Rav Mordechai Eliyahu in the Hospital After Losing Consciousness

Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, former Sefardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, was taken to the hospital this afternoon after losing consciousness for several minutes in his home. Magen David Adom paramedics arrived at the home of the 80-year-old rov and treated him there before taking him Shaarei Tzedek Medical Center. Rav Eliyahu regained consciousness before leaving his house and said, “Yishmor tzeischa uvo’echa mei’atah ve’ad olam,” before he was taken out to the waiting ambulance.

Rav Eliyahu suffered a heart attack last year and had been in and out of the hospital for several months afterwards. Rav Eliyahu also had open heart surgery last year.

He served as Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1983 to 1993.

Rav Eliyahu’s son, Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, chief rabbi of Tzefas, has asked the greater klal to daven for his father, Rav Mordechai Tzemach ben Mazal Tov.

Rav Eliyahu attended Selichos this past Motzoei Shabbos as Sefardim began reciting Selichos with the onset of Chodesh Elul. He attended the tefillos at his shul in the Kiryat Moshe neighborhood in Yerushalayim.

{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}