Disasters between times: Tonight (Wednesday), the 21-year-old Issachar Dov Spiegel died. He drowned last Friday at Sanz Beach in Netanya - and has since been hospitalized in critical condition at the Laniado Medical Center.
He died after midnight in the presence of his family members who read the verses of confession.
The family members arrived from their home in Jerusalem to attend the "Bein HaZaman" Sabbath in Netanya. On Friday afternoon, brothers Issachar Dov, the late, and Avraham Yeshayahu - who is still missing in the sea - went out to bathe, and then tragedy struck: Issachar Dov, the late, was pulled from the water by passersby, hospitalized in critical condition and died, and his 17-year-old brother Avraham Yeshayahu disappeared.
Issachar Dov, known as 'Dovi', was born on the 9th of Tevet 5765 to his father, the rabbi Shlomo Spiegel, who serves as the head of the 'Spiegel' group at the Mir Yeshiva in the Beit Israel neighborhood of Jerusalem - the son of the writer Rabbi Israel Spiegel, and to his mother, Mrs. Shoshana, an educator at the 'Rabbi Meir' seminary in Modi'in Illit, daughter of the rabbi Moshe Yosef Miletsky, zt"l, and sister of the head of the Rashi Yeshiva, the rabbi Chaikal Miletsky.
As a child, he studied at the Talmud Torah 'Shira Hadasha' in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood and later moved to 'Chavat Da'at'. As a young man, he studied at the 'Or Shmuel' yeshiva for young people and at the large yeshiva at the 'Toshiya' yeshiva in Tifrach, headed by the Gra"a Piltz and the Gram Ben Menachem.
Last summer, a blossoming Dovi moved to study at the Keter Torah Yeshiva in Kiryat Yearim.
He is survived by his parents, brothers and sisters.
The power of faith
This evening, Rabbi Shlomo Spiegel and his family arrived at the home of the Rebbe of Sanz. The emotional visit took place at the request of the parents, who were at their son's bedside in intensive care, and at the same time were in contact with the rescue forces searching for their son Avraham Yeshayahu in the depths of the sea.
During the visit, which lasted about half an hour, the Rebbe bestowed blessings upon them - that thanks to the prayers of many, they would soon attain salvation.
In words of encouragement, the Rebbe called on the family members to believe in God's salvation, and not to fall into the arms of despair. The Rebbe emphasized that those who had trials and had faith - "For when the Messiah comes, Israel will not be redeemed except by virtue of faith, they will be the first in-laws to welcome him" and noted that because of their faith in God, they will be privileged to hasten the time of the Messiah's coming, which is very soon.
The father told the Rebbe about the great help and support he receives in Kiryat Sanz. He also particularly praised the medical center, which he said gives them "everything they want and all their needs.".
