Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto, head of the Shuva Israel institutions, held a Hilula last night in New York in honor of the sacred day commemorating the passing of his grandfather, Rabbi Meir Abuhatzeira zt”l, known as the Baba Meir.
During the Torah class, Rabbi Pinto delivered moving words about the sanctity of his grandfather and the profound innocence and purity that characterized his life:
“Rabbi Meir was a great light. True holiness, a purity that our generation cannot comprehend. Even when he lay ill in bed—the Chatam Sofer, the Talmud, the Noam Elimelech, the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh—never left his side. He was bound to study, with devotion and dedication,” Rabbi Pinto recounted.
He went on to address the challenges of our time, noting that while many possess faith, it is often merely intellectual:
“At Shuva Israel, we are going to battle. The battle is to strengthen faith—not intellectual faith, but pure faith. When faith is based on intellect, a person begins to mix it with his own interests and desires. What we seek is pure, simple faith, as it says: ’And they believed in Hashem and in Moses His servant.’”
Rabbi Pinto called on all members of the community to take upon themselves a clear resolution on this sacred day—to adopt a path of sincere and untainted faith:
“The spiritual power of Rabbi Meir Abuhatzeira is immense, beyond comprehension. On his Hilula, let us all strengthen ourselves with a commitment: to fight for pure faith. Every class, every book, every word of Torah—that is the spirit, the air, the lifeblood of Shuva Israel. We must not miss even a single class. Every class gives answers. Every class is light.”
Concluding his remarks, Rabbi Pinto urged renewed spiritual vigor within the community and across the Shuva Israel institutions worldwide:
“All of us, as one, with one heart—let us renew the spirit within us, spread the Torah of Shuva Israel, grow the groups, and instill pure faith in God with all our might. Through the merit of the tzaddik, may we merit salvation, blessing, protection, closeness to God, and abundant spiritual bounty from all the worlds.”
This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel