Contact us
News

News

An Exceptional Story: "From Thug to Rabbinical Judge”

Published on Sunday August 1st, 2021

Elishai lives next door to me. He is an excellent boy who is a few years younger than me. In order to make ends meet; he works with young immigrants from Ethiopia and helps them prepare for the army.

About a month ago, Elishai was called in for miluim, Israel’s reservist program, for one week. At the end of the week, on his way back home, an elderly, noble-looking Jew dressed in a frock coat worn by judges and wearing a black hat, got on the bus. The bus was packed, yet there was an empty seat next to Elishai. The Jew sat down and immediately began a discussion with Elichai on the weekly parsha. From there, they moved on to the Daf Hayomi as well as issues of halacha.

After a few minutes, the imposing character said to Elishai : "Next month, I will retire from the rabbinical court where I have served as a judge for the past 25 years . But you should know that I have not always looked like this. These rabbinical clothes, this beard, this hat - this does not come from me," he said with a sad smile. "My parents were Holocaust survivors. They did not have the moral strength to give me the attention that I needed. I went astray, to the streets, and very quickly I became a delinquent, and I had not even reached the age of Bar Mitzvah."

"Next to my parents, there was a synagogue and near there stood a soccer field where I used to play with my friends during the week, but mostly on Shabbat. Often, the ball would land in the synagogue’s court. Once, it even broke one of the synagogue’s windows. One Shabbat, when I was 15 years old, we were playing on the playground. In the neighborhood, I was nicknamed the "thug". I threw the ball and it flew out of the playground towards the synagogue. At the exact same time, the Rabbi came out, the ball struck his hat and knocked it to the floor. My friends and I sprawled out in laughter at how the ‘Rabbi’s hat’ was transformed into flying saucer."

“The Rav picked up his hat and came over to meet me. “‘Shabbat Shalom’," he said to me. "Does the Rav want to make Kiddush or join us in playing football?," I asked him impolitely. He was hardly taken aback. He looked at me in the eyes and asked me: "Where are your parents?” "They are dead. " I answered boldly.

The Rav then told me to come with him, which appealed to me. I decided to play the game and follow him. As we arrived at his home, he entered and I followed suit. He made Kiddush and served me a drink. He then asked me “Are you hungry?" to which I replied: "I’m starving." The Rav made a sign to the Rebbetzin to serve me food. I ate dinner as if I hadn’t eaten food for a week. The Rav ate very little and most of the time, he was staring at me and said some divrei Torah. Later, I understood that I had also eaten his portion of food.

When I finished eating, the Rav asked me if I was tired. I answered him I was exhausted. The Rav offered me a bed. I slept there numerous hours. When I finally got up, Shabbat was already over. The Rav asked me: "What do you want to do?” I told him that I wanted to go to the cinema to see a film. "How much does it cost? ", he asked. "A Lira and a half", I told him. He gave me the money. Before I left, he told me: "Come back tomorrow."

The next day I returned and the same scenario took place: I ate, slept and received money for the cinema. Day after day and after some time, I discovered that they had twelve other children from the streets like me who frequented their home. I could not be ungrateful and besides, I started to get attached to him. So with time, he began teaching me about mitzvot. I learned how to do netilat yadaim. Afterwards, he bought me a pair of tefilin. He would sit with me and teach me halacha, Chumash and Mishna. Later in life, and thanks to his precious help, I was accepted to a certain Yeshiva. I began my studies within the rabbanut to obtain my dayanut diploma, which in turn allowed me to practice as a rabbinical judge. The Rav then made my shidduch, attended my children’s weddings and was even the Sandak at my grandchildren’s brit-milot" said the rabbinical judge.

"Trust your students." he said to Elisha. "You see me today looking like this, a rabbinical court judge, but I want you to know that there was a time when I was just like them. Therefore, love them as if they were your own children. "

In the meantime, the bus arrived to Tiberias and the passengers got up to leave. Elishai had time to ask one last question before the impressive Jew disappeared.

"What was the name of the Rav? He asked.

"Why do you say "’was’?" He is still alive. He is very old, he is 93 years old, "replied the Jew.

"And what is his name? "

"His name is Rav Ovadia Yosef. "

© Torah-Box

Torah-Box.net Account

To access the entire Torah-Box.net website, sign up for free in less than a minute.

Weekly Parsha

Tzav

Candle Lighting Candle Lighting - New York

Friday March 29th, 2024 at 19:00 *
Shabbat ends at 20:01 *
change my location
* Times given as an indication, check the times of your community

Upcoming Holiday

Scroll to top