04 Feb SHABBOS IN GAZA

“Vayehi beshalach Pharaoh es ha’am, And
it was when Pharaoh sent out the nation…”
(Shemos 13:17). The Talmud teaches that
when the word “vayehi… and it was” is used,
it often indicates troubles on the horizon,
that a foreboding situation is about to occur.
Megillas Esther, Megillas Rus, Sefer Yonah,
all open with the word vayehi. In each
instances, we learn of difficulties that were
looming ahead.
What difficulty could there possibly be with
Pharaoh finally freeing the Jewish people.
One would think it would be a cause of
celebration. Rabbi Yehoshua of Belz, the
second Rebbe of the Belz chassidus, (1825-
1899) offers an insightful explanation. The
Rebbe teaches that if one who witnessed or
learns of all the plagues and the miraculous
Exodus does not see the hand of HaShem,
but says “beshalach Pharaoh… and Pharaoh
sent…”, that is cause for concern and distress.
It shows a lack of appreciation and emuna.
An important lesson that speaks to us today.
Just exchange Pharaoh for Hamas, Biden,
Trump, Witkoff, mediators from Qatar, Egypt,

etc. It becomes a vayehi, a time of oy vay.
Yes, we need the right messengers, we need
to do our hishtadlus, to put in our effort.
But, at the end of the day, it is HaShem who
makes all the pieces fall into place. We must
truly believe in who really holds the power.
As our rabbis teach, “Lev melachim v’sarim
b’Yad Hashem—The hearts of kings and
officials are in the Hands of Hashem”. For
Jews, emuna and bitachon, faith and trust in
HaShem are paramount.
Agam Berger, was 19, her first day working
as a spotter, her eyes on the border from the
lookout tower at Nahal Oz. The spotters
would watch for suspicious movements on
the Gaza side of the border. It was October
7. As the terrorists infiltrated their army
base, Agam, together with six other spotters
(spotters are not armed), were brutally beaten
and abducted. Hamas released photos of the
girls, all wounded. Agam’s face was badly
bruised and swollen. Her mouth and chin
bloodied.
The war of October 7 touched the neshama of
the entire nation. In an amazing phenomenon,
so many strengthened their beliefs and
intensified their connection to HaShem, Torah
and mitzvos. Thousands upon thousands

started studying Torah, putting on Tefillin,
observing Shabbos, and keeping kosher.
In the darkness of Gaza, Agam understood
that only HaShem could bring her to freedom.
She found a siddur in Gaza, and discovered
solace from tefilla. She also accepted upon
herself to keep kosher and be shomer
Shabbos.
Who doesn’t love Shabbos? We all look
forward to the sumptuous Shabbos table,
to family time, and catching up on needed
rest. Shabbos is a time to break from the
weekly grind, and forge a greater connection
to HaShem thru tefilla and learning. A time
to reach greater spiritual heights.
But how does one keep Shabbos as a hostage
in Gaza. Agam was eventually taken to the
home of terrorists. There she was forced to
clean and cook.
A Shabbos hero was born. Shabbos became
her day, she connected to it in a very special
way. Agam became a true Shabbos queen.
With much strength of character and strong
belief, Agam turned to her captors and
told them that she will not light a flame or
cook on Shabbos. With her head held high,
she defiantly proclaimed that they can do
whatever that want to her, but she will not
desecrate the Shabbos. What inner strength
and conviction.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the border,
Agam’s mom, Meirav, similarly became
infused with emunas HaShem. She too began
keeping Shabbos as a z’chus for Agam’s
safe release. When the news of the ceasefire
and hostage release came out, Meirav was
informed that a group of IDF spotters would
be released on Shabbos. She organized a
hafrashas challa, separation of challa dough
event at Hostages Square.
Meirav had a message to relay at the challa
bake. “We are eagerly awaiting our daughter’s
likely return on Shabbat. Please don’t break
Shabbat. No filming or being filmed. Wait
until after Shabbat. There will be plenty of
time then.”
That Shabbos, four spotters were released, but
not Agam. Imagine the deep disappointment
and intense pain Agam’s parents must have
felt. But, here too, they found strength in
their emuna.
As things worked out, Agam returned
home the following Thursday. To Agam,
and her mom Meirav, Shabbos was of most
importance. By being released on a weekday,
they avoided much chilul Shabbos from the
unavoidable media spectacle that would
surely accompany her release. There is no
question that here too, HaShem orchestrated
the timing of Agam’s release because of her
and her mom’s commitment to Shabbos.
After her release, Agam was taken by

helicopter to Sheba Medical Center. Inflight,
she wrote a message on a whiteboard for Am
Yisroel “Bederech emuna bocharti, I chose a
path of faith, (Tehillim 119:30) “u’vaderech
emuna shavti, And in the path of faith I
returned.
Liri Elbag, a fellow spotter who had been
released earlier, said, “Despite difficult
conditions and limited options, Agam chose
to remain true to her values and beliefs.”
Once again, we can relate the parsha to world
happenings. Parshas Beshalach also tells of
Bnei Yisroel’s trek through the desert and
their need for nourishment. HaShem gifted
them the mon, “bread from heaven”. It
appeared every day without fail, sufficient
for each person’s needs. Come Friday, a
double portion fell – one for Friday, another
for Shabbos. Bnei Yisroel received a concrete
Shabbos lesson. Shabbos is a spiritual day.
We are not busy with the mundane, as in
collecting mon. As the Chumash tells us,
“Shabbos hayom l’HaShem, for today is
Shabbos to HaShem.” (Shemos 16:25).
Agam, even as a hostage in Gaza, made
Shabbos a day for HaShem. In the Shabbos
day zemiros, we say “Hayom nichbad livnei
emunim, The day is honored for those who
have emuna”. Honored by Agam and Meirav.
Honored by Am Yisroel, who are ma’aminim
bnei ma’aminim, believers, the children of
believers.
As the well-known song about Shabbos says,
“Just one Shabbos and we’ll all be free”. In
the z’chus of all who keep Shabbos, may we
soon see the return of all remaining hostages,
peace in Eretz Yisroel, and security for all
Jews throughout the world.