Jerusalem – Rabbi Ovadia Yosef’s beloved chair, which some believe has special powers, mysteriously disappeared from a Jerusalem synagogue last week but eventually found several days later.
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Worshippers at the Tiferet Yerushalaim synagogue were recently shocked to discover that the wooden chair that had served Shas’ spiritual leader for years, and which some would pay tens of thousands of dollars for, was not in its place.
“We so carefully guarded it and now it’s gone,” one of the synagogue’s administrators said. The news was first reported by Shas journal Yom LeYom.
The mystery was eventually solved when one of the synagogue’s managers confessed he had loaned it to be used in a circumcision ceremony without telling anyone, but said it will be returned soon.
He said that the baby’s parents, members of a well-known rabbinical family, thought that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef would attend the service as the baby’s godfather and wanted to surprise him with the chair. The rabbi did not attend the ceremony but the chair remained in the couple’s house since.
“According to my estimates, the missing chair could have been sold for $100,000 or even more,” one source told Ynet. “One would have to be not only a thief but a truly heartless person to steal something like this, which is so sacred and valuable for so many people.”
It doesn’t sound like the manager of the synagogue meant to “steal” the chair – just use it for a special ceremony. But… the fact that he didn’t mention it to anyone before doing it, tells me that he probably already knew it wasn’t such a good idea & that it would be frowned upon.
It reminds me of a little kid, who knows his parents are going to say “No” to something the kid asks for, so the kid just won’t ask! (lol) He’ll\She’ll just do what they want anyway!
What a joke. Nebech there are people who can’t see, or can’t hear or are missing limbs, and would give anything to regain them. But a missing piece of wood is newsworthy? Go buy another chair at OfficeMax or Staples. Magical powers??? If that’s not avoda zara, I don’t know what is.
It’s a chair nothing more!
Reminds me of the crusaders and their quest for the holy grail.
Rav Ovadiah is a treasure for the Jewish People. If it’s his chair, he ought to have been asked first before somebody borrowed it. That being said, it’s too bad people don’t venerate his Yabiah Omer as much as they do his chair.
In a breslover shul where they had the chair of R’ Nachmen the used to give an aliyah for the R’ Nachmen and bring the chair to the Torak and awnser Umail as if the Rabba just recited the brucha, when the Gerer Rabba heared about this he said, big deal to give him a aliyah let me see they should give him Hag’ba….
The chair has “special powers”?
I seem to recall something in the Torah about ascribing powers to wooden items…
It’s a piece of wood with an upholstered seat – nothing more. Far too many people have trouble understanding that Judaism is about worshiping G-d and not lehavdil some chair or person.
This chair is for the rabbi whenever there is a big gathering of sort they bring out this chair. Only rav ovadia sits on the chair and has been doing so for 30 years so just let it be!
I don’t have the patience right now to elaborate. I’ll just make my well-informed statements:
There does indeed exist in Judaism the legitimate concept of certain items (or places) that are infused with (extra) Holiness.
This increased level of Kedusha can be imbued in a number of ways, one of which is when a Tzaddik utilizes that item (or place). The more often, the greater the infusion.
This (increased) “Heiligkeit” can, in turn, benefit subsequent users. Much like praying (To G-D!) has an increased effect when done at a holy site. (e.g. A Tzaddik’s grave, The “Kosel” aka “The wailing wall”, etc.)
Rule of thumb: Hashem’s presence is “intensified” in areas of increased purity (all kinds) and Holiness.
This is, of course, a good thing. However, it also escalates a person’s responsibilities. i.e. A sin committed in Eretz-Yisroel is worse that one committed elsewhere. And Mitzvohs in the Holy-Land carries an even greater value too.
Likewise, a sin committed on Yom-Kippur is worse than at other times. And so on.
I hope this info is helpful.
Doubters and challengers should do their own research. You can begin with the “Mishkan”.
Have a nice day.
No offense as every person has his or her favorite objects, but todays newsday has issues with Israel and intolerance from the nations like Turkey as well as discussions of basic freedoms and our presidents worth… And we are to consider a story about the esteemed rabbis favorite chair being missing to be a national crisis? Its not, but I do hope he gets it back.