Hayim David HaLevi

Israeli rabbi

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Hayim David HaLevi (24 January 1924 – 10 March 1998) (הרב חיים דוד הלוי‎), was Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv-Yafo.

Biography

Hayim David HaLevi was born in Jerusalem. He studied under Rabbi Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel at the Porat Yosef Yeshiva. When R. Uziel was appointed Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, he hired HaLevi as his personal secretary. HaLevi served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during 1948 Arab-Israeli War.

Rabbinic career

He was appointed chief rabbi of Rishon Le-Zion in 1951. In 1964, he became a member of Israel's Chief Rabbinate Council. He became chief rabbi of Tel Aviv-Yafo in 1973, taking over from R. Ovadia Yosef. HaLevi was known for his clear-headed approach to halakha, particularly relating to the Jewish state. Though unquestionably tied to Sephardi minhag, liturgy and halakha, HaLevi also included Ashkenazi halakhic positions and customs in his books and responsa. HaLevi is said to be the first rabbi to issue a Halachic prohibition on smoking.

Awards and recognition

In 1997, HaLevi was awarded the Israel Prize, for Rabbinical studies.^[1]

A street in the Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood in Jerusalem^[2] is named after him

Published works

Mekor Hayim haShalem, a five-volume account of Jewish law and practice with reasons, in easy language.
Kitzur Shulchan Arukh Mekor Hayim, a one-volume digest of the above code giving practical conclusions only.
Aseh L'kha Rav, a collection of responsa.
Dvar HaMishpat, a commentary on Maimonides's Hilchot Sanhedrin.
Torat Hayim, 3 volumes of essays about the weekly parasha and the Jewish holydays.
Mayim Hayim, responsa
The life of Rabbi Ben Zion Meir Chai Uziel
Dat Umidina, (Religion and state) an approach of how to balance religion and state (Published 1968)

References

^ "Israel Prize Official Site - Recipients in 1997 (in Hebrew)".
^ "רשימת רחובות - שכונת פסגת זאב מזרח List of streets - Pisgat Ze'ev Mizrah neighborhood (Hebrew)".