Rav Refael Yosef Chazan of Izmir

Early years

Rav Refael Yosef Chazan zt"l was born in Izmir, Turkey, in 5501 (1741). His father, Rav Chaim, came from a long line of Sephardic gedolim, most notably the paytan (liturgical poet) Rav Avrohom Chazan, author of the piyut “Achos Ketanah,” which many say on Erev Rosh Hashanah after Minchah. Rav Chaim was the son of Rav Dovid Chazan, author of Chozeh Dovid, a peirush on Tehillim, and a descendant of Rav Yosef Chazan, a talmid of the Ri MiTrani. Rav Chaim named his son Yosef after this ancestor. The Chazan family was one of the prominent rabbinic families of the Ottoman Empire, together with the Algazi, Abulafia and Danon families.

Rav Refael Yosef lost his father, who was also his rebbi, at a young age. In the hakdamah to his sefer Chikrei Lev he wrote about this period, thanking all those who cared for him and noting the encouragement offered by his family. His hasmadah (diligence) as a young man was legendary, and he could sit for hours on end and learn without interruption.

He married Reina, the daughter of the nagid Rav Daniel Palagi. Their grandson was the famed Rav Chaim Palagi, author of Kaf Hachaim and other seforim.

Rav of Izmir

In 5550 (1790) Rav Refael Yosef was appointed Rav and Dayan in Izmir, the city of his birth. In 5554 (1794), against his wishes, he was appointed full leader of the city’s Torah community, as well as Rosh Yeshivah.

He delivered many fiery drashos that moved his listeners to improve themselves. His grandson, Rav Chaim Palagi, relates that his grandfather once explained to him that Chazal teach that Ruach Hakodesh rests on one who speaks in public. He was therefore overcome with fear of the Shechinah, which is why he became so inflamed in his drashos. He also kept a steady mussar seder every morning with a local talmid chacham.

The shailos he received from far and wide, including from Eretz Yisroel, filled his sefer Chikrei Lev, after which he is commonly known. Rav Yom Tov Algazi praised him highly in a haskamah to the Chikrei Lev. Beyond his greatness in the revealed Torah and in halachah, he was also familiar with Kabbalah.

Eretz Yisroel

In 5573 (1813) Rav Refael Yosef moved to Eretz Yisroel, as was customary for the elderly in those days, and settled first in Chevron, where he was accepted as Rav. Two years later the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Yaakov Koral, passed away, and the dignitaries of Yerushalayim went to Chevron to bring Rav Refael Yosef to be their Rav. He succeeded Rav Yaakov as Rishon LeTzion.

Rav Refael Yosef became the leader of all the communities, Ashkenazim and Sephardim alike. There is much correspondence between him and the leading talmidim of the Vilna Gaon who had moved to Eretz Yisroel around that time. Rav Yisroel of Shklov, a talmid of the Vilna Gaon who settled in Tzfas, also sent him shailos and held him in high regard.

Later years and passing

Rav Refael Yosef was niftar on 23 Cheshvan 5581 (1820), at around eighty years of age. He was buried on Har Hazeisim, in the kever he had bought during his lifetime. His matzeiva praises him as the one who investigated the chikrei lev, a gaon of his generation and a preacher whose drashos drew out the depths of the heart, and mourns the closing of the gates of his beis medrash. In the same year Rav Avrohom Danzig, the Chayei Adam, and Rav Chaim Volozhin were also niftar.

He had six sons. Four of them were gedolei Torah in their own right, and two passed away during his lifetime. His only daughter was the mother of Rav Chaim Palagi.

Legacy

Rav Refael Yosef left thirteen volumes of his classic Chikrei Lev, covering thousands of teshuvos on all topics of Torah and halachah. His many drashos were printed in the two-volume Maarchei Lev, published in Salonika right after his petirah, in 5581–5582 (1821–1822). He is remembered as one of the great sages of Izmir, Chevron and Yerushalayim.