Day of Hilula
Rabbi Elazar Menachem Man Shach
ט״ז בחשוון
Bnei Brak, Israel
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
Rabbi Shach's legacy extends across several dimensions: in the world of Torah, his books and lectures continue to be studied in thousands of yeshivas and kollelim; in education, he shaped the character of the independent education system and insisted on its autonomy; in the public sphere, he built the leadership structure of the Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox community and established the Degel HaTorah party as its political representative. His figure continues to serve as a symbol of in-depth Torah study and public leadership grounded in halachic authority.