Rav Raphael Boruch Toledano
A scion of the great Toledano family of Meknes, master of Shas, Poskim and Kabbalah, remembered for his love of every Jew.
Biography
Family
Rav Raphael Boruch Toledano zy"a came from the illustrious Toledano family, whose roots lie in the city of Toledo, Spain. At the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 5252 (1492), the family's ancestor, the Gaon Rav Yosef, left Toledo together with his son, the Gaon Rav Daniel, leader of the chachamim of Castile.
The whole family swore that neither they nor their descendants would ever again see the land of Spain. To keep the memory of this vow alive, they changed their family name to Toledano, meaning "Toledo, no".
Rav Daniel went to Morocco, settled in Fez and founded a great yeshiva there. His two sons, Rav Chaim and Rav Yosef, were also great talmidei chachamim and held rabbinic positions in Meknes. Over the generations, the family produced many renowned rabbanim and dayanim.
Early years
His father, the Gaon Rav Yaakov Toledano, was known for his immense Torah knowledge and great fear of Hashem. He was named head of the rabbinical court of Marrakech while still very young, and later served as Rav of Meknes. Jews and Muslims alike held him in respect and reverence, and through his influence the dayanim of the rabbinical court were officially recognised as government officials. His face was majestic and shone like the sun, like that of an angel of Hashem.
His son, Rav Boruch, was known from his youth for his pure and gentle soul. Year by year he rose in Torah learning and fear of Hashem. When he was ten years old he fell gravely ill, and the name Raphael was added to his name to help him recover.
His teachers, Rav Chaim Berdugo, the spiritual leader of the yeshiva of Meknes, and Rav Chaim Massas, the Dayan of Meknes, opened the doors of deep Torah knowledge to him.
Torah and leadership
Within a few years Rav Raphael Boruch became a great scholar in Shas and Poskim. He then began learning Kabbalah with his teacher, Rav Yosef Elkubi, and with his sharp mind he became a master of the subject. He had a vast knowledge of every area of Torah, hidden and revealed. His only ambition and passion was Torah, which he learned constantly.
His greatness lay in his love for his fellow Jew and his devotion to every Yid. His home was open to everyone who came, and no effort was too great when it came to saving a sick person or helping the poor.
Yet when some in the community tried to get around the Torah's prohibitions, Rav Raphael Boruch was deeply distressed and fought them without compromise. He stood like a mighty rock guarding the holiness of the Torah in every way.
His deep and pure emunah showed itself in his tefillah, in a teaching he would often repeat on the words "Hashem Melech, Hashem Malach, Hashem Yimloch l'olam va'ed".
Majesty and nobility, modesty and humility were joined in him in perfect harmony. He was a tzaddik whose feet stood on the ground and whose head reached the heavens.
Later years and passing
Rav Raphael Boruch travelled to Eretz Yisroel and settled in Bnei Brak. In Cheshvan 5731 (1971) he returned his pure soul to his Creator.
Teachings
Emunah Begins in the Present
Rav Raphael Boruch would ask: Why did Dovid HaMelech reverse the order in the words "Hashem Melech, Hashem Malach, Hashem Yimloch l'olam va'ed", speaking first of the present, then of the past and only then of the future? Logically he should have begun with the past, then the present, and then the future. The answer is that the foundation of emunah is in the present. We cannot feel Hashem's kingship in the past as long as we have not accepted His reign now. Only after we have rooted the kingship of Hashem deeply in our hearts, at every present moment, can we, with pure emunah, come to grasp His kingship in the past and in the future.
As quoted in his biography on Hevrat Pinto
Family & talmidim
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@{name=Rav Chaim Berdugo}: Rav Chaim Massas