With sadness we inform you of the passing of Rabbi Yeshuah Hadad OBM, one of the Rebbe’s earliest Shluchim to Milano, Italy and who was once chavrusa with the Baba Sali. He was 81 years old.

Boruch Dayan Hoemes: Rabbi Yeshuah Hadad, 81, OBM

With sadness we inform you of the passing of Rabbi Yeshuah Hadad OBM, one of the Rebbe’s earliest Shluchim to Milano, Italy and who was once chavrusa with the Baba Sali. He was 81 years old.

He merited to serve in his post for over 50 years, and received instruction from the Rebbe to give blessings while invoking the names of the Rabbaiim.

Born in Morocco to a Frum family, he learned in a local Yeshiva in Casablanca until the arrival of Rabbi Michael Lipsker as Shliach of the Rebbe to the state. He then transferred to the Tomchei Temimim that was established.

In 1951 he transferred once again to Tomchei Temimim Brunoy, France for seven years, during which time he merited to study Lekutei Torah with the Baba Sali when he stayed at the yeshiva for a few weeks.

In 1958 he came to the United States and studied in the Central Tomchei Temimim in 770.

During his time in the states the Rebbe would often call on him during farbrengens tossing ‘Ozrani E-l Chai’.

In 1961, When the Sefardi community in Milano sought a new Rov, the Rebbe sent him on Shlichus to fill the position, despite him still being a Bochur and unmarried.

In one of his private audiences with the Rebbe he told him that when sending one to a community to serve as a Chazzan, Shochet or Rov, one must remember that the job is just an official title to the community, and that he must reserve time to do his main job which is spreading the wellsprings. In another audience the Rebbe instructed him to go and visit the local slaughterhouses and check the Chalofim.

When the Rebbe began his campaign for the correct depiction of the temple Menorah – with its branches in straight lines and not rounded – he employed his connections with person in charge of the ‘Jewish artifacts colletion’ at the Vatican and requested to see the Menorah. That request was denied, but in its place he brought out a drawing showing the branches as straight.

He is survived by his wife Rochel and their children, Rabbi Menahem Hadad (Brussels,  Belgium), Mrs. Miriam Bentolila (Kinshasa,  Congo), R’ Michael Hadad (Crown Heights), Rabbi Yosef Hadad (Milano, Italy), Mrs. Avigail Dadon (Lod, Israel), and Rabbi Eli Hadad (Milano, Italy).

The Levaya will take place in Israel on Wednesday. 1:00pm from Shamgar Chaple in Jerusalem to Mount Olive where he will be buried.

Boruch Dayan Hoemes

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