Stories Of Greatness

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.

May 22, 2017, was a day filled with history, as the first sitting American President stood by the Kosel HaMaaravi, the Western Wall, said a prayer, and placed a note inside. President Trump’s arrival at Ben Gurion Airport was a festive one. Smiles, speeches, and handshakes for all the Israeli dignitaries were followed by a helicopter ride into Jerusalem. The President made a few short stops before his entourage took him and the first family to the Kosel Plaza.

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.”

In the second half of the 19^th century, one of the leaders of Polish and Galician Jewry was the renowned poseik and rav, Rav Sholom Mordechai HaKohen Schwadron zt”l, known throughout the world as the Maharsham. He served as Chief Rabbi of Brezhan for over 30 years, and although he was called the “Brezhaner Rav,” he did serve in a number of communities before arriving in Brezhan.

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.

It is well-known the words of the Satmar Rebbe zt”l, who was once asked for a brachah and he replied, “Find a person who has numbers on his arm who is still frum – from such a tzadik you should ask for a brachah!” There are many such tzadikim who survived the Holocaust and the concentration camps, including Rav Avraham Yitzchak Sicherman zt”l, who served as the manhig ruchani (spiritual leader) in the Romanian town of Sesht (near Sighet) and was taken away to Munkatabor by the accursed Nazis. His miraculous tales of survival both during and after the war are truly inspiring.