The religious Zionist rabbis' Sukkot event on Sunday evening played host to a touching yet unusual sight. Sitting at the dais alongside the rabbis, yeshiva deans, and judges, was Rabbi Menachem Perl's emotional support dog, who assists the Zomet Institute chief in coping with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Religious Zionist Party CEO Yehuda Wald commented on the sight: "I don't think there was such a moment in the history of the Jewish people. At a rabbinic event, sit Torah giants, yeshiva deans, judges - and a dog."
Wald explained what caused Rabbi Perl to need a support dog: "Rabbi Menachem Perl is the head of the Zomet Institute, an important scholar, during the war, he served several months in the Shura Camp. With dedication, he tended to the bodies of those who were murdered and fell during the war. And then he had a mental breakdown, he suffered severe post-traumatic stress. Like many others, he was wounded mentally. As part of his rehabilitation, he uses a dog who assists him."
The dog accompanied the rabbi to the Sukkot event attended by many other senior rabbis from the religious Zionist community and sat with him at the dais.
Wald saw the sight as an expression of the Torah's approach to those who were physically or mentally hurt during the war. "This is the full Torah. Torah that incorporates the book and the sword. Torah that listens to broken hearts that need comforting. Torah that sees those physically and mentally wounded during the war, that connects and uplifts them."
He concluded: "Praiseworthy is the nation whose rabbis are these rabbis, praiseworthy is the nation whose Torah is this Torah, praiseworthy is the generation of victory, the generation of redemption."
Interview: Rabbi Perl speaks to Arutz Sheva about his PTSD (Hebrew)