Chacham Tzemach HaKohen Kohen of Djerba zt"l
הרב צמח בן סעיד הכהן זצ"ל
Adar II 28 , 5573
Chacham Tzemach HaKohen Kohen of Djerba zt"l
Rav Tzemach Kohen was born in 5499 (1739) in Djerba to Sayad and Chanina Kohen. His family is descended from Rabbi Yishmael Kohen Gadol and Ezra HaSofer therefore their last name was Kohen Avrish (Avrish is an acronym whose roshei teyvos stand for Ani Ben Rabbi Yishmael).
He studied under the wise sages of Chachmei Djerba especially under Rav Aharon Peretz (author of Bigdei Aharon, Mishchas Aharon) afterwards he moved away from Tunisia and upon his return he gathered around him students and disciples.
He passed away on 28 Adar II 5573 (1813)
On 10 Cheshvan his bones were reinterred and he was laid to rest in Moshav Eitan in the ohel haMekubalim alongside Rav Avrohom Kohen, Rav Khalifa Kohen, Rav Moshe Kohen, Rav Raphael Jami and Rav Shaul Kohen.
His Seforim inlcude Midrash Haggadah on the Pesach Haggadah, Binyan Avos on Pirkei Avos, http://hebrewbooks.org/21279 Cholas Ahavah on Torah and Five Megillos, Terumas haDashen 6 volumes of chiddushim on Shas and Tzafnas Paneach on Rashi, Torei Zahav on Shir HaShirin.
Divrei Torah of Chacham Tzemach HaKohen Kohen of Djerba zt"l
the value of gemilus chassadim acts of loving kindnesss
Shimon Hatzaddik was among the last surviving members of the Great assembly.
He used to say: The world stands on three things: Torah, the service of G-d, and on acts of loving kindness. (Avos 1:2)
Rav Tzemach Kohen explained:
Acts of loving kindness is one of these three since it is so great it is even considered equal to Torah and Avodah. Gemilus chassadim - acts of loving kindness is even praised and considered greater than tzedaka as is known from several sources.
An example that can be clearly used to demonstrate this is the following true story that took place during the lifetime of the Arizal:
Once our master and teacher Rav Chaim Vital came before the holy Arizal, and the holy Arizal said to Rav Chaim:
I can see that the twenty letters of the Hebrew Alphabet that shine on your forehead all of them are shining except for the letter Gimmel which is backwards.
Immediately Rav Chaim Vital was seized with dread and fear, and he asked the holy Arizal to please explain why and to tell him the reason why this was so, for surely is was not for naught.
The Arizal answered Rav Chaim that he, Rav Chaim, is not properly doing acts of loving kindness and chessed for his father, "even though you are doing acts of chessed for him," explained the Arizal,"Still they are incomplete, it is not chessed maleh. Therefore the letter Gimmel is turned - facing away," You can see from this, concludes Rav Tzemach Kohen, that because he was not doing complete chessed properly the letter Gimmel was there however it was not written properly facing the correct direction.
However, whoever fails to do chessed, surely if he fails to do acts of loving kindness, then surely the letter will be missing and not written on his forehead at all.
You hereby can see clearly from this how great the matter of chessed and acts of loving kindness is, and that is why Chazal say that the world was created and stands on its sake alongside Torah and Avodah.
(Binyan Avos pg 12)