On Shabbat noon, our Shabbat pleasure was with Rabbi Eli in Kiryat Arba. We were a bunch of 20-30. We would walk all the way from the Cave of the Patriarchs to the Kiryat to sit in Rabbi Eli's house and just hear new insights on the affair.
We heard amazing things. It was not the words of the Torah, it was the essence of the parsha. You learn how to look at things anew. More than the words of Torah it is the tool in the world of Torah of deep contemplation that Rabbi Eli planted in us, and it actually comes after all the Shabbat meals and all the Torah readings with all the details ... and suddenly you re-read the parsha with him. You realize there is an incredible depth here and dive into it, it's a new thing.
So this tool is a gift.
From Rabbi Eli I learned to speak calmly, patiently with a light face, but also virtues. When you are in a world of sitting, all of you are imprinted, then you feel uplifted. You are constantly engaged in holiness you are less connected to life itself.
Rabbi Eli would always give us a very great study in this field, I remember once he told us an amazing story. In the middle of his lesson we came to the point where he says "A week ago a secular friend from Tel Aviv came to me, sat with me and talked to me for an hour and two and three and we talked together, he was amazing. And I told him all kinds of things. He also told me ..."
This is how it lasted us for about 10 minutes, we yeshiva students are waiting for the lesson to be with a punch as I repented it I changed it and became right-wing of all kinds ...
Then Rabbi Eli said, 'I just listened and talked to him. Friend, we must respect this world, give it a place.
It's important to have a world like this. '
And I remember we were all in the market. Rabbi Eli is sitting, listening, amazing!
And it really inspires what a true Torah follower is that he is truly connected to life. You have a real connection.
These are some of the virtues that Rabbi Eli had that I was privileged to learn. And I hope to bring action as well.
Rest in peace.
Shimon Ash
