People were skeptical about the story.
Here is a link where you can watch Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, in a shiur at Machon Meir, talking about the recent story of Mamme Rachel in Gaza. He says he asked his father, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu, if the story is true and can be believed.
He says
his father responded, in these words precisely (I am translating into English), "I said to her - Rachel. There is a war. Do not stop yourself from crying. Go before Hashem and daven for the soldiers who are giving themselves up for the Jewish nation, that they should hit and not be hit."Watch the video clip, in Hebrew. The specific part of the clip begins at about 2:55 or so.
Rav Shmuel said to his father, "So you should know that she went there."
Rav Mordechai Eliyahu responded, "Did she say I sent her?"
When the soldiers who were there come forward and say "I was there and this is what happened", I will still remain skeptical but be prepared to believe that something happened. Until then it is still an unsubstantiated urban myth.
ReplyDeleteRafi - I was going to add it in the post, but decided it was not relevant to the specifics of the post so I left it out -
ReplyDeleteI know someone who got the phone number of one of the chayalim who saw her. It is a friend of this persons cousin, so he gave him his friends number. My friend called and asked about this story, and he confirmed it.
Rafi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for forwarding the link, however I don't think that your translation correctly portrays what Rav Eliayhu is saying.
The last line in your translatiuon is 'Did I say that I sent her?", but the smile hat the rav had and the laughter that followed implied (at least to me), that he is rejceting the story - I.e., Rav Mordechai was Davening to ask Rachel to intercede on our behalf, but couldn't send her physically to Gaza.
Michael - I just listeed to that part a dozen times, and it sounds to me like he says ,"he said to me, did she say I sent her". though it is hard to hear because he says that part extremely fast. I could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteI would take the laughter as astonishment.
I agree with Rafi G. No doubt he said "היא אמרה שאני שלחתי אותה".
ReplyDeleteThat is simply awesome.
ReplyDeletewhat matters is thousands of years later the power of the image of Rachel Imeinu crying for her children and refusing to be comforted
ReplyDeleteKT
Joel Rich (a confirmed rationalist and yet...)
I'm still skeptical
ReplyDeleteRafi - Please get the number of the chayal yourself and call him. See what his response is.
Whay has this not been presented in the news
I understand that's it hard to really believe this, considering how amazing it is. But I think that there is a possibility.
ReplyDeleteAnd none the less, our prayers surely made an impact on saving many lives
As I said, still skeptical. I now rank this with UFO and Elvis sightings. You tell me that your friend says he spoke to someone who told him that he saw Rachel Imeinu. Even if this soldier in fact confirmed the story as told (third and more hand) he may have seen something other than the significance being attached to the story.
ReplyDeleteDeeply cynical. 2 more probable explanations:
ReplyDelete- She's an intelligence soldier undercover in gaza. And what better cover than a black cloak - who looks at the women anyway? (Pity her poor mother if she knows what her daughter is doing, she must be so worried)
- We know that there are Jewish girls who end up married to Arabs, this could be one who has decided to help Israel.
But if you want to believe the nice story, don't let me stop you!
When ‘dayanim’, ‘rabbis’ and false ‘mekubalim’ use the Torah for their own power and commercial profit, this behaviour is utterly abhorrent.
ReplyDeleteNo other ‘rabbi’ will ever act against another ‘rabbi’ - even when he knows his colleague is clearly desecrating the Torah. Each rabbi is only worried about losing his own position.
Therefore, the ‘rabbi’, ‘dayyan’ or false ‘mekubal’ will never effect justice. And he will never truly stand for the Torah or the Honour of Hashem. His pocket will always prevail.
The Torah must never be used for commercial gain and profit. Am Yisrael can only be lead by those who have the necessary love and respect of Hashem and the Torah.
1. The ‘dayan’, ‘rabbi’ or false ‘mekubal’ may use lies. They turn the innocent into the guilty, and the guilty, become the innocent. They will not hesitate to tell lies in the Synagogue.
ReplyDelete2. The ‘dayan’, ‘rabbi’ or false ‘mekubal’ may knowingly and willingly, deliberately deceive a Jew or Jewess e.g. in the area of shidduchim; offering to perform a ‘pidyon nefesh’ etc. This abhorrent and deceptive behaviour has caused tremendous harm to people who are innocent and trusting.
3. The ‘dayan’, ‘rabbi’ or false ‘mekubal’ may steal. They steal and siphon off money for themselves, from the community and individuals.
4. The ‘dayan’, ‘rabbi’ or false ‘mekubal’ will not hesitate to use Lashon Hara - the ‘Evil Tongue’ - to suit his own ends. Slander and gossip. This is one of the worst acts of murder in Jewish Law. Their slander is never challenged by the community, because they hold positions of power. And the slander may begin with the Rebbetzin herself.
