Released hostage Omar Shem-Tov spoke to Galgalatz about the moments of faith that sustained him in captivity, when he felt his mother’s actions and prayers.
In the interview, Shem Tov described how he found a card with a chapter of Psalms on it and read it every day without knowing that his mother was praying that same chapter for his release from captivity.
“When I returned I showed it to my mother and she said, ‘I can’t believe it,’” he shared.
“After 130 days in captivity I received a card that the army had left behind. After persuading the captors and making arrangements I got it. It contains the Traveler’s Prayer and Psalm 20, and I would read it every day. While I was reading Psalm 20 each day, my mother was reciting Psalm 20 in my room — that was the chapter she chose,” Shem-Tov recounted.
Noting that the memories gave him real chills, Shem Tov added, “I think the prayers and the sending of that energy and the lighting of Shabbat candles can be felt. I felt as if the Shabbat candles were simply lighting up the room. Suddenly there was a warm feeling in my chest and a smile came to my face.”
Concluding his statements, Shem Tov asked the entire Jewish nation to speak to the hostages, explaining that in his view, the positive energies sent out into the world reach the hostages held in the terror tunnels in Gaza.
“If I may make one request here: It doesn’t matter if you’re haredi or secular — send energy, talk to the person, ask him in the morning: ‘What’s up?’, ‘How are you?’, ‘I hope you’re feeling well’, ‘I hope today you’ll come home,’” he concluded.