Jewish World Review
Her name is "Lulava"
Rabbi Shammai Parnes* is one of the principal Rabbis of
the Israeli army. He is a deeply religious man who descends
from a long line of Jerusalem families.
(* All names have been changed by personal request.)
http://www.jewishworldreview.com --
THIS story took place during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, when the
Israelis were caught by surprise and attacked by Arabs on all fronts.
One of the critical points of battle was near the Suez Canal For days
after Yom Kippur and throughout Succos, Reb Shammai and his
assistants traveled throughout the Sinai desert and southward
towards Suez, where they cautiously and caringly gathered the
bodies of those who had fallen in battle.
Throughout the days of Succos, Rabbi Shammai traveled in his jeep
taking with him his prayer book, Tehillim (Book of Psalms), tallis
(prayer shawl), lulav and esrog (which are used to celebrate the
festival of Succos). In every army camp where he stopped, soldiers
approached him, asking for permission to use his lulav (palm
branch) and esrog (citren).
Infantrymen who were otherwise irreligious would pick up his prayer book
and say, "Rabbi Shammai, let us pray from your siddur ... Rabbi
Shammai, let us say the Shema Yisroel. . . Rabbi Shammai, could we
say some Psalms?" He would help as many as he could and at times
he was detained from his work for more than an hour. Much to his
regret, though, he eventually had to say to the young men, "I can't
stay any longer. I've been summoned elsewhere."
On Hoshana Rabbah, the last day of Succos, Rabbi Shammai and
his assistants were near the Suez. It was late morning, and as he
drove towards a newly constructed army base in the wide open
desert, the thought occurred to him that because he had already
used his lulav and esrog for the last time this Yom Tov, he could
leave them in the army base.
Shortly after Reb Shammai's arrival at the base, a long line of
soldiers began to form, waiting to use his lulav and esrog. As a
crowd began to assemble, a young non-religious soldier, Arik
Shuali,* driving an ammunition truck, was making his way southward.
Looking through his powerful binoculars he noticed a large crowd of
fellow servicemen gathered in one area. Curious, he got out of his
truck and made his way on foot to where the soldiers had
assembled.
As he came closer, he asked someone, "What is all the commotion
about?" They explained to him that Rabbi Shammai had come, and
people were waiting for an opportunity to use his lulav and esrog.
Arik was not interested in waiting around. However, when one of his
friends mentioned that it was the last day to fulfill this mitzvah, religious duty, he
agreed to wait his turn.
Eventually Arik's turn arrived. Just as he received the lulav and
esrog, a bomb hit his truck. The vehicle exploded and set off multiple
explosions of the ammunition on board. The blasts were so intense
that a crater was formed in the ground where the truck had been
parked. When they later examined the spot where the truck had
been, the soldiers couldn't find even a shard of metal remaining from
the shattered vehicle.
Three months later, Rabbi Shammai read a short notice in the Israeli
army newspaper. It was an announcement stating that the wife of
serviceman Arik Shuali had given birth to a little girl. The
announcement included a statement by the new father. "I believe with
every fiber of my being, that I am alive today and that I merited to see
my new daughter only because of the mitzvah that I was doing at the
time my truck was bombed."
To remember G-d's goodness, he named his daughter
By Rabbi Paysach Krohn
Rabbi Paysach Krohn is a world famous inspirational lecturer and author of, among others, In the Footsteps of the Maggid, from where this story was adapted. Send your comments by clicking here.
