Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs (Bayit Yehudi) Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan was in Hebron on Monday, 19 Tishrei 5774, using the visit to be mispallel on behalf of Maran HaGaon HaRav Chaim Ovadia Yosef Shlita.

Rav Ben-Dahan explains he was visiting the holy city together with other MKs from Bayit Yehudi and they were all mispallel on behalf of the gadol hador, reciting Tehillim on the gadol hador’s behalf.

Ben-Dahan decided to share “a secret” with the media, explaining that Rav Ovadia was mesader keddushin for his chasenah. He added that when he met with the gadol hador a number of weeks ago surrounding the tensions that existed with his party “he did not sound well.”

“One had to speak extremely loud for him to hear. It was difficult for him to speak and his words were difficult to understand. I sat opposite him and understood his words by listening and reading his lips. He was seated in a wheel chair.”

“The last time I saw him was at the coronation of his son. I shook his hand and as is his minhag, he gave me a chopcha and smiled at me.”

The tzibur is urged to continue being mispallel for

מרן רבי חיים עובדיה יוסף בן גורג’יה לרפואה שלימה בתוך שאר חולי ישראל

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)