Rav Ovadiah was disillusioned by the low level of Jewish observance then prevalent in Egypt, with its rampant secularization, liberal rabbinate, weak communal institutions, chaotic kashrus supervision, and limited potential for him to have a positive impact on spiritual advancement. To a large extent, his tenure in the Egyptian rabbinate was an impetus for his resolve to revitalize the Sephardic world, rebuild its Torah institutions, raise the primacy of halachic observance, and unite the diverse communities of the Sephardic diaspora under a Torah rubric in the Land of Israel. Perhaps the most astounding element of Rav Ovadiah’s life story and legacy is how successful he was in almost singlehandedly kindling a revolution in Sephardic Jewish identity.

In 1956 the young dayan was appointed to the esteemed beis din of Petach Tikvah. Later, he joined the eminent beis din of the Jerusalem rabbinate, sharing the panel with the likes of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. By 1968, he was elected as the chief rabbi of Tel Aviv–Yafo.

His contributions to Torah literature in the 1950s, including such groundbreaking works as Chazon Ovadiah and Yabia Omer, had a large impact around the religious world. Rav Ovadiah demonstrated a remarkable breadth of knowledge and mastery over not only traditional Sephardic sources but also diverse Torah traditions, ranging from Transylvanian rabbanim to Polish geonim.

Rav Ovadiah was deeply committed to rejuvenating Sephardi Torah scholarship. His establishment of the Ohr HaTorah yeshivah was a pioneering effort to elevate Torah study among Sephardim, who he felt needed their own institutions to maintain their centuries of tradition. This was only the beginning. He would go on to found numerous institutions, each furthering his vision for Sephardi religious education.

The reverence for “Chacham Ovadiah” grew exponentially, leading to his election as Rishon L’Tzion, the Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel, in 1973. From this esteemed platform, he shaped the religious landscape beyond the scope of Sephardic bnei Torah, becoming the leading halachic voice for Sephardim worldwide.

His deep respect for the Beit Yosef’s halachic rulings became central to his teachings, often echoing the words of Chazal, “L’hachazir atarah l’yoshnah” — to restore the crown to its former glory. This phrase encapsulated his desire to prioritize the teachings of the Beit Yosef — but also represented a quest for a broader revival of Sephardic heritage, traditions, and pride. His overarching mission was to restore Sephardic identity to its days of past glory.

At the same time Rav Ovadiah embarked on his spiritual revolution, he oversaw the genesis of the Shas party. The party’s founding in 1982 for Yerushalayim’s municipal elections was deeply rooted in the frustrations felt by Sephardi leaders within dominant Ashkenazi political structures. Yaakov Cohen, Nissim Ze’ev, and Shlomo Dayan voiced concerns over the Ashkenazi political establishment’s discrimination toward Sephardim and their Torah institutions. They felt marginalized, and it became clear that for the Sephardi community to have genuine representation, they would need their own political platform. But for a movement to truly resonate and have a lasting impact, it needed a spiritual anchor — a role that Rav Ovadiah Yosef was destined to fill. His involvement with Shas wasn’t just strategic, but providential.

An ideological rift between chassidic and litvish elements in Agudas Yisrael allowed Shas to receive the coveted endorsement of Rav Elazar Menachem Shach, who worked alongside Rav Ovadiah and played a pivotal role in the Shas party’s early development.

Shas also sought to bridge the gap between the Torah world and the broader Sephardi community in Israel. Under Rav Ovadiah’s spiritual guidance, the party quickly gained traction, making Shas — and Rav Ovadiah himself — influential figures in Israeli politics. Infusing the party with a sense of purpose, he represented the aspirations and sentiments of a community that felt sidelined in religious, cultural, and political domains. His teachings echoed the beliefs of many Sephardi Jews, emphasizing a deep respect for Jewish tradition while advocating for inclusivity and adaptability. This approach stood as a beacon of hope for traditional and even secular Sephardim as well.

