A Short Tribute
חכם כַלְפוֹן משה הכהן נולד בשנת תרל"ד (1874) לחכם שלום הכהן ותראכּי, באי ג'רבה בדרומה של תוניסיה. למד אצל אביו ואצל חכם יוסף ברבי, לימים רבה הראשי של תוניסיה. בשנת תרנ"א (1891), בהיותו בן 17 עבר עם הוריו לעיר זרזיס ונתמנה לשוחט. לאחר זמן חלה ונפגע בעיניו. חכם כַלְפוֹן משה הכהן חזר לג'רבה, להמשיך בלימודיו, אך הפגיעה בעיניו, הקשתה עליו ללמוד כבעבר. בשנת תרנ"ה (1895) נשא לאישה את מסיעדה, בת דודו ונולדו להם שני בנים וארבע בנות.
שנים רבות סירב למלא משרות רבניות, אך בשנת תרע"ז (1917), עת נפטר חכם משה זקן מאזוז, הסכים למלא מקומו ונתמנה לחבר בית הדין בג'רבה. בשנת תרצ"ה (1935) ועד מותו שימש כראש אב בתי הדין. חכם כַלְפוֹן משה הכהן תיקן תקנות חשובות, ועמד על משמר הדת בכל רחבי האי. נהג לקיים בכל שבת בביתו שיעורים בש"ס ובפוסקים והקנה לתלמידיו את כלי פסיקת ההלכה. החכם היה ידוע בצניעותו והזדהותו עם עניי הקהילה. הוא אף נמנע מלאכול בשר בימי החול וסירב בכל תוקף ליהנות ממעמד מיוחד בתפקידיו הציבוריים.
בשנת תרע"ט (1919) היה ממקימי תנועת 'עטרת ציון', שדגלה בעלייה לארץ-ישראל, תמכה במוסדות היישוב ובהוראת השפה העברית. חכם כַלְפוֹן משה הכהן גם רכש דונם אדמה בבית הכרם בירושלים. בחיבורו 'גאולת משה' הוא מציע הצעות מפורטות למבנה מדינת ישראל, לכשתוקם. החכם התכתב עם הנציב העליון הבריטי, והיה בקשר רצוף עם ראשי התנועה הציונית בעולם. לימים, כשקמה המדינה, התקין לחגוג את יום עצמאותה באי ג'רבה במשך שלושה ימים.
בשנת תש"ג (1943) פלשו הנאצים לג'רבה. אף שהנאצים הובסו, המלחמה דרדרה את מצבו הבריאותי. בשנת תש"ט (1949), החכם שלח את בנו שושן לתוניס להסדיר את אישורי עלייתם ארצה, אך עקב החמרה במצב בריאותו, בוטלה עלייתו לארץ.
חכם כַלְפוֹן משה הכהן חיבר כארבעים חיבורים, חלקם יצאו לאור עוד בחייו, חלקם אחר פטירתו, חלקם עדיין בכתב יד. מחיבוריו הנודעים והחשובים: שו"ת 'שואל ונשאל' - ט' חלקים, 'ברית כהונה' - ד' חלקים חידושים על השולחן ערוך ואוסף מנהגים, 'דרש משה' - דרושים, 'יד משה' - על התורה.
חכם כַלְפוֹן משה הכהן נפטר ביום שבת בי"ח בטבת תש"י (1950) ונקבר בג'רבה. בז' בחשוון תשס"ו (2005), 55 שנה לאחר פטירתו, הועלו עצמותיו לישראל, והוא נקבר בהר המנוחות בירושלים.
A few quotes from the Rabbi on 'Love of Israel' in which he teaches not to ignore argument but to eliminate it entirely
There is no trait characteristic to the People of Israel as good as the one of amity and, by contrast, no characteristic as bad as argument. Should one note any disagreement with another, it is not fitting to ignore it or to continue arguing and disagreeing. The right thing to do is to seek out the cause and to remove it entirely…
This is how our father Abraham acted… His shepherds were certainly well-bred, and the major cause of the quarreling and fighting no doubt originated with Lot's shepherds. Nevertheless, Abraham did not quarrel with him about this, nor did he ignore it. He sought out the root and reason for the quarrel so that they could go to live different territories.
