Jerusalem – Former Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, recovering from a life-threatening disease, prayed several times at Rachel’s Tomb before the recent war in Gaza. Informed that an “old woman” saved IDF soldiers’ lives in Gaza, he said, “Did she mention that I sent her?”
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The story was first told by Rabbi Lazer Brody, a rabbi in Ashdod who “devotes his time to spreading faith around the globe via Breslov Israel and the Emuna Outreach organization” that he founded. Rabbi Brody told IsraelNationalNews that he receives many phone calls in the framework of his work – including a particularly noteworthy one about two weeks ago. “The caller, an Israeli man, was clearly knowledgeable about how IDF infantry troops operate,” the rabbi and former IDF special-unit veteran said, “and this is what he told me:”
‘My son is in the Givati Brigade, and his unit’s job is to clean out areas around Gaza City. Outside one house, a woman dressed in black appeared and started yelling at them in Arabic, ‘Ruchu min hon – Get out of here! It’s dangerous!’ The troops thought she might be trying to protect her family, but they didn’t want to take chances; the company commander called the regiment commander, and they went on to their next target. There, too, the same woman appeared and gave the same warning. The soldiers thought she probably came somehow through the tunnel network that Hamas had set up between houses, and one of the soldiers even yelled at her… Then they went to a third house – and the same woman appeared again. This time, all the soldiers froze.
‘The soldiers then hooked up with a Golani Engineering force whose job it was to blow up houses that were found to be booby-trapped. My son’s unit asked them to check these three houses – and they found that all three of the houses that the woman had warned them away from had been booby-trapped.”
The story did not receive high-level confirmation, though it made the ranks of the rumor mills – and many dismissed it as just that. Then, on Monday night of this week, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat and son of former Chief Rabbi of Israel Mordechai Eliyahu, was teaching students in Machon Meir in Jerusalem about the sublime level of soldiers fighting on behalf of Israel.
Click below to hear Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu telling the story in Hebrew
In this connection, he said:
“There are soldiers who have been telling that in some places where they went in, there was a woman who told them not to enter certain buildings because they were booby-trapped, and that she said her name was Rachel… I asked a certain Yeshiva dean about this story, and he told me that it wasn’t a ‘story,’ but that he actually knew one of the soldiers involved, and he told me his name.
“Then the Yeshiva dean asked me if it was in any way connected with the fact that my father, Rabbi Eliyahu, had left the hospital before the war and went to pray not once, not twice, but three times at Rachel’s Tomb, and went nowhere else to pray? I told him I didn’t know, but that I would ask.
“In truth, I was a little bit afraid to ask him, because he usually dismisses these kinds of stories… But I decided to go, and I asked him, ‘Do you remember that you told us one time about Rabbi Shalom Mutzafi, of blessed memory, during World War II, when the Germans seemed about to enter the Holy Land, and he prayed at Kever Rachel against the decree, and he said that he actually saw Rachel praying. [My father] said yes, he remembers.
“So I told him about this story that I had heard, and I asked him, ‘Should we believe it? Is it truth?’ And he said, ‘Yes, it’s true.’ I asked him to explain, and he said – in these words: ‘I told her: Rachel, a war is on! Don’t withhold your voice from crying [based on Jeremiah 31,14-16]! Go before G-d, and pray for the soldiers, who are sacrificing themselves for the Nation of Israel, that they should strike – and not be stricken.’
“I told him, “Well, you should know that she really did that.” So he asked, “Did she mention that I sent her?”
“Everyone should then make his own calculation,” Rabbi Eliyahu the son then continued. “If this is the great level of the soldiers, and if this is the great power of prayer, then how can anyone say anything against them?…”
I love the solders and all but this story isn’t fit to be posted.
What are the soldier names? This will give it more creditability
The rav at my husbands shuld told this story the shabbos before last.
I heard this story again last week…and then reiterated by an editor at Hamodia. I asked if Hamodia would post it, and was told no.
