The Miracle of Salvation from the Stabbing Attack of Gabriel Lavi, a Student of Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a

About ten days have passed since the severe terror attack at Damascus Gate, in which the dear Avreich (young married Torah student) Gabriel Lavi, from the Shuvu Banim Breslov holy community, was critically injured. Gabriel, who was stabbed 40 times in various critical areas of his body, speaks for the first time since waking up.

These are his words as broadcast on the Breslov information line: "Truly, miracles of the Tzaddik; one feels the prayers of all of Am Yisrael (the People of Israel)," Gabriel answers the interviewer who was moved to speak with him after he had been in critical condition on the verge of death. "Thank God, I feel good. Although there will be things we will learn to manage with later on, generally speaking, it is simply a transition from death to life. Several members of the team who came to rescue and treat me after the incident visited me and said: You gave us a mussar (spiritual/ethical) lesson for life—to never despair. Your condition appeared critical and terminal."

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"Throughout the week, I was in the Yeshiva, and I also studied in the Chatzos (midnight study) Kollel of Rabbi Meir Saada shlit"a, a student of our teacher, the Gaon and Tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a. I prayed the Shacharis (morning) prayer at Vatikin (sunrise) at the Kotel (Western Wall) and hurried home through Damascus Gate to manage to see my sons before they went to the Talmud Torah (school)."

"As I was exiting Damascus Gate, I felt my hat being knocked off, but I hadn't yet processed the reason for it. During the event, it's hard to understand that you are in the middle of a terror attack; the terrorist attacked and stabbed me from behind. It took me a few seconds to understand; I turned around and found myself face-to-face with the terrorist. I didn't run; I did what I could. Everything that happened is entirely from Him, may He be blessed (Hashem)."

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"I definitely thought these could be my last moments in life. I received no less than 40 stabs in all parts of my body. I began to recite Krias Shema (the declaration of faith), I fell to my knees, and for a minute and a half, I fought with all my strength against the cursed terrorist until I felt my strength failing. I fell to the floor and fainted."

"For nearly 10 minutes, I lay on the floor and none of the locals called for help. During this precious time, I lost a lot of blood, which caused my condition to deteriorate to critical and life-threatening."

To hear the moving and full interview on the Breslov line, dial: *9148; from the USA 18456400007; from England 443303900474; from Ukraine 380947105602.

Today, Wednesday of Parshas Behaaloscha 5779, Lavi said at the press conference held at Shaare Zedek Hospital: "I understood that I was between life and death. In the merit of the Pidyon Nefesh (soul redemption) that my friends in the Yeshiva performed for me (with Rabbi Berland), the entire situation turned around for the good. We will, of course, continue to walk through Damascus Gate and we will not be afraid, as per the instruction of the Tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland; one should not fear anything except the Creator of the World."

  [caption id="attachment_16025" align="aligncenter" width="618"] The Avreich (young married Torah student) Gabriel Lavi from the Shuvu Banim Yeshiva in the hospital after being stabbed[/caption]