A devastating chapter has come to a close following the tragic bein hazmanim incident at the Netanya beach, as the body of 17-year-old Yeshiva Bochur Avraham Yeshaya Spiegel z”l has been positively identified after ten days of exhaustive searches.
Avraham Yeshaya drowned on Erev Shabbos Parshas Shemini together with his brother, Yissachar Dov Spiegel z”l, when the two entered the water.
His brother, Yissachar Dov z”l, was pulled from the water in critical condition and was niftar several days later, on Monday night. Since then, massive search efforts and tefillos continued for Avraham Yeshaya, until his body was discovered today—painfully, in the middle of the shiva being observed for his brother.
The family, who were scheduled to get up from shiva Tuesday morning, must now continue sitting shivah following this double tragedy.
The identification was completed at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute.
Avraham Yeshaya z”l, known affectionately as “Avi,” was born in Yerushalayim to his father, HaRav Shlomo Spiegel, a prominent marbitz Torah in the Beis Yisroel neighborhood, and grandson of noted writer R’ Yisrael Spiegel z”l. His mother, Mrs. Shoshana Spiegel, is a respected mechaneches.
He learned in Talmud Torah Chavos Daas and later at Yeshiva Ketanah Imrei Moshe, where he developed a close relationship with HaRav Yisrael Ganz. He continued to Yeshivas Tifrach, where he became beloved by his rabbeim, including Hagaon HaRav Aviezer Piltz.
Friends describe him as a cheerful, vibrant bochur who was deeply immersed in his learning and known for his sincerity in tefillah. Despite his young age, he connected easily with older bochurim and brought energy and warmth into the beis medrash.
“He brought life to every seder with his understanding and enthusiasm,” one friend shared.
He leaves behind his broken parents, siblings, and many who are struggling to comprehend the magnitude of this loss.
The levaya is scheduled to take place tonight at 11:00 PM from the family home on Rechov Rav Kahneman in Ramat Shlomo, Yerushalayim. He will be laid to rest next to his brother in Har HaMenuchos.
Yehi zichro baruch.
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5 Responses
Finding the nifter to bury is the antithesis of a tragedy.
I have a number of questions, though I doubt anyone knows the true answers.
1. Why do people enter the sea without a lifeguard present?
2. Why does one need to enter the sea to immerse before Shabbos? Aren’t there enough mikva’os in Netanya?
3. How deep does one need to go in to immerse? Not far, I assure you.
4. How long does it take to immerse?
המקום ינחם ההורים ובני המשפחה בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
Rainus, comment # 2: why need you post your comment altogether? Is it intended to be מנחם the grieving parents and siblings?
Besides, never once was it reported that they went for טבילה in honor of Shabbos. It was בין הזמנים and they went to refresh themselves – nothing wrong whatsoever other than, likely, there was no lifeguard present. This is the Mediterranean Sea – a huge monster-size body of water and there likely was a sudden tidal wave. Maybe it was a גזירה מן השמים! Maybe it was, like this week’s קריאה, a כפרת הציבור.
Rainus, I have only one question for you!
Why are you such an idiot?!
YAAPCHIK, I do not think that the family of the Niftarim reads YWN. So, no, it was not intended to be מנחם anyone. It was intended to give food for thought, and maybe motivate us to be more careful to instruct our children about safety.
Do not say that it was NEVER once reported that they went for טבילה in honour of Shabbos, for it was so reported. See (https://matzav.com/body-found-off-herzliya-coast-parents-of-missing-teen-leave-shivah-to-assist-in-identification/).
And there is something terribly wrong with entering the sea without a lifeguard present. Certainly as a depth where one can lose one’s footing.
A sudden tidal wave?!? Do you know what a tidal wave is? Before a tidal wave hits, the level of the water drops considerably. And if there was a sudden anything, you have just proven my earlier point. One does not enter the sea without a lifeguard present because things happen suddenly. The sea is potentially a מקום סכנה. People who enter a מקום סכנה without taking precautions and die, this week’s Perek of Pirkei Avos teaches us, that they are מתחייב בנפשו. See the מאירי on פרק ג משנה ד. That is a ודאי. Your speculative ‘maybes’ don’t help anyone. Maybe it was a גזירה מן השמים and maybe it was a כפרת הציבור. And maybe it was an act of פשיעה.
And AMYISROEL, even if I wrote something that is idiotic in your eyes, it does not make me an idiot. Secondly, unless you are going to describe what is idiotic, I and everyone else who reads your comment are forced to say that you really have nothing important to contribute to this discussion, and therefore, you resort to ad hominem attacks that are devoid of any wisdom.