Hacham Eliyahu Ben Harosh was born to Esther Niddam and Abraham Harosh circa 1817 in Sefrou, Morocco. He studied Torah with Hacham Yehoshua Israel Yaakov Ben Ouliel.
In 1837, Hacham Eliyahu Ben Harosh married Mas'ouda, his teacher's granddaughter, and the couple had four daughters.
Hacham Eliyahu Ben Eliyahu was a person of great humility who devoted his time entirely to
Torah study and was famous for his sermons and poetry.
Hacham Eliyahu Ben Eliyahu passed away on 13 Sivan, 5643 (1883). He authored two books: Birkat Eliyahu – original commentary on the Bible, and Kos Eliyahu – a commentary on the Passover Haggadah.
"Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the children of Israel." It is a known fact that the word "house" is used to refer to assembly and unity, as we interpret "It shall be eaten in one house" to mean 'in one group'. Our sages, of blessed memory, said that the name Jacob is used when they (the People of Israel) do not do the will of the LORD, and the name Israel is used when they do His will. This is the sense in which "Thus shall you say" is said – in gentle words to those called the house of Jacob, meaning that despite their being called the house of Jacob for not having yet repented, unified and become one house, speak to them in gentle words. But "And declare", means harsh words, and is used to refer to the children of Israel when they are being called "the children Israel", for despite that they do His will and are called by the name Israel, since they are not unified and are being named children of Israel in the plural, speak to them in harsh words.
Birkat Eliyahu, p. 70, Haddad Printing, Djerba, 1938
1817-1883