Mrs. Ruth Fogel’s Father Gives Chizuk to Klal Yisroel

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rabbi-yehuda-ben-yishaiIn a radio interview on radio today, Rabbi Yehuda Ben-Yishai, the mourning father of Ruth Fogel, one of the five victims of the Itamar massacre, taught a lesson of faith and strengthened the members of Klal Yisroel.

His inspiring remarks on Voice of Israel government radio stunned the interviewer into near silence and brought tears to her eyes.

After Rabbi Ben-Yishai expressed deep pain but no anger or calls for vengeance, interviewer Estie Perez, who has described herself as a secular Jew, asked, “Where do you have the strength and restraint that you can talk now and strengthen us, without anger and without calling for vengeance – that is not in your voice? Where is the strength from?”

Rabbi Ben-Yishai answered, “I have worked in education many years, and as an educator, I try to strengthen and teach people faith. I understand that I cannot be satisfied with words and that I also must implement the same principles on which I have educated others. This is a test of my faith, and therefore I agreed to be interviewed.”

Rabbi Ben-Yishai said this morning that he asked the oldest surviving children, 12-year-old Tamar and eight-year-old Ro’i, if they wanted to say Kaddish.

“They answered, ‘Of course. They are our parents, brothers and sisters.'” The mourning father and grandfather told Voice of Israel government radio, “They understand.”

He said, “We [the grandparents] will take upon ourselves the difficult task and pave for them the path so that life will be victorious.”

“Their mother and father will pray for them from the Heavens, their grandfathers and grandmothers will give them a lot of love, and the People of Israel will hug them and encourage them to grow and continue in the path of their parents.”

Rabbi Ben-Yishai said that the only thing he regrets is that he did not tell his daughter Ruth and his grandchildren enough times, “I love you. I love you.” He added, “If I could go back in time, I would say so every five minutes, but that would not be enough.”

Rabbi Ben-Yishai revealed that the police came to his home in Neve Tzuf, in Samaria, on Shabbat to inform him of the attack but that no one was home because they were visiting in the north.

“The Creator was kind to us” by his not having to bear the bad news on Shabbos. “Our daughter called after Shabbat, assuming we already knew.”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke with Rabbi Ben-Yishai on the telephone Motzoei Shabbos and visited him Sunday morning. “He felt great sorrow and said that the entire People of Israel are part of the sorrow. We hugged each other,” Rabbi Ben-Yishai said.

Read more at Arutz Shevah.

{Arutz Shevah/Matzav.com}


8 COMMENTS

  1. He said, “We [the grandparents] will take upon ourselves the difficult task and pave for them the path so that life will be victorious.”

    I’m curious what the original Hebrew of that word “victorious”. Was it a lashon of Hatzlacha, or a lashon of Nitzachon. Big

  2. He said, “We [the grandparents] will take upon ourselves the difficult task and pave for them the path so that life will be victorious.”

    I’m curious what the original Hebrew of that word “victorious”. Was it a lashon of Hatzlacha, or a lashon of Nitzachon.

    Either way, he is teaching a strong lesson. Just a bit different though.

  3. Why is it a demonstration of “strength” not to call for vengeance? How is this an affirmation of faith? This Shabbat we read Parshas Zachor. We call for remembering for all time Amalek’s heinous crime against us, 3,300 years ago. We still call for wiping them off the face of the eartah. Are we simply seeking vengeance to call for the destruction of our enemies? Are we NOT demonstrating faith when we read this PARSHA?

  4. Hashem Yirachem, if this is how someone speaks when his family is in front of him, yes, I consider this a demonstration of strength, a message to all. As great a man as he is, it is not his call to publicly call for vengeance.

    If you have an Artscroll siddur, check out the commentary attributed to Rav Hirsch on Av Harachim, cf IIRC Hashem yinkom.

  5. To “Hashem Yirachem,”

    It is an amazing demonstration of strength. Whose pain is greater? Yours or his? Your desire to wipe them out is not based in Torah. His response is based in a life dedicated towards coming closer to Hashem.

    The mitzva to wipe out Amalek is not transferred to any enemy, no matter how heinous their crime. You can accuse me of being a ghetto Jew, but our job is to serve Hashem by doing teshuva. The “Palestinians” are not anything but nasty little nothing creatures that Hashem sends to us to wake us up to do teshuva. (I don’t pretend to know why this family or what we need to do teshuva on.) We can beat them with the weapons of Yaakov.

    This father/grandfather is to be admired and respected for his amazing levels of emunah and bitachon.

    Hashem Yirachem is an appropriate sentiment, but where is your rachmonis for this incredible man?

    His faith is in Hashem not his own strength or Israeli military prowess. I’m struck by his greatness. May Hashem bless you to have eyes which can see such amazing Jewish strength and faith!

  6. How about staying positive and seeing where we can draw chizuk from this man…
    If Hashem tells us to remember and take vengeance then it’s a mitzvah BECAUSE HASHEM TOLD US TO DO SO, but we do not have the right to “play God” and decide where vengeance shall be taken… displaying this inhuman trait in such a difficult time indeed shows much inner fortitude and emunah!

  7. Ribono Shel Oilam! Mi K’amcha Yisrae-l!

    Look how your children conduct themselves in the hour of their greatest tzaar!

    Please let these sweet neshamos be the last karbonos that K’lal Yisrae-l needs to offer before you bring Moshiach speedily!

    Rezoinainu Lirois Es Malkeinu!

    Tatte, Tatte, bring us all back home!

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