Illui
Illui ( or עלוי also ilui; pronounced plural: "illuim") is a young Torah and Talmudic prodigy or genius. The Hebrew term and title is applied to exceptional Talmudic scholars among Orthodox Jews. It is used among English speaking and Yiddish speaking Orthodox Jews to identify, as a type of mark of honor, those who have been blessed with greater mental and intellectual capabilities than the average intelligent Torah scholar. Etymology. "Illui" is a noun (meaning "above," "elevation," "going up," or "best" from the root על meaning "on top" or "above" ) derived from the Hebrew and Yiddish. Recognition of genius. It  is considered a mark of honor and excellence for a Talmudic scholar to be recognized as an "illui" and to be described and called as such by his peers. It indicates that he is regarded as having extraordinary intelligence and mental capacity, necessary for the most serious, advanced and complex Talmudic learning and Torah study. Usage. In common terminology, an "illui" would be someone recognized from early childhood as a child prodigy by rabbis and Torah scholars who have a keen eye to recognize the qualities of excellence in budding young Torah scholars. Haredi and Hasidic Jews are very familiar  with this term, and if a scholar that they are familiar with has been known to have been called an "illui" they will regard it as a great honor for that individual as well as for his family, teachers and those with whom he associates. In Orthodox, Haredi and Hasidic circles, the term "illui" is applied to males only, as women are not obligated in Torah study to the same degree that men are required to devote much of their early life to serious and intense Torah studies, also referred to as Torah learning. Most rosh yeshivas (heads of yeshivas ) have been called "illuim" as have many Hasidic Rebbes. Judaic mystical traditions. There are some Judaic mystical traditions that explain how and why "illuim" are different. One explanation attributes it to an "Angel's Slap": The usage of the term is also used with caution in terms of its practical implications for the one who holds it. For example, Jonathan Rosenblum, a notable Haredi commentator has cautioned that: Technical usage in the yeshiva world. The Jewish Encyclopedia explains that in the history of the yeshivas (also known as Talmudical or rabbinical schools or academies), the term "illui" had a definite  function: Recognition in all denominations. The term "illui" has widespread usage in all Jewish denominations. Rabbi Eric Yoffie, President of the Union for Reform Judaism in the United States states that: "... It was the illui – the truly superior student – who would devote his life to study, while others would return to full-time employment. Indeed, even when the great yeshivot of Eastern Europe were at their height, the number of students was relatively modest and smaller than the number of full-time Torah students in Israel today..." (writing for Union for Reform Judaism, 2008.) Rabbi Louis Jacobs (1920 - 2006), of  the Conservative Judaism-Masorti Movement, has been described as being: "...Identified by his teachers as an ilui, a talmudic genius — renowned even then for his prodigious memory and sharp intellect — he went on to study at the Gateshead Kollel, which at that time was considered the Oxford of rabbinical academies..."