Rabbi David Messas Laid to Rest

Rabbi David Messas Laid to Rest
by Gavriel Queenann

Rabbi David Messas, the late Chief Rabbi of Paris, was buried on Har Hamenuchot in Jerusalem on Monday.

The rabbi's funeral procession was accompanied by hundreds of mourners from Paris as well as residents of Israel who came to pay their final respects.

The Chief Rabbi of France, Rabbi Gilles Bernheim, said mourners chartered two planes in order to accompany their master and teacher to Israel. Most were expected to return to France immediately after the funeral.



Rabbi David Messas lived to spread Torah his entire life. As recently as Thursday he was giving a lesson. Despite living a great distance from Paris' main synagogue he acquired a dilapidated house nearby for giving classes and attending Shabbat services.

His son explained he did not renovate the house because "he was not interested in material things."

Biographical Note:

Rabbi David Messas was born on 15 July 1934 in Meknes. He was the son of former Chief Rabbi of Morocco, the late Rabbi Chalom Messas, who subsequently became Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.

Chief Rabbi of Paris since 1995, Rabbi David Messas studied under the eminent talmudist Rabbi Isaac Sebbag. Rabbi Messas also earned degrees in philosophy and general psychology and received several honors, including  the Palmes académiques for his service to education and the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur.


He died in Paris on the morning of 20 November 2011. He was 77.

  Rabbi David Messas