This past summer, the parents of Na’ama Levy, who b’chasdei Hashem was released from captivity in Gaza on Shabbos, arrived at the home of HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein, who stopped in the middle of shiur he was delivering to a small group of Rabbanim to speak with them and provide chizzuk, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.
HaRav Zilberstein tearfully recited Tehillim with them and gave them a sum of money for tzedakah, emphasizing that they should donate it specifically to orphaned and abandoned children.
Naama’s father was surprised to hear this and told the Rav that before his daughter was abducted, she volunteered for a year to help children in crisis, and perhaps thanks to this, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is protecting her, while noting that they received a sign of life from her some time ago.
In a moving recording of the visit, published on the Siach Yitzchak line, HaRav Zilberstein is heard addressing Naama’s father and the family members who accompanied him: “Look, this is a Tefillas Rabbim amid our Limmud Torah. This has some koach. Yehi Ratzon that we hear good news.”
In conclusion, HaRav Zilberstein added: “And I’m asking you for a favor. If Hakadosh Baruch Hu helps us, come tell us that she’s alive and she returned home. Where do you live? In Ra’anana, well, not too far. We now learned and davened so I have one request. If Hakadosh Baruch Hu has mercy on us and she returns, come tell us.”
From then on until Motzei Shabbos, Naama’s name [along with the names of other hostages] was frequently mentioned by the Rav. At the beginning of every seder limmud and shiur, he would dedicate it to the yeshuah of Naama bas Ayelet and would often tearfully mention the moving visit of her parents. Even during his Shabbos meals with his grandchildren, Rav Zilberstein would begin his divrei Torah at the meal by saying that the limmud would be for the yeshuah of Naama bas Ayelet and the other hostages.
In another recording published by Siach Yitzchak, the Rav’s grandson, HaRav Chaim Malin, can be heard telling HaRav Zilberstein that Naama Levy may soon be released.
HaRav Zilberstein was very moved, saying: “There hasn’t been one Shabbos that I haven’t learned something in her zechus. I begin every shiur by saying that Hashem should help her. I daven for her at the end of every tefillah, sometimes even with tears. A young girl, only 19, she already endured Gehinnom in this world.”
When the members of his household informed HaRav Zilberstein on Motzei Shabbos about Na’ama’s release, he burst into tears. He then emphasized the need to continue davening for the remaining hostages.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Last winter I went a number of times to the kever of the tzaddik R’ Gedalia Moshe of Zhvil in the old Beis Olam near the Knesset, who promised to intercede on behalf of anyone who would visit his kever on successive Monday, Thursday and Monday and say a given seder of Tehillim. One day, I think it was a Thursday, there was a big commotion from the women’s side of the mechitza, which I didn’t appreciate at the time, not liking to be disturbed by a lot of women’s voices. Then later in the day my wife heard from a friend of hers who had been there at the time what the commotion was about: A woman from a secular kibbutz came and reported that, in spite of being totally secular, she had come done the whole seder and on the evening of the second Monday her son had been released from captivity in Gaza.
Maybe Rav Zilberstein, shlita, and others could encourage the released captives and their families to go to that kever to daven for the release of the remaining captives, and also to daven for Hashem to prevent any harm from coming from the release of all the terrorists so as to avoid a repeat of the consequences of the release of Gilad Schalit. Can anyone get this message to Rav Zilberstein?
Maybe Rav Zilberstein, shlita, and others could use their stature to gently induce the released captives and their families to do teshuva and be stronger in their commitment to Torah and mitzvos. I saw somewhere that several universities were offering free tuition to released captives, perhaps our side could do things to give them incentives to come to the truth.