"Why Do I Need Money? Tell Him to Take the Money and Open a Yeshiva for Yitzhak" - The Remarkable Life of Rebbetzin Margalit Yosef

Last week marked the yahrzeit of Rebbetzin Margalit Yosef, wife of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, zt"l. I interviewed a close confidant of Maran, his advisor for 47 years.

In 1944, on the 4th of Nisan, Maran married Margalit, daughter of Rabbi Avraham HaLevi Petal from Aleppo. Their wedding took place at the Spitzer School located in the Bucharim neighborhood. From that day on, she carried the burden of the home and children with incredible dedication so her husband could study Torah day and night.

Did the Rebbetzin tell you anything about their early days?

"The Rebbetzin told me she married the Rabbi when she was seventeen. They lived on Betzalel Street, and when she passed through Mahane Yehuda, her former classmates would ridicule her saying, 'She married an idler who studies all day. What will become of him or her?'.

"I felt like my blood was spilled," the Rebbetzin told me. "But inside, I knew I was nurturing the leader of the generation."

She acted courageously, through poverty and hardship, whether people mocked or respected her, whether her husband was in a position or not. Her only focus was ensuring he could continue his studies uninterrupted.

(Photo: Avir Sultan / Flash90)

What unique practices did she have?

"The Rebbetzin completed the entire book of Tehillim each day. She sat by an open window to say the chapters. When they lived in Rehavia, she strongly desired to move to Har Nof (where some of her children resided). The Rabbi was hesitant as he feared a large neighborhood would disrupt his studies. Rehavia was then a small, quiet neighborhood, fitting his needs perfectly. Ultimately, they moved to Har Nof. I visited the Rabbi for consultation. The Rebbetzin, as usual, sat by the window saying Tehillim. Noticing me, she called, 'Shalom, do you hear what I hear?' I did not understand her question. 'How do you not hear?' she repeated.

"I nodded confusedly. The Rebbetzin tapped the chair and asked in amazement, 'Don't you hear the sound of Torah?'

"At that moment, I realized it was the sound of students learning from the "Ner Shmuel" and "Shvut Yehudah" yeshivas. 'Now you see why I wanted to live in Har Nof? Listen to the Torah echoing here.' Her love for the Torah and its students was immense."

Protecting Her Husband's Torah While Also Acts of Kindness

"One day, Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir called to consult with Maran, and the Rebbetzin answered. 'The Rabbi is studying now; don't disturb him, goodbye!' she said and hung up. When the Rabbi learned, no interruptions were allowed, no matter who it was. She protected him and his learning diligently.

"Once, at the Rabbi's house, a family member arrived, agitated and crying. She couldn't be comforted and insisted on speaking only to the Rabbi. Despite usually not disturbing him, we saw she was in real distress and allowed her into the Rabbi. As she entered, he asked, 'What is it, my daughter?'

Her crying intensified. 'Rabbi,' she said, 'I just returned from a prominent doctor in Hadassah Ein Kerem, who said I will never have children unless hair grows on his palm...'

"Maran struck the table and exclaimed: 'Who does he think he is, that he is Hashem? I promise, with G-d's help, you will have ten children, and they will dance on his grave.'

"This woman indeed bore ten children."

What other activities did the Rebbetzin do besides supporting her husband and children?

"Many don't know, but the Rabbi managed a fund called 'Ma'oz LaEvyon'. It was managed by myself, a CPA, and we distributed money to the needy twice a year, before Rosh Hashanah and Pesach. We distributed millions in charity annually. These funds were raised mainly by the Rebbetzin. It was astonishing to see how she raised these funds. She would call, for example, Safra (a generous donor) and say, 'Hello Safra, I need half a million by tomorrow morning', and that was it. She hung up the phone, and Safra sent it. She spoke succinctly with other donors as well. She set the amount, and they complied. This fund distributed millions to orphans, widows, and the poor, all thanks to her.

"Once, Nessim Gaon, a businessman from Switzerland, was supposed to visit the Rabbi, but due to a pilot strike in Geneva, had to cancel his visit.

