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Rabbi Matloub Abadi, ZL 

Rabbi Matloub Abadi was born in the late 19th century in Halab (Aleppo), Syria. He mastered the basic knowledge of Torah at a very early age and from his youth he was destined to be an outstanding Talmid Hacham and Torah leader. At the age of 20 he emigrated to Israel and continued his higher learning. He was a close friend and colleague of Rabbi Ezra Attieh, Z"L, who later became a founder and life long Rosh Yeshivah of Porat Yosef, the flagship Sepharadi Yeshivah in Israel and the entire world. At that time, he also met and married Esther Nahoum, daughter of Ezra Nahoum who was a very outstanding Buchari Jew.

In the early 20th century Rabbi Abadi emigrated to the United States and began to form the spiritual life in the community. He immediately began teaching in the Talmud Torah in Bensonhurst and eventually became the principal. His Torah education helped create a solid foundation to many of the youth in which helped set them on the course to live a religious and traditional lifestyle. Today many of the elderly members of the community credit Rabbi Abadi for molding them to their religious background. He was also a member of the Magen David Bet Din, involving himself in resolving disputes among members of the community.

Rabbi Abadi never accepted any official rabbinic title or pulpit assignment in the community. His primary focus and goal always remained the same: to teach torah and educate the community. He used to say that he is chained by the Talmud, Rambam, Shulchan Aruch and the top Sephardic authorities and he can never deviate from their decisions. In Magen David of Bensonhurst in the 1930's he began his famous Shabbat afternoon class with prominent and learned laymen of the community. This class grew and continued as the community moved to Shaare Zion. For forty years Rabbi Abadi had a loyal group of students that learned from him and followed in his ways. All of these prominent men became founders and leaders of every major community institution including synagogues, talmud torah, yeshivot, etc. The rabbi guided them and assisted them behind the scenes in all major decisions in building these institutions. Many of these men are still active in community projects to this very day.

Toward the end of his life, Rabbi Abadi wrote "Magen Baadi", a book on halacha. In 1970, at the age of 83, the rabbi passed away in Brooklyn. His funeral was held in Magen David and there were eulogies by prominent rabbis and lay leaders of  the community. There were well over 1,000 people both inside and outside that came to pay their last respects to this great leader and talmid hacham. He was buried in Israel on Har Hamenuhot. To this day, the Rabbis sefarim and personal writings are kept safely in a special "Rabbi Matloub Abadi Library" in Shaare Zion. He will always be remembered by our community for his Torah Education, respect for community and family values and love for Israel. May his memory be blessed forever.

 

Written by Joe Mansour 

Copyrighted. All Rights Reserved. Congregation Shaare Zion.

To request permission to copy and redistribute this article, please email joedmansour@gmail.com

 

Tue, March 19 2024 9 Adar II 5784