Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu and Rabbeinu Hida – Why Two Tzadikim Were Buried Side by Side
Two great tzadikim, to whom I feel a special connection, were not buried side by side by coincidence.
This story, which I found in the book about Sephardic sages “A Legacy of Leaders”, is deeply moving.
One hundred and fifty years after Rabbeinu Hida was buried in Livorno, Italy, it was decided to rebury the sage at Har HaMenuchot in Jerusalem.
The decision was made because the Italian government planned to turn the cemetery where the Jewish tzadik was buried into a public park.
The operation to transport the remains of the great sage was headed by Rav Yitzchak Nissim, the Chief Sephardic Rabbi.
When the plane carrying Rabbeinu Hida’s coffin landed in Eretz Yisrael, the chachamim who had accompanied it from Italy learned that during the flight the coffin had fallen twice, and each time it was lifted, it turned upside down.
One of the escorts was Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, who would later become Rishon LeZion.
After the necessary arrangements had been made to transport the coffin from the airport to Jerusalem, Rabbi Mordechai said to the other escorts: “We must open the coffin and reposition Rabbeinu Hida’s remains.”
The chachamim disagreed with him.
However, Rabbi Mordechai insisted that it would be improper to bury Rabbeinu Hida in that condition.
Fearful yet courageous, he slightly lifted the coffin lid and said: “Rabbeinu Hida, please forgive me if I am not carrying out this mitzvah properly.”
When Rabbi Mordechai’s hand reached deeper into the coffin, he continued: “Rabbeinu Hida, please do it yourself, so that I do not make a mistake.”
Suddenly, the coffin began shaking so violently that the sound of Rabbeinu Hida’s remains striking the sides of the coffin could be heard.
The chacham who was standing next to Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu was shaken by what he saw and fainted.
When the noise suddenly stopped, Rabbi Mordechai put his hand inside the coffin once again to make sure that everything was in order.
The coffin was transported from the airport to Jerusalem.
There, thousands of Jews met it and accompanied the tzadik to Har HaMenuchot. Rabbeinu Hida had finally come home.
Rav Eliyahu described these events as “Nisei nissim, utter miracles”.
Later, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu would say that anyone in need of salvation should go and pray at Rabbeinu Hida’s grave.
Several years later, Rishon LeZion – Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu was buried next to Rabbeinu Hida.
May the zechut of these two great tzadikim protect our people!
Stories of Tzadikim – A Miraculous Flight with Rishon LeZion Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu
Stories of Tzadikim – A Miraculous Flight with Rishon LeZion Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu
(Translated from the book “A Legacy of Leaders” by Yehuda Azoulay)
