A Short Tribute

Hacham Joseph Nachmias, son of David, was born in Marrakesh, Morocco. He learned Torah from Hacham David Sabbah in Marrakesh, and Hacham Israel Abuhatzeira, the Baba Sali, would often visit him. He apparently suffered from an eye disease but nevertheless made the effort to study Torah and went to great lengths to have his book published, traveling to various Moroccan communities to raise the funds required, as he notes in his book’s introduction.

His book, Yoseph Chen, contains sermons on the Torah and additional topics, and was published in Tunis in 1915. Along with his book, he had Moreh Tzedek, his teacher and master Hacham David Sabbah’s book of halakhic renewal on Shulchan Aruch, published, as well as an addendum containing the wording for scores of deeds and writs prepared according to the Marrakesh tradition. He also added several pages of texts for amulets and remedies in Arabic and eight piyutim that he composed. A new edition of the book was recently published by the author’s grandson.

Hacham Joseph Nachmias passed away on 17 Kislev, 5696 (1936).