Day of Hilula
Rabbi Judah Halevi (the RiHal)
אב ד'תתק"א
Jerusalem (according to tradition)
In Jewish tradition, the day of a tzadik's passing — the 'Hilula' — is not a day of mourning, but a day of spiritual elevation and awakening. According to the teachings of Kabbalah, on this day the soul of the tzadik ascends to a higher realm, and their light and merits shine upon the world. Many Jews mark the day through Torah study, reciting Tehillim, lighting a memorial candle, and good deeds for the elevation of the soul — to connect with the tzadik's path and qualities.
His Life and Legacy
The RiHal's legacy is among the deepest and most enduring in the spiritual history of the Jewish people. His Zionide poems shaped the language of national longing for generations, and were absorbed into the prayer and piyyut of every Jewish diaspora — from 'Zion, will you not inquire' to 'My heart is in the East.' The Kuzari became one of the foundational works of Jewish thought, and influenced generations of thinkers, from Nahmanides to the thinkers of modern Zionism. The RiHal dared to place the distinctiveness of Israel and the sanctity of the Land of Israel at the center, contrary to the rationalist spirit of his age. His personal ascent to the Land of Israel in his final years became a cultural symbol — a symbol of longing that did not rest until death, and of the practical realization of the ideal he preached. His figure as the poet of Zion and the thinker of Israel's distinctiveness continues to guide and inspire to this very day.
"My heart is in the East, and I at the edge of the West — from his famous poem of longing for Zion"