Rabbi Meir Mazuz, 80, Torchbearer of Tunisian Torah and Tradition
by Motti Wilhelm – chabad.org
When discussing the exile of the Jewish people from the Holy Land, the Talmud1 states, “The Holy One, Blessed be He, performed a charitable deed toward Israel in that He scattered them among the nations.” Commentaries explore the meaning of this statement and how exile can be seen as an act of kindness. One explanation is that through exile, the Jewish people are able to uncover and elevate the sparks of G‑dliness hidden in each location.2 This happens as Jews live in different places, absorb aspects of the surrounding culture into their Jewish practice, and incorporate elements of it into their Jewish life. Over time, this has created a beautiful tapestry of Jewish communities, each with its own unique practices and character, all contributing to the greater story of the Jewish people.
With the consolidation of Jewish populations into larger centers, much of this has been lost. Unique traditions, communal practices and special customs have, at times, blended into the broader fabric of Jewish observance. Yet there remain torchbearers who preserve these distinct heritages, ensuring they survive for generations to come.
Rabbi Meir Mazuz, who passed away on April 19, 2025—21 Nissan, the seventh day of Passover—was one such individual. A proud bearer of the Tunisian Jewish tradition, he hailed from a community that had thrived for millennia, and he carried forward its unique customs and distinctive approach to Torah study.
The founder of the Kisse Rahamim Yeshiva in Israel, a direct continuation of the yeshivah by that name that his father had established in Tunisia, Rabbi Mazuz taught generations of students in his distinctive style and led the network of schools across Israel that are associated with it. A renowned authority in Jewish law and the author of numerous Torah works, he was regarded as one of the foremost Torah scholars of his generation. His broad mastery extended to areas often overlooked, such as dikduk (Hebrew grammar) and piyyut (Jewish liturgical poetry).
In a statement released following the rabbi’s passing, Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, the former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, eulogized him as “among the transmitters of tradition and the guardians of the ancient customs of his community, as well as the illustrious Sephardic heritage. He taught Torah to students for decades, meriting both to study and to spread Torah widely among the public. Sephardic Jewry will deeply miss a unique voice that is no longer with us.”
Youth in Tunis
Meir Nissim Mazuz was born on the 13th of Nissan, 5705 (March 27, 1945) in Tunis, Tunisia, to his parents, Rabbi Matzliach and Kamsana Chana Mazuz. His father came from a long line of rabbinic figures in Tunisia’s rich Jewish history, which stretched back nearly two millennia. The elder Rabbi Mazuz served as a rabbinic judge and dean of a yeshivah in Tunis, and for a time even held a position as a judge on the Supreme Court of Tunisia.
As was customary at the time, Rabbi Matzliach Mazuz personally took charge of his son’s education, beginning by teaching him Torah. Along with the meaning of the texts, he also taught him the rules of biblical grammar and pronunciation, as well as the special melodies used for Torah reading in synagogues. From a young age, Meir’s brilliance and dedication to Torah study were evident, and he quickly became proficient in these areas. Recognizing his potential, his father soon enrolled him in an advanced yeshivah, where the other students were several years older, to begin studying Talmud and its commentaries.
In 1960, Jewish life in Tunisia, which had been steadily declining both materially and spiritually, received a much-needed boost. The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, dispatched Rabbi Nissan Pinson as his emissary to strengthen Jewish observance and help revitalize the community. Rabbi Pinson, who had previously served as a Chabad rabbi in Morocco, was determined to restore Jewish life, founding schools and yeshivahs to educate the next generation of Tunisian Jews.
Shortly after his arrival, Rabbi Pinson met Rabbi Matzliach Mazuz and gifted him a copy of the Tanya, the seminal work of Chabad teachings authored by the first Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi. Young MeirMazuz also studied from the Tanya and, decades later, recalled being “amazed” by the Rebbe’s editorial notes on his predecessor’s work, noting the Rebbe’s meticulous attention to each word and even the smallest details.3
Two years later, in 1962, Rabbi Pinson founded Yeshivas Oholei Yosef Yitzchak—named for the sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory—in Tunis. Both Rabbi Matzliach Mazuz and his son Meir began teaching at the yeshivah. Thus began a unique connection between the Mazuz family and the Rebbe, a bond built on deep mutual appreciation for Torah scholarship and communal leadership.
