August 2 1835 – 27 Av 5595
In Baghdad, Iraq, a baby was born to Rabbi Elijah son of Moses Haim, later chief rabbi of Baghdad, and named Joseph Haim. The child would grow up to be one of the greatest modern sages of the Orient, known by the title of his most famous work, Ben Ish Hai. A kabbalist and a gifted orator, but above all a rabbinic decisor (posek halakha) of outstanding influence and greatness, Ben Ish Hai became leader of the Baghdad community after his father’s death. He was one of the few Jews of his time to visit the Holy Land, and corresponded with many of the best known Ashkenazic rabbis and Hassidic masters of the West, a rare occurrence among Sephardic Jewish leaders. Rabbi Joseph Haim died on 13 Elul 5669, August 30 1909.