Stories Of Greatness

The Aruch HaShulchan writes that when one recites Birkas HaMazon after a meal, he should wear a head covering that covers most of his head (Magen Avraham) like a hat. He quotes from other sources that one should wear a “beged elyon” (outer garment) although he says that he is unsure of the source of this minhag.

The history of the “Jewish Guard” began almost immediately with the arrival of the disciples of the Vilna Gaon zt”l and the Baal Shem Tov zt”l to Eretz Yisrael, more than 200 years ago. When it became apparent that the Turkish authorities were either unable or unwilling to deal with Arab marauders, these early settlers realized that an armed Jewish defense force was needed to prevent the fledgling Jewish settlement from becoming fair game to the roving bands of Arab Bedouins who plagued the region.

Wednesday, 28 Iyar – June 8, 1967 – was the third day of the Six-Day War, and it was the first time that residents of Jerusalem felt that the Yad Hashem was guiding the Jewish Nation to victory. Many people ventured outside and saw jeeps filled with smiling soldiers traveling toward Har HaTzofim (Mt. Scopus). The peak of joy came at dusk, when the news came that the Kosel HaMaaravi, the Western Wall, had been liberated. People poured out of their shelters. The streets teemed with celebrating and emotion-laden people. The first ones to merit reaching the Kosel brought back small stones, which were passed from hand to hand. Their joy was indescribable: What a miracle Hashem had wrought for His beloved people.

The episode of the five daughters of Tz’lafchad is mentioned two times in the Torah: in Parshas Pinchas and in Parshas Mas’ei. (Tz’lafchad himself is also referenced in Parshas Sh’lach as the m’kosheish eitzim.) A basic principle in the Torah is: “Biglal nashim tzidkaniyos nig’alu avoseinu miMitzrayim – Because of righteous women were our forefathers redeemed from Egypt.”

A short time ago, a well-respected individual from London flew to Eretz Yisrael and called Rav Eliyahu Mann shlita, one of the prime disciples and attendants of Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l. He had a very important sh’eilah to ask – actually, it was a request from his mother back in England – and he did not feel up to the task of personally approaching the tzadik.

A young mother once came to the Belzer Rebbe, Rav Yissachar Dov Rokeach zt”l, and tearfully told him about the problem with her sweet young son who stood beside her: He was mute, completely unable to speak. She asked for a blessing, and the Rebbe blessed the boy that Hashem should help his condition to improve.