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Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l in Honor of the Hilula: The Moving Eulogy by the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

עורך ראשי
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l in Honor of the Hilula: The Moving Eulogy by the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

At the time of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l's passing, the esteemed Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a was in Morocco. Here are the words of eulogy he delivered in honor of Rabbi Ovadia's neshamah (soul), whose yahrzeit falls today, the 3rd of Mar Cheshvan.

"Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed and holy memory, was the Moses of the generation, 'the extension of Moses in every generation' (Zohar Tikkun 69). Moses descends anew in every generation, 'But Hashem was angry with me for your sakes' (Deuteronomy 3:26), and in this generation, Moses descended in the form of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l. He led us for over 80 years, guiding us just as Moses led the people of Israel in the desert. Through all the wars and troubles that the people of Israel faced, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef led us all with a strong hand, 'and the children of Israel went out with a high hand' (Exodus 14:8), just as Moses led the people of Israel with a high hand with the seven clouds of glory."

"Rabbi Ovadia raised the pride of Israel, the pride of the Torah. There was no question or answer he did not know. He was the only one in two thousand years who encompassed the entire Torah, all the questions and answers, all the Talmud, all the early and later sages. There was not a line, letter, or word he did not know. He was truly the neshamah (soul) of Moses, as it is said about the holy Rambam, 'From Moses to Moses, there was none like Moses' (Rabbi Yitzchak Abarbanel at the end of his introduction to "Sha'ar HaShamayim"), from the Rambam until now, there was no such genius, such greatness, and such a person who could encompass the entire Torah in all its details and nuances."

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"Rabbi Ovadia did not leave a letter or a point from the holy Torah, 'the extension of Moses in every generation' (Zohar Tikkun 69). For, it is forbidden to believe that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef has passed away, God forbid. He is the High Priest who would enter the Holy of Holies every year, therefore the 3rd of Cheshvan is truly like Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ovadia ascended and entered the Holy of Holies above, to the celestial realm of Zevul, about which the Gemara (Chagigah 12b) says that the Holy Temple is located there. Until the end of generations, until we see Elijah the Prophet and Mashiach ben David, Rabbi Ovadia will now be the High Priest who enters within, and Hashem has chosen him to atone for the sins of the people of Israel."

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