A Short Tribute

Hacham Yehezkel Ezra Halevy, son of Yehoshua, was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1852. He studied at the Beit Zalicha rabbinic study house and was the student of Hacham Bashi Hacham Yitzhak, son of Hacham Abraham Shlomo.

In 1890, he immigrated to the Land of Israel and settled in Jerusalem, where he became involved in public welfare. He established the Shoshanim LeDavid yeshiva for the Babylonian Jewish community, traveled as an emissary to the Baghdad community to raise money, and was the Babylonian Jewish community's representative for the British government.

Hacham Yehezkel Ezra Halevy passed away in Jerusalem on 3 Tevet, 5701 (1941) and was buried on the Mount of Olives.

Among his works one counts a commentary on HaZa"L legends entitled Arugim HaBossem, Tehila VeTiferet - a commentary on the Psalms, an essay on HAAR"I's Tikunei Teshuva entitled Pitchei Teshuva, and a commentary on the Passover Haggadah, entitled Simchat Yom Tov.