Esteemed scholar Rabbi Yaakov Beirav, a Spanish refugee living in the city of Tzfat, has led a daring new initiative to revive the age-old, authentic Semichah Rabbinical ordination, as handed down from Moshe Rabbeinu. At Rabbi Beirav’s request, many learned rabbis from the Tsfat region, proclaimed him as their "Chief Rabbi". In return, he performed the ceremonial Semichah by laying his hands upon the heads of several noted scholars, thus granting them the official title, “Rebbi.” This Semichah would allow them to once again set up a Sanhedrin, similar to the grand court of law which was in place during the times of the Beis HaMikdash.
TNS Jerusalem reporter Yerucham Yerushalmi reports: “This bold move was based on the ruling of the Rambam’s opinion in his Mishneh Torah Book. However, the future of this Semichah is unknown, due to the vehement opposition of Rabbi Levi ibn Chaviv, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, a.k.a. the Ralbach. He believes that this Tzfat-Semichah-Ceremony is disrespectful to Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish world.
CIRCA 1538:
