Rabbi Chaim Palagi: The Life, Teachings, and Legacy of a Great Sephardic Sage

The 17th of Shevat, marks the passing of Rabbi Chaim Palagi, one of the greatest Sephardic sages of the later generations. A kabbalist, commentator, and halachic decisor, Rabbi Palagi lived in Izmir and authored approximately eighty works spanning many areas of Torah scholarship. He served as head of the yeshivot Beit Hillel and Beit Yaakov Rabbi and was recognized as one of the leading rabbinic figures of his era.

His Life and Leadership

Rabbi Chaim Palagi was born on the 17th of Tevet 1788 and passed away on the 17th of Shevat 1868. Named after his grandfather, Rabbi Chaim Palagi the elder, he grew up in a distinguished rabbinic family. At the age of forty, following the passing of his father Rabbi Yaakov, he assumed the roles of dayan in Izmir and head of the yeshivah. Five years later he was appointed Av Beit Din. A year afterward his wife passed away, and three years later he remarried.

With the approval of the Ottoman Sultan, Rabbi Palagi was later appointed Chief Rabbi, a position that granted him broad authority over communal affairs. He worked tirelessly for the welfare of the Jewish community, including founding a Jewish hospital in Izmir with the assistance of philanthropists Sir Moses Montefiore and Baron Benjamin Rothschild.

Rabbi Palagi corresponded with Jewish communities across the world, answering hundreds of halachic questions sent from Syria, Morocco, Poland, Tunisia, Germany, Switzerland, and beyond. Before writing a responsum or issuing a ruling, he would recite a declaration of spiritual intention, reflecting the seriousness with which he approached Torah leadership.

During the Damascus Affair, when Jews were falsely accused and persecuted, Rabbi Palagi used his influence to encourage Montefiore to intervene. After the decree was annulled, he composed the book Chaim Derachav LeMoshe Tehillah in honor of Montefiore and his wife Judith, praising their efforts. He also wrote Matza Chaim in Ladino, expressing gratitude to the Queen of England, whom he compared to Batya, the daughter of Pharaoh who saved Moshe.

His Communal Reforms and Decrees

Rabbi Palagi introduced numerous enactments aimed at strengthening Jewish life and welfare in Izmir.

He established a kollel for outstanding scholars so they could dedicate themselves to Torah study without financial burden, personally supporting their livelihood. He enacted regulations to strengthen education, observance of mitzvot, and assistance for the poor.

One of his notable rulings was a strong prohibition against smoking even on weekdays, reasoning that habitual smokers suffer on Shabbat when they refrain from smoking and thus diminish the joy of Shabbat.

Rabbi Palagi also prioritized care for the needy. Even in his final hours, he requested that the community not be burdened with special prayers for his recovery but instead asked that poor members of the community be paid to pray on his behalf.

He was renowned for his hospitality and even ruled that a host may alter the truth to spare a guest embarrassment. Concerned for children’s education, he decreed that a father could not remove his child from Torah study before the child learned basic prayer and reading skills. Apprenticeships were permitted only after educational supervisors confirmed that a boy had completed his studies.

Shortly before his passing, he established a special committee to oversee educational institutions and decreed that the tax on kosher meat be used to support the education of poor children and the establishment of new schools.

Well Known Segulot and Spiritual Practices

Rabbi Palagi’s writings include many spiritual practices and customs he encouraged.

He advised acts of generosity and compassion when someone in the home is ill, including feeding birds as a symbolic act to awaken heavenly mercy. One well known segulah attributed to him involves giving ninety one coins to a humble Torah scholar on the eve of Shavuot as a spiritual rectification and a merit for childless couples.

He noted that in times of danger it is customary to recite the Shema prayer, and he encouraged wearing special clothing on sacred days such as Shabbat, festivals, Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah, and Purim. He quoted the Zohar regarding the spiritual power of observing the festival of Passover properly and even kept matzah from Pesach to eat on Rosh Hashanah as a symbolic practice.

Rabbi Palagi also stressed the importance of avoiding disputes in the home on Friday and Shabbat night, warned against speaking harshly or cursing one’s belongings, and encouraged generosity and hosting Torah scholars on Rosh Chodesh as a merit for blessing and prosperity.

Among the unique traditions mentioned in his works is the idea that eating red colored foods can help lift sadness and increase joy.

Selected Teachings and Insights

Rabbi Palagi’s writings contain many ethical teachings. He discussed the balance between modesty and public mitzvah performance, explaining that one should act privately when serving God personally but publicly when it can inspire others.

He strongly emphasized honoring parents, rejecting the claim that the commandment applies only to gentle or agreeable parents. Gratitude and respect, he taught, remain essential even when parents are difficult.

He advised someone troubled by a distressing dream on Shabbat not to fast but instead to honor the day with food and prayer, including the recitation of the entire Book of Tehillim.

His Many Books and Enduring Legacy

Rabbi Palagi began writing at the age of sixteen and ultimately authored around eighty works covering Tanach, Talmud, halachah, ethics, kabbalah, and responsa literature. Remarkably, he never sold his books. Instead, after completing each work, he would host a celebratory meal and distribute the volumes freely.

Tragically, a major fire in Izmir destroyed more than fifty of his manuscripts. The loss caused him deep anguish, yet with remarkable strength he rebuilt much of what had been lost, rewriting and preserving significant portions of his scholarship.

Among his well known works are Kaf HaChaim, Moed LeKol Chai, Lev Chaim, Chaim LeRosh, Ruach Chaim, Tochechat Chaim, and many others that continue to be studied today.

A Legacy That Lives On

More than a century and a half after his passing, Rabbi Chaim Palagi remains a towering figure in Sephardic Torah scholarship. Through his leadership, compassion, and prolific writing, he shaped the spiritual life of his community and left a legacy that continues to guide students, scholars, and seekers across generations.