Rav Masoud Chai Roke’ach was the son of Rav Aharon. He was born in Izmir, Turkey, about 5450/1690.
He learned under Rav Chaim Abulafiah in Izmir, and then under Rav Yitzchok HaKohen Rappaport, mechaber of Botei Kehuna.
Rav Masoud moved to Eretz Yisrael, where he was known as one of Yerushalayim’s Torah giants. He corresponded in halocha with Rabbonim in Italy and Izmir.
Sent to Libya to raise funds for the community in Yerushalayim around 5500/1740, Rav Masoud was asked to stay on and serve there as Rav. During the time he spent there, Rav Masoud helped the local kehilla grow in Torah and mitzvos.
Later, Rav Masoud settled in Livorno, Italy, where he sat on the Bais Din with Rav Yaakov Lusinah and Rav Yitzchok Inrikis.
Rav Masoud wrote numerous seforim. The most famous is Ma’aseh Roke’ach, a three-volume work on the Rambam; he also wrote Divrei HaBraisa, commentaries on the five Megillos, and Chiddushei Hashem on the Gemora. Many other works are still in manuscript form.
Rav Masoud was niftar on the tenth of Av 5528/1768, in Tripoli, Libya.
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