Despite being orphaned at a young age from his father Rabbi
Chaim zt"l, all Rabbi Rafael Yosef's time was spent in
constant pursuit of his Torah studies. In fact at the age of
seventeen, he already gave public droshos that were
later printed in his sefer Ma'archei Lev.
When he was appointed — against his will — as rav in
Izmir, he was still very young, though it was well known to
all that when he had made a decision according to his
daas Torah, he would be swayed by no one.
Knowing this, a delegation of the town's residents came to
him with a request that he lead the town with a somewhat
easy hand, gently hinting to him that he was young after
all.
"If you have a problem with my personality, why did you
choose me to be your rav?"asked Rabbi Rafael.
As one, they replied, "For Rabbeinu surpasses all of us in
Torah greatness."
"In that case, you can rest assured that I only tell you
that which is written in the Torah and in the sifrei
haposkim."
From then on Rabbeinu's every word was accepted without
question or doubt.
*
For his own kovod, he had no regard, even in cases
where others would have been angered. But when kovod
haTorah was involved, Rabbeinu would not rest until the
issue was dealt with. He made sure to point this out
clearly, announcing to the public: "For my own honor I do
not care, only for the honor of Heaven, that the laws of the
Torah be fulfilled."
When, on occasion during his droshos, he would speak
sharply, he would later warn his talmidim and family
not to do likewise, "For I speak lesheim Shomayim, and
therefore the people respect me and accept my words. But if
you do the same, they will not accept it."
*
His grandson, HaRav Chaim Falagi zt"l relates how he
observed his grandfather speaking in public, his entire body
trembling. This was strange in light of the well-known fact
that Rabbeinu was fearless when facing people and would
never favor one person above the other. Once someone dared
to ask Rabbeinu to explain this contradiction.
His answer was simple:
"Chazal tell us that one who gives a public droshoh, a
ruach hakodesh descends upon him. I tremble out of
fear of HaKodosh Boruch Hu, Whose spirit rests on me
as I speak."
Rabbi Chaim Falagi further recalls that Rabbeinu had a daily
"mussar lesson." One of the city's talmidei
chachomim would come and read before Rabbeinu from the
sefer Shevet Mussar or Reishis Chochmah, and
give him rebuke. The reason he was not satisfied to learn
this on his own, he revealed to his family, was so that he
would never miss out a day and chas vesholom fall.
"Perhaps I could become so involved in my limud haShas
that I may neglect this important minhag."
*
Another practice of Rabbi Rafael's was to rise out of
respect for any talmid chochom who entered his room,
even if the person was a young bochur. The guest would
be embarrassed and ask Rabbeinu why he afforded him such
kovod, begging him not to belittle himself so.
"If a wealthy person or president of the community were to
come in to me," reasoned Rabbi Rafael, "even if he were as
young as you, I would treat him with this respect. How can I
then sin against Hashem to honor baalei batim more
than talmidei chachomim?
"I have yet another reason," continued Rabbeinu. "When the
wealthy see my behavior towards the talmidei chachomim
they will learn to do likewise and honor Torah and those
who study it."
*
His strong stance and authority notwithstanding, Rabbeinu
did many things for the sake of the people, caring for them
and ensuring that he was not causing tircha
detzibburah.
When davening the Shemoneh Esrei, he always
stepped backwards before Elokai netzor and then
finished off quietly on his own so as not to keep the
congregation waiting.
Rabbeinu would not rebuke a sinner when he met him on the
street. Only when they were alone, or in the course of a
general public droshoh would he permit himself to do
so. Even if a sinner came to kiss his hand, as is customary
with the Sephardim, he would not prevent him from
doing so on the street, so as to avoid embarrassing him.
However, he refrained from blessing him as he would have
done with anyone else who greeted him with a kiss on the
hand.
*
An interesting fact is told by the grandchildren of
Rabbeinu: They would sit together in Rabbeinu's home
watching the various baalei din entering for a din
Torah.
Rabbeinu's son Rabbi Eliyahu Chazan zt"l was with them
too and, as the din Torah proceeded, the latter would
invariably predict which one of the plaintiffs was destined
to win the case and which would lose — and he was always
correct!
"Who revealed the secret to him in advance each time?" we
wondered. "Until our uncle told us he has a sign: The man
whom Rabbeinu questioned, interrogated and cross-examined in
a sharp manner, was sure to be the winner, while the loser
would be spoken to by Rabbi Rafael in a soft and gentle
way."
