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| Hillel Lieberman z"l |
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From CNN:
Immigrant rabbi shot dead in West Bank
October 9, 2000
Web posted at: 8:02 AM EDT (1202 GMT)
JERUSALEM (AP) -- An American-born rabbi was found shot to death in a cave in the West Bank and U.S. Jewish leaders called on President Bill Clinton to hold the Palestinian leader responsible for the death. Israeli soldiers on Sunday found the body of Rabbi Hillel Lieberman, a Jewish settler missing since Saturday, in a cave near a West Bank highway. "He was shot by Palestinians," said police spokesman Rafi Yafe. Yafe said the family was notified at the onset of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Because of strict observances, the family, residents of the Elon Moreh settlement in the northern West Bank, were not available to comment. The 37-year-old rabbi was the father of seven and had immigrated to Israel 14 years ago, according to a statement issued in New York by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. The statement was signed by Ronald Lauder, chairman of the organization and Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman. The U.S. Jewish conference said Lieberman had left home on foot Saturday and was headed for Joseph's Tomb, ransacked earlier by Palestinians who destroyed sacred Jewish texts at the site after driving away Israeli troops. The statement said Lieberman had hoped to save some of the Torah scrolls housed in the tomb which many Jews believe to be the burial site of the biblical figure Joseph, son of Jacob. Lieberman was apparently killed on his way there. "We call on President Clinton to hold Chairman Arafat personally responsible for the brutal death of Rabbi Hillel Lieberman," the statement said. The statement noted that a number of U.S. citizens have been attacked during 11 days of deadly violence between Israel and the Palestinians that have left 84 dead, mostly Palestinians. Lieberman is the son of Rabbi Zebulun Lieberman, described in the statement as a prominent spiritual leader in Brooklyn, New York. |
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Saintly in life and holy in death
Hillel, Hillel....In Memory of Hillel Lieberman Hillel, Hillel.... Humble, innocent, with shining countenance... principled, upright and faithful... soul-searching, modest, ever working on his character, A true servant of G-d. Your image is so alive that I am incapable of relating to you as to someone no longer here. We shall relate the same way to the bet midrash "Od Yosef Chai" which was and is no more, and to Joseph's Tomb in Shechem, where -- make no mistake -- it seems we will not be returning for a very long time... All the same, all three live on through us, and they are with us constantly. Their vitality continue forever. Joseph himself was the same way: After all, Jacob, his mourning father, never let the memory of his beloved son fade. "Joseph lives on..." (Genesis 45:28). Yes. Joseph lives on. Not here, but in another place, as when Joseph was found to be "ruling over all of Egypt" (Genesis 45:26). Hillel Eliyahu, son of Rabbi Zevulun and Bracha Lieberman. A young man arrived from New York with a shepherd's staff in hand. He "encountered the place and spent the night there" (Genesis 28:11), and in the morning he was a different person... Hillel "traveled through the land as far as Shechem, coming to Elon Moreh, and the Canaanites were then in the Land" (Genesis 12:6). Henceforth, over the course of fifteen years, Hillel held to Shechem with powerful yearning. The Talmud teaches that when Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish passed away, Rabbi Yochanan, his study partner of many years, lost his mind. The Rabbis asked G-d's mercy and Rabbi Yochanan left this world. The question is widely asked: Why didn't the sages pray for G-d to cure him? The answer they give is that no benefit would have derived from this. Had Rabbi Yochanan regained his sanity, he would once more have seen that Resh Lakish was no more and would again have lost his mind... It was the same with our Hillel. He could not bear Joseph's once more being disgraced and abandoned, his brothers' betrayal, the degradation of "Joseph's house going up in flames" (Ovadiah v. 18)... Apparently he had only one means of rectifying his situation -- to be joined with Joseph, and with Shlomo and Harel... Sometimes the departed are eulogized along the lines of "Acharei Mot-Kedoshim-Emor" [After they die, say they are holy], even when in life they were not known for being saintly. Not so with Hillel. Already in life, he was recognized as being unique. His sterling traits were without parallel. I will not talk about Hillel the family man, Hillel who honored his father and mother, Hillel who scrupulously observed the mitzvot, Hillel who loved the Torah, who generously gave to charity, who was active in the community and on behalf of the whole Jewish People -- Hillel, the lover of all Israel. Although he was unique in all of these areas, head and shoulders above everyone else, this would