Noam and Aviva Shalit on Wednesday met in Yerushalayim with Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar Shlita and Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger Shlita, seeking the Rav’s support on behalf of ongoing efforts to bring their son Gilad home.

The Shalits asked the Rabbonim to daven on their son’s behalf, to call on the tzibur to daven, and to support an upcoming deal for their son’s release.

Rabbi Metzger repeated his criticism against rabbonim who have already come out against a prisoner exchange deal, explaining a rav cannot render a halachic decision without having all the facts before him and at present, there is no deal and therefore, one can only release a ruling based on one’s own political beliefs, not grounded in halacha.

Rav Amar stressed the importance of the mitzvah of pidyon shvuyim, but added this mitzvah may not be performed if one knows as a result, others will be harmed and/or Israel’s enemies will have an ‘increased appetite’ to capture other victims in the future.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)