Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l in Honor of the Hilula

At the time of the passing of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt"l, the holy Rav Eliezer Berland shlit"a was in Morocco, but these are the words of eulogy he delivered in honor of the soul of Rav Ovadia, whose yahrzeit falls today, the 3rd of Mar Cheshvan.

"Rav Ovadia Yosef, may the memory of the tzaddik and holy one be for a blessing, was the Moshe Rabbeinu of the generation, 'an expansion of Moshe in every generation' (Zohar, Tikkun 69). Moshe Rabbeinu descends in every generation anew, 'And Hashem was angry with me for your sake' (Devarim 3:26), and in this generation, Moshe Rabbeinu descended in the form of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt"l. He led us for over 80 years; he guided us just as Moshe guided the People of Israel in the desert. Through all the wars and troubles that the People of Israel endured, Rav Ovadia Yosef led us all with a high hand, 'And the children of Israel went out with a high hand' (Shemot 14:8). Just as Moshe Rabbeinu led the People of Israel with a high hand, with the seven Clouds of Glory."

"Rav Ovadia raised the horn of Israel, the horn of the Torah; there was no question or answer that he did not know. He was the only one in two thousand years who encompassed the entire Torah, all the questions and answers, the entire Shas, all the Rishonim and Acharonim. There was not a line, a letter, or a word that he did not recognize and know. He was truly the soul of Moshe Rabbeinu, just as it is said of the holy Rambam, 'From Moshe to Moshe, there arose none like Moshe' (Rabbi Yitzchak ibn Latif at the end of his introduction to 'Sha'ar HaShamayim'). From the Rambam until now, there has not been such a genius, such a great man, and such a person who could encompass the entire Torah with all its details and nuances."

"Rav Ovadia did not leave a letter or a point of the holy Torah, 'an expansion of Moshe in every generation' (Zohar, Tikkun 69). For it is forbidden to believe that Rav Ovadia Yosef passed away, Heaven forbid; he is the High Priest who enters the Holy of Holies every year, therefore the 3rd of Cheshvan is truly like Yom Kippur. Rav Ovadia ascended and entered the supernal Holy of Holies, to the Zevul firmament, about which the Gemara (Chagigah 12b) says that the Holy Temple is located there. And until the end of the generations, until we see Eliyahu HaNavi and Mashiach ben David, Rav Ovadia will now be the High Priest who enters before and within, and Hashem has chosen him to atone for the sins of the People of Israel."