The following year, the elder Rabbi Mazuz established his own yeshivah, naming it Kisse Rahamim. Meanwhile, the younger Rabbi Mazuz continued teaching at Yeshivas Oholei Yosef Yitzchak for several more years, developing a close relationship with Rabbi Pinson. He frequently joined Rabbi Pinson at Chassidic farbrengens and assisted in Chabad’s outreach efforts. The Rebbe would later describe this period in Rabbi Mazuz’s life as a time when he was an “open Chabadnik.”4
Reflecting on those years, Rabbi Mazuz later wrote in 1982: “I will never forget the elevated and beautiful nights of Yud-Tes Kislev, Yud Shevat, or Yud-Beis Tammuz, celebrated at Chassidic farbrengens with Rabbi Pinson, may he live and be well, in Tunis.”
These dates commemorate major milestones in the lives of the Lubavitcher Rebbes—their releases from tsarist and Soviet imprisonment, and the anniversaries of their passing.
“In an atmosphere of spiritual elevation,” Mazuz wrote, “crowds of students and Torah scholars would sing with deep fervor: ‘Blessed is our G‑d who created us for His glory,’ repeating again and again, with heartfelt devotion, the words: ‘and distinguished us from those who stray,’ like the roaring of the sea and its waves. Outside, wild and wandering youth, entranced by the charms of secularism, roamed the streets. But inside, there was warmth and light in the hearts.”5
In 1965, ahead of Rabbi Meir Mazuz’s marriage to his wife, Esther, his father sent a warm wedding invitation to the Rebbe, who responded with heartfelt blessings for the young couple.6 Three years passed, and they had not yet been blessed with children. At the time, Rabbi Mazuz was teaching at Oholei Yosef Yitzchak. The High Holidays were approaching and Rabbi Pinson was preparing to travel to New York to spend them in the Rebbe’s presence. Rabbi Mazuz asked Pinson to request from the Rebbe a blessing for children for him and his wife. “That very same month, our prayers were answered, and exactly nine months later, on the 26th of Sivan 5728 (1968), a son was born to me,” Rabbi Mazuz would recall in 1982.7
A Continuation in Israel
Terror struck the Mazuz family in 1971. On the morning of Jan. 18, while returning home from morning prayers, still wrapped in his tallis and wearing tefillin, Rabbi Matzliach Mazuz was assassinated by a Muslim terrorist. In the wake of the tragedy, his family emigrated to Israel, where his sons immediately set about reestablishing the yeshivah their father had founded.
The yeshivah would become more than just another center of Torah study in the Holy Land. It would stand as a lighthouse for Tunisian Jewry—illuminating their path in the sacred traditions of their community and ensuring that their rich legacy live on.
At the heart of its mission was a method of Talmudical study that Rabbi Mazuz termed Iyun Tunisa’i, the “Tunisian [approach to Talmudic] analysis.” This method emphasizes direct, forthright analysis, delving deeply into the words of the Sages to uncover their true intent. Rabbi Mazuz not only codified this approach in a written work but also taught tens of thousands of students to follow this path of learning.
The yeshivah also placed strong emphasis on biblical grammar—a field in which Rabbi Mazuz was recognized as a world-renowned expert—the practical application of Jewish law, and homiletics, equipping its graduates to serve as rabbis and leaders within their communities.
Opening a new yeshivah is always a difficult endeavor. It was especially so back then, when Israel’s economy was still struggling. Additionally, at the time the Sephardic community was an impoverished one, and there were very few Sephardic yeshivahs in existence at all. Though the path was fraught with challenges, Rabbi Mazuz persevered. What began as a small school in a rented space in Bnei Brak soon grew into a full-fledged institution with its own campus, eventually expanding into a comprehensive network of preschools, elementary schools, high schools, seminaries and yeshivahs, serving well over one thousand students. He also stood at the helm of a rabbinic court, following in the footsteps of his father. In addition, Rabbi Mazuz founded a publishing company dedicated to printing the works of Sephardic Torah scholars, helping to preserve and promote their rich heritage.
Rabbi Mazuz also authored dozens of his own works, covering a vast range of subjects: Talmud, Jewish law, grammar, Jewish thought, philosophy and more. He was especially renowned as an expert in piyyut—the art of Jewish liturgical poetry. These intricate poems, composed by Jewish scholars over the centuries, weave together biblical verses, Hebrew and Aramaic poetry, and subtle references to people, ideas, and historical events. Properly understanding piyyut demands broad knowledge of Torah, history and Hebrew grammar—areas in which Rabbi Mazuz excelled. He published several works on piyyut and edited prayer books to ensure that these poems, which often became corrupted over time due to printer errors and unfamiliarity with their complexities, could once again be recited in their original, uncorrupted form.
