Hgr"d Yosef to Netanyahu: will - "Saving the Torah world"

President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived today for a visit of condolence at the Yosef family.

They consoled the daughters of Harav Ovadia Yosef zt"l - Adina, Leah, Yafa, Malka, Rivka and Sarah and his daughter-in-law - and sat with the sons of the President of the Council of Sages – the Rabbonim Hageonim Avraham, Yitzchak, David and Moshe.

The President said: "It was difficult to truly know your father. He loved the people of Israel a true love and did not think we were two nations but one people and very much wanted to unite it. He tried to be a part of the people precisely because he was high in spirit. The nation devoted its most beautiful hesped when it came up en masse to Jerusalem. He loved the people and the people loved him." The President bowed his head and said painfully: "He gave a kiss to this one and kiss to that, but always invested in the connecting links of the people."
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Rabbi Avraham Yosef, the rabbi of Holon, thanked the President for his remarks and said, "You warmed our hearts with the hesped you gave yesterday. You moved us. You shed light on many points in the life of Father which many people do not know. Father's love for you and the people of Israel stemmed from his fear of Heaven."

The prime minister also spared no words in praise of Harav Ovadia: "The Rav used during his illness all his powers to continue to learn and write, he not only proved what a Talmid Chacham is, but also what a father is. We saw how the sons took care of their father at the final moments. I come here a lot - the home of the Rav, and many times he sat and wrote, I said, ' Let him continue writing, he is dealing with our eternal words, I felt one should not disturb him."

Rabbi David Yosef reminded the Prime Minister of his previous visit. "Six months ago I was present next to father when you met him in the shiva of my brother, he said then that the Torah world is precious to him. He said, 'I lost my son, but what was done to the world of Torah hurts more', that is his will. We beg with all our heart, do what you can - it's up to you, you should try harder. The Rav did not get an answer then and he was offended, we are waiting for an answer."

The Prime Minister ducked a direct answer and responded: "You are making efforts to unite the people and to upkeep the world of Torah, it is not something foreign to me. Every Shabbat we read the parsha of the week. I have a Chacham Torah at home".

As part of police preparations for VIP visits, Hakablan Street was closed to traffic for the day. Residents of the street will be able to enter by vehicle after showing an ID attesting to their residence.

Among those who came to console were Tzipi Livni, Yitzhak Aharonovitz, Ehud Barak and the British ambassador to Israel.

Nichum aveilim times are from 10:00 am until 13:00pm, and from 16:00 pm to 19:00pm. The public is asked to respect the times.

Photo: Gil Yohanan, ynet.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!