The murder last week of Rabbi Elazar Abuhatzeira has left Israel’s religious Jewish community in shock.
In the following video, Arutz Sheva brings you reactions to the rabbi’s untimely and shocking death from some of his close associates, friends and followers.
“It would be impossible to summarize 27 years in a few minutes,” said Aharon Vilf, a close associate of Rabbi Elazar, who was known as Baba Elazar. “The shock will go away in time, but right now the heart hasn’t sent to the brain or to the consciousness the depth of the tragedy.
“Rabbi Elazar’s life was one piece of holiness, something we don’t come across often,” added Vilf. “And with that, he spoke to each person at eye level, at his understanding. There were people here from all the communities, from all the parties, from all the movements, secular people, religious people. And you didn’t see a difference in his treatment, in his respect, in his appreciation, or in the attention he gave. He was a Jew who didn’t look for platforms for himself.”
Rabbi Yoram Abergel from Netivot also spoke of Rabbi Abuhatzeira, saying, “The loss which occurred here is a loss of the entire people of Israel. We must remember that there are three pillars in the world: Torah, grace, and prayer. The pillar of prayer that saved the entire generation from all its enemies was Rabbi Elazar.”
One of the Rabbi’s followers who consulted with him on many issues told Arutz Sheva: “They took away our father. He was a man who cannot be described. A blessing by him was something else. We would stand next to him and we’d shake. We didn’t even dare to look into his eyes.”