Darkei Moshe, p. 4a, David Idan Press, Djerba, 1935
A few quotes from the Rabbi on 'Customs of Israel' the custom clearly being that ritual circumcisers take no fee.
It is the custom that circumcisers take no fee for circumcision and that they vie with one another for the privilege. Many of them even go from one town to another, where there is no circumciser, and take no fee aside from travel expenses. The more meticulously observant ones among them even pay the travel expenses out their own pockets.
Brit Kehuna Hashalem, p. 277b, 1940
A few quotes from the Rabbi on 'Tzedakah and Healing' in which he clarifies [the prophesy that] that the liberation of Zion will take place through the judgement of nations, but the return to it through charity
What is said in the verse, "Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return by righteousness" suggests that Zion was redeemed by First World War, when an explicit judgement and law issued by all nations decreed that it [Zion] was to be given to the Nation of Israel, "justice" referring to the judgement issued by the nations. "They that return" – meaning the return and ingathering of the exiles – will, however, take place through charity, that is, merit and good deeds… We must each try to make a vigilant effort to avoid sin and to increase in good deeds, charity in particular, so that we may hope and expect to deserve that the declaration about to be issued by the heads of nations will favor the people of Israel and the ingathering of the exiles.
Torah Vehaim: entry on redemption, pp. 72-74, Hai Haddad Press, 1963
A few quotes from the Rabbi on 'Israel and the Nations' in which he teaches not to ignore argument but to eliminate it entirely
It is fitting and correct that we recognize the value of humankind, God created man in His image. Conflict between human creatures is also inappropriate, whether between an Israelite and his Israelite brethren, or between an Israelite and a Christian, or between an Israelite and an Ishmaelite. For as concerns universal reconciliation and being humane, we are all brothers, whereas where religion and law are concerned they are to do as they wish, and we are to follow the written, oral and holy Torah transmitted in God's name. Also, no government can access anything that concerns spirit, they can judge only the physical body, and have therefore permitted us to act according to the Torah and its commandments.
Darkei Moshe, p. 4a, David Idan Press, Djerba, 1935
A few quotes from the Rabbi on 'Redemption of Israel' according to which it is not enough to establish a national homeland; the redemption of Zion is in the ingathering of the exiles.
The Torah clarifies that there are two returns: The first – that the Almighty shall return our captives and take mercy upon us; the second – that the Almighty will gather the scattered and distant ones among us from all the nations among which the Lord had us dispersed. And that He will bring us to the land inherited by our forefathers, and will reward us and make us more numerous than our forefathers. Now, we have been privileged in our times with the first return. The Lord, in his mercy, instilled in the hearts of the enlightened great rulers that there no longer be injustice and oppression, subjugation and slavery, for the entire House of Israel in the Diaspora, and also that the Land of Israel be returned to us – our Land and our forefathers' legacy, Zion the city of our festivals – as a national homeland for the nation of Israel, and all of our brethren who live there have obtained the privilege of citizenship in the Land…
The Lord will yet return, to act a second time by gathering the remaining dispersion of Israel with the coming of the Redeemer to Zion.
Darkei Moshe, pp.235 – 237, David Idan Press, Djerba, 1935
A few quotes from the Rabbi on 'Traditions of the Fathers' explaining that a son is to attend to his father's bidding whatever the father's rank
We should always keep a careful watch on the education of our children and household members so as to guide and direct them in keeping with Torah and the commandments, so that they follow in God's way and always be just and charitable… not only during our life… before losing our strength, we should instruct our children to follow the ways of God. For it is highly commendable that every person fulfill his father's directives and legacy, and always follow his advice, even if his father is the least of persons of the lowest rank.
Darkei Moshe, p. 5, David Idan Press, Djerba, 1935
1950-1874