Rav Gedalya Chiyun

Torah and leadership

Rav Gedalya Chiyun zy"a was born in Kushta (Constantinople), Turkey. His teacher was the mekubal (Kabbalist) Rav Chaim Alfandari.

In the early 1700s, those who studied the hidden Torah gathered in groups, and even established special yeshivos, to toil over the kabbalistic teachings of the Ari. One of the most successful was that of Rav Gedalya, who gathered the greatest men of his generation. In 1732 he founded the famous Yeshivas Beis El in Yerushalayim, a yeshiva for mekubalim that studied Kabbalah according to the approach of the Ari.

Then Rav Shalom Sharabi, the Rashash, arrived from Teiman (Yemen) to study Kabbalah in Yerushalayim. He was modest and reserved, and seemed to be a simple shammash (attendant). But the day came when his greatness was recognized by all. The Rashash married Chana, the daughter of Rav Gedalya.

Later years and passing

Rav Gedalya passed away in Yerushalayim on 5 Menachem Av 5510 (1750).

After his passing, the Rashash became rosh yeshiva of Beis El. Through his holiness and his brilliance, he succeeded in explaining the words of the Ari to the students of the yeshiva.