In our Bet Knesset, we merit to mention Hacham Ovadia ten or twenty times every day, quoting his various rulings and teachings. Nevertheless, we will present some special words of praise, in commemoration of his third Yahrzeit, the 3rd of Heshvan.
Hacham David Yosef related that about fifteen years ago, his father, Hacham Ovadia underwent bypass surgery. Upon arriving at the hospital, he was informed that it was an urgent and dangerous procedure. The doctors told him that there were risks involved, and he may not survive. He responded, "If that’s the case, I must first go home and settle some affairs, and then I will return." Although they told him that returning home in a car was also risky, he would not be dissuaded. When he returned home, he went straight to his study and completed a Teshuva (responsa) to free an Aguna. "He said, "If I were to leave this world, who would allow her to get married?" He put this woman’s welfare ahead of his own wellbeing.
This is one small example of Hacham Ovadia’s great love for Am Yisrael. We generally don’t emphasize this aspect of his personality enough. We usually focus on his greatness in Halacha. That greatness stemmed from his love of Am Yisrael. He loved them so much that he delved into all of their problems and cases, enabling them to live their life according to the Halacha.
The Gemara relates that when the great sage, Rav, passed away, his students ripped their clothes. Afterwards, during the Seudah, a Halachic question arose regarding the Birkat Hamazon. None of the students was able to answer the question, so they ripped their clothes again, because they re-experienced the great loss. They said that if Rav would still be with us, we wouldn’t have this question. So too, with regard to Hacham Ovadia, it’s as though we rip our clothes every day. So many new questions arise every day, that he could have clarified for us, if he would have remained with us. We no longer have anyone of that caliber to consult.
On one hand, there is a Nehama (consolation) that he left us with so many books. On the other hand, imagine how many more books we could have received if we would have merited to have him stay with us longer. Therefore, we are never fully consoled at the death of a Tzadik. We always could have received more.
Baruch Hashem, our congregation merited to be the only congregation in the world to go to Eres Yisrael on his first Yahrzeit with a Sefer Torah in his memory and enter his study, where he wrote so much Torah. It is clear that in Heaven, our Kahal (community) is connected to this great Rav The fact that three years have passed does not make it any easier for Klal Yisrael, until he rises again in the Tehiyat Hametim (resurrection of the dead), together with his wife and entire family, along with all the Gedolim we quote in our Shiurim.
