At the end of the day on which Ran Gvili z”l was returned to Israel, I came home and took off the yellow ribbon I had worn for two years and three months. Not ceremoniously, and without a prayer. I simply took it off.
I did not feel relief, nor could I understand how people could be happy. I thought only of how much I owe Rani z”l, whose heroism saved my family and friends in Kibbutz Alumim.
Maimonides writes: “There is no greater mitzvah than the redemption of captives,” and adds that one who averts their eyes from their redemption violates “Do not stand idly by the blood of your fellow.” He further cites the verse: “You refrained from rescuing those taken off to death.” These are difficult words to read when we think of the 87 hostages whom we did not merit to bring home alive.
Taking off the yellow ribbon is not closure. It is a question mark.
A quiet and weighty call to moral reckoning:
Where did we fall short, why did we hesitate, and what must we repair?
So that we do not, as a people, fall short again.
