Hacham Benzion Shmuel Vidal


Hacham Benzion Shmuel Vidal

Date of Birth: 21st of Nissan, 5627 (1867)
Date of Death: 16th of Cheshvan, 5697 (1936)
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A Short Tribute

Hacham Benzion Shmuel Vidal Coyanca was born to Bechora-Donna and Abraham on 21 Nissan, 5627 (1867) in the Old City of Jerusalem. In 1876, at the age of 9, he began to lay Tefillin and gave his first public sermon. At the age of 11, he began writing his own original Torah commentary.

In 1882, Hacham Benzion Shmuel Vidal Coyanca married and moved to the Ohel Moshe neighborhood, outside the Old City ramparts. During those years, his father supported him while he devoted himself entirely to Torah study. In 1889 he joined his father's business, learned commerce, and integrated his Torah study with employment.

In 1896 he founded the HaMe'asef journal that collected and published original Torah commentary written by rabbis of his period. The journal was published on a weekly basis, first as a supplement to the HaTzvi and HaHavatzellet newspapers and subsequently as an independent journal.

In 18997 he was appointed as a dayyan in Hacham Nissim Baruch and Hacham Shlomo Suzin's rabbinic court, and in 1898 began to serve as head of the Tiferet Yerushalaim yeshiva. In 1899 he went abroad as a rabbinic emissary to raise funds for Israel, visiting communities in the Jewish diaspora. He returned to the Tiferet Yerushalaim after his travels.

Hacham Benzion Shmuel Vidal Coyanca was committed to community work and founded the Sephardic Community Home for the Aged in 1906. In 1931, he was appointed Rabbi of Hebron, where he served until the Arab revolt of 1936.  

Hacham Ben Zion Shmuel Vidal Coyanca passed away on 17 Cheshvan 5697 (1936) and was buried on the Mount of Olives.

The writings by Hacham Ben Zion Shmuel Vidal Coyanca that have been preserved include Hoshia Zion – sermons on the Torah, Tiferet Zion – Clarifications of questions and Halakha in the Talmud, and Sefer HaZichronot VeHaToladot, an autobiography.

 

A few quotes from the Rabbi on Love of Israel
in which he compares unity to a sheaf of tobacco leaves

The tobacco tin dropped from my hands and all the tobacco in it fell and scattered. I reached out to return it to the box and…lo and behold! Those leaves that were bound one to another I was able to pick up with two fingers. They were returned to the tin just as they were, while the remaining leaves – those not bound on to the other – dropped and scattered. They cannot be returned to their place. They will be crushed by all those passing by, and amount to nothing. So it is with unity – its value and virtue.

Hacham Benzion Shmuel Vidal , Tiferet Zion, Introduction, page b, Raphael Haim Hacohen Printing, 1971 From 'The Daily Sage'
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"It is our custom to light a yahrzeit candle in honor of the memory of the Sages, as it is said: “the life breath of man is the lamp of the Lord” (Proverbs 20:27). And it is good to add from the light of the Torah to the light of the candle, as it is said “For the commandment is a lamp, the teaching is a light” (Proverbs 6:23). And it is good to increase the teaching of the Sage on the anniversary of his death, as Rabbi Yochanan based on the teachings of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said, “Each scholar whose sayings are taught in this world, his lips speak from the grave (Bechorot 31B).”

“Even if all of the skies are a blank parchment, and all human beings are clerks, and all of the forests are quills, we would never be able to write down what our Sages have taught us. But even a few righteous are also good, and thanks to the sacred Torah and the teachings that Israel will learn in the Sage’s name on the anniversary of his death, the Holy One Blessed be He, will share our part with them, and we will never be ashamed because of our faith in the Holy One Blessed be He, and on his great benevolence and truth will we lean, for He hides his abundant goodness for those who are worthy and revere Him.”

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Rabbi Chananaia son of Akashia stated, God wanted to grant merits to Israel, therefore he gave them many laws and commandments as it states, "Because God wants righteousness he increased the amount of Torah and splendor." (Isaiah 42:21).