Haim Palachi

Haim Palachi ( ; Acronym: MaHaRHaF or HaVIF) (January 28, 1788– February 10, 1868) was a Jewish-Turkish chief rabbi of Smyrna (İzmir) and author in Ladino and Hebrew. His titles included Hakham Bashi and Gaon. He was the father of grand rabbis Abraham Palacci and Isaac Palacci (Rahamim Nissim Palacci) and rabbi Joseph Palacci. He was a member of the Pallache family.

(Alternative spellings include: Hayim Palachi, Hayyim Pallache, Haim Palacci, Hayim Palacci, Hayyim Palaggi (and Falaji), Chaim Palagi, and Haim Palatchi.) He died on 17 Shevat 5628, according to the Jewish calendar. His mother's name was Kaden.

Background Pallache was born in İzmir, Turkey, then known internationally as Smyrna, part of the Ottoman Empire. His parents were Jacob Pallache (a rabbi and kabbalist) and Kali Kaden Hazan. His maternal grandfather was Joseph Raphael ben Hayyim Hazzan (1741–1820), chief rabbi of İzmir.

In 1867, he received a Greek Orthodox delegation: SMYRNA.—Interchange of Visits.—We are happy to learn that a most friendly feeling prevails at Smyrna among the ecclesiastical heads of the several religious bodies. The Greek Archbishop, accompanied by his clergy, lately went to pay a visit to the Chief Rabbi, Haim Palacci. He was received with all the honors due to his rank. The Archbishop told the rabbi that a similar visit would be paid by the Greek Patriarch of Constantinople to the Chief Rabbi of the capital. This friendly understanding was brought about by the generous act of the Jews who bought six bells carried away by the Turks from Candia and presented them to the clergy of Smyrna, with the request to restore them to the churches whence they had been carried away.

Murder (1859) Following a murder on March 17, 1859, local police apprehended a Greek meat butcher and a Jewish broker as suspects. Rav Hayim Palaçi (as his name appears in modern Turkish) wrote to Baron Lionel de Rothschild for support and protection. He also wrote a liturgy, in which he stated "Müslüman Türkler Yahudilere inanıp güveniyorlar." ("Muslim Turks believe and rely on Jews."). )

Personal and death Palachi had three sons: Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph, all three of whom were rabbis and the first two succeeded him as grand rabbi. Turkish Jews still refer to his writings and opinions in their ceremonies and writings, particularly :tr:Rav İzak Alaluf in Şalom newspaper: 2015, 2010, 2009, 2008.

Opinions His rabbinical opinions continue to receive attention worldwide today, e.g., his 1869 opinion "On the Possibilities of Synagogue Reform: An Ottoman Rabbi's Answer to a Query in Paris," reprinted in 2014.

Journey into Jewish Heritage (Zalman Shazar Center) recommends that "Rabbi Haim Palaggi's grave should be marked as a landmark for orientation, and the building of a pergola should be considered for the visitors’ comfort."

Palacci's grave lies in Plot B.4. It is one of the graves "brought over from the old cemetery and put in between the existing graves. This is the reason why the grave is at right angles to all the rest."

Synagogue A synagogue in Izmir is named after him (Beth Hillel Synagogue according to Shaw, This synagogue forms a cluster of eight extant (from a recorded peak of 34 in the 19th century), all adjacent or in the Kemeraltı Çaršisi (Kemeraltı marketplace) in Izmir. The heritage organization states, "Izmir is the only city in the world in which an unusual cluster of synagogues bearing a typical medieval Spanish architectural style is preserved ...[and] creating an historical architectural complex unique in the world."

In its record, Journey into Jewish Heritage calls the Beit Hillel synagogue "Avraham Palaggi's synagogue" but then states that "the synagogue was founded by [the] Palaggi Family in 1840" and that Rav Avraham Palaggi "used" it. "The building had been used as a synagogue and a Beit Midrash. The synagogue has not been used since the 1960s." It concludes, "The synagogue was founded by the Palaggi family and is therefore very important."

Beit Hillel Yeshiva Journey into Jewish Heritage states that Palacci founded the Beit Hillel Yeshiva in the middle of the 19th century. Current sources are unclear, but it is likely the same as the Beit Midrash mentioned above. Darche Hayyim 'al Pirke Abot (Smyrna, 1821), commentary on Pirke Avot Leb Hayyim (vol. i, Salonica, 1823; ii.-iii., Smyrna, 1874–90), responsa and comments on the Shulchan Aruch De-Rahamim le-Hayyim Semichah le-Hayyim (Salonica, 1826) Tsedakah Hayyim (Smyrna, 1838) Tochahat Hayyim (2 vols., ib. 1840–53), moral counsel and sermons Ateret Hayyim Yimmatse le-Hayyim, prayers for different needs Nefesh Hayyim (ib. 1842) Torah ve-Hayyim Hayyim Tehillah Treatises on various subjects plus eulogy of Sir Moses Montefiore with appendix "Derachav le-Mosheh" on the Damascus affair (ib. 1845) Hayyim Derachav (ib. 1850) Hayyim la-Roshe Re'e Hayyim (3 vols., ib. 1860) Hayyim ve-Shalom (Smyrna, 1862) Katub le-Hayyim Sippur Hayyim Birkat Mordekai le-Hayyim (ib. 1868) Sefer Hayyim (Salonica, 1868) Ginze Hayyim (Smyrna, 1872) Eine Kol Hai' (Izmir, 1878), photo ) Refuat Hayyim, spiritual remedies for diseases Mismatch Hayyim, on significance of names

Miscellaneous Palacci's professional stamp survives in a book (see photo).