“I kept shemittah,” Yehudah told his audience, “and who knows how many miracles I merited in Gaza because of it?”

Living Higher

R

abbi Avi Mammon, the dynamic rabbi of the Light of Israel congregation in Rochester, New York, recently led a group of mispallelim on a life-changing trip to Eretz Yisrael for a Yarchei Kallah organized by the Mir. There, they spent first seder learning and listening to shiurim from celebrated Mir maggidei shiur. They then met with numerous gedolim, who shared significant time and words of chizuk and brachah with this group of American tourists.

Having enjoyed the blessings of Torah, they then went to enjoy the blessings of the Land. Representatives of Keren Hashviis introduced the group to several heroic farmers of Eretz Yisrael who have committed to keeping shemittah. These farmers are heroes indeed, having taken on shemittah observance shortly after sustaining tremendous losses during Covid, and now enduring significant challenges from the war.

Nonetheless, the farmers cling to the Land promised to our forefathers and bequeathed to us — an eternal gift for an eternal people. The visitors from Rochester were duly inspired.

But one farmer named Yehudah shared a story that made a lasting impact.

Yehudah was committed to keeping shemittah — confident in the brachah that he would see in the coming years. But Yehudah interpreted the Torah’s brachah to refer not only to agricultural abundance but to life itself. Through keeping shemittah, Yehudah knew that his entire life would see blessing.

Some years passed. The war broke out, and Yehudah was called up to serve as the commander of a unit fighting in Gaza.

And then one day Yehudah’s unit heard the ominous whistle of a Hamas rocket and dove for cover. They waited to hear the expected explosion… but it didn’t come.

“Everyone run!” a soldier shouted.

“No!” Yehudah yelled. “Remain down!”

“We can’t,” the soldier screamed, “the rocket is right here!”

Yehudah turned frantically. The soldier was right. There it was, not 20 feet away. A deadly rocket that didn’t explode. At all.

“I kept shemittah,” Yehudah told his audience, “and who knows how many miracles I merited in Gaza because of it?”

Rabbi Mammon and his mispallelim returned to Rochester having learned so much Torah from so many leading gedolei Yisrael.

But they also have internalized a new appreciation for the mitzvah of shemittah, and for the emunah peshutah held by those who sacrifice for it.

A True Friend

“While I was putting together my speech, I was reflecting on what was my last graduation. And that was a quarter of a century ago — and I was graduating from Harvard University. But today I have been profoundly disappointed by Harvard’s inability to stand up for the Jewish community after October 7. And for me personally, I do not fundamentally believe that it’s right for me to wear this today.”

And with that, Senator John Fetterman (D–PA), delivering the commencement address at the Yeshiva University graduation, removed the crimson hood of his Harvard University graduation gown. Following the ceremony, staff and students joined together in a large circle, with Senator Fetterman hand-in-hand with Rav Hershel Schachter and YU president Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, for what was likely his first experience with traditional Jewish dancing. Basking in the joy of accomplishment, the students bade farewell to their alma mater, having learned the invaluable lesson of hakaras hatov for those who support Klal Yisrael during times of need.

Overheard

When the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, the Romans did not allow the Jews to live in Yerushalayim. Therefore, the Tannaim were forced to go north, and settled in the area of Meron, Tzfas, and Teveria.

However, the true home of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai, whom the Arizal reveals to be a gilgul of Moshe Rabbeinu, remains in Yerushalayim, the city of the Kodesh Hakodoshim.

As part of the pizmon universally sung on Lag B’omer, we recite the words “Bar Yochai, b’Kodesh Hakodoshim…” This phrase makes clear that the holy Tanna Rabi Shimon bar Yochai is spiritually rooted in the Kodesh Hakodoshim.

So long as Rabi Shimon was in Meron, he was exiled from Yerushalayim. For this reason, the words “Kefar Meron” (which is how it’s referred to in the Zohar) have the gematria “Yerushalayim.”

My son, Reb Avraham Yitzchak, remarked that this might be the depth as to why the usual pilgrimage to Meron did not happen this year. Rather, it was in Yerushalayim that the masses gathered to celebrate Rabi Shimon.

—Rav Moshe Wolfson, speaking at a l’chayim  held one week prior to Lag B’omer

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1014)