JERUSALEM (JTA) — Rabbi Ovadia Yosef survived major back surgery.

The rabbi, 93, awakened on Monday evening following the orthopedic surgery on his spine at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem.

The spiritual leader of the Sephardi Orthodox Shas Party and former chief rabbi of Israel entered the hospital on Sunday for the third time in recent weeks suffering from intense pain due to a fall in his home early last month.  He also had a minor stroke in January.

He was scheduled to be transferred out of the intensive care unit on Tuesday.