshe Dayyan - in which he teaches not to be angry on Rosh Hashanah, and not to be stringent with one's wife, not even in one's own heart.
Hacham Mullah Mattityah Garji - in which he teaches that the essence of love is to rebuke, since it is very hateful to leave them to their foolishness
Hacham Amram Korach - in which he teaches that all nusachim (textual versions) of prayer are valid, as long as God is worshipped with proper intent
Hacham Faradji Naim - in which he teaches that the blessings in the Priests' Benediction are written in the singular so as to indicate unity
Madam Frecha-Flora Sassoon - in which she teaches that a woman is not like the surplus amounts of the Incense Offering, who might be honored as a chairperson once in seventy years
Hacham Svi Didi - in which he teaches not to refrain from assisting even those who pursue material wealth and follow the passions of their evil inclination
Hacham Tzedakah Hotzin - in which he clarifies that it is insufficient for the righteous to be good towards heaven; they must be good towards people
Hacham Zion Cohen Yehonatan - in which he explains that when the People of Israel are unified, they share in each other's credit
Hacham Wobasht Ayetgav - in which he teaches that it is obligatory that all members of the community to help any person in the community.
Hacham Rachamim Buchris - in which he teaches of love between individuals – a natural, unconditional love lasts
Hacham Rachamim Nehorai - in which he teaches to bring people into the fold with the great compassion of a mother holding her child to her bosom
Hacham Raphael Baruch Toledano - in which he instructs us to pray with a congregation, despite that it may include transgressors
Hacham Raphael Elashvili - in which he teaches that "all Israel" unite to become one society, and that all have a place in the World to Come.
Hacham Raphael Haim Moshe Ben Naim - in which he teaches to return the lost property of your apostate brother, so as not to lose the renegade and to bring him back.
Hacham Samuel de Medina - in which he teaches that the definition of public leadership is to be found in giving to each and every faction what it requires
