Rabbi Shimon Baadani
Rabbi Shimon Baadani (1928–2023) was a preeminent Sephardi rabbi, Rosh Kollel, and a foundational spiritual architect of modern Israeli politics. He served as the President of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah(Council of Torah Sages) for the Shas political party, positioning him as one of the ultimate halachic and political authorities for hundreds of thousands of Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews worldwide.
He was a fascinating blend of contrasts: a fiercely vocal, uncompromising public ideologue who, behind closed doors, lived a life of extreme humility and simplicity.
Early Life and Radical Upbringing
Rabbi Baadani was born in Hadera, Mandatory Palestine, to David and Haviva Baadani—Yemenite Jewish immigrants who had fled to Israel after World War I. He was their eleventh and youngest child, born after the family suffered the tragic loss of seven children back in Yemen.
Crossing Community Lines: Though born into a Yemenite family, his early educational elite training took place within the Ashkenazi-Lithuanian yeshiva world. He studied at the Novardok yeshiva under Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach, who recognized his immense talent.
The Porat Yosef Hub: At Rav Shach's direct suggestion, young Shimon transferred to the crown jewel of Sephardic learning, the Porat Yosef Yeshiva in Jerusalem's Old City, where he studied under the legendary Rabbi Ezra Attiya.
The War of 1948: When the Porat Yosef building was brutally destroyed by the Jordanian Arab Legion during the 1948 War of Independence, Rav Baadani was tasked with building and heading a brand-new branch of the yeshiva in the Katamon neighborhood to accommodate newly arrived Mizrahi immigrants.
Building Sephardic Torah Infrastructure
While his political life caught headlines, his core focus was always the classroom. After years in Jerusalem, he moved to the ultra-Orthodox hub of Bnei Brak.
Kollel Torah V'Chaim: He co-founded this prominent institution in Bnei Brak, transforming it into a major engine for training Sephardic scholars. Through this and dozens of other Torah institutions he oversaw, he mentored generations of future dayanim (rabbinical judges), poskim (legal decisors), and community leaders.
Global Outreach: Beginning in the 1970s, Rav Baadani spearheaded extensive efforts to revitalize Jewish life in Latin America. He traveled extensively to Mexico, Argentina, and Panama, successfully convincing hundreds of Jewish families to send their sons to study in elite Israeli yeshivas.
Co-Founding and Leading Shas
In 1984, Rav Baadani teamed up with Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and Rav Shach to form the Shas Party. The movement sought to give political teeth to the historically marginalized and disenfranchised Mizrahi/Sephardic community in Israel.
The Sages Council: He was one of the very first rabbis appointed to the party’s ruling Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah.
Ascending to the Presidency: Following the passing of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef (2013) and his successor Rabbi Shalom Cohen (August 2022), Rav Baadani officially became the supreme spiritual president of the council. He served as the "ultimate captain" guiding Shas political lawmakers in coalition negotiations with Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc.
The Outspoken Firebrand
Rav Baadani was widely known in Israeli media for his unyielding, frequently controversial public statements. He was entirely unafraid of social backlash when defending his worldview:
Political Castigations: He frequently attacked secular and liberal politicians, famously calling political rival Yair Lapid "Amalek" (the biblical archetype of evil) following severe state cuts to yeshiva budgets.
Intra-Religious Clashes: He held deep theological friction with elements of the Religious Zionist movement, once calling certain left-leaning religious party figures "idiots" for compromises on religious state laws.
Contrast: The Reclusive, Humble Sage
Despite wielding immense power in Israeli coalition politics, Rav Baadani’s personal lifestyle resembled that of a reclusive ascetic.
He lived his entire life in a tiny, sparsely furnished apartment in Bnei Brak. He refused the standard trappings of political nobility, famously eschewing bodyguards or secretaries. For decades, he gave out his direct, personal home phone number to any ordinary citizen who wanted to call him for halachic advice, a blessing, or marital counseling.
Passing and Legacy
Rabbi Shimon Baadani passed away on January 11, 2023, at the age of 94, following a severe illness.
His passing plunged the Sephardic political world into immense grief. Shas chairman Aryeh Deri lamented, "The ship has lost its captain." Tens of thousands of black-clad mourners flooded the streets of Bnei Brak for his funeral procession, and he was laid to rest in the Ponevezh Cemetery. He left behind an immensely powerful political party and a completely rebuilt, confident Sephardic Torah infrastructure.