Rabbi Yosef Qafiḥ | |
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| Personal life | |
| Born | 27 November 1917 |
| Died | 21 July 2000 (aged 82) |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Judaism |
Yosef Qafiḥ (Hebrew: יוסף קאפח pronounced [josef qafiħ], Arabic: يوسف القافح), widely known as Rabbi Yosef Kapach (27 November 1917 – 21 July 2000), was a Yemenite-Israeli authority on Jewish religious law (halakha), a dayan of the Supreme Rabbinical Court in Israel, and one of the foremost leaders of the Yemenite Jewish community in Israel, where he was sought after by non-Yemenites as well.[1][2] He is widely known for his editions and translations of the works of Maimonides, Saadia Gaon, and other early rabbinic authorities (Rishonim), particularly his restoration of the Mishneh Torah from old Yemenite manuscripts and his accompanying commentary culled from close to 300 additional commentators[3] and with original insights. He was the grandson of Rabbi Yiḥyah Qafiḥ, a prominent Yemenite leader and founder of the Dor Deah movement in Yemen. Qafih was the recipient of many awards, as well as an Honorary Doctorate from Bar-Ilan University.
- ^ Professor Moshe Bar-Asher, Peamim 84 (summer 2000), הרב יוסף קאפח – החוקר והמנהיג הרוחני (Hebrew article), p. 11 (Hebrew quotation of which follows) "אבל אם ירצה הרוצה לצמצם את כוח השפעתו ואת גודל ערכו כמנהיג לעדה אחת, יחטא לאמת. רבי יוסף רבם ומורם של ישראל היה, מורם ברובי תורתו אשר העמיד לרשותם, ורבם במופת האישי שהקרין במעשיו ובהנהגותיו." Cf. Professor Yosef Tobi, Masorah L'Yosef, vol. 5 (2008), p. 21 (Hebrew quotation of which follows) "לא היה הרב קאפח חכם ומורה לדורו בלבד, ואף לא לקהילת תימן בלבד, אלא ראה עצמו כמי שעליו להציג את המסורת היהודית לעם היהודי כולו, בטהרתהּ ובמקוריוּתהּ, בפניה המאירים והרֵאָליים."
- ^ Tal Yosef Responsa (October 2017; Hebrew title: שו"ת טל יוסף: הרב יוסף קאפח) by the Ashkenazi Rabbi Shmuel Tal, Rosh Yeshiva of Torat HaChaim.
- ^ ספר המדע מהדורת הרב קאפח (Hebrew original), p. 15 (p. 13 of linked Otzar HaHochma pagination). English translation at: "Kapach Intro". 2002-06-06. Archived from the original on 2002-06-06. Retrieved 2022-01-17.