Heritage of the Fathers
The Sephardic sages taught to respect the elders of the community, listen to their advice and uphold their tradition. They taught to honor father and mother, to listen to their voice and learn from their teachings. We have gathered from the words of their Torah in order to increase respect for parents and elders.
Hacham Abraham Alkalay - in which he bases his ruling concerning a father who eats in his son's home on customs applying to a son supported by his father.
Hacham Abraham Dayan - in which he explains that a father who did not have the privilege of studying Torah can makes amends by teaching his son
Hacham Abraham Haim Addadi - in which he instructs the halakha to refrain from "purchasing mitzvot" if their price is deceitfully raised
Hacham Abraham Pontremoli - in which his teaching warns bridegrooms not to spend more on their weddings than they can afford
Hacham Eliyahu Benamozegh - in which he instructs us to honoring elders because of their wisdom and histories.
Hacham Eliyahu Yitzhak Hazan - in which he replies that even a boy of thirteen and a day is worthy of praying at the teiva
Hakham Abraham Halevi - in which he teaches that one who acquires substantial wisdom with his master is considered a 'collegiate student'
Hacham Ben Zion Abba Shaul - in which he teaches that parents' customs have priority over teacher's customs
Hacham Ben Zion Meir Chai Uziel - in which he clarifies the reason for the law that assigns Jewish identity according to the mother
Hacham Boaz Haddad - , in which he teaches that respecting and kissing the Torah is one of the commandments of Torah study
Hacham David Ben Zimra - in which he instructs not to be ungrateful toward one's parents, there being no worse attribute
Hacham David Hacohen Yehonatan - in which he teaches that designating a fowl for the Sabbath is has the significance of a vow, but the fowl can be replaced
Hacham David Haddad - in which he teaches not to maintain any pretense with wealthy people, so that the simple folk also listen
Hacham Dr. Moshe Ventura - in which he teaches that the shift in philosophical values is more compatible with Jewish belief
Hacham Haim Hacohen - in which he teaches that the Generation of the Flood did not survive for Noah's sake because he walked in the attribute of justice
Hacham Hezekiah Shabtai - who attributes success to his father's guidance, in whose shadow he took refuge
Hacham Hisdai Almoshlino - in which he teaches that the true honoring of parents is when one lives with them and honors them
Hacham Joseph Knafo - in which he teaches the commandment of honoring parents with what the Holy One, blessed be He, has endowed you, even after their deaths
Hacham Joseph Shaltiel - in which he instructs to prepare one's will for one's children as part of soul-searching and accounting
Hacham Joshua Solomon Erdit - in which he teaches the reason for which the Sabbath preceding the Giving of the Torah is called the Bridal Sabbath
Hacham Yaacov Sukari - in which he gives his parents credit for their support throughout his travels
Hacham Yaakov Birdugo - in which he rules that a woman redeems her son, should his father not be in the city
Hacham Yaakov Chaim Sofer - in which he says that the prayers of each tribe rise up through the tribe's own special gateway
Hacham Yaakov Hacohen Tarab - in which he points out hidden meanings in A Song for the Sabbath Day that embellish honoring one's father and mother
Hacham Yaakov Hai Zrihan - in which he teaches that a tsaddik [righteous person] who is involved with people is preferable, because the generation of his time benefits from him
Hacham Yaish Koriani - in which he shares a talisman to avoid transgression – drawing and gazing on a portrait of one’s parents
Hacham Yehuda Elbaz - in which he explains that although sons will dwell in the same place as their fathers, the reason here is that it was the Land of Canaan
Hacham Yehuda Leon Ashkenazi - in which he teaches that one must be grateful to the Almighty, just as he feels towards his or her parents
Hacham Yihya Moshe Abudi - in which he teaches the obligation to fulfill the Torah based on 'forsake not the teaching of thy mother'.
Hacham Yitzhak Eliyahu Laniado - in which he teaches that the righteous are sons of the sons of Moses, and their demise is in the hands of the angel Michael.
Hacham Yosef Berrebi - in which he teaches that the principal life story of the righteous consists of that which finds favor with God
Hacham Yoseph Rubin Elkabelah - in which he teaches the Torah innovation that the deaths of righteous women atone.
Hacham Kalphon Moshe Hacohen - explaining that a son is to attend to his father's bidding whatever the father's rank
Hacham Mekiketz Israel Haddad - in which he teaches to avoid quarreling with one's wife, for it ruins one's children's upbringing
Hacham Menasheh Salman Shaharabani - in which he teaches of the obligation to recount the story of Passover even when one knows the entire Torah, so that it is remembered by the children
Hacham Michael Yaakov Israel - in which he teaches to honor our parents in our hearts as one would notables, for their honor dwells principally within our hearts
Hacham Moshe Abirmat - in which he teaches of the merit of tsaddikim, who protect the pure of heart and broken-hearted who visit their tombs
Hacham Moshe Bishi Maimon - in which he explains Moses' merit for having privileged others with merit
Hacham Moshe Dayyan - in which he teaches to establish a day of fasting after the death of one's parents for having caused them sorrow while they were alive
Hacham Moshe Hai Cohen-Yazdi Aharoni - in which he teaches how the old order has been upset, in that not all fathers are rigorous in teaching their children
Hacham Moshe Malcah - in which he rules that it is forbidden to change God's name by pronouncing it "Elokim"
Hacham Mullah Mattityah Garji - in which he recounts how he was privileged to see the countenance of the old rabbi of Izmir and receive his blessing.
Hacham Nissim Hacohen Rabin - in which he teaches the Da'at Zekeinim's view on naming, that the father names the eldest son and the mother names the second.
Hacham Nissim Haim Moshe Modai - in which he teaches to do the compassionate deed of gathering and publishing the Torah learning of our parents
Hacham Ezra Hadaya - in which he instructs people seeking to be righteous to be rigorous concerning modestly in their own homes, but to act as do others when among people
Hacham Ezra Sasson Dangoor - in which he teaches that honoring parents is a national imperative and a source of social order
Hacham Wobasht Ayetgav - in which he teaches how a child may mend his ways, by finding him a guarantor to take him under his wing.
Hacham Rakhamim Melamed Hacohen - in which he teaches that [the people of] Israel received the Torah from their fathers before the revelation at Sinai.
Hacham Raphael Elashvili - in which he teaches to go to springs for the body's health and to augment holiness with holiness
Hacham Raphael Haim Moshe Ben Naim - in which he tells of his parents' righteousness in their wandering in search of a livelihood for him in the Land of Israel
Hacham Raphael Moshe Elbaz - in which he teaches that the succession of a Torah scholar is to be based on wisdom and fear of God, and not on age or closeness
Hacham Samuel Ibn Denan - in which he teaches one's father-in-law is to be respected, embraced and kissed like one's father
Hacham Shaul Sheli Mekiketz - in which he shares his teacher's diligence in teaching that honoring parents is the equivalent of honoring God
Hacham Shem Tob Gaguine - , in which he teaches that those who always aspire to innovation should observe and respect old customs
