The Relentless Torah Scholar: The Life and Legacy of the Late Rabbi Moshe Levi

Sleepless Devotion to Torah

The late Rabbi Moshe Levi lived with unmatched intensity. He allowed himself only three to four hours of sleep each day, no more. A neighbor, Rabbi Asher Eliyahu, testified that the lights in Rabbi Levi’s study often remained on until 3:00 or even 5:00 a.m. On some nights, after hours immersed in Torah study, he would walk to his window and gaze at the clouds. Once, when asked about this habit, he replied: “I do it to refresh myself, but it doesn’t help, because even when I look at the clouds, I still see the Rambam I’m learning.” One of his students reflected on this with admiration: “We sometimes read the Rambam with our heads in the clouds. Our teacher looked at the clouds and saw the Rambam.”

Rabbi Levi lived and breathed halacha (Jewish law). It coursed through every part of his being. His love for Torah led him, through Divine providence, to the famed Yeshivat Kissei Rachamim, led by the late Rabbi Meir Mazuz.

How He Found His Place in Torah

In 1979, nearing the end of his studies in a well-known yeshiva ketanah (junior yeshiva), Rabbi Levi sought a yeshiva gedolah (senior yeshiva) where he could pursue Torah with full devotion. Though he had offers from prestigious institutions, he felt they would not satisfy his thirst for truth in learning.

A turning point came when a friend gave him the essay “Darkei Ha’Iyun” by Rabbi Meir Mazuz. The clarity and sincerity of its approach captivated him. Without delay, he visited Yeshivat Kissei Rachamim, then located on Rabbi Shaar Street in Bnei Brak. Rabbi Mazuz was giving a shiur, and just moments in, Rabbi Levi realized that the Tosafot under discussion was one he had struggled with two weeks earlier. In his previous yeshiva, the rabbi had remarked: “We’ll only understand this Tosafot after the resurrection of the dead.”

But here, Rabbi Mazuz took apart the question with precision and clarity, solving the difficulty without forced pilpulim (elaborate intellectual explanations). Overcome with emotion, Rabbi Levi knew he had found his place. 

A Student’s Path, A Rabbi’s Respect

Back at his former yeshiva, the late Rabbi Koldetzky wondered where his prized student had gone. When told Rabbi Levi had joined a “small, unknown Sephardic yeshiva,” the 70-year-old rabbi decided to see for himself. Visiting on a Thursday afternoon, he found students diligently practicing Torah reading with precise cantillation, something he had never encountered in any other yeshiva. He found Rabbi Levi immersed in study, not even noticing his former teacher standing nearby.

Out of concern, Rabbi Koldetzky invited him for a conversation that evening. “Why would a brilliant student like you leave a world-renowned yeshiva to study in a little-known institution?” Rabbi Levi answered respectfully but firmly: “At Kissei Rachamim, we seek the true intention of the Rishonim (medieval sages) and Acharonim (later sages), not forced interpretations that never crossed their minds.”

The conversation deepened. When Rabbi Koldetzky objected that halachic ruling should come only after age forty, Rabbi Levi responded, “That may be true for Ashkenazic tradition, but among Sephardim, we begin learning halachic rulings from a young age.” When Rabbi Koldetzky asked what topic he was studying and heard “netilat yadayim (handwashing) in the morning,” he replied, “Isn’t that a simple, clear halacha?” Rabbi Levi began to explain the depths of reasoning behind it, with sources, opinions, and legal debate. The elder rabbi paused and finally conceded: “I understand now. I see that you’ve chosen your path thoughtfully. May Hashem be with you.” And so He was.

The story closes with a sobering reflection: Had Rabbi Levi waited until age forty to enter the world of halacha, how much Torah, how many books, how much clarity would the Jewish people have missed? After all, he passed away shortly before turning forty.

His Reverence for Rabbi Meir Mazuz

Rabbi Levi had extraordinary respect and admiration for Rabbi Meir Mazuz, his mentor and Rosh Yeshiva. His devotion went far beyond the typical student-teacher bond. The teachings of Rabbi Mazuz expanded his horizons and gave him what he called “the deepest joy in the world, immersing in Torah.”

Whenever Rabbi Levi discussed Torah with his teacher, onlookers could feel his awe. In a written reply to a student who had asked him to write about Rabbi Mazuz, since “some don’t recognize his greatness,” Rabbi Levi replied: "I cannot write a word about my master. His essay Darkei Ha’Iyun alone proves his unmatched brilliance and depth. May Hashem bring back those who stray, and may they merit to walk in the light of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and Rabbi Mazuz.”

In the Or HaMeir journal, published in honor of Rabbi Mazuz’s 50th birthday, Rabbi Levi wrote with deep emotion: “Our master and crown, the noble and radiant mind, the master of clarity and intellect, whose Torah I had the privilege to absorb, whose teachings I savored, whose integrity and humility I admired, Rabbi Meir Mazuz, faithful in all his words.”

He would often tell his students, “Every step Rabbi Mazuz takes carries with it great Torah and fear of Heaven.” To Rabbi Levi, Rabbi Mazuz’s reasoning was on par with the Rishonim, and his works deserved to be publicized to the world.

A Bond with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef

Rabbi Moshe Levi also shared a long-standing bond with the late Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. Rabbi Ovadia often praised him and cited him respectfully in his books. He once even said, “He will be the halachic authority of the next generation,” and on multiple occasions, revised his own positions based on Rabbi Levi’s writings.

In one Friday lecture, Rabbi Levi asked for Rabbi Ovadia’s Taharat HaBayit to resolve a question. After reviewing the worn, well-used volume, he kissed it and clutched it to his chest, saying: “A book like this, which contains the entire Torah must be protected. You have no idea how much effort it contains!”

Rabbi Moshe Levi’s short but brilliant life left a deep imprint on halachic learning and spiritual devotion. Through his sleepless nights, reverence for his teachers, and unyielding love of truth, he illuminated the path for future generations.