 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.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.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.