The Six-Day War was a defining moment for the State of Israel and the Jewish People. In six lightning days, Israel vanquished all her foes and saw her enemies flee before her. The stories of the many miracles that took place in those days are legion, and all have yet to be recorded in the annals of history. But for those who lived through that time, they will undoubtedly recall the anxiety and fear that gripped the nation and Jews all over the world.
For Israel, the waiting was excruciating and debilitating. Israel’s citizen army had to be mobilized. As its soldiers waited for the world to rescue the nation from its peril, Israeli society ground to a halt and its economy began bleeding to death. In the weeks before the war, there was a sense of doom. The national stadium was prepared for 40,000 graves, and even if they thought they would prevail, they were expecting it to be a costly victory. There was humor before the war, but it was very dark. “Would the last person to leave please turn out the lights” was the joke around town.
Conventional wisdom saw Israel’s defeat as a foregone conclusion. How could tiny Israel, overwhelmingly outnumbered and surrounded by enemies, prevail when no nation in the entire world was willing to help her? Once again, there was silence as the world readied itself for another Holocaust. But the Jewish People were not silent, and in a memorable moment of unity, they turned to Hashem in prayer and supplication. Jews who never went to a synagogue, even on the High Holy Days, came to pray, and this held true not only for Israelis but for Jews throughout the world. Yeshivos in America, Canada, and Europe held special study sessions as a z’chus for the safety of Eretz Yisroel, and countless prayer vigils were held by all types of Jews. In Israel itself, Chassidic Rebbes urged their followers to daven and give extra charity, and even R’ Shach zt”l gave a long derashah in the Ponovezh Yeshivah just prior to the Six-Day War, expressing the need to daven for the welfare of the soldiers who would be entering battle.
In the Gerrer Beis Medrash, a battle of a different sort was being waged—a successful battle which just might have turned the tide of victory. The Beis Yisroel, R’ Yisroel Alter zt”l, called in his trusted chasid, Reb Yosef Konsis, and showed him a small booklet entitled “Morah Mikdash” by R’ Yavee (R’ Yaakov Yosef of Ostraha zt”l). There, he writes that Hashem will defend His Nation against the Satan no matter what he tries to do to harm them. However, if the Satan accuses the Jewish People of a lack of respect for Houses of Prayer and Study, or that they continue to talk during davening when it is forbidden, Hashem cannot respond. Since we see that the other nations enter their places of worship and conduct themselves with proper decorum and reverence, whereas the Jewish People are not careful to refrain from idle chatter and disrespect, Hashem allows the Satan free rein to destroy and decimate the Jewish Nation.
The Gerrer Rebbe urged his chasid to begin a campaign against talking during davening and to publicize these words in an effort to defend Bnei Yisroel against an implacable enemy. The Beis Yisroel concluded with the following words: “We have a clear allusion to this in the posuk: ‘Hashem will fight for us and wipe out the evil designs of the Satan’ - but only if you will be silent in shul during davening! This is a guarantee we must exact!”
Reb Yosef took the Rebbe’s message to the people and began a campaign which not only consisted of Gerrer Chassidim but of all types of Yerushalmi Jews. For the weeks and days leading up to the war, countless individuals and entire synagogues became extra vigilant during davening. Programs were instituted, and talking during davening became almost non-existent for a short—but effective—period of time. And lo and behold, not only did the nation survive, it became the recipient of the greatest Kiddush Hashem in modern history! The IDF may have their guns and planes, but Klal Yisroel has the ability to access a Divine power which will fight their battles—and will never lose!
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.