5. The ‘dayan’, ‘rabbi’ or false ‘mekubal’ may shame and humiliate a Jew in public, even repeatedly. This is one of the most vile acts of murder in Jewish law – and they know this.
6. The ‘dayanim’, ‘rabbis’ and false ‘mekubalim’ worship idols and other gods. Their only god is Money. Especially the ‘Dayyanim’ – the ‘Judges’ who sit on a Beit Din. They only care about their high incomes and retirement packages. They have little or no love for the Torah or Hashem.
In the case of Lubavitch/Chabad, all their rabbis are carrying out a form of Avodah Zarah – strange worship. They are using mediation and intercession. This is completely forbidden, and against the Torah. We are only allowed to pray to Hashem, directly ourselves.
7. When the NAME of Hashem has been taken in Vain – repeatedly - by reshaim, the ‘rabbi’ ‘dayan’ or false ‘mekubal’ will turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the
CHILLUL HASHEM.
This behaviour by so-called ‘leaders’, is utterly abhorrent.
This is an extremely severe and dangerous situation.
There is NO forgiveness for this evil sin and aveirah.
8. The ‘dayan’, ‘rabbi’ or false ‘mekubal’ may also offer large bribes, tell lies and bring False Witnesses – when he in fact has committed the crime. These are heinous acts of the most despicable kind. This is especially vile when the ‘dayan’ is sitting on a ‘Bet Din.’
9. The ‘rabbi’ may commit adultery. And when he gets divorced, he may spread slander about his own ex-wife, blackening her name – when in fact he was at fault.
10. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may also desecrate Shabbat – if it suits him. He will use physical violence to assault another Jew or Jewess at any time. This evil and venomous behaviour is 100% against the Torah.
A further word of advice regarding those who masquerade as a ‘dayan’ ‘rabbi’ or false ‘mekubal’:
ReplyDelete1. Do not ever ‘kiss the hands’ of these men (which they might offer to you in public).
2. And do not be duped into queuing and waiting, to see them for their ‘brachot’(‘blessings’). They peddle ‘brachot’ purely for their own selfish gratification and ‘kavod’ (‘honour’).
Their duplicitous behaviour is nothing short of deception and cunning. In short they are abhorant and causing so much harm to amm israel. They prey on the vulnerable, and those who are naïve, unsuspecting and trusting of these pedlars.
Any man who chooses to be a ‘rabbi’ (‘true teacher’ of Torah) or a ‘dayan’ (‘judge’), or a ‘mekubal’ (‘kabbalist’) should be doing so Voluntarily. Out of his pure love for Hashem and the Torah. And his Ahavat Yisrael.
ReplyDeleteIf he refuses to do community work voluntarily, and wants and accepts payment for everything he does, such a man should not be leading a community. He should get a job and earn a living. He can collect milk bottles or clean the windows. That is what is called ‘earning a living’.
Torah is learned, studied and taught: out of Love. Voluntarily. But the ‘rabbis’ have turned the Torah into their ‘Profession’, from which they earn money.
We are commanded in the Shema to:
‘LOVE Hashem, your G-d, WITH ALL YOUR HEART, and with all your soul and with all your might.’
‘VE’AHAVTA et Hashem Elokecha BECHOL LEVAVECHA uvechol nafshecha uvechol meodecha.’ (Devarim, Vaethanan, 6:4-5)
Is the ordinary man or woman PAID to pray to Hashem, or to say some words of Torah? No. Has veshalom! But the rabbis are. These men can give ‘lovely’ shiurim that they have rehearsed. But they would not give a shiur without being paid for it.
The true hachamim and rabbis of old, all actually worked at proper jobs and professions.
Wake up! Even a little child could have worked this out. These salaried men can never truly stand for the Torah, because in a case of conflict between a correct course of action according to the Torah, and the rabbi or rav’s pocket – his pocket and position will always prevail.
Pirkei Avot: (2:2)
“Raban Gamliel beno shel Rabi Yehuda HaNassi omer: yafeh talmud Torah im derech eretz, sheyegiat shenaihem mashkachat avon. Vechol Torah she’ein imah melacha sofa betailah ve’goreret avon. Vechol haoskim im hatzibbur yiheyu imahem leShem Shamayim……”
“Rabban Gamliel, the son of Rabi Yehuda HaNassi, said: It is good to combine Torah study with a worldly occupation, for working at them both drives sin from the mind. All Torah without an occupation will in the end fail and lead to sin. And let all who work for the community do so for the sake of Heaven………”