Draft:Sephardic Chief Rabbi official dress

The wardrobe of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, also known as the Rishon LeZion, reflects centuries of cultural and historical tradition, especially the customs of Sephardic Jews originating from Spain, North Africa, and the Middle East. Todays Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, style there dress after the attire worn by the Ottomon Empiree's appointed, Hakham Bashi. This formal attire consists primarily of two elements, a ceremonial robe called the "Glima" and a turban/headdress known as the "Mitznefet". These garments symbolize the sacred office of the Chief Rabbi and the heritage of the Sephardic Jewish communities.

Nomination of the New Sephardic Chief Rabbis

History

"Rishon LeZion" is a title bestowed upon the person who became the senior rabbi of the Jews of the Ottoman Empire. Today, since the establishment of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, it is an accompanying title for the person elected to serve as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel. The title of "Rishon LeZion is not limited in time, and even after the term of office of Chief Rabbi has been established, the title and the attire is used by the Rabbi.

In the Ottoman Empire, the heads of religious communities stood at the top of the hierarchy of their communities. In the 19th century, the leaders of the Christian communities and the Chief Rabbi (Hakham Bashi) became state officials.

In 1835, the Ottoman state began providing religious leaders with embroidered official garments, which are the source of the Chief Rabbi's garments that we are familiar with to this day. Over the years, the position of Hakham Bashi transformed from an imperial position into a title held by the chief Rabbi throughout the various provinces, and similarly, chief rabbis in the provinces of the Middle East and the Balkans began to wear the embroidered robe.

The Jewish community in Turkey would take upon itself the task of making the robe and the turban and send them to the Land of Israel for the chosen Rishon LeZion, but the last Rishon LeZion to receive a robe from Turkey was Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. This tradition has been discontinued for many years and is made locally in Israel.

Glima

The Glima, a long, flowing robe is a central feature of the Sephardic Chief Rabbi's official attire. According to Sephardic tradition, the Rishon LeZion wears a dark blue or black robe. Rabbi Daniel Cohen has been the official designer and tailor of the Glia for the past decades. The Glima is crafted from fine fabrics such as silk or wool, and is decorated on the front with embroidery in a pattern of leaves and flowers in gold or silver. Additionally, there is embroidery along the cuffs and collar. The Glima has resemblance to other regional attire, namely the Kaftan. The design of the Glima reflects the historical styles worn by the Hakham Bashi, the chief rabbis of Jewish communities in the Ottoman Empire.

Coronation of Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef as Chief Rabbi

The robe’s characteristic embroidery includes dense, stiff metallic threads, that decorate the collar and front opening. While the embroidery is rooted in traditional Ottoman style, it also draws from the influence of late 18th-century European officials’ coats.

Variations in the Glima are made for special occasions; for example, a white robe is sometimes worn on Yom Kippur , while an all-black version without embroidery may be worn during periods of mourning.

הראשל"צ הגר"שלמה משה עמאר במוצאי יום כיפור

Mitznefet

The "Mitznefet" is the traditional headdress worn by the Sephardic Chief Rabbi. Styled to resemble turban, the headdress typically consists of a round, padded cap made from velvet or silk, often in blue or black, adorned with a decorative white ribbon or band. This headgear is often of a round padded velvet cap, adorned with a decorative band or ribbon, is usually blue or black silk, styled to resemble a turban.

Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu

The Mitznefet reflects the customs of Jewish communities in the Ottoman Empire, where similar headdresses were worn by respected figures such as rabbis and judges.

Additional Adornments

The Sephardic Chief Rabbi may also wear symbolic adornments, such as a pendant of the Stone Tablets or Ten Commandments. This pendant was worn by Rabbi Shlomo Amar during a visit with King Felipe VI of Spain at the Palacio de la Zarzuela. Another similar pendant, gifted by the Turkish Jewish community to Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and later worn by his son, Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, has been donned on ceremonial occasions, such as the visit of Pope Francis to Israel, as a counterpoint to the Pope's cross.

This unique wardrobe serves as both a cultural artifact and a symbol of the spiritual leadership that the Sephardic Chief Rabbi holds within the Jewish and broader Israeli communities.