Rav Yehuda Ibn Atar zt"l
הרב יהודה בן יעקב אבן עטר זצ"ל
Sivan 19 , 5493
Rav Yehuda Ibn Atar zt"l
Rav Yehuda Ben-Attar was born in Fez, Morocco in Elul 5415 (1655). His father was Rav Yaakov. Fez was a well-known city of Torah, the home of many of the Rishonim (including the Rif, the Rambam) and also housed many Yeshivos.
Rav Yehuda learned under Rav Vidal HaTzarfati and Rav Menachem Siriro. He received Semichah from both of them. Even when Rav Yehuda was later recognized as a Talmid Chacham in his own right, he still sat at the feet of these Gedolim.
In 5442 (1682), Rav Yehuda headed a Yeshiva. He was only twenty-seven years old. In 5460 (1700), heavy taxes were levied on the Jews of Fez to finance the Moroccan wars being waged. Most of the Jews, including Rav Yehuda, were forced to flee to Meknes. Rav Yehuda stayed in Meknes until 5464 (1704), when the life of the Jews was somewhat improved and he returned to Fez. In 5458 (1698), Rav Yehuda was appointed Dayan in Fez. He was forty-three years old. Six years later, he became Av Bais Din. He retained this position until his petira in 5493 (1733).
Learning vs. Working
Rav Yehuda never accepted a salary for heading the Yeshiva. Instead, he supported his family by working as a blacksmith. As soon as he received enough to cover his daily expenses, he stopped working and returned to the Bais Medrash to learn.
The Lion’s Den
During Rav Yehuda’s life, the ruler of Morocco was Sultan Mullah Ismael. He was a rabid anti-Semite and intentionally sought to harm the Jewish community. His leadership levied heavy taxes on the Jewish people, leaving many impoverished. They also imprisoned Rabbanim and other communal leaders, forcing the community to redeem them for exorbitant sums.
Once, Rav Yehuda himself was imprisoned. When the community could not raise the sum that the Sultan asked for his ransom, Rav Yehuda was thrown to the lions. To everyone’s shock, Rav Yehuda walked up and down in the lions’ den but the lions did not even touch him. He left the den unharmed. When this story became known, Rav Yehuda was considered a Tzaddik who was protected from harm, and a miracle worker.
Leaving his Mark
Rav Yehuda left an indelible mark on Moroccan Jewry. Together with his talmid Rav Yaakov Ben-Tzur (also known as the Yaavetz), he compiled the many minhagim of the kehillos of the Western countries, according to the takanos of the Rabbanim who settled there after the expulsion from Spain. They became known as Rabboseinu Ba’alei HaMinhagim and are frequently quoted in Halachic sefarim.
Rav Yehuda and his Bais Din also established many takanos that have been implemented among kehillos today as well, for example restricting overspending for seudos of a bris, bar mitzvah or chasunah.
Rav Yehuda wrote many sefarim including Minchas Yehuda on Torah, Minhagei Treifos B’Fez, Dinei Get V’Chalitzah, She’eilos U’Teshuvos and Psakim, and Shir Michtam, his work on Hilchos Shechitah and Treifos which was written in rhyme form.
Zechuso Yagen Aleinu.
www.hamodia.com/features/day-history-19-sivanjune-17