not have been enough to place him in a different class. However... Who else composed poems to the Holy City of Shechem? He wrote: "Let me go and see the city of Shechem, crown of the Torah..." Who else was as careful as he not to let even one day pass without prostrating himself at Joseph's tomb? Who was as happy as Hillel was every time he went to the yeshiva, to the gravesite of the tzaddik, to his beloved Shechem? Who worked harder than Hillel did to see that Scriptural megilot were completed for the Aron Kodesh in Shechem? Moreover, when it was time to acquire festive white coverings for the four Torah scrolls in the Shechem compound, to be used on the High Holy Days, it was Hillel who saw this project through to completion. And it was Hillel, himself, who managed to dress the four Torahs in these scrolls on Erev Rosh Hashanah. Just one week later, on Shabbat Shuvah, these same Torahs were smuggled out of Shechem in the middle of the night -- a terrible desecration of G-d's name. How like shrouds these coverings became! Would anyone among us besides Hillel recite Tikun Chatzot, the prayers recited in the middle of the night? Hillel would do this, sitting on the floor crying bitter tears, weeping over the exile of the divine presence and the destruction of Jerusalem. Whenever we heard of any Jew suffering a martyr's death, who but Hillel would decree upon himself a week's abstinence from meat? When Jews were prevented from entering Joseph's Tomb, would anyone besides Hillel sleep on the floor?... Hillel would always go to hospitals to visit those wounded in terrorist attacks, people whom he did not know. He would remember to be thankful for every small kindness done for him, and he would continue to feel obliged even years later... Due to his love for Eretz Yisrael, he would do his utmost to avoid eating produce from abroad... To be like Yosef who "at seventeen shepherded his father's sheep" (Genesis 37:2), and to emulate G-d, the "Shepherd of Israel who leads Joseph like a flock" (Psalm 80:2), Hillel established a sheep pen in his backyard... Hillel, more than anyone else, tied himself to Joseph, to Joseph's traits, to Joseph's Tomb and to the city of Shechem... He knew how to find in every single portion of the Torah the aspect relating to Joseph, and to prove by all sorts of wondrous means that that part was the main one... He delved into every source in the Written and Oral Torah having to do with Joseph and Shechem, and he searched far and wide for midrashim in this regard that had been lost. Moreover, he knew how to explain, even to those far removed, the special significance of these matters to our time... Hillel Eliyahu. Hillel -- and Eliyahu He was as far from anger, and as bright of countenance, as Hillel the Elder. He related gently to all people. He hated controversy and fled from it. No one showed as much appreciation for rabbis as Hillel did. He would attach himself to every saint and to every Torah scholar and gain something from them. He would guard his tongue out of the love of Israel in him. With his every action, he fulfilled Psalm 34:15: "Do good!" Through his humility he would fulfill Hillel's dictum, "If I am only for myself, then what am I?" (Avot 1:14), and through his alacrity to perform every mitzvah he would fulfill, "and if not now, when?" Ultimately, when Shechem was abandoned and Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites, he fulfilled with his own body, "And if I am not for myself, then who will be for me?"... Yet he was also a man of principles like Eliyahu -- a zealot for his people and for his G-d, and for his land. He would forcefully protest the desecration of G-d's name. When such things happened -- and only then! -- he would refuse to show honor to those more prominent and more powerful than he. He saw himself, as long as he lived, as a student of Rabbi Meir Kahana. Hillel was a person who asked someone to pray for him at our forefathers' grave-site, the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Chevron, that he should merit "devotion and a true connection to G-d" (!!). Like Eliyahu, he concealed himself in a cave, and like Eliyahu as well, he ascended heavenward in a storm, wrapped in his Tallit. Hillel, dearest of people, beloved by all, whose smile lit up the world -- may your memory be blessed, and may your soul be bound up in the bond of everlasting life! And may you be an advocate on behalf of us, who are weaker than you, and who have remained behind... And may G-d, before our eyes and through our agency, exact our great vengeance, the revenge over your spilt blood. Noam Livnat, friend and companion of the martyred saint Hillel |
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My Heart Weeps for Hillel and Yosef By Shmuel Sackett October 10, 2000 Who does one cry for first? Hillel Lieberman, the brave Jew from Elon Moreh who was brutally murdered or for Yosef Ha’Tzaddik, the Righteous Joseph, whose tomb was destroyed, pillaged and burnt to the ground by the same people… bloodthirsty Arabs who want one thing in life; the death of every Jew that walks this planet.
