Velvet cover of the table which served R. Ovadia Yosef during his famous broadcast address in the Yazdim synagogue.
Red velvet; gilt embroidery. Inscriptions: " The righteous one flourishes like a palm"; "Address of R. Ovadia Yosef, Rishon LeTzion and president of Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, delivered at the Tiferet Yerushalayim central synagogue of the Yazdim community…"; "The King in His beauty shall your eyes behold" (and other inscriptions).
The beloved, weekly address of R. Ovadia Yosef took place every Saturday night, for decades, in the Tiferet Yerushalayim LeAdat HaYazdim synagogue (known as the Yazdim synagogue) in the Bucharim neighborhood, Jerusalem, and was broadcasted live to thousands of listeners at various locations in Israel and worldwide. This was the first Torah class to be electronically broadcasted. Many synagogues throughout Eretz Israel and worldwide installed systems for receiving satellite broadcasts, especially for the purpose of viewing R. Ovadia Yosef's weekly address. The latter's public influence increased greatly due to the broadcast addresses, through which thousands of Jews had the merit of seeing him and absorbing his teachings, on a weekly basis. R. Ovadia Yosef used the address to imbue in his listeners the pride of uncompromising observance of halachah and sending the youth to Torah schools and yeshivot. His addresses occasionally received publicity in the media, due to his sharp remarks on politics and current affairs.
The present cover was prepared especially in honor of R. Ovadia, and was laid on the table he sat by while delivering his address. This cover was in use in his final years at the Yazdim synagogue (until he began delivering the weekly address from his synagogue in Har Nof, due to his failing health). After his passing, his son R. Yitzchak Yosef succeeded him in delivering the weekly address at the Yazdim synagogue (a similar cover was then prepared for R. Yitzchak Yosef, see enclosed material).
Approx. 45X155X70 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Minor defects.