Moshe Hacohen

Moshe Kalphon Hacohen, (1874–1950), also known by his acronym Ramach, was one of the leading rabbis of the island of Djerba, Tunisia, during the 20th century.

Hacohen, a kohen by birth, was born in 1874 to his father Rabbi Shalom Hacohen and his mother Tarachi, on the island of Djerba off the coast of Tunisia.

As his name indicates, Hacohen comes from a family of priests, members of the "Avrish" who date their roots to Ezra the Scribe. His great-grandfather, Rabbi Shaul (Saul) Hacohen was the head of the rabbinical court in Djerba. Moshe (Chalfon) was named after his grandfather, Rabbi Moshe Hacohen, author of the book Pnai Moshe; "Halphon" is a nickname. His father Rabbi Shalom, the author of numerous books including Nahar Shalom, Hefetz Yakar and HaimVeShalom, was initially the rabbi and head of the local rabbinical court in the city of Zervis, near Djerba, but in 1924 he emigrated to Mandatory Palestine to join the Elders of Zefat (Safed).

During his youth Moshe's family were well off financially and they were well known for their generosity and the support they gave to the elderly and poor of Djerba. However, when he became a teenager his family's financial situation took a turn for the worse and Moshe contributed to the family income by working as a book editor and copyist.

He received his Jewish education from his father as well as the chief rabbi of Tunisia, Rabbi Yoseph (Joseph) Barbi. When his father was called upon to be the rabbi of Zervis, Moshe was asked by the local community to become their ritual slaughterer. At the age of 17 he mastered the laws of Jewish ritual slaughter and began to work in the profession. However, the difficult conditions, primarily the outdoor heat during the summer, caused him to become feverish as well as affecting his vision. He wished to continue working in order to help his family financially, but they prevailed upon him to return to Djerba and to continue with his studies.

In 1895, at the age of 21, Moshe married Masida, daughter of his maternal uncle Rabbi Aharon Hacohen. The couple has two sons and four daughters:

He was Abraham Palacci, grand rabbi of Izmir.

In 1917, at the age of 43, Rabbi Moshe was appointed as a member of the rabbinical court of Djerba (serving together with Rabbi Zvi Hacohen Yehonatan and Rabbi Mordechai Emaus Cohen). It took a great deal of pressure to persuade him to accept the appointment; he completely refused the position of head of the court and only accepted the appointment as the third member. This court enacted a number of important decrees and carefully regulated the lives of the Jewish communities throughout the island.

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