The connection between these two holy Jews is quite close. Hillel was the head of a group whose dream was to settle in the city of Shechem. Until this dream was realized, he temporarily lived with his wife and seven children in the nearby settlement of Elon Moreh. He knew every road in Shechem. Although great danger lurked about, he constantly walked around Shechem and learned every square inch of the city. He knew its history and its holiness. Before every trip I took to America on behalf of Yeshivat “Od Yosef Chai” in Shechem, I spoke to Hillel and he explained many interesting things about the city. He had hundreds of pictures which clearly proved the Jewish history of this place. He spoke about Shechem with great happiness and said that very soon, the day will come when Jews will once again live there.
Yosef was buried in a plot of land purchased by his father Jacob. It was in this exact spot that Yeshivat “Od Yosef Chai” was founded 18 years ago. The young men studying at the Yeshiva displayed amazing courage since from the very first day, it was at the center of tremendous hostilities. The Arabs always looked at these men as conquerors and made thousands of attempts to drive them away. Only through “mesirut nefesh” (self-sacrifice) was this Yeshiva successful and Hillel stood at the forefront of this battle from almost the very first day.
This dream came to a sudden end when the Barak government surrendered Kever Yosef to the PLO terrorists on the morning of Shabbat Shuva. The irony of it all is that this particular Shabbat was one of “Shuva Yisrael” Return o’ Israel and instead of returning to our roots, our history and our G-d we abandoned, surrendered and desecrated G-d’s Name. As soon as the Arabs gained control of Kever Yosef they entered the complex and took out everything of value. They stole the Yeshiva’s bookcases, computers, desks, chairs, and even the sinks and toilets. After those items were removed, they smashed the building and burned the tomb. Contrary to news reports that the IDF removed all holy books before surrendering, the truth is that over 2,000 sacred books were burned, plus many pairs of Tefillin and Talaysim. The tomb itself was smashed and totally destroyed. The building was leveled and thousands of bloodthirsty Arabs cheered and danced. During his life Hillel was tied to Yosef and even in death he was connected to him. It was clear to everyone that Hillel could simply not live without Yosef Ha’Tzaddik. On a deeper level it proved that these two very holy and special Jews were really one. It is our prayer that G-d watch over Hillel’s family and bring about the Resurrection of the dead so that we can dance with Hillel and Yosef Ha’Tzaddik soon in the holy city of Shechem! |
