Freed hostage Segev Kalfon spoke by phone from Sheba Hospital to HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Yehudah Beeri, known as the Yanuka [הינוקא] due to his incredible grasp of Kol Hatorah Kulo at a young age.

What unfolded during the conversation shocked the participants.

Segev’s father, Kobi, told him, “This tzaddik davened for you and gave me chizzuk. He was my anchor. He told me: ‘Your son will return.’

Segev thanked the Rav and said that he wants to meet him in person and thank him.

The Yanuka responded, “I told your father to read the story of Yosef and Yaakov, and b’ezras Hashem, you’ll reunite with him.”

Segev appeared visibly shocked by the Yanuka’s words, responding, “Do you want to hear something? I can’t even believe I’m saying this. Do you know that they (his captors) let me see the story of Yosef and Yaakov there? I didn’t know the story. They let me see it from the Arab perspective in a video series on the computer. They call the series Sayedna Yusouf (סעידנה יוסוף).”

“I never heard of the story before,” Segev said. “I saw it there—that his brothers sold him, and they put him into prison for between 3 and 10 years, and he encountered many tribulations.”

Segev’s father, who said he still recites Parshas Vayeishiv, turned to Segev with astonishment: “You’re only telling me this now?”

Segev responded, “Because now the Rav mentioned it!”

Later in the conversation, Segev said, “I felt your tefillos there. It wasn’t me. I don’t have the kochos to endure what I went through there. It was only the Borei Olam and your tefillos and your zechus.”

Segev’s home city of Dimona is planning two days of celebrations next week in thanks to Hashem for the huge neis of Segev’s return, including divrei chizzuk by the Yanuka.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)