In a comprehensive talk with R' Ben Zion Mutsafi, Rosh Yeshivas Bnei Zion, we were made privy to fascinating facets of R' Ovadia, only a small fraction of which we are able to present here:
R' Ovadia was born in Baghdad and came here as a small boy. Only a few years later, he returned briefly to his birthplace together with his father. R' Salman Aboudi, Av Beis Din in Baghdad, tested him and was amazed at his knowledge, saying, "I never knew that such astute young boys existed in Eretz Yisroel."
They returned to Eretz Yisroel and at the age of thirteen, he was already accepted to Yeshivat Porat Yosef. His seat mate was R' Ben Zion Abba Shaul; the two of them used to walk together from their respective homes in the Shmuel Hanovi area until the yeshiva in the Old City, talking in learning all along the way. R' Ben Zion told us that en route, they would memorize entire passages, and on the way back, would review from memory all of the commentaries on that subject — day after day!
"Even at that tender age, his love for Torah kept him at his studies till late at night and on the following day, when the shiur was being taught at the lower common level of the group, he would often be found dozing off! He was punished so frequently for this lapse that his father decided to take him out from the yeshiva and keep him by his side in the grocery store which he ran on Rechov David Yellin. R' Efraim Cohen once encountered father and son on the steps of the yeshiva and when he realized the current situation, chided the father, telling him that this youth had the potential of becoming the future godol hador. He insisted on taking Ovadia into his class and asked that they relate to him as if he were his own son. R' Ovadia always regarded this act highly and told me once that it was only thanks to his intervention that he continued his studies.
"On another occasion, R' Ovadia told me that in 5712, he published his first work on the laws of Pesach which aroused an animated controversy. This so troubled him that he became ill on Seder night. On the following morning which was, of course, Yom Tov, he was visited by R' Ezra Attiya together with R' Yaakov Ades, who said to the boy's mother, `The sun shone and now, nothing can hide its illumination.' Their words inspired and revived him and he quickly recovered and was able to resume his study.
"He once told me that a family member was against his learning in yeshiva for fear that he would remain impoverished for the rest of his life. In order to prevent him from going to yeshiva, they filled his shoes with cement which hardened overnight. When he arose the following morning and saw that he couldn't wear his shoes, he did not despair, but bound his feet up in rags and walked thus all the way to the yeshiva in the Old City.
"He studied under R' Ezra Attiya, who was his major influence, as well as R' Eliyahu Lopez, and R' Ades, all of whom cherished this gifted student. He completed his studies in the yeshiva at the age of seventeen, at which time he authored his work on Bava Kama and began studying with learning partners in different places."
"There is a famous story which tells how he was once studying in the upper women's gallery of the Shoshanim leDavid synagogue, where the author of Kaf Hachaim had sat and written his work. He began on Friday morning and continued studying, oblivious of the time, until 10:30 at night! When he finally decided to return home, he found the iron gate locked. He called out for help and a kind passerby went to fetch the key to release him.
"My father, R' Salman, told me that R' Tzadka Chutzin used to bake matzos with a group of disciples; my father was appointed supervisor. Suddenly, a young avreich of twenty- two entered the bakery bearing half a kilo of shmura flour and was about to begin baking his own matzos. The baker told him that he had to await his turn. My father noticed that he took out from a breast pocket a copy of Shulchan Aruch Hilchos Pesach with the Be'er Heitev commentary, and began forthwith to study from it. Impressed by the fact that this young man had come to bake matzos on Erev Pesach and notwithstanding the stressful time and the noise and commotion all around him, was able to concentrate on this complex study, my father intervened and asked R' Chutzin to let him bake immediately and not cause him bitul Torah. He agreed. Thus, R' Ovadia was able to go back to his study without delay, bearing his three matzos.
"Upon another occasion, I heard from him that in 5714, he taught in the Kiryat Sefer institution which was not recognized by the government regarding army service deferral. He was walking along one time when he met R' Rosenthal [most probably R' Avraham David] who asked where he was headed. He told him that he had to appear at the army induction center and showed him his draft order. `But what do you intend to do?' R' Rosenthal asked in concern. `I'll tell them that I study Torah,' he replied simply.
"R' Rosenthal understood that he was at a grave risk of being drafted on the spot and asked him to join his kollel, where he would be able to arrange an exemption."
Alongside his devoted application to study, he also actively disseminated Torah to the broad public, exhorting his listeners to enroll their children in chadorim instead of to the secular schools of KIACH (the Kol Yisrael Chaverim network). Thanks to him, many children were enrolled in the Chinuch Atzmai schools. He can surely be credited with establishing three generations of shomrei Torah umitzvos of Sephardim in Eretz Yisroel, whose fruits are all his! To say nothing of his tremendous impact on Yiddishkeit throughout Sephardic communities worldwide!
"I am involved in historical research and in the past five centuries, there has been nothing resembling this accomplishment. The scope of his blessed activities are reminiscent of the generation of the Radvaz who lived over five hundred years ago, as well as of the periods preceding this when outstanding individuals had a tremendous influence over significant masses of the Jewish people."
