Inspirational Interview with Footballer Yarin Hassan: "My Life Revolves Around the Torah"

"The crowd is excited, and my teammates, the players alongside me, praise me when I wear a shirt with the inscription: 'Hashem is One and His name is One,'" shares Hapoel Petah Tikva player Yarin Hassan, who plays as a defender. "It's empowering. It's an immense privilege since there are children and youth in the stands. If even one of them is inspired and mainly receives the message that success is thanks to Hashem - for me, that's worth everything."

In about three months, Yarin will stand under the chuppah and marry his chosen one. "I admit I'm very excited about the wedding," he says in an interview with Hidabroot. Yarin was born 25 years ago in Netanya, the city in the Sharon region where he grew up and was educated. He began his football career in the youth division of Maccabi Netanya, making his debut in 2012 with the senior team in a 3-2 victory against Maccabi Haifa. He later became the team captain. For the past two and a half years, he has been playing for Hapoel Petah Tikva, a team in the National League.

As part of his spiritual journey, Yarin recently met with the prominent Torah scholar, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky. "I started playing football at the age of 7 and a half," he says, "My dream was to reach Maccabi Netanya, and indeed, over time, I played in the senior team. Hashem helped me succeed. Now, my great dream is to play for the Israeli national team and abroad, and to sanctify Hashem's name publicly - wherever I travel."

Yarin grew up in a traditional home: "I come from a family that observes Shabbat and was educated with the values of the Torah. The home wasn't strictly Orthodox, but certainly, we kept Shabbat - Mom lit candles and we held kiddush. We love the Torah very much. The spiritual strengthening process unfolded over the last few years and started gradually from childhood. At home, they didn't force me to keep Shabbat; I had the choice. At the age of 15, I began leaning towards observing Shabbat. It was challenging to combine Shabbat observance with football games, but I found ways. For example, sleeping over with relatives to avoid desecrating Shabbat and taking further steps in my spiritual journey. From the age of 18, when I became independent, I took my spiritual journey a step further, and today, I don't compromise on Shabbat under any circumstances."

Observing Shabbat, Praying, and Setting Times for Torah

Yarin's spiritual journey includes additional steps: "I put on tefillin every morning, pray three times a day, and attend Rabbi Yigal Cohen's Torah classes, who is credited with my spiritual journey. Rabbi Yigal is my pillar of support, and I use him for guidance whenever needed. He has strengthened me over the last four years. I am very close to him and consult with him on whatever is necessary. Occasionally, I have questions about Shabbat, and I turn to him. Besides, I listen to his lectures and learn a lot from him. My entire progression and complete Shabbat observance is thanks to him."

How do you manage to combine Shabbat observance with your games?

"Since I observe Shabbat, if there's a concern that games might extend into Shabbat, and we might need to travel, I and three other Shabbat-observant players go to a hotel closest to the stadium, so we don't need to travel, but can walk to the field. We manage."

Do you receive support from the team?

"Of course, the coach understands us very well. Because there are four Shabbat-observing players, there are no practices on Shabbat. At the beginning of the season, we asked the coach to avoid holding practices on Shabbat, and he understood us, so when necessary, practices take place on Motzei Shabbat. Besides that, in games, I wear a shirt with the inscription 'Hashem is One and His name is One.' Ever since I've been at Hapoel Petah Tikva, I consistently wear the shirt in every game, not during practices. Before I go out to play, I pray to score goals, and I can tell you that since wearing the shirt and praying before the game, my goal tally has doubled compared to before."

How do people react to your shirt?

"The crowd is enthusiastic, and my teammates, the players beside me, also commend me. It strengthens me. It's a great privilege since there are children and youth in the stands. If even one of them strengthens his faith, and mainly receives the message that success comes thanks to Hashem - for me, that's worth everything."

Have you ever felt embarrassed to say you're getting closer to your faith?

