HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein has met with many family members of hostages and provided chizzuk and davened with them.
Recently, a mother of one of the hostages who is expected to be released in the first phase of the hostage deal asked the Rav an emotional shaila, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.
The mother asked if she could travel on Shabbos to see her daughter after her release. As is known, over the next month, three hostages are slated to be released each Shabbos as part of the first phase of the ceasefire/hostage deal. A final group of 14 hostages is scheduled to be released on the last day of the six-week ceasefire.
HaRav Zilberstein said: “She asked for instructions how to behave if her daughter is released on Shabbos because she wants to go meet her.”
HaRav Zilberstein told her he couldn’t give her a heter to travel on Shabbos but she said she was afraid she won’t be able to restrain herself. “What should I do if I can’t withstand the pressure?” she said.
“I gave her chizzuk,” HaRav Zilberstein said. “I said: ‘If Hakadosh Baruch Hu is so good to you and in a neis that is not within the laws of nature, your 19-year-old daughter is still alive, you have to say thank you to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.”
“She promised she would refrain from traveling,” the Rav said.
According to Kikar, the mother was later offered the option to travel before Shabbos to the place where the released hostages meet their mothers so she could meet her daughter right away without traveling.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
I would strongly advise against going to the meeting place before Shabbos unless she’s 100% sure that her daughter is being released. If her daughter is not released, the emotional distress (צער) and potential consequences could be far worse than waiting it out at the house for a couple of hours or even half a day to receive an update on her daughter’s status.
It may be more prudent to exercise patience and wait for a confirmation on her daughter’s release before taking any further steps. This approach could help minimize additional emotional distress.
Very moving.
Reminds me of this Rashi about Yaakov meeting Yosef after years of separation:
“Yaakov, however, did not fall on Yoseph’s neck, nor did he kiss him. Our rabbis said that this is because he was reciting the Shema.”