As was the case with many Gedolei Yisrael, prior to Rav Ben Tzion’s birth, miraculous events occurred to his parents. These events seemed to foreshadow the greatness of the child they were destined to usher into the world.
Rav Ben Tzion’s father, Rav Eliyohu, grew up in a small village in Iran. One day, one of the Moslem rulers gave the Jews there an ultimatum: convert or leave the country. Rav Ben Tzion’s grandfather fled Iran with his family and boarded the first available boat to Eretz Yisrael. But instead of reaching Chaifa’s port, the boat crashed on the shore opposite Eliyohu’s Cave on Har Carmel.
Rescue squads arrived on the scene and tossed the passengers into rowboats. Rav Eliyohu was also tossed into a rowboat, but he landed in the sea. A non-Jewish sailor noticed the drowning child and dragged him out of the water, saving his life.
After much wandering, the family settled in Yerushalayim, and became followers of Rav Tzadka Chutzin.
Rav Eliyohu later married Banya, a woman who was very devoted to Torah. When her children returned home from Talmud Torah, she would hug them and say, “May you become Talmidei Chachomim.” Her prayers were answered, and all of her children become Talmidei Chachomim. The fact that the entire family remained Torah-observant during a period when many families of Oriental and Sefardi backgrounds were lured into sending their children to Zionist schools was highly unusual. The fact that they became Talmidei Chachomim was even more so. Rav Ben Tzion was born in the year 5684, on the th of Tammuz, the Yahrzeit of Rashi. He studied in the Bnei Tzion School founded by Rav Moshe Porush. When Rav Ben Tzion grew older, he helped Rav Porush recruit students for the school, saving many children from spiritual destruction.
As a youngster, he also studied under Rav Yaakov Adas and Rav Tzadka Chutzin. But he reached the height of his spiritual growth in the Porat Yosef Yeshiva, where he studied under its Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Ezra Attia, his primary mentor. The two were very close, and Rav Attia came to regard Rav Ben Tzion as his successor.
Whenever Rav Attia came up with a chiddush, he would discuss it with Rav Ben Tzion and anticipate his reaction. Rav Ben Tzion, meanwhile, would tremble in awe when he spoke with the Rosh Yeshiva.