"The Rebbetzin was disappointed, as she sought more charity, and said to Maran, 'What a shame he's not coming, I wanted to meet him...'. Maran replied, 'I meet him every day.' 'What do you mean?' she asked. Maran laughed and said, 'I meet the Ra’N, Rabbeinu Nissim Gaon, every day in my studies.'"

(Photo: Flash90)

How did the Rabbi regard the Rebbetzin, and how did she regard him?

"There was immense mutual respect between them. The Rabbi respected her, and she ensured his wellbeing and Torah studies. The Rabbi always informed her of his whereabouts and plans. They met at one every afternoon when the Rabbi returned from the court, and she immediately served his lunch. This was their daily meeting time for conversation. The Rabbi didn't sleep at night, but for an hour and a half a day, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. During this time, the Rebbetzin ensured complete silence and no disturbances near him.

"Once, we traveled to Netanya. At every stop, the Rabbi asked the driver to inform the Rebbetzin: 'Now we arrived in Netanya.' 'We are at Laniado.' 'We reached the brit.' 'Now we left Netanya.' At every stop, and there were many, the Rabbi didn't forget to have the driver update the Rebbetzin.

"On the way back, the Rabbi asked the driver to tell the Rebbetzin we were on our way home, then remembered and said, 'Avraham, the Rebbetzin sent us oranges, where are they? Let's eat them so she won't be upset.'"

"The Rabbi treated her with kingly respect, praising her Shabbat dishes at the table and prompting his sons to praise her cooking, then dedicating a song for her, whichever she chose."

What other behaviors did you observe at the Rabbi's house regarding his treatment of the Rebbetzin?

"One Thursday night, around 11:00, the Rebbetzin finished her work and wanted to go to sleep. She opened the study room door and told the Rabbi: 'There's a pot on the burner with soup, if you want - eat'. The Rabbi studied all night, and in the morning, we returned from prayer together. Suddenly, the Rebbetzin entered the room. 'Rabbi, did you eat?', she asked. 'Yes, I ate', the Rabbi answered calmly. The Rebbetzin went to the kitchen and returned visibly upset. It turned out there were two burners; one with the soup pot and another with a pot of soapy water to clean remnants stuck to its walls. She noticed the pot with soapy water had dwindled, not the soup pot.

"'What did you eat? Did you eat from the pot with soap?'.

"'Ah', the Rabbi replied with a smile, 'I did wonder why it tasted a bit salty...'"

Whoever Has Not Seen the Rabbi Request Forgiveness from the Rebbetzin Before Yom Kippur Has Never Seen True Forgiveness

"Every Yom Kippur eve, they would ask each other for forgiveness. The Rabbi would weep intensely, asking her forgiveness, fearing he might have offended or upset her. The Rebbetzin would respond in tears, pleading for his forgiveness, worried she did not show him enough respect or assist him properly. They stood crying and pleading for forgiveness. It was a moment beyond this world."

Did the Rebbetzin ever ask for your help regarding the Rabbi?

Rabbi Saadon responds with a smile: "Maran did not sleep nights, resting for an hour and a half during the day. When it came to matters like divorce, agunah, or questionable lineage, he would seclude himself, losing sleep for nights. Often, the Rebbetzin would approach me saying, 'Shalom, please ensure the Rabbi goes to sleep. He hasn't slept in three days, he hasn't slept in four days.'"

Finally, do you have an unknown story illustrating her love for Torah?

"What mattered most to the Rebbetzin throughout her life was Torah, and only Torah. One morning after prayer, Maran asked me to walk him home. 'Look,' Maran said to me, 'Yesterday the Rebbetzin spoke with me, she said: "Rabbi, I have nothing but Torah in my world. I have savings in the bank. What do I need them for? Am I taking them to the world to come? I want Yitzhak to open a yeshiva. Call Shalom and tell him to take all my savings and open a yeshiva for Yitzhak." And I agreed with her. She's right! If she's saying this, I'll also transfer my savings for the establishment of the yeshiva.'

"This is how Yeshivat Chazon Ovadia was founded. The savings of two people who had nothing but a world of Torah."