Seven years have passed since Natan Meir lost his wife Dafna in a terrorist attack in their home in Otniel, yet from his perspective, the pain still persists. Yesterday, following the attack in Har Hevron in which Bat-Sheva Nagari, Z"L, was tragically killed, Meir shared his feelings.
"Sometimes the story, the opinions, what was, and who is to blame - they are the biggest enemy of all. The mind works like a carousel, vigorously shielding what is lacking, what is broken, what won't return, death and pain. Everything is so unbearable, echoing in the deepest places within us.
"I left Eli Nigri's house after noon, who lost his wife this morning. I saw his daughter, who lost her mother before her eyes. And I saw myself. Aching. Empty. Screaming from within that this is so familiar to me and how does it still exist??? I'm driving on the same roads. Like back then. Checkpoints everywhere and only I'm driving. I speed over the hills as fast as I did 7 years ago. I glance back for a moment to make sure my 5-year-old son isn't sitting there behind. Like back then. The heart cries out to the children.
"It's unbearable. It's impossible. But it's here. Give yourselves a moment to grieve, to cry together, the rest, truly won't help."
As a reminder, Dafna, Z"L, and Natan's daughter, Renana Meir, posted a poignant and critical message about the security situation in the country yesterday: "In times when there are occasional attacks and it hits close to home, you pray that you are the only one." Meir began the post, "You live based on the hope that you were the last. That everything will be done so that no more people will experience the same thing. And then you're ready to absorb. In times when the victims are left to their fate, when every Motzai Shabbat begins with bad news and every day without an attack is a miracle."
She explains her criticism, saying, "Don't write that you received the news in shock and astonishment. Don't cry out that the head isn't prepared to digest, because it is prepared and knows. Don't write to us that the security forces will settle accounts with all our soul-seekers. Don't quote verses from this week's Torah portion to us that sin against our daily reality."