Einat Amar: "I Felt Hashem Hugging Me Tightly, Not Letting Go"

A few weeks ago, an unusual request was published on the Hidabroot website: "Please pray for the recovery of Einat bat Smadar, the wife of Rabbi Shai Amar, who is in critical condition." Today, after Einat Amar has been released home, healthy and well, the couple shares with us the difficult experience they went through and the miracles they witnessed.

The severe situation that Einat Amar found herself in was completely unexpected. "My wife was in an advanced stage of pregnancy when we found out that the baby had died in the womb," Rabbi Shai Amar tells us. "We were told she would need a D&C. Seemingly, a simple procedure. We arrived at the hospital, she was anesthetized and underwent the procedure, woke up and recovered nicely. We were on the brink of discharge when suddenly the surgeon ran towards me and said they discovered through blood tests that Einat's system had collapsed. Within five minutes, we found ourselves in a room full of doctors. My wife's hemoglobin level dropped to 4, and they started administering blood product transfusions to her — 32 in total. This is an enormous amount that even a car accident victim would not receive."

Einat Amar: "The procedure went without any special problems, I ate and drank, and I knew I would soon be discharged. Suddenly, several nurses came and asked me if I felt okay. I told them I felt a little weak. They said that the tests weren’t normal and I would remain for observation. To their credit, they didn't let me see their genuine hysteria — they projected calmness, and only after I was out of danger did they tell me what the real situation was."

Rabbi Shai Amar

Rabbi Shai Amar: "They told me her condition was critical. I was in a state of uncertainty. The doctors were very tense and confused. Everything they tried to help actually worsened the situation. With every blood transfusion, her condition only deteriorated. It became apparent they didn't know what to do. What was left for me to do? Only pray. Rabbi Zamir Cohen was in France and was updated through one of Hidabroot's people, and within minutes everyone received emails and began to pray. That day, Wednesday, a large women's gathering was held in Yad Eliyahu, and they also spoke of our story and prayed for Einat there. Rabbi Zamir Cohen held prayers for her in Paris. I also began receiving calls from rabbis blessing us."

According to Rabbi Amar, one could see a direct connection between the prayers and his wife's condition. "When everyone began praying in the afternoon — there was stabilization. At night, when naturally there were fewer prayers, a severe deterioration occurred. On Thursday morning, when prayers resumed, the situation improved."

"The first night I was in a very dire situation," says Einat Amar. "The doctors didn't know if I would survive. In those moments, I felt an enormous closeness to Hashem — I simply felt Him hugging me and not letting go for a second. May no one go through what I went through, but I can say that in such a situation one feels true protection. I talked to Hashem endlessly, even when I was semi-conscious, even when they were poking me again to find a vein, I never stopped asking. I truly felt like my Father was beside me, wanting the best for me."

Einat attributes part of the miracle's merit to the prayers she offered before the procedure. "Before I was anesthetized, I had a great, inexplicable fear. I once went through a D&C before and wasn't this afraid. This time, no matter how they tried to calm me down, I wasn't. I kept praying and saying to Hashem: I want to live, to return home, to allow my husband to continue to benefit the many. In retrospect, I understood that the feeling of fear was from Heaven, so I would pray and ask for myself. The prayer of the sick on their behalf is indeed more powerful than any. She also adds that upon entering the hospital, she resolved to accept with joy whatever would come and thank Hashem for all His kindnesses. "I told myself: say thank you for everything and you will recover faster. Throughout the process, I tried to smile and find the good. Even when my condition was bad and they woke me up in the middle of the night for more tests — I always smiled and thanked the medical staff.

Rabbanit Eliahu Bakshi Doron arrives at the hospital entrance

"When the doctor told me I was being discharged, I shouted: 'Bless Hashem!' I felt it was only Hashem and no one else. The nurses couldn't believe it. One of them said to me: 'You see, the pills we gave you are working.' I told her: 'No! It's only Hashem! Because all the medical efforts we tried didn’t work. So what happened? Hashem decided to sort everything out in one moment, and that's it.' And she agreed with me."

Rabbi Shai Amar: "We received a lot of phone calls from rabbis who blessed and strengthened us on the day of discharge. The former Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Bakshi Doron even came especially to our home, an hour away from his house, to carry out the mitzvah of visiting the sick.

"I want to especially thank the Hidabroot team and the channel viewers and site readers for all the support, interest, and prayers I received. In every lecture I’ve delivered since, I've received many caring and concerned responses about my wife."

Two thanksgiving meals have already been held to commemorate the miracle that happened to Rabbi Amar and his wife. "On the Tuesday after the discharge, we held a thanksgiving meal for scholars here in Modiin Illit. In addition, there are secular artists to whom I occasionally give lessons — among them Nissim Garama, Yossi Gispan, and others. They initiated a thanksgiving meal last week too. There were 40 people there, and it was a huge sanctification of Hashem's name."

Einat Amar: "When I was hospitalized, I resolved that as soon as I was discharged, I would say 'Nishmat Kol Chai'. In the first week after the discharge, I felt the need to say 'Nishmat' all the time — to thank for being alive, for still being here. When I'm stronger, of course, I will also go to the synagogue to bless 'Gomel'."