Hacham Michael Yaakov Israel


Hacham Michael Yaakov Israel

Date of Birth: 5550 (1790)
Date of Death: 7th of Iyar, 5616 (1857)
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A Short Tribute

Hacham Michael Yaakov Israel, son of Haim Yehuda Michael Israel, was born circa 1790 in Rhodes, which at the time was under Ottoman rule.

Hacham Michael Yaakov Israel studied with Hacham Abraham Halevy, Rabbi of Rhodes. He served as the city's cantor and shochet and at the age of 31, in 1821, began to officiate as Rabbi of Rhodes.

Every year, on 2 Kislev, he would hold a festive celebration for his family to commemorate his rescue from drowning at sea on that date, when he was shipwrecked on his way to Egypt.

In 1853 he immigrated to Israel, settling in Jerusalem where he was made a candidate for the position of Rishon LeZion. He refused the position and was eventually appointed Av Beit Din.

Hacham Michael Yaakov Israel passed away in Jerusalem on 7 Iyar, 5616 (1857) and was eulogized in Jerusalem, Rhodes and Izmir.

His Responsa were published in Yad Yemin, and the sermons he composed in Shnot Yamin.

 

A few quotes from the Rabbi on Heritage of the Fathers
in which he teaches to honor our parents in our hearts as one would notables, for their honor dwells principally within our hearts
The principal aspect of honoring parents must be within the heart. One should consider one's parents as the land's notables, so as to ensure avoiding any contempt but, on the contrary, to honor them in one's speech as much as in one's actions. We have already indicated the reason for honoring one's parents, they being the source of our very existence in this world, and also for their pains and the efforts they make on our behalf when we are children, so that it is appropriate not to be unappreciative; one is obliged to honor them. In this way, one is also drawn to recognize the goodness of the Blessed One and to fulfill His commandments and to not be ungrateful. For otherwise, if an individual does not honor his or her father and mother, heaven forbid, is ungrateful and does not acknowledge their goodness towards them, that person may be led to being ungrateful to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, and not fulfill His commandments.
Hacham Michael Yaakov Israel, Shnot Yamin, Sermon 2 for Shabbat Zachor, p. 155b – 156a, Haim Shaul and Yitzhak Hakim Press, Izmir, 1855 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).