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NEWS
HaRav Yosef Cohen zt"l
by Betzalel Kahn
This past Sunday, 11 Shevat, thousands of Jerusalem's Torah
world, headed by Maran HaRav Eliashiv, accompanied one of
the greatest and most venerable sages of our times, and one
of the pillars of halachic authority, HaRav Yosef Cohen
zt"l, on his last earthly journey. He was 83 at the
time of his petirah.
HaRav Cohen, the son of HaRav Shmuel Dovid Cohen, was born
in 5678 (1918) in the Yemin Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem,
near, but outside, the wall of the Old City. The young Yosef
studied in the Eitz Chaim yeshiva and already in his youth
was known as one who aspired to grow in Torah and
yirah. The venerable talmidei chachomim of the
neighborhood, headed by its rav, HaRav Mordechai Leib Rubin,
and HaRav Velvel Shachor discerned that he was destined for
greatness.
When he grew older, he participated in the private
shiur of HaRav Isser Zalman Meltzer, delivered before
a select group of students from various yeshivos. He also
spoke in learning with the gaon of Teplik, one of
Jerusalem's greatest halachic authorities. Upon the
recommendation of HaRav Isser Zalman Meltzer, HaRav Cohen
was accepted in the Harry Fischel Institute, which was
founded then, and which accepted only illuyim and
older avreichim. There he found a broad field for his
immense diligence. By the same token, his particular talent
for exhausting sugyos according to the Rishonim and
Acharonim came to the fore. For a long period, he studied
bechavrusa there with his close friend, HaRav Yosef
Sharabani, zt'l, father-in-law of HaRav Benzion Abba
Shaul zt"l. Together they reviewed Shulchan Oruch-
Choshen Mishpat 40 times, until they knew it backwards
and forwards.
Upon his marriage to the daughter of HaRav Shmuel Tanchum
Frank, the son of the rav of Yerushalayim HaRav Tzvi Pesach
Frank, he entered the realm of halocho too as his
grandfather trained him to answer halachic questions.
In 5716 (1956), he was chosen to preside in Jerusalem's
beis din after having succeeded in the examinations
for that position with excellence, holding that position
until he retired. Eventually he became ravad and a
member of the Beis Din Hagodol. Known as one of the best
dayanim in the world, he was consulted by many. He
was keenly aware of the great responsibility which rested on
his shoulders. His family relates that on days when he would
have to arrange divorces he would tremble in fear of the
awesomeness of the din.
HaRav Cohen produced many students over the thirty years in
which he presided as the head of the departments for
horo'oh and dayanus at Machon Harry Fischel.
Today, many of his students hold prominent positions as
dayanim and rabbonim in Eretz Yisroel and abroad. He
was also the head of the editorial board of Halocho
Pesuka on Chosen Mishpat, and recently a
collection of his shiurim on Even Ha'ezer,
called Divrei Yosef appeared in print, receiving warm
accolades from the yeshiva world.
He also edited and compiled his grandfather's
chiddushim, and prior to his petirah headed
the editorial board of the works of the HaRav Frank.
He was very prolific, and wrote a the three volume Sefer
Hateshuva, as well has many chiddushim on
aggada and drush, part of which were printed
in the Atteres Tzvi series on the Haftorah. His
chiddushim on Chosen Misphat are included in
the Halocho Pesuka series.
His levaya was attended by thousands of gedolei
Yerushalayim, headed by Maran HaRav Yosef Sholom
Eliashiv. Hespedim were delivered by: HaRav
Waldenberg, a colleague in the beis din; HaRav A.
Berlin, in the name of the members of the Achva shul; HaRav
Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, the rosh yeshiva of Atteres
Yisroel; HaRav Shmuel Borstein, the rosh yeshiva of Chevron
Geula; HaRav S. Goldberg, a member of the beis din
for Ashkenazic communities; HaRav M. T. Berlin, the rosh
yeshiva of Rabbenu Chaim Ozer; HaRav C. Eizered, in the name
of his students; HaRav N. Tokachinski, the rosh yeshiva of
Eitz Chaim; and the niftar's son, HaRav Dovid Cohen,
one of the current roshei yeshiva of Chevron-Knesses Yisroel
in Givat Mordechai.
At sunset, he was buried at the top of Har Hamenuchos, near
the grave of his grandfather, HaRav Tzvi Pesach Frank, as
the many participants in the levaya prayed for the
safety and welfare of all Beis Yisroel.
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