Trusting HaShem Completely

A few months before the destruction of beautiful Gush Katif, they were a family, loving parents with 4 beautiful educated daughters. Often, David Hatuel would pray thanks to HaShem for giving him a loving wife, charming daughters, happiness, income, home, employment in an interesting job as principal of a school. He would sometimes ask HaShem to send him a son, and when his wife got pregnant again, they discovered in the ultra sound test that HaShem granted them their prayers, a boy.

David Hatuel had everything anyone ever wants in life. David Hatuel knows how all this can be taken away in one moment*.

David Hatuel came to the Yishuv to give strength to the family that recently lost their son in Lebanon War II. He told them the tools HaShem gave him to cope, with complete faith in HKB'H that this is what was destined to happen.

It is not possible to research HaShem's plans and even more, the brain is too small to understand. David gave us an example from Moshe Rabbenu, zs'l. When he saw HaShem preparing crowns with the engraving of the letters KODESH, Moshe Rabbenu asked, "Whom the crowns are for?", HaShem replied, "Look in the future and you will see".

Moshe Rabbenu travelled forward in time and saw himself in the eighth row in the class of Rabbi Akiva, zs'l, but did not understand anything being said. One of the students asked Rabbi Akiva a question and Rabbi Akiva answered "The Halacha is from Moshe Rabbenu".

Moshe Rabbenu returns to HKB'H and asked, "How is it that You chose me to give the holy Torah when there is a bigger Talmid Chacham that can give the Torah?". HKB'H silenced Moshe Rabbenu. Moshe Rabenu asked "What is the reward for this Tzaddik?". HaShem told him to go forward in time and see. Moshe Rabbenu goes forward in time and sees that Rabbi Akiva's body is full of nails and he is in great pain and screams "SHEMA ISRAEL HASHEM ELOKENU, HASHEM ECHAD". Moshe Rabenu returns and asks HKB'H "Is the reward for the Tzaddik?".
Again, HaShem silenced him.

This is to teach us, we are too small to understand HaShem's just accounts. We see in Parshat Vayigash the outcome of Yosef HaTzaddik, zs'l, after being thrown in side a pit full of snakes and scorpions and the outcome of the reunion with his father, Yaakov Avinu, zs'l.

The second tool, says Hatuel, is decision. There are only 2 options: To live or die. If you decide to live, go back to work, go back to schedule, go back to yourself, ask for help, and slowly pick up the pieces and slowly, you will move forward. This is was his option and decision.

The third tool is friends. Hatuel says that during many months, friends and community did not leave him alone for one minute. From all over the world and Israel, people sent letters and came to visit him and brougth words of encouragement. Artists, relatives, politicians, Rabbanim, etc. came at all time to comfort him.

Don't turn your back when a person is broken. Ask and inquire about him, visit him. He needs you at these critical moments.

During the rehabilitation process, a woman whom helped him, introduced him to his wife whom he is married to today. David says, "I'm building today a second floor in our home". His wife is expecting - MAZAL TOV.

*On May 2, 2004, Tali Hatuel, 34, and her daughters, Hila, 11, Hadar, 9, Roni, 7, and Merav, 2, zs'l, were killed by two Palestinian terrorists at the entrance of Gush Katif.

Tali was eight months pregnant. They were on their way to campaign against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's ‘disengagement’ plan. Their white station-wagon spun off the road after the initial shooting, then the attackers approached the vehicle and shot the occupants dead at close range.

The Hatuels' car was riddled with bullets, and the carpet inside was stained with blood. The girls were killed hugging one another. On the car was a bumper sticker saying, "Uprooting the settlements, victory for terror." Tali’s husband, David, father of Hila, Hadar, Roni, Merav, and an unborn son, continued to live in Gush Katif until forcibly expelled by Sharon and his government.

Tali Hatuel, 34, and (clockwise) her daughters Hila (11), Hadar (9), Roni (7) and Merav (2).