World War I broke out on Tish’ah B’Av 5674 (1914) and lasted until 7 Kislev 5679 (November 11, 1918). The “Great War,” as it was known, pitted the armies of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire (the Central Powers) against Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, and Japan (the Allied Powers). The Allies were joined after 1917 by the United States. The four years of the Great War saw unprecedented levels of carnage and destruction, thanks to grueling trench warfare and the introduction of modern weaponry such as machine guns, tanks, and chemical weapons. By the time World War I ended in the defeat of the Central Powers in November 1918, more than nine million soldiers had been killed and 21 million more civilians wounded.
During the Ten Days of Repentance of 5674, the advancing German army drew close to the Polish town of Radin, home of Rav Yisrael Meir HaKohen Kagan zt”l, the Chofetz Chaim, and confusion reigned. No one wished to remain in the battle zone or anywhere near the war front. The civilian population knew that their food and other vital supplies would be commandeered by one side or the other. No one could know in whose favor the fighting would go, and being at the mercy of an enemy army was an unpleasant prospect, to say the least.
On the other hand, for hundreds of yeshivah students to suddenly take flight was itself fraught with danger. Non-military transportation was in turmoil, and military forces were everywhere. Roads were clogged, and passenger trains were almost non-existent. No one could know in which direction safety lay or where a Jewish community capable of harboring a large group of bachurim might be found. Shortages of vital commodities such as food and clothing existed everywhere, and no community would be able to accommodate a sudden mass influx of Torah students. The responsibility weighed heavily on the shoulders of the roshei yeshivah, and the fate of hundreds of students rested in their hands.
As the front drew nearer and the critical time drew close, a clear directive was imperative, yet no decision had been made. Finally, a delegation of students went to the Rosh Yeshivah, Rav Tzvi Hirsch Levinson zt”l, the esteemed son-in-law of the Chofetz Chaim, to ask what they should do and where they should go, but he was at a loss as to how to answer them. He went to confer with his father-in-law, the Chofetz Chaim. He explained the entire situation in great detail, and the Chofetz Chaim listened intently. But he, too, said that he was unsure what the correct plan of action should be.
The next morning, Rav Tzvi Hirsch decided that the time had come for him to cast a Goral HaGra (a technique of seemingly random page-turning in a Tanach done after proper spiritual preparation. The pasuk that comes up gives the answer to a person’s question) to determine the proper course of action. Normally, the commandment “Tamim tihyeh – You shall be complete with Hashem, your G-d” (D’varim 18:13) prohibits attempts to foretell the future, but in a situation where the correct course of action is totally unclear and so much is at stake, there was little other choice.
The goral was cast, and it came out on the pasuk, “For with my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps.” This seemed a clear indication that the yeshivah should split in two. Just then, the Chofetz Chaim entered Rav Tzvi Hirsch’s home and announced that he had come to a decision as to what should be done. He had prayed with intense concentration, and the following pasuk from the Torah had come to him: “For with my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps!” The yeshivah must split into two groups and flee, intoned the Chofetz Chaim.
Amazed, Rav Tzvi Hirsch informed the Chofetz Chaim that he had just performed a Goral HaGra, and the result had been the exact same pasuk from the Torah. The Chofetz Chaim was heartened when he heard this and declared, “If so, then it is very good!” Nevertheless, since the stakes were so high and the situation was so dangerous, Rav Tzvi Hirsch suggested that the Goral HaGra be performed again, by the Chofetz Chaim himself. But the Chofetz Chaim demurred, telling them, “Ich vil nit matriach zayn der Eibershter tzvei mol (I don’t want to trouble the Almighty a second time).”
Rabbi Dovid Hoffman is the author of the popular “Torah Tavlin” book series, filled with stories, wit and hundreds of divrei Torah, including the brand new “Torah Tavlin Yamim Noraim” in stores everywhere. You’ll love this popular series. Also look for his book, “Heroes of Spirit,” containing one hundred fascinating stories on the Holocaust. They are fantastic gifts, available in all Judaica bookstores and online at http://israelbookshoppublications.com . To receive Rabbi Hoffman’s weekly “Torah Tavlin” sheet on the parsha, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
