Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli, who leads the Knesset's Labor party, on Monday morning responded to the passing of Rabbi Shalom Cohen, President of the Shas Council of Torah Sages.
Rabbi Cohen passed away on Sunday night, at the age of 91.
"The passing of Haham Shalom Cohen is a great loss for the community that looked towards the rabbi as leader, guide and halachic authority," Michaeli said. "My condolences to the family at this difficult time, and to the many people who are grieving his loss. The Ministry of Transport is making preparations for traffic changes due to the funeral and to allow people to come and pay their last respects. May his memory be a blessing."
Former Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana (National Unity) said, "I was very pained to hear this morning of the passing of the President of the Council of Torah Sages, the great Hakham Shalom Cohen. Rabbi Cohen was one of the greatest Torah sages in our generation."
Former Prime Minister MK Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) mourned, "Rabbi Cohen was one of the Torah giants of our generation."
"I deeply mourn, along with the entire House of Israel, the passing of the President of the Council of Torah Sages, the great Hakham Shalom Cohen, of blessed memory. Rabbi Cohen was one of the Torah giants of our generation. He had great proficiency in the Torah world, alongside Torah and social leadership which influenced an enormous number of Jews and Israelis.
"After the passing of [former Sephardic Chief] Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Rabbi Cohen continued his path as the President of the Council of Torah Sages and as a halakhic (pertaining to Jewish law) lighthouse who everyone looked up to.
"Rabbi Cohen was an enormous Torah sage who did not cease learning and teaching, preserving and doing. The love of Torah beat within him, alongside a love for the people. The nation of Israel has lost a halakhic authority, a guide for many, and a representative of the public of the greatest caliber. A great man and a prince has been taken from us. I send my honest condolences to his family. May his memory be for a blessing."
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, "I mourn the passing of the great yeshiva dean Hakham Shalom Cohen. Alongside his greatness in Torah, he was a spiritual leader who led a large and important public in Israel and in the Jewish world, with humility and modesty. We met many times, and I am sorry that this year I will not merit to keep up the tradition and visit him in his sukkah (tabernacle)."
Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi David Lau said, "Together with the entire People of Israel, in the Land of Israel and in the Diaspora, we cry from pain and shock at the passing of the President of the Council of Torah Sages, Porat Yosef Yeshiva Dean Rabbi Hakham Shalom Cohen."
"The People of Israel have lost a great man, whose Torah, prayers, and blessings have stood by all of Israel for dozens of years. Woe is to us, to the ship which has lost its captain, and the entire House of Israel will cry over the fire which G-d has burned."
Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef said, "Together with the entire People of Israel, we are mourning and broken to the depths of our souls over the passing of our teacher and rabbi, the sage in Israel, the yeshiva dean and righteous man, son of a righteous man, the man of truth with great character, the leader of the generation, the dean of the Porat Yosef Yeshiva and President of the Council of Torah Sages Hakham Shalom Hacohen, may his memory be blessed, who led us for dozens of years."
"Woe is to the ship which has lost its captain, woe is to the generation which saw such in its days. Our brokenness is as great as the sea, woe, who will heal us?
"For the sake of the honor of the Torah, each and every person has an obligation to come and participate in the funeral of our rabbi, who taught Torah to the masses, who raised generations of Torah sages, who brought back the glory of old and rebuilt the Judaism of Sepharad from dust. May we never know any more pain or brokenness in our borders, may death be swallowed up forever, and may G-d wipe the tears off every face, amen."