Rabbi Meir Mazuz, 80, OBM

By COLlive reporter

Rabbi Meir Nissim Mazuz, an outstanding talmid chacham and one of the most prominent Torah leaders in the Holy Land of Israel, passed away on 21 Nissan 5785.

He was 80 years old.

Born in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, Rabbi Mazuz was the son of Rabbi Matzliach Mazuz, a respected dayan and leader of Tunisian Jewry. From a young age, Rabbi Meir displayed exceptional scholarship while learning at Chabad’s Yeshiva Ohel Yosef Yitzchak, founded by the Rebbe’s shluchim.

At just 17, he began teaching as a maggid shiur at Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim in Tunisia, where he was deeply influenced by the Rebbe’s Shliach, Rabbi Nissan Pinson.

When he married, his father sent a wedding invitation to the Rebbe and received brachos in return. After the couple struggled to have children, Rabbi Pinson sent a request to the Rebbe, and nine months later, Rabbi and Mrs. Mazuz were blessed with a baby boy.

In 1971, tragedy struck when Rabbi Matzliach Mazuz was assassinated by a Muslim extremist. Following this devastating loss, the Mazuz family immigrated to Israel, where Rabbi Meir Mazuz and his brothers reestablished Yeshiva Kisei Rachamim in Bnei Brak—the same institution their father had once led.

Under his leadership, the Yeshiva grew to include daycare centers, kindergartens, Talmudei Torah, a girls’ school, a seminary, junior and senior yeshivas, and kollelim across Bnei Brak, Jerusalem, Elad, Emmanuel, Bat Yam, Akko, and more. Today, the network serves over 1,500 students.

Rabbi Mazuz was known for preserving and promoting Tunisian Jewish traditions. He championed their unique iyun (analytical) method of Talmud study and was meticulous in upholding the precise Sephardic pronunciation of Hebrew, especially in tefillah and Torah reading.

He strongly encouraged familiarity with Tanach, often using biblical texts to support grammatical and stylistic insights, and to illuminate sources for piyyutim (liturgical poems) and rabbinic literature. He had deep knowledge of piyyut, particularly the works of medieval Spanish poets.

In matters of halacha, Rabbi Mazuz took a balanced and thoughtful approach. While Iraqi-born gaon Rabbi Ovadia Yosef advocated for universal adoption of the Beit Yosef’s rulings, and Moroccan-born Rabbi Shalom Mashash favored preserving Diaspora customs, Rabbi Mazuz took a middle path: accepting local chumras (stringencies) such as reciting Hallel on Rosh Chodesh without a bracha, while preserving longstanding Diaspora customs when they did not conflict with halacha.

He presided over the “Mishpat Tzedek” rabbinical court, where he ruled on a wide range of halachic issues. His responsa were compiled in works such as Makor Ne’eman. He was known for his strict position on Shabbos observance and rejected Rabbeinu Tam’s opinion regarding the end of Shabbos in Israel, though he acknowledged the stringency as praiseworthy.

Rabbi Mazuz was politically active. It began in 1993 with the founding of the municipal “Hen” party in Bnei Brak, which split from the Sephardic Shas party, led by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. He backed a breakaway from Shas led by former minister Eli Yishai and supported Israel’s current Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir. He supported Shleimus haaretz and protested against Ariel Sharon‘s ill-fated disengagement from Gaza and evacuation of Gush Katif.

Throughout his life, Rabbi Mazuz maintained a warm connection with Chabad. He described it as a mitzvah to learn the Alter Rebbe’s Tanya, supported the Rebbe’s institution of daily Rambam study, and even participated in farbrengens (Chassidic gatherings), despite opposition to Chabad in certain Bnei Brak circles.

He is survived by his children and grandchildren, as well as countless students and admirers who continue to follow his teachings.

Baruch Dayan Haemes.