Chacham Ovadia Yosef today, Hoshanah Rabbah, said that this year’s Hoshanah Rabbah is infused with the special joy of geulah and gives hints at the joy of techiyas hameisim due to the return of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped by Hamas and held captive for 1,941 days.
“What great joy there is in Israel with the release of Gilad Shalit. Five years away from home… when will we will see techiyas hameisim we will have a similar joy, when our loved ones rise after 20 or 50 years of not seeing them,” Rav Yosef said during a drasha in Har Nof, Yerushalayim.
Rav Yosef added that joy will be a delight like the delight of a chasunah, only with much greater intensity: “Wherever you go – under the chupah a chosson will come to life, and his wife come to life with him – a joy to behold.”
Shas ministers were directed by Rav Yosef to support the government deal to release Gilad Shalit. He also asked Shas’ political leader, Interior Minister Eli Yishai, to strive to persuade ministers from other parties to support the deal as well.
{Read more from Gavriel Queenann at Arutz Sheva/Matzav.com Israel}
THE GADOL HADOR