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הלל אליהו ליברמן הי"ד את הלל הכרנו לראשונה לפני למעלה משש עשרה שנה, כשבא כתייר לבקר בשכם. אך הגיע, ומייד דבק במקום. לאחר חודשים אחדים נאלץ לחזור לחו"ל להשלים תואר, ומייד עם קבלו את התעודה טס מייד לישראל. בשדה התעופה הצליח לשכנע את נהג המונית שהיה אמור לקחת אותו לאלון מורה (לעולה חדש ניתנת הזכות למונית חינם למקום בו הוא חפץ, והלל בחר לגור באלון מורה), להכניס אותו בדרך לקבר יוסף. מאז לא מש מן המקום. כבר סופר ונשמע עד כמה היה קשור הלל ליוסף הצדיק בכל נימי נפשו , אמנם הזיקה ליוסף הייתה קשורה אצל הלל קשר בל ינתק לזיקה לשכם , שכם לא הייתה יקרה בעיניו רק בגלל שיוסף קבור בה , אלא אדרבא ,יוסף זכה להיקבר בשכם מפני שדמותו הייתה מופת ממחיש לסגולת העיר הזאת אשר במידה רבה היא עיר מפתח לסגולת ארץ ישראל בכלל . יוסף היה "נוטר ברית", ועמד בנאמנותו בשעת ניסיון, ושכם היא עיר הברית, המתנה את הביאה לארץ את הנאמנות לתורה והלל שלנו ינק מהם בשקיקה את הנאמנות וההתקשרות לישראל ולקודשיו. כשם שכתוב בספר מעבר יבוק כי " אין לישראל תורה אלא מכוח החלקה הזאת" ( חלקת השדה שקנה יעקוב, ושנקבר בה יוסף), כך נבעו אצל הלל חידושי תורה כמעיין המתגבר, חידושי אגדה וחידושי פרשנות, (הלל אהב מאוד תנ"ך) אשר הטיבו לראות עד כמה יוסף ומקומו, ומידת שמירת הברית שלו הנם מפתח לכל היעדים והתיקונים שרוצה התורה לפעול. כיוסף היה הלל בעל חלומות, צופה ומתפלל לה' בכל לב לזרז את העתיד בו יפקוד אלוקים אותנו, ואף מפלס דרכיו לקראת עתיד זה, וכיוסף שהודה בארצו (וזכה לפיכך להיקבר בה), היה יחד עם זה אוהב ארץ ישראל המוחשית אהבת נפש. עם כל "רחפנותו", אהב את הממש, וכל חלומותיו היו לאיחוי וזיווג העולם הרוחני עם טוב הארץ. לכן היו לו הידורים משלו, ומלבד לדקדוקו במצוות הקפיד לאכול רק מיבולה של ארץ ישראל, מתוך אמונה שברכת הארץ היא הדבר הבריא ביותר לנפש ולגוף, ואף גידל סמוך לביתו כבשים (גידול הכבשים יחד עם ילדיו, היה אהוב עליו במיוחד, ומאוד תאם את טבעו הרחמן). פעם כשהתבקש לצאת לחו"ל לאסוף כסף לישיבה, אמר כי פטור הוא ממצווה זאת, מפני שחו"ל מבחינתו הוא הפך ארצות החיים כפשוטו ממש, ואכן היה ניכר עליו כשנסע פעם לליל הסדר, כי חזרתו היא בחינת תחיית המתים, כיוסף בס"ד היה הלל מוצא חן בעיני כל רואיו, מסביר פנים, אנושי ומתחשב , מכניס אורחים ברחבות לב, ומאיר פנים לאורחים הרבים שפקדו את ציונו של יוסף הצדיק. במיוחד רב היה כוחו להסביר את עניינו של יוסף, ועניינה של ארץ ישראל בכלל, לכאלו שלא ידעו עברית, ורבים מהם אף כמעט שלא ידעו כי עברים הם. (איתי, הכותב ניהל שיחות רבות, ובהן ראיתי כמה מחשבה משקיע הוא בענייני רגישות והתחשבות, הן היחס לקרובים ביותר והן ביחס לאחרים. לאחרונה פגשתיהו כאשר התלוותי אליו לנסיעה לבית ג'אן להשתתף בהלוויתו של החייל שנפל בהגנה על קבר יוסף. הייתה זו נסיעה ארוכה בדרכים עקלקלות, בזמן שכל הדרכים היו בחזקת סכנה). הזעזוע של הלל עם ההיפרדות ממקומו של יוסף לא היה רק מפני הפרידה האישית, האחיזה בקבר יוסף הייתה בשביל הלל אחד החוטים העבים הקושרים בין קודשי ישראל ועברו, ובין תקומת ישראל המתחדשת, וקריעתו של חוט כזה אכן יכולה הייתה לקרוע מיתר בלבו של מי שחיי ישראל וחזון גאולתו הם מזון נשמתו. הלל בחר להיקבר ליד שלמה והראל הי"ד, הן בגלל הערצתו את התקשרותו של שלמה ליוסף, והן בגלל הערצתו את תכונת מסירות הנפש, הערצה ששיקפה גם את התוקף שבאישיותו וגם את בהירות הכרתו מה חשוב באמת (כשני שמותיו , אליהו והלל בחינת " בהילו נרו עלי ראשי"). קבר יוסף איננו, הלל איננו, גם את האופטימיות שלו נטל עמו, ואנחנו עדיין איננו יודעים לאן פנינו מועדות. יהיה נא מליץ יושר על השארית, שיהיה בה הכוח להצמיח תקווה לשארית ישראל כולה, כי בלא זה, לאן אנו הולכים ואנה אנו באים!? ישראל אריאל אחד החברים בישיבת עוד יוסף חי |
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