While his young son, Issachar Dov ben Shoshana, is hospitalized in critical condition at the Laniado Medical Center in Kiryat Sanz in Netanya, and his second son, Avraham Yeshayahu ben Shoshana, has been missing in the sea off Sanz Beach since they drowned on Friday afternoon - today (Sunday), the rabbi Shlomo Spiegel sent a letter to his group at the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem.
And he wrote: "Last Friday morning, in the hours before the flood that befell me, I sat and memorized the week's Torah portion, two readings and one translation. When I went over the verse, 'And the whole house of Israel will mourn the burning that the Lord has burned,'" I remembered that the world says that this week is capable of disasters, and blessed be the Lord that the week passed without anything.
That's what went through my mind, but I forgot that the week wasn't over yet... and it happened to me!
I was marked with private providence by the Creator! The truth is that we are always marked with private providence, but we always feel the marking in a weak color, and this time the marking was strong red. We were in the euphoria of a 'ceasefire with Iran,' but the fire consuming Nadav and Avihu did not cease, it made peace with the waters of the sea and together they drowned the people of the Torah.
The fire that consumes the most during the days of the Omer counting is the fire of 'between man and fellow man.' We mourn these days for the disciples of Rabbi Akiva who did not show respect for one another, and apparently the heavy punishments these days originate from the sins of between man and fellow man. The disaster is for all of Israel, for the entire community of Torah followers, but certainly those closest to the fire need to reflect on their actions more than anyone else.
Therefore, I ask for complete forgiveness from each member of the group, past and present, young men and women alike, everyone with whom I was associated in the matter of the holy group. Whether I have directly or indirectly offended myself or one of my family members. Please! With eyes filled with tears, I ask everyone to say with all their might - literally with their mouths, not in their hearts: "I forgive Shlomo son of Chaya Tova and Shoshana daughter of Matil and their family.".
Also, if anyone is harmed by me in financial matters, let them know and we will pay them.
And for those who are interested in helping, please! Take it upon yourselves these days to pay careful attention to not harming one another, to stop for a minute before the 'bite' and to guard your tongue. In many gatherings, people look for a topic for conversation, and the available topic is slander or gossip, someone said this about you and someone said that. Please, hold your tongue and your breath, and thanks to the difficult restraint we will breathe another healthy breath into Yishar Dov ben Shoshana and Avraham Yeshayahu ben Shoshana. Amen, so be it.".
The mother, educator Mrs. Shoshana Spiegel, also asked to pray for her children in the hope of good news.
In the recording she released, the mother asks the people of Israel to continue their prayers. "I am here in the intensive care unit at Laniado Hospital, and I am filled with very mixed emotions of great pain and sorrow. We are in a situation that we never imagined we would reach, and with God's help, no one from the people of Israel will experience it in their lifetime. We know that this is a divine plan and that God planned this for us not from today, perhaps from the beginning of the year. We cling to God and to the strength He gives, and to the influence He has on all of us.
""And on the other hand, we are strengthened and also amazed and want very, very much to thank the people of Israel. We stand moved and moved to see everyone's participation and everyone's desire to help and do good in whatever way possible, and now mainly in prayers - the moving and special prayers. We are sure, sure that they will work in heaven with God's help.".
""We are overwhelmed by the kindness and goodness showered upon us by all the search and rescue teams and everyone who can help in any way. We are very, very grateful, we don't know what words to use to express our appreciation. Now we are here in Laniado and are being exposed to new concepts of kindness and giving, to envelop us all in whatever way we can help.".
The mother added in tears: "We are very grateful, but we also ask for more - everyone who can. You can, because we see all the rare participation. Please continue to pray for our children who are here. We are sure that they are - Issachar Dov who is lying in a difficult situation, we pray for his well-being that he will return to his first home, and Avraham Yeshayahu that we will find him soon healthy and safe. With God's help, we know that God is omnipotent and we continue to believe and ask that He continue to shower goodness upon us and upon the people of Israel, much goodness.".
""And whoever can, along with the prayers, should accept an important and beneficial kabbalah. Every kabbalah is significant, but there are kabbalahs that are even more significant, that are in the essence of our imagination, something that is more difficult for us. We have no right to ask for such participation and bearing of the burden, but nevertheless from this difficult place, that no Jew or Jewess will feel it from this place, nevertheless from this place - so I dare a little that he will accept upon himself the merit of Abraham Yeshayahu ben Shoshana and Yissachar Dov ben Shoshana, that it may be their merit and that of all Israel and that we may merit the coming redemption with the help of God.".