A Miracle of Nine Dollars
Throughout his time in Israel, Rabbi Mazuz maintained a warm connection with the Chabad community and Rebbe’s emissaries to the Holy Land, encouraging their work of bringing their brethren closer to Jewish observance.
“The Rebbe, may his merit protect us, was ‘the great eagle’ of our generation,” Rabbi Mazuz said in an interview, using the traditional title reserved for Maimonides. “Even today, the Rebbe’s influence in the world continues to grow and strengthen. Before his passing, there were about 1,500 shluchim (emissaries) around the globe; today, there are over 3,000. Through their efforts, tens of thousands of Jews have been brought closer to Torah, strengthened in their fear of Heaven, and inspired to observe Shabbat and mitzvot.”8
In 1990, Rabbi Mazuz’s wife suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized, with doctors warning that she would likely remain unconscious. A yeshivah student close to Rabbi Mazuz approached the Rebbe, who responded with a blessing for a speedy recovery. Indeed, she regained consciousness and was released from the hospital just two weeks later.
A few months later, Rabbi Mazuz traveled to New York, where he met the Rebbe in person for the first time. By that point, due to the large volume of people wishing to meet the Rebbe, he no longer held private audiences, but instead instituted what was known as “Sunday Dollars,” during which anyone could briefly meet the Rebbe and receive a dollar to give to charity. During his visit, Rabbi Mazuz participated in a “Sunday Dollars” and received the Rebbe’s blessings. But instead of a single dollar like most visitors, the Rebbe handed Rabbi Mazuz no fewer than $9. At the time, Rabbi Mazuz did not understand the significance of the number. Nine years later, when his wife passed away, he understood: The Rebbe had blessed her with nine additional years of life.
Caring for His Nation’s Well-Being
Rabbi Mazuz was deeply engaged in the practical concerns of Jewish life in Israel. Out of a profound sense of responsibility for the Jewish people and the Holy Land, he spoke out passionately for the integrity of the Land of Israel and stood alongside those who championed its cause.
In the final weeks of his life, Rabbi Mazuz’s health declined sharply, and he was hospitalized several times. Just before Passover, as his condition worsened, he told his students that he did not want to disrupt the joy of the upcoming holiday. True to his word, he held on for another week, passing away on the final day of the holiday.
He was mourned by Israel’s current and former chief rabbis, leading halachic authorities, prominent rabbis and members of the Israeli government.
“I deeply mourn, along with so many across our nation, the passing of Rabbi Meir Mazuz, of righteous memory—one of the great Torah scholars of our generation, head of Yeshivat Kisse Rahamim, and a pillar of Jewish law and Sephardic tradition,” wrote Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I had the privilege of meeting and speaking with Rabbi Mazuz, and I was always deeply impressed by his wisdom, insight, and humility… I am confident that his unique spirit will be preserved for generations to come, and that the light of his Torah will never be extinguished.”
More than 150,000 people attended his funeral, where it was announced that Yeshivat Kisse Rahamim and its network of schools would be led by Rabbi Mazuz’s younger brother, Rabbi Tzemach Mazuz. In accordance with his will, no eulogies were delivered. Instead, three piyyutim—the sacred liturgical poems he loved so dearly—were sung by his many students, their voices rising together as a living testament to his legacy.
Footnotes
1. Pesachim 87b.
2. See Lubavitcher Rebbe, Ma’amar Poda B’shalom Nafshi 5732, in Toras Menachem, vol. 66 (Brooklyn: Lahak Hanachos, 2019), 258.
3. Rabbi Meir Mazuz, “Mesos Dor VaDor,” Kfar Chabad Magazine, no. 65 (13 Elul 5742): 6.
4. Likutei Ma’anot Kodesh – Milu’im, vol. 2 (n.p., 2021), 102.
5. Mazuz, Mesos Dor VaDor, 7.
6. Teshura: Mazkeret Mi-Simchat Ha-Nissuin shel Shmuel u-Mnucha Rachel Sheyichyu Amar, Yud-Alef Elul 5782 (Brunoy, France), 53.
7. Mazuz, Mesos Dor VaDor, 7.
8. Yitzchak Yehuda, interview with Rabbi Meir Mazuz, in “HaRebbe Hu HaNesher HaGadol Shel Dorenu,” Kfar Chabad Magazine, no. 991, p. 62.
