Chacham Shalom HaKohein Cohen ztz”l was a true chacham

IN

the age-old history of Sephardic Jewry, the title “Chacham” was always only bestowed on a leader who was at once wise, humble, and full of love.

Chacham Shalom HaKohein Cohen ztz”l was a true chacham. He served as the rosh yeshivah of Porat Yosef, and was the Rosh Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah. These two roles are distinct in nature. A rosh yeshivah chooses select disciples to train in his unique mehalech. A rav, on the other hand, is a man of the people. He must meet each person exactly where he is holding, and, from that place, guide, assist, educate, and, ultimately, elevate.

The roles that Chacham Shalom played personified this duality. He was a great rosh yeshivah, who honed and molded thousands of the finest bnei Torah. But he was also the leading Sephardic rabbi in Israel, charged with the responsibility of relating to tens of thousands of Jews, at every and any stage of Judaism.

Nothing was too difficult and nothing was too trivial.

That’s a true chacham.