Rav Eliyahu Mirav shlit"a Eulogizes His Son, the Soldier Yossi Cohen hy"d

On the Wednesday of Parshat Vayigash, the soldier Yossi Cohen was killed in a Kiddush Hashem, when a murderous terrorist shot at him and his friend Yuval Mor Yosef. The two were on a security mission at the hitchhiking post in Givat Asaf as part of their service in the "Netzach Yehuda" battalion, hy"d. Rav Eliyahu Mirav shlit"a, a student of the esteemed Rav Berland and father of the slain soldier Yossi Cohen hy"d, spoke to the general media with an emotional message to the people of Israel.

"Yossi, the pure neshamah, he was on a mission, we sent him with great love. At every Shabbat meal, we sit as a family and each one gives thanks for something, Yossi thanked with these words, 'I thank Hashem for the privilege to protect the people of Israel with my body.' This is that neshamah, he did not know what he was talking about, but these were his last words at home, now we all understand what he was talking about."

"Yossi, the pure neshamah, a child of self-sacrifice, a child who only wanted to help since he was young and Hashem took him, a lot of strengthening is needed," Rav Mirav repeated his words. We were proud of Yossi and he was proud of us, we sent him with love from a deep sense of mission, because we believe that the people of Israel are one. We believe that we are all together, each one in their place needs to help and give. This is how we grew up, I grew up in Kibbutz Beit Alfa of the Hashomer Hatzair, and these are eternal values of love for people, love for creations. No politics will move the values of the eternal Jewish spirit. It's a shame that bereavement connects us, maybe one day love will connect us."

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"It's true I served in the IDF and returned to teshuvah after the Yom Kippur War," Rav Mirav answers the interviewer's question. I have been Haredi for 45 years, but I am Israeli, I am a product of the crisis in secular Israeli society. I am sorry that there are children whose families do not accept them after their enlistment. I understand that everyone needs to live according to their emunah and values, but respect must be maintained, mutual respect must be maintained. We must put an end to this hatred, it is impossible to build a home and a state in this way."

"Yossi was a Haredi Israeli young man, a heart of gold, truly a pride of the people of Israel, he wanted to finish the army and continue to give to the people of Israel as a dentist, now he is above watching over us."