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Today, we commemorate the yahrzeit (anniversary of the passing) of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, who was a halachic authority, a mekubal and religious leader, and served as the Rishon LeZion and Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1983 to 1993.
The Rabbi zz”l saw the Western Wall as a central place of prayer. For decades, he used to conduct major prayer gatherings at the Western Wall, and he also led the “Selichot Assembly” every year during the Ten Days of Repentance.
It is recounted that during the presidency of Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, people approached Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu and asked him to curse Nasser. He responded, “We are taught by the Baba Sali that our role is to bless and not to curse… Therefore, I bless the President of Egypt, Gamal Abdel Nasser, that he may quickly witness the rebuilding and the redemption of the Jewish nation, the return of the Jewish people to its land, the reconstruction of Jerusalem, and the rebuilding of the Holy Temple in our days.”
We longingly remember the Rabbi’s visits to the Western Wall, and his words continue to resonate with us.
