Yanuka Reveals Mystical Encounter With Murdered Kabbalist

Thousands of mourners packed the streets of Netanya on Wednesday as the Yanuka, Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda Beeri, delivered a deeply personal eulogy for the murdered kabbalist Rabbi Amos Guetta, revealing for the first time a mystical encounter from two decades ago that left witnesses stunned.

The young Torah prodigy traveled to the coastal city to comfort the family and disciples of Rabbi Guetta, who was brutally murdered in circumstances that have shocked Israel's religious community. During the consolation gathering, the Yanuka shared an extraordinary account that illuminated the spiritual stature of the slain scholar.

"I am in tremendous pain," the Yanuka stated before the assembled crowd, which included family members, yeshiva students, and community leaders. He cited the Talmudic teaching in Tractate Rosh Hashanah comparing the loss of righteous individuals to the destruction of the Temple itself, then quoted the prophet Isaiah: "The righteous man perishes, and no one takes it to heart."

The Yanuka emphasized that Rabbi Guetta had devoted his entire being to the Jewish people through outreach work, prayer, and concern for every individual Jew. He then compared the murder to the biblical account of Zechariah, whose blood was spilled like water, declaring: "There is no greater and more terrible bloodshed than this; the heart cries out to the heavens."

In a rare moment of personal disclosure, the Yanuka revealed the circumstances of his first and only face-to-face meeting with Rabbi Guetta approximately twenty years ago, when he was just eighteen years old. Following a birthday celebration held in his honor in Netanya, the young scholar traveled alone to Rabbi Guetta's study hall near two o'clock in the morning to receive a blessing.

"I entered the empty beit midrash alone and saw an angel of God," the Yanuka recounted. He described finding Rabbi Guetta seated in the vacant synagogue, his head bowed low, appearing to be either asleep or immersed in higher spiritual realms. The Yanuka stood beside him in silence for approximately twenty minutes, praying quietly without disturbing him. He then kissed the rabbi's head and garments before departing without a word.

What happened next left a profound impression on the young scholar. The following day, Rabbi Guetta told those around him: "Tell the Yanuka that I know he stood beside me for twenty minutes and prayed... I know he was with me." The Yanuka noted that this incident demonstrated Rabbi Guetta's extraordinary spiritual perception and elevated consciousness.

The relationship between the two scholars continued for decades through correspondence and messages conveyed via students and close associates, the Yanuka revealed. He described maintaining contact with Rabbi Guetta through written exchanges and intermediaries over the years that followed that singular midnight encounter.

"Remember that he is alive and present, and he is with us. He has not abandoned us and he will not abandon us. His light is with us always."

The Yanuka concluded his remarks by urging the thousands of students, community members, and followers to preserve Rabbi Guetta's legacy of compassion, love for fellow Jews, and unprecedented dedication to bringing distant Jews closer to Torah observance. He offered warm blessings to Rabbi Guetta's son, Rabbi Moshe, and strengthened the widow and family members.

As the gathering concluded, massive crowds pressed forward seeking the Yanuka's blessing. He emphasized the rabbinic teaching that righteous individuals are called "living" even in death, declaring that Rabbi Guetta's spiritual influence would continue to guide the community.

The murder of Rabbi Amos Guetta has sent shockwaves through Israel's kabbalistic and Sephardic communities, where he was revered as a hidden tzaddik who dedicated his life to prayer, mystical study, and outreach to secular Jews. Authorities continue investigating the circumstances of his death.