Born in Istanbul, Gedaliah Ḥayyun settled in Jerusalem’s Old City in 1736 at the age of forty with the aim of pursuing his studies in Kabbala. He was a student of Ḥayyim Alfandari, (see Alfandari Family) who initiated him into the mysteries of the Lurianic system of Kabbala, which dominated his theology, and he was influenced halakhically by Judah Rosanes (see Rosanes (Rosales) Family), the chief rabbi of Istanbul. His halakhic opinions are cited by Ḥayyim Joseph David Azulay and others of the period.

Ḥayyun briefly returned to Istanbul to organize a committee of support for th…