It wasn’t long before the Shas party could declare victory. Under Rav Ovadiah’s spiritual guidance, the political trajectory of Shas saw a remarkable ascent. From securing a modest four Knesset seats in 1984, the party garnered a formidable 17 by 1999. This meteoric rise was undeniably fueled by the widespread reverence for Rav Yosef. His presence in the party wasn’t merely symbolic; it was a rallying cry for Sephardi Jews, signaling that Shas was a genuine representative, both in religious and political matters.

Aryeh Shelanu

Electioneering may have seemed as simple as hanging photos of “Maran” and his powerful slogans on billboards in Ashdod and kiosk walls in Dimona, but in truth, Shas built a political machine never seen before in Israel’s history. Leading that effort for more than 35 years has been Aryeh Deri. Born in Meknes, Morocco, to a traditional but not yet observant family, he came with them on aliyah to Israel in 1968, where they settled in Bat Yam. A local activist recruited him and his brothers to study in a mesivta boarding school in Hadera, which was part of the network of schools founded by Rav Chaim Greineman. In 1973, young Aryeh moved on to Yeshivah Porat Yosef before going to study in the Chevron Yeshivah in 1976.

While studying at the Chevron Yeshivah, a teenage Deri met a young Rav David Yosef, who told his father about an elite student who had managed to maintain his Sephardic identity and still win acceptance in the yeshivah. Rav Ovadiah offered him a tutoring role. Deri recalls: “I would sit in Rav Ovadiah’s house with one ear listening to his son read the Gemara and the other ear listening to discussions in the salon, where Rav Ovadiah met leading politicians and religious leaders. In his house, I learned about the world.”

At the same time, Rav Ovadiah began to see the potential in Deri. After he and another friend, who had once served as Rav Shach’s driver, engineered the partnership between the Ponevezh rosh yeshivah and Rav Ovadiah, it was only a matter of time before Deri became his main confidant. In 1983, Deri entered politics with Shas. Following the elections for the 12^th Knesset, he was appointed interior minister in the government of Yitzhak Shamir. When Deri was sworn in on December 22, 1988, at the age of 29, he became the youngest government minister in Israel’s history.

Leading Shas and Learning Shas

While some in the wider Israeli public recognized Rav Ovadiah in his later years as a political leader, his lifelong love and occupation was Torah: study, writings, Torah teaching. Aryeh Deri related that when the Shas party initially ran in nationwide Knesset elections in 1984, it was unclear whether they would garner enough votes to cross the electoral threshold. The night of the elections, Deri was in Rav Ovadiah’s home, nervously pacing the room listening to news updates, while Rav Ovadiah calmly studied a sefer in his study. When the news came in that Shas had won four seats and made it into the Knesset, Deri jumped for joy and ran to Rav Ovadiah with the exciting news. Rav Ovadiah looked up and said, “Yofi [very nice],” and immediately returned to his timeless passion of Torah study.

Brachot Battle

In the weeks running up to the contentious 1996 election, Shas embarked on a dual strategy, flying Rav Ovadiah and the nonagenarian Kabbalist Rav Yitzchak Kaduri from one campaign rally to the next. They appeared before enthralled crowds everywhere from Nahariya to Eilat, delivering words of chizuk before turning the mic over to one of Shas’s dynamic MKs. Participants were then asked to fill out forms with their names and addresses in order to receive Shas campaign paraphernalia — a package consisting of a memorial candle in a glass cup with pictures of Rav Ovadiah and Rav Kaduri (with instructions for lighting it prior to heading out to vote), as well as an amulet with Rav Kaduri’s picture on it.

The strategy was challenged by the left, who claimed such giveaways were illegal and different from the classic T-shirts or bumper stickers they distributed. Israel’s Central Elections Committee agreed and banned the amulets, claiming they were akin to money, because they were typically sold. An undaunted Rav Kaduri was quoted as saying that he made the amulets “in the light of the difficult situation facing Israel and I pray that nothing bad comes out of this decision forbidding something that could help people of Israel.”

Ultimately, the Shas strategy was successful, garnering four additional mandates in the election after pundits predicted a significant loss of seats.

This coming Wednesday, the 3rd of Cheshvan, will mark the tenth yahrtzeit of Rav Ovadiah Yosef ztz”l.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 981)