“I Decided I Must Paint Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, and Here's the Result”

"The Painter of Rabbis," this is the title that has been attached to the artist Hila Ben Yitzhak, and not without reason. She paints artworks of all kinds, but she has a special love reserved for paintings of rabbis.

"I really connect with the stories of tzaddikim, pictures of rabbis, and especially with hilulot," she says with a smile, "There is hardly a hilula day of a tzaddik that I forget to light a candle, give charity, and ask for salvation in the merit of the tzaddik."

The painting 'Hilula'—a portrait of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu of blessed memory—was painted by Hila precisely in this atmosphere. "It came about after I saw a painting of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, one of the most admired rabbis for me, lighting candles, and I knew that this was exactly the painting I wanted to create."

"He was so luminous"

Hila notes that she personally was blessed by Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu several times and witnessed miracles through his blessings. "He had a unique and rare blend of humility and a radiant, powerful personality, with an uncompromising message of unity for the people of Israel, the Torah of Israel, and the land of Israel," she says with emotion. "Every time I met him, I was simply captivated by that special charm."

Hila notes that one Shabbat she had the opportunity to stay with her cousin in Jerusalem. "My cousin suggested: 'Let's go pray with Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu.' Of course, I agreed. We went to the synagogue where he prayed, and I was so excited.

"We went up to the women's section, and then I saw the Rabbi in the synagogue and couldn't take my eyes off him. He was so luminous. After the prayer, all the congregants passed by him to wish him Shabbat Shalom, and he blessed everyone and smiled at them, especially at the little children, patting their heads and smiling at them in a fatherly way. I remember standing upstairs and feeling so envious. I thought to myself: 'How wonderful it is for them that they are so close to the Rabbi and receive blessings.'

"I stayed there glued to the railing," Hila continues, "until the Rabbi left, and I also exited the synagogue. When I came out, my cousin asked me: 'Where did you disappear to?' and I honestly replied that I simply couldn't move from the railing."

The Rabbi's Blessing

Hila goes on to tell: "The streets were relatively empty, it was just the two of us walking, and suddenly I saw the Rabbi and the students accompanying him, and I said to myself: 'Wow, it's like the Rabbi heard how much I wanted to see him up close and get a blessing, and he came right along our path...'"

Hila was in a tough dilemma—whether to go and ask for a blessing or not? "On one hand, I didn't feel comfortable stopping the whole escort and approaching the Rabbi, but on the other hand, there was no way I was going to miss this."

Then, as if by divine intervention, a relative appeared and stood next to them. "Of course, I immediately called him and asked him to go to the Rabbi and ask for a blessing for me. He naturally agreed to approach the Rabbi, who stopped everyone and blessed me with great intention.

"I returned to my cousin's apartment, and all along the way I felt the warmth of the Rabbi's blessing. I felt as if the Rabbi sensed my need and desire to see him up close and receive a blessing from him, and he made it happen."

"I pray," she concludes, "that even now after his passing, the Rabbi will continue to see our needs and ask the Creator of the world to send each of us what we need, in the best and most appropriate way."