Rav Chaim Avraham Yisrael zt"l
הרב חיים אברהם ישראל זצ"ל
Sivan 7 , 5545
Rav Chaim Avraham Yisrael zt"l
Rav Chaim Avraham was born into a famous family of rabbinical scholars from Rhodes.
He served as rav in Candia (Crete) in 5504 (1744). From 5518 (1757) he served as Rav of Alexandria, Egypt. He left due to persecution and eventually settled in Italy, serving as rav in Ancona, Italy from 5534 until his passing on the second day of Shavuos 5545 (1785).
He was a gadol b’Torah as can be seen from his sefarim: Bais Avraham on Tur Choshen Mishpat, Ma’amar HaMelech on the laws of Dina de'malchusa dina, and Imros Teharos on Even HaEzer and Nedarim.
His piety and chassidus made a great impression on the gentiles as well as the Jews and his name became famous as a result of the incident related by Rav Matisyahu Nissim Tirani in his sefer, Sefas Emes:
It was a time of drought, and Rav Chaim Avraham’s personal prayer that he himself composed asking and beseeching for rain was answered immediately. No sooner had he completed his tefillah when the sky grew dark with clouds and the rain began to pour down to the amazed eyes of all those gathered. He came to be known as Rabino del Acqua – the Rav of the Waters!