During a special Shabbat gathering at the home of Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto in Ashdod, the news broke about the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Rabbi Pinto and his followers expressed joy over the news and thanked God for the victory. That same Shabbat, an extraordinary story unfolded, which quickly became the talk of the town.One of the participants, Nir Baruch, a resident of Ashdod, approached Rabbi Pinto during the Shabbat meal to ask for a blessing. Nir was scheduled to appear in court the following day, facing a tough judge and fearing the prosecutor's demand for extending his house arrest, with a potential request to keep him detained until the end of legal proceedings. Nir, who was eager to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, was desperate for a positive outcome.Rabbi Pinto, in an unexpected response, told Nir: "Thanks to Nasrallah, you will see salvation." Confused by the rabbi's cryptic words, Nir struggled to understand the connection between Nasrallah’s assassination and his legal case. The rabbi, however, assured him that everything would work out.
"I left feeling sad. I couldn’t comprehend Rabbi Pinto’s blessing. He even added jokingly, 'Nasrallah has many merits... because of him, you will see salvation in your case.' I turned to one of the rabbis from Shuva Yisrael for clarification, but he simply responded: 'Rabbi Pinto does not speak lightly. His words carry great holiness,'" Nir recounted.The following day, Nir arrived at the courtroom, only to be astonished by the unexpectedly calm atmosphere. His lawyer was smiling, and the judge—known for his stern demeanor—surprised everyone by opening with the statement: "This morning, we have good news for the people of Israel—Nasrallah has been eliminated by the IDF, and I am in a good mood."Not only did the judge cancel Nir’s house arrest, but his overall attitude toward the legal proceedings had shifted positively. Nir, who had been extremely anxious before the trial, found immense relief as the restrictions were lifted. This turn of events was particularly significant because it enabled Nir to fulfill his wish to travel to Uman for Rosh Hashanah, joining Rabbi Pinto and his followers.While in Uman, Nir made a point to meet Rabbi Pinto again and shared how everything had unfolded exactly as the rabbi had predicted. Rabbi Pinto smiled and remarked, "Thanks to Nasrallah," leaving Nir with a deeper understanding of the rabbi’s mysterious words from Shabbat.This remarkable story has since spread throughout Ashdod and beyond, becoming a major topic among Rabbi Pinto's followers at Shuva Yisrael. Nir summed up the experience by saying, "There is a clear message here: a blessing from a righteous man never returns empty, even if it isn’t immediately understood."In a video that circulated on social media, Rabbi Pinto was recorded during a lesson in the town of Achisamach, where he told his students that within two days, Nasrallah would die. Remarkably, two days later, it happened.This article was written in cooperation with Shuva Israel