Rabbi Eliabou was an old devout Jewish prisoner in the concentration camp. Everyone around respected him for his kindness. His son left when the father started feeling weaker to get rid of a burden that decreased his survival chances. Elzie lies to Rabbi that he has not seen the son because he felt sorry for the abandoned older man.
Detailed answer:
Night is the memoir of a boy called Eliezer from the town of Sighet. His teenage years match the period of aggressive Jewish oppressions by Nazis. In 1944, Hungary was occupied by Germany. Thus, the boy and his father were segregated from the rest of the family and imprisoned in concentration camps. The novel describes the extreme slavish conditions its characters are going through. Moreover, Night reveals how a person can survive the worst by keeping faith in their hearts and supporting others.
Rabbi Eliabou was the old Jewish from a small Polish community. He was a true example of holiness and pure belief in God in the camp’s settings. The man was beloved by every Jewish, and even the Capos treated him respectfully. He was getting worse due to the inhuman physical labor and malnutrition. Rabbi Eliabou’s child supported the father by being beside him. However, the son soon abandoned Rabbi Eliabou. During the run, it seemed to him that the father would not get through. When the older man reached the shed, asking if anyone has seen the boy, Elzie lied that he has not noticed him running ahead from Rabbi.