Ben Ish Ḥai

Rabbi, preacher, kabbalist, scholar, and halakhic authority Yosef Ḥayim ben Eliyahu was born in Baghdad; He is known as the Ben Ish Ḥai after the title of his best-known work, a collection of homilies on specific commandments suffused with kabbalistic interpretations of the commandments’ importance. According to a well-known story, as a child, he fell into a pit and swore to devote himself to studying Torah, should he survive. He fulfilled the oath, becoming an influential scholar whose authority was recognized by Jews in Iraq, India, Persia, and the Land of Israel. Upon his father’s death in 1859, he took on the role of preacher, giving public sermons on Sabbaths and festivals; famously, he refused to accept any payment. A prolific author, the Ben Ish Ḥai wrote responsa, sermons, commentaries, kabbalistic works, halakhic treatises, a practical guide to halakhah for women in Judeo-Arabic, and prayers, although many of his works remain in manuscript. He also composed approximately two hundred liturgical poems (piyyutim), some fifty of which were integrated in the prayer rite of Baghdadi Jewry. While some authorities opposed his rulings for their kabbalistic bent, he became a staple in many Mizrahi and Sephardic homes.