RABBI YOSEF KARO - HIS HOME AND LIFE

Rabbi Yosef Karo was born in Toledo, Spain in 5248 (1488) to a well known rabbinical and poetic family. The Karo family descended from Rabbi Shimon Karo, author of "Yalkut Shimoni", who's son Yosef was a student of Rashi (1040-1105), one of the most significant commentators on the Talmud.

At the age of four, his family moved from Spain to Portugal and after many travels and tribulations moved again a few years later
to the town of Kushta.

In Kushta, Yosef was able to settle down and learn seriously from his father Rabbi Ephraim and his Uncle, Rabbi Yitzchak. He learned in Kushta for nineteen years, poring over his books with purity and holiness. Soon he was known worldwide as a genius able to delve in the depths of the Torah and able to clarify problematic issues of Halachah (Jewish Law). Even as a youth learning in Yeshiva, he received Halachic questions, and his perceptive and insightful answers became famous throughout all sects of the Jewish community worldwide.

When he reached the age of 30, Rabbi Yosef Karo married the daughter of the famous and righteous Rabbi Chaim Ben Albegag
of Adrianopol. After the wedding he moved in with his in-laws, there he was able to learn in peace and quiet. The peace however
didn't last for long, as his newlywed wife contracted an awful disease and passed away shortly.

Rabbi Yosef Karo's close friends, Rabbi Avraham Tzarfati and Rabbi Shmuel Sabba, made sure that he didn't remain isolated and alone for long. Rabbi Shmuel suggested that he marry his half-sister, the daughter of Rabbi Yitzchak Sabba, his father, who was one of the most prominent Rabbis in town. Rabbi Yosef Karro agreed and his wife bore him a son, Shlomo.

Rabbi Karo and his family later moved from Adrianopol to Nikopol, there he served as Chief Rabbi of the town and also as Rosh Yeshiva (Dean) there. Rabbi Karo was involved, day and night, in teaching Torah and also in writing. He had many famous pupils, including: Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Rabbi Moshe Galanti and others.

In the year 1536, at the age of 48, on the Eve of Shavuot, the Angel HaMaggid appeared to him and requested that he leave for the Holy Land. A year passed and Rabbi Karo found himself in the Kabbalistic City of Tzfat (Safed). Rabbi Karo shortly opened up a large Yeshiva there, to which students started coming, from all over the country. As many students started knocking on his house, day and night, asking questions and advice, Rabbi Karo felt that he must leave town so that he could have some quiet time to learn by himself. Therefore he moved to the nearby village of Biriya, there he sat and learned and wrote in peace and quiet.

Rabbi Karo's second wife passed away from a plague that struck the village and he himself became very sick. After recovering,
Rabbi Karo returned to Tzfat, there he became the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat and the surrounding villages. He then remarried, a third time,
to the daughter of Rabbi Zecharya Askenazi.

Rabbi Karo started creating his tremendous work, "Beit Yosef", when he was in Adrianopol. After seeing how the many different opinions of Halacha (Jewish Law) were confusing the simpletons who didn’t know who to rule by, he decided to create a unifying Jewish Code of Law.

His works, "Beit Yosef" and "Shulchan Aruch" include all the laws and customs of Judaism. Through these works we can grasp the insight and total proficiency that Rabbi Karo had of the entire Torah and Oral Law. He also had an incredible grasp of Kabbalah, which his pupil, Rabbi Moshe Kardoviro wrote down after his death.

Rabbi Karo's books include: Beit Yosef, Shulchan Aruch, Maggid Mesharim (on his meetings with the Angel HaMaggid), Kesef Mishnah, Bedek HaBayit, and many more books that were lost over time.

Rabbi Yosef Karo was known as an extremely humble and righteous person. He was known for his love of all fellow people. His house was used as the spiritual community center of Tzfat. His door was open twenty four hours a day to the poor, the needy, and to anyone seeking spiritual advice, blessings and salvation. Besides his private home, the grounds included the Rabbinical Court of Tzfat, a Beit Midrash of
study, a Synagogue, and a Children's Study. As his work "Shulchan Aruch" did, Rabbi Karo himself was a unifying force behind the community of Tzfat, caring and loving each person individually. This is the only way true redemption can be achieved.

Rabbi Yosef Karo passed away on the 13th of Nissan, 5335 (1575) at the age of 87. He was buried in the Holy City of Tzfat.

During the earthquake that shook Tzfat in 1837 most of the town was reduced to ruins. However, The House of Rabbi Yosef Karo (Beit Karo) survived and is one of the few houses that remains intact in its original state. It is clear that this is as a direct result of the holiness that remains intact in the home, even today. There are many miracles that are known to have occurred in Beit Karo during his lifetime and
throughout the generations, until this day. It is clear to all that our teacher, Rabbi Yosef Karo's blessings and spiritual inspiration are alive in this house. They will surely continue to dwell here at least until the coming of the Messiah, may he come speedily in our days, and may Rabbi Yosef Karo's memory protect us all, Amen.