21 Jan HABAITA – COMING HOME

Baruch Atah HaShem….. matir assurim.
Blessed are you HaShem…. Who releases
captives.
One of the brachos we say every morning
during Shacharis.
Following the tragic day of October 7, I
drew a little star in my siddur alongside the
bracha of releasing captives. A reminder
to have extra kavana, greater concentration
when saying the blessing. To stop and think
of the hostages. To try to imagine their
pain, their fear. To really daven that they
all return safely, in good health and spirit.
Habaita, to come home.
Although a cease-fire was announced, the
star remains in my siddur. It’s not time
to erase it just yet. There are still many
hostages waiting to come home. There are
still families wondering in what condition
will their loved ones return. Family
members who try to squash their biggest
fear… is my father/mother, my husband/
wife, my son/daughter still alive.

While it is a cease-fire, and hostages will
b’ezras HaShem be coming home, it is a
bitter-sweet deal. Israel is paying a heavy
price. In exchange for the freedom of
innocent victims, Israel is once again forced
to release terrorists who committed crimes
against humanity. Murderers, rapists, and
others who are responsible for some of
the most barbaric crimes one can imagine.
We are a nation that first and foremost
treasures life, and will do anything to bring
the hostages home. We are also a nation that
honors our fallen heroes, bringing them
back for kovod acharon, their final honor
of having a proper Jewish burial.
The pain and agony that the families of
those killed by the terrorists being released
is hard to comprehend. Seeing those who
murdered their loved ones being hailed by
terrorists as they return home is offensive.
But it is precisely from some of these
families that we can learn what true Ahavas
Yisroel, love of a fellow Jew is. One such
example is blogger Hillel Fuld, whose
brother Ari was murdered by one of the
terrorists released.

Hillel writes: “I don’t care about our
disagreements. I don’t care who you voted
for, or who you think should be prime
minister. I don’t care what you think about
how the Israeli leadership is managing the
war. I will tell you one thing. Tonight, all
those disagreements, all the division, it all
melted away like it was never there.
Watching news anchors, religious or
secular, left-wing or right-wing, all
crying together and saying the blessing
over freeing prisoners reminded me what
we are about. We all prayed for this day.
We cried for these hostages. And today,
we celebrated their arrival back home…..
Tonight, as those poor girls crossed over
the border from Gaza to Israel, in that
moment, I was reminded who we are and
why we will win this…. When I am having
a hard day, I will remind myself of that
moment….. A supremely Jewish moment.”
The Talmud (Yevamos 79a) teaches that
there are three simanim, identifying traits of
Am Yisroel. Rachmonim – compassionate
and merciful. Baishonim – (lit. bashful),
modest. Gomlei chassodim – people of
loving kindness. Traits that are part of our
spiritual DNA. Passed down midor l’dor,
from generation to generation, gifted to us
from our patriarchs and matriarchs. Traits
that give us a Yiddishe neshama, a soul that
cherishes each and every life. A neshama
that cries out “bring them home”. Traits
that are the beauty and strength of Am
Yisroel. Traits that enable us to overcome
our personal emotions in order to show that
we are a nation b’yachad. A united people
that is truly happy for one another. That
celebrates in each other’s joy, and shares
tears in times of sorrow.
The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem
Mendel Schneerson explains, that the word
siman is more than just a sign or indicator.
Each of these traits, the Rebbe says, injects
into us inspiration and an opportunity to
overcome challenges we may encounter.
After 471 days in captivity, Emily, Romi
and Doron have been released. Hostages
Square became filled with people showing
solidarity and support. When it was
announced that they were in the custody
of the Red Cross, the crowd broke out in
tears and cheers. Tel HaShomer hospital,
where the released hostages were taken to,
became another place to celebrate. Many
came with signs reading “Am Yisrael loves
you” as a show of support. It was as if the
nation was giving them a big hug.
My mother a”h would teach that what

transpires in the world around us can often
be alluded to in the weekly parsha. In this
week’s parsha, we find the arba l’shonos
shel geulah, the four phrases of redemption
from Egypt. Four phrases of freedom from
future exiles. V’hotzeisi – I will take you
from the suffering. V’hitzalti – I will rescue
you from the servitude. V’goalti – I will
redeem you with an outstretched arm (with
great miracles). V’lokachti – I will take you
for me as a people. Just as the redemption
from Egypt came in stages, so too, will
future redemptions come in stages. Words
of hope and healing.
This week, we experienced a “step of
saving”. Three precious neshamos were
redeemed from captivity. They experienced
their personal v’hotzeisi, and I will take you
out. We are far from the finish line, but we
are a nation of believers. Anu ma’aminim
bnei ma’aminim, We are believers, the
sons of believers. The word Mitzrayim,
Egypt, comes from the word tzor, a narrow,
confining space. A feeling of being locked
in, never to be liberated. There are times,
I am sure, when the hostages felt trapped,
that they will never get out. But HaShem
is always with us, watching over us at all
times.
Come seder night, we drink four cups of
wine. Four cups to remind us of the four
phrases of geulah, of redemption. Many
have the custom to tell over at the seder an
incident of a personal saving in life. Of a
difficult situation that with HaShem’s help
they were able to rise above.
There is yet a fifth stage in our redemption,
v’heiveisi, and I will bring you to the land.
It corresponds to the fifth cup, the Cup
of Eliyahu HaNavi. A cup we don’t drink
from, as we are still waiting for the final
step of the geulah. To live in the Promised
Land with peace and tranquility. For
Eliyahu HaNavi to herald the coming of
Moshiach. Achakeh lo, we are still waiting
for him to come and fulfill the promise of
v’heiveisi.