Eilat's Rabbi Recounts Father's Devout Final Moments
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Rabbi Yair Hedaya, Rabbi of Eilat, described his father, Rabbi Moshe Hedaya's, final moments before his passing at 91. The elder rabbi, who served as Eilat's chief rabbi for seventy years, prayed until his last breath and raised his hands to the sky during a thunderstorm. He reportedly surrendered his soul to God willingly and with full consciousness.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Yair Hedaya described his father, Rabbi Moshe Hedaya's, final moments before his passing at 91.
- Rabbi Moshe Hedaya served as Eilat's chief rabbi for approximately seventy years.
- He remained fully conscious and devoted to prayer until his last breath.
- He raised his hands to the sky during a thunderstorm, reciting a psalm.
- His son stated he surrendered his soul to God willingly and with full consciousness.
Rabbi Yair Hedaya, the current Rabbi of Eilat, shared poignant details of his father, Rabbi Moshe Hedaya's, final moments during his eulogy. The elder Rabbi Hedaya, who served as the city's chief rabbi for approximately seventy years, passed away on Saturday at the age of 91.
According to Rabbi Yair Hedaya, his father remained fully conscious and devoted to prayer until his last breath. He described how his father prayed all the services with his brother, continuing his devotion even as thunder sounded outside. "When there were sounds of thunder in the sky, he said 'Mizmor L'Toda' with my mother and raised his hands to the sky. That's what he did," the son recounted.
Rabbi Yair Hedaya further detailed the peaceful departure, stating that his father willingly surrendered his soul to God. "From the bed, he rested, he surrendered his soul to the Creator of the world of his own free will, at the moment he wanted. He wanted it, as was mentioned, that's exactly what happened," he said.
The son emphasized his father's clarity of mind and full awareness during his final moments, describing it as a departure filled with holiness. "Father, out of holiness, out of recognition, out of understanding, out of knowledge, not out of confusion or anything. Clean and healthy. That was Father, that is Father's holiness, more than this," Rabbi Yair Hedaya emotionally concluded.
