A Short Tribute

Hacham Yihya Badikhi, son of Yehuda Socher, as born in 1803 in Sana'a, Yemen. Mori Yihya Badikhi was raised among the sages of Sana'a and studied with them. He became proficient in both the revealed and concealed aspects of Torah, and his profession was that of a Torah scribe.

In 1834, the Jews of Sana'a were suffering from the effects of various decrees. Mori Yihya Badikhi was imprisoned and tortured in prison. After a short period, he succeeded in escaping and left for the city of Kawkaban, where he led the local Jewish community. Following the Turkish conquest of Sana'a in 1873, Mori Yihya Badikhi returned to Sana'a to head its yeshiva, where many of his students, including Mori Shalom Alsheich, were to become outstanding Torah scholars.

Mori Yihya Badikhi passed away on 16 Tishrei, 1887. He authored two books: Lechem Toda – a summary of halakhic rulings concerning ritual slaughtering, based on Mori Yihya Tzalakh's book, Sha'arei Kedusha, and Chen Tov – sermons on the Torah and Responsa.