Ovadia Yosef hospitalized for second time in two weeks
Surgery likely for Shas spiritual leader, 92, who has suffered back pain since he fell in his home in early June
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleGavriel Fiske is a reporter at The Times of Israel
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef checked in to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem early Sunday afternoon, marking his second hospital stay in as many weeks. The Shas party’s spiritual leader had spent three days at Hadassah beginning last Sunday, after he complained of back pain following his arrival there for an examination.
It is likely that the venerable rabbi will be scheduled for back surgery in an effort to relieve his condition, Maariv reported.
Yosef, 92, was lightly injured after he fainted and fell in his home earlier this month and has since then reportedly experienced pain in his back and leg. In January he was hospitalized for several days after suffering a minor stroke.
Last weekend, Yosef was suffering from increased pain in his leg and was unable to give his weekly Shabbat sermon.
The Baghdad-born, outspoken Yosef served as the Sephardi chief rabbi from 1973 to 1983. He is a noted authority on Jewish law and the spiritual leader of the Shas political party.
On Sunday, in a sign of the severity of his condition, his family publicly asked that prayers be said for Yosef’s healing and released his Hebrew name: Ovadia Yosef ben Georgia (עובדיה יוסף בן ג’ורג’יה).
Asher Zeiger contributed to this report.
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