The Olam HaTorah and the city of Netanya are in deep mourning following the tragic murder of HaMekubal HaRav Amos Guetta zt”l, who left behind a legacy of achdus and Ahavas Yisrael that embraced every segment of the Jewish people.

HaRav Guetta was known for decades for his boundless Ahavas Yisrael and tireless dedication to kiruv. His yeshivah, named after the Tunisian chacham and mekubal, HaGaon Harav Yitzchak Chai Taieb, z’tl, became both a spiritual and physical refuge in one of Netanya’s most economically and socially challenged neighborhoods.

He welcomed everyone through its doors—baalei teshuvah, at-risk youth, and even individuals with criminal backgrounds seeking a warm meal, a place to sleep, or simply someone who cared.

“The Rav’s yeshivah was open 24 hours a day,” one talmid recalled as tears ran down his face. “Anyone who had been thrown out of his home, anyone with nowhere to sleep or nothing to eat, knew there would always be a mattress, a hot meal, and a listening ear. The Rav didn’t just teach Torah—he literally saved people’s lives.”

Another talmid said: “HaRav Amos was like a father to his kehilla and his talmidim were like his sons. He would call everyone ‘Buya’ (“my son”). He didn’t sleep in a bed. All week, he would remain in his chair inside his beis medrash, receiving people and offering brachos.”

“His first instruction to those seeking his help was usually to recite Tehillim. He would divide the chapters among those present, assigning one person to read from Aleph through Tzadi and another to continue until the end, repeating the cycle throughout the day.

Speaking to Kol Chai, Netanya Deputy Mayor Oren Gabay fought back tears as spoke about HaRav Guetta, z’tl.

“We have no words to describe the spiritual and material impact the Rav had on Netanya and on Jews around the world,” Gabay said. “In recent years, the Rav was seriously ill and was hospitalized multiple times. I must mention the extraordinary efforts of Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, who worked tirelessly day and night, personally coordinating with hospitals and ensuring the Rav received the best possible medical care.”

Gabay recounted that despite his severe illness, Rabbi Guetta remained fully alert. Because of his condition, doctors inserted a special tube into his lungs to help him breathe, preventing him from speaking.

“Once a day, with tremendous effort and indescribable suffering, the doctors would remove the tube for a few minutes. During those precious moments, the Rav would listen to questions and answer them. The overwhelming majority of his final questions and conversations concerned Klal Yisrael.”

“He cried bitterly over the lack of unity among the Jewish people, and whenever he heard that a soldier had been killed in battle, he wept in a way that shook the room. He repeatedly told me, ‘The yeshivah bochurim are toiling in Torah and saving the world, and Ahavas Yisrael must encompass every Jew from one end to the other.'”

 

Gabai, who spent 25 years as a school principal, shared stories illustrating HaRav Guetta’s mesirus nefesh for every child. “The Rav would personally call me and say, ‘Accept this child into your school immediately.’ When I tried explaining that the child had serious behavioral or educational challenges, the Rav would stop me and say, ‘He’s a good child. Love him. If you love him, you’ll succeed with him. Just love him.’ Those were his guiding words: ‘Just love him.'”

Concluding his remarks, Gabai urged the public to carry on Rabbi Guetta’s derech. “We have lost the greatest Oheiv Yisrael of our generation. For the Rav, there were no barriers, no sectors, no divisions. He always told me, ‘Every Jew is an entire world. Whether someone has a tattoo on his body or a shtreimel on his head, he is a precious Jew, and we must care for him and save him.’ He embraced everyone, and his name inspired reverence throughout Netanya. There is no place in the city that did not stand in awe of his tzidkus.”

Beyond his extensive kiruv activities, Harav Guetta was widely regarded as one of the foremost Rabbanim of Libyan Jewry in Israel and abroad. He devoted decades to preserving the minhagim and mesorah of the Libyan and Tripolitanian kehilla, ensuring they would be passed on to future generations.

Known for his encyclopedic knowledge, he maintained close ties with Libyan mosdos and faithfully preserved long-standing minhagim, including publicly reading the Aseres Hadibros in Judeo-Arabic on Shavuos, as had been customary in Libya.

Harav Guetta was renowned for his tzidkus and abstinence. He regularly observed taaniyos dibbur and other voluntary fasts and dedicated countless hours to tefillah and kabbalistic tikkunim on behalf of both individuals and Klal Yisrael. Thousands traveled from across Israel and abroad to seek his guidance, tefillos, and brachos, which were known to bring remarkable yeshuos.

In Tishrei 5784, he became critically ill and was hospitalized in intensive care while sedated and on a ventilator. At the instruction of Gedolei Yisrael, the name “Chaim” was added to his name, and countless tefillos were offered on behalf of “Harav Amos Kamos Chaim ben Fortuna.” After undergoing rehabilitation at Sheba Medical Center, he made a miraculous recovery and returned to his Beis Medrash with renewed strength to continue being marbitz Torah and serving the public. That remarkable recovery came to a tragic end Wednesday morning when he was murdered.

Throughout his life, Harav Guetta shunned publicity and strictly forbade the publication of his photos. His talmidim carefully honored that request.

Following news of his murder, the Shas party issued a statement mourning “the sudden and horrific passing of HaGaon HaMekubal Harav Amos Guetta zt”l, the Rav of Libyan Jewry and Rosh Yeshivah of Rebi Yitzchak Chai Taieb in Netanya. The Torah world has lost a towering spiritual leader and a tremendous mezakeh harabbim.”

Netanya Mayor Avi Salama said: “A difficult morning for the city of Netanya. With great sadness and pain, I received the bitter news of the passing of HaMekubal HaKodesh Rebbi Amos Guetta, z’tl. Rebbi Amos, an immense Talmid Chacham, was a great light and a pillar of Torah and chessed in our city. For many years, he illuminated the path of tens of thousands of residents, brought hearts closer, and was an address for eitzah, bracha, and yeshua.”

Harav Guetta, z’tl, is survived by his wife, Rebbetzin Chavivah, sons and daughters who continue his path, and thousands of grieving talmidim mourning the loss of their beloved Rebbe.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)