Next door the hotel we noticed a large old Arab building surrounded by railings with an open gate.Curious we entered-perhaps it was a sort of museum. We pushed the front door which opened onto a very large room filled with items of pottery. 

The exhibition hall had a high ceiling -an ideal space to play my recorder.The acoustics were fantastic-what a sound!!

Suddenly we heard a voice ” Come in ,come in”

We couldn’t fathom where it came from.Then from the side appeared  Chaim Asulin who invited us into his office.He was the curator

He welcomed us and invited us to look round.

 

I noticed his office was filled with pictures/articles/posters about the Maalot massacre (In May 74 a school trip from Tzefas was staying overnight in a school in Maalot near the Lebanese border. Terrorists dressed as Israeli soldiers came in the middle of the night and massacred 22 and wounded many more)

 

Chaim Asulin was there. He was one of the high school pupils. .He survived.His office is his memorial to the tragedy.This is his story which I promised him to tell wherever I go

 

When the terrorists attacked he mananged to hide but was later spotted by a sniper and shot.

He became unconscious and was aware of an out of body experience.Drifting into a tunnel full of light ,greeted by the Babi Sali and the Lubavitcher rebbe who assured him he would survive.At the same time he hovers above his body and hears the doctors declare him dead and arrangements made to put him in a body bag and burial

His parents come to the cemetry -do kriah-cut their clothing as a sign of mourning. They wanted there to be taharah-ritual washing of the body- but the authorities had ruled that in „messy cases” burial alone would suffice.

His uncle insisted on at least identifying his body. He unzipped the body bag and noticed a minute pulse. Doctors called. Rushed to intensive care . He falls into a coma for 4 years!

During this time his grandmother was at his bedside everyday praying, caring, protecting him

One day he awoke.Asked for his Tallis and tefillin

 His body was in a mess.

22 years followed for rehabilitation. Countless operations,amputation of his left arm.

He said ” You should see my body. I am full of holes, scars, plastic surgery,wires.I am more soul than body!”

With tremendous faith and determination he completed his education ,enlisted in the army,received semicha as a rav ,married and has 3 children.His son is now in the army.

Besides his job as curator he spends his time touring the country giving talks about his experiences  and helping the disadvantaged members of society.What a tzaddik! What a neshama!

I noticed on his desk that he had been learning from the writings of Reb Nachman  of Braslav-Lekutey Maharan and a cd of Reb Shlomo’s music. I asked if he liked Shlomo’s nigunim-of course he replied -such neshama. So I obliged with my own musical session for the next ten minutes as he sang along! 

Pictures.Hugs. Brochos and a promise to tell his story

 

The next day we visited the famous shuk-market. and then looked for a spot to rest until our bus to Jerusalem arrived

We first went down a road called :Rechov Menachem mENDEL-The street of the Lubavitcher rebbe.

The we turned into another street where there  was a small park.As we sat down we looked at the name of the street: Rechov 22 Maalot commemorating the 22 massacred  students in Maalot. 

I saw it as a sign from Above: You are about to leave Tzefat in an hour-dont forget your promise to Chaim

Hence this story to you.

Please tell it to others.

I am lost for words to describe the chizuk I received from this encounter-there is a bigger picture-have faith and help people

and 

it 

all came about 

with a nigun!!  

 

Kliknij na zdjecie a otworzy sie w pelnym rozmiarze

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Przyslala Zosia Braun