The Murder of Hallel Yaffa Ariel

Hallel Yaffa Ariel O”H was a frum 13-year-old Bas Yisroel. She was beautiful inside and out, she was smart,graceful, and artistic, and brought light into every room she entered. She was brutally butchered yesterday in Kiryat Arba by a worthless excuse for a human being, who clearly completely lacked all humanity. Hallel Yaffa was my first-cousin’s ainekel, making her my cousin, too.

Many of the members of my immediate family knew Hallel. I last saw her mother Reena when she visited us in the US before she was married and had children, so I did not personally have that privilege. My cousin had made Aliyah many decades ago, and had an open-door policy for visitors from the States.

Reena herself was an adorable toddler for me to play with when I visited my cousin during my own Seminary year after High School. She was full of light, mischief, and dimples, and sweet in every way. As a young adult she was much the same, as were all her siblings, all accomplished, kind, and loving Yidden.We were so thrilled with the news when Hallel was born. She was so dearly loved.

My son who learned in E”Y for two years, got to spend time with Hallel, who was a toddler. My nieces and nephews likewise had that pleasure, as did my siblings who went for visits over the last few years. Unfortunately my husband and I were unable to travel, and we missed out on the privilege of knowing her.

This loss is incalculably tragic beyond words. Not just for the family who loves her, as well as her wonderful mishpacha, but for the savagery of what was done to her. I watched the levaya on-line, and at first I didn’t recognize my cousin, Hallel’s grandmother. She has experienced that which NO grandparent ever should. To outlive a grandchild is a terrible torture to be inflicted.

Reena’s emunah peshutah is incredible. Her hesped for her beloved daughter was so gut-wrenching, I had to stop it, to compose myself, then start it again so that I could actually assimilate what she was saying. And although I speak Hebrew fluently, my husband who does not at all, understood everything she was saying. A mother’s anguish is palpable. Reena’s anguish evoked such an empathy that we could feel her pain so many thousands of miles away.

Not one more mother, father, spouse, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle,niece, nephew, or cousin should ever be made to feel that type of pain again. It’s time for Hashem to be Meracheim on us even if we don’t deserve it. Perhaps we don’t. Clearly many of us don’t, and many of us need to make changes in ourselves so that we do. But the pure Korban Olah that Hashem just received, should serve as a reminder that there are so many who ARE deserving, and in their zechus, may we truly merit the coming of Moshiach b’korov b’yameinu. Sorry for rambling on, but this has been brewing in me for the last 24 hours. Hashem Yikom Damah, and the dam of all of our korbonos.