"I was once in trials for a team abroad, in Hungary, and was asked to meet with coaches and an agent in a non-kosher restaurant serving prohibited foods. I asked not to meet in a restaurant and that the meeting take place in a kosher one, and that's what happened. I admit that on the one hand, I was hesitant whether to get involved, go to the restaurant but not eat with them, but I decided not to compromise and say that I will not sit in a non-kosher place. I didn't think twice; I went with Hashem. It is very important to me to sanctify Hashem's name. In every place and time I can, I strive to sanctify Hashem's name. I pray that Hashem helps me with this. I have a platform; I play in front of an audience that watches me - I can use this platform to sanctify Hashem's name, and it can benefit others - I am blessed."

Recently, Yarin met with the revered Torah scholar, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, facilitated by Shimon Brady, who is close to the great rabbis of Israel. Yarin: "Shimon helped me get a meeting with Rabbi Kanievsky, just as he helps many others. The encounter with Rabbi Kanievsky was very moving. I felt humble beside him; I accepted everything he said. When he blessed me, I felt in spiritual elation - it was a great moment."

Do you wear a kippah?

"I wear a kippah, though not all day, but at home and around my living area, with family - I'm with a kippah. I hope to continue and strengthen this in more places."

Yarin speaks humbly, without airs, at eye level. "It's a work in progress," he admits, "I strive in this matter, I'm working on it. I take lessons on humility and strive with all my might to act with humility. What helps me understand how important it is to maintain humility is knowing that success comes from Hashem. There were periods in football when I was down, things didn't go well for me, and there were times when I was on top - everything succeeded. I didn't understand how it happens? After all, I did the same things in both situations, but in one I succeeded and in the other, I didn't. I realized there's a guiding hand, so I attribute success to Hashem."

Yarin consistently learns Torah every day. "I indeed set times for Torah. I meet with Rabbi Yigal Cohen regularly, once or twice a month, and attend his lectures. Additionally, I go to lectures near my home. Every day after I pray Mincha and Maariv, I stay for a lesson."

According to him, he aspires to advance in mitzvot observance, "Sanctifying Hashem's name and observing Shabbat," he says, "My daily life revolves around the Torah, maybe the external change will also happen one of these days. Based on my experience, I say that if you want something - anything is possible, if there's a will, you can observe Shabbat. One of the efforts I made to observe Shabbat is renting an apartment near the training field, so if there's a game before Shabbat, the apartment is within walking distance from the stadium. I look forward to Shabbat; I enjoy this day. It's a day dedicated to family, allowing you to disconnect from daily matters, go to synagogue, and pray. You feel close to Hashem. The most enjoyable day of the week."

What mitzvah are you most connected to?

"Putting on tefillin. Since my bar mitzvah, I strive to put on tefillin every day. Even when I fly abroad, I come with a small bag that contains the tefillin; it's actually the first thing I take with me."

"I have known the player Yarin Hassan for about two years," says Shimon Brady, a public relations person close to the great rabbis of Israel. "Every time anew, I am impressed by his humility. It's not easy coming from a status of a well-known football player and standing proud with a shirt carrying a message that sanctifies Hashem's name in public, especially when the common opinion about the religious-hareidi public is influenced by negative stereotypes. Yarin does a sanctification of Hashem's name and shows the beauty in humility - being successful and remembering that everything is under divine supervision." Shimon, a hareidi living in Bnei Brak, interacts with different communities, including those distant from Torah and mitzvot observance seeking to strengthen their connection. "Quite a few secular individuals seek to draw closer to Hashem," he explains, "There are young men in their 20s and even older who seek closeness to Hashem. Sometimes, from an external perspective, you can't see they're religious because not always is there a kippah on their head. In my experience, I always say you should never underestimate anyone, certainly not judge him. Every person comes from a different background, and who knows, maybe if they had grown up in a hareidi environment like mine, absorbing Torah and fear of heaven from childhood - they would be in a completely different place today. Hashem's ways are hidden, but one important thing I want to say – especially in a time when the community observing Torah and mitzvot is attacked and sometimes vilified we show that it's possible to live differently. The reality on the ground shows there is no place for brotherly hatred; on the contrary. Therefore, no matter which sector you belong to, we are all Jews. When a person sees the Jewish point in his friend - he judges him favorably."