So, I am pleased to see it documented here.
thank you
Wow what a story. Def should be mentioned and spread to the world
…………………..bull……….
Well who knows. Why didn’t they take a picture?
Assuming, of course, that the story is true, why would the Mameh Ruchel appear as an old woman, inasmuch as she died young ??
In Hashem’s world all is possible.But, before i would beleive something like this I would need proof.
I’m sure it’s a zionist conspiracy, right??
Very interesting story, it had me captivated.
Bull or not, if anyone needs a miracle or story like this to know that without Hashem the war would not have been a success then you have a ton of Emunah and Bitachon to work on.
Typical disney book , who ever think this one is real , needs lots of help ,
why didnt we hear about this story till today. something smells fishy!
Where does it say an older woman???? Just a woman in black
Please — if you believe this, I’ve got a talking fish from Monsey I can sell you. This makes frumkeit seem so childish. Why can’t we just accept that an old Arab woman tipped them off -whether because she didn’t want her home caught in a crossfire or blown up in an exchange of mortars or because she was just someone who had compassion on some young Israeli soldiers. If Mamma Rachel is in the business of intervening in human affairs to save Jewish lives, I can think of several million cases down throught the ages where she failed to show up.
We believe the miracles in the Torah without a doubt. We believe the letters for Baruch Sheamar flew down from heaven…. but this oh no way we cant believe this.
You are all hilarious……
So, where are the eyewitnesses?
Why aren’t they appearing on video and on TV to tell the story?
There were so many miracles in this war, it’s a shame that someone has to spread a story that sounds so inauthentic.
gezunta shtism!!!
idiotic childish stories like this gives frum people a bad name
why couldn’t this story happen? have we become so used to golus that we forget G-D makes miracles?
oh come on don’t you know? she died a few thousand years ago? of course she got a little older since then?
Christians pray to Mary; Jews pray to Rachel???
Does anybody remember the Rambam’s 13 ikkarim, the one about praying to Hashem only, not to intermediaries?
why did she speak arabic ?
This stuff is such garbage. last week stories about not going to Manhattan turned out to be flat out false.
A few years ago only idiots believed that there was a fish that was talking to people but not just people but some goy who worked in a jewish fish store!
Now we have mama rochel in this story as an old lady and then the one who supposedly davened for this miracle to happen to the soldiers is so humble and has the nerve to ask :“Did she mention that I sent her?”
This is stupidity in it’s highest form.
I do not know what is more stupid the story or Obama becoming the 44th president today.
Sorry, I do believe many of the Rebbishe stories, and have witnessed a few myself. But this story rates a “2” on my 1 to 100 credibility scale.
1. It just does not ring true.
2. Why and OLD woman?
3. Why in Arabic?
4. It just does not sound true.
5. I just do not believe it.
Is it heart warming? YES
Is it motivating? YES
Does it tug on emotions? YES
Is it true? NO …. sorry
What a lovely fairy tale
I believe!
Blessed is Hashem, Master of All!
Thank you, Ima Rachel!
This doesn’t even rise to the level of a Bubba Meisa…its an insult to brave soldiers of the IDF who are the best trained in the world and don’t need some mythical figure who sounds more like the owner of a felalfel stand in Bnai Brak
I don’t understand how someone can say they believe in miracles but can’t believe this story. a miracle is a supernatural event. if you believe in miracles you must at least believe that this story COULD have happened.
secondly- R’ Lazer Brody, R’ Eliyahu Sr, & R’ Eliyahu Jr are all credible g-d fearing people. if they in fact put their name behind this story- I would be tempted to believe it.
The reason she spoke arabic and was an old women….to diminish the “open miracle” so that people without emuna could easily say that they are certain it never happened!
One Reason Kvod Harov Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita asked if “Did she mention that I sent her?” could because he wanted to know for himself if this is at all connected or not. Miraculous would have been if she did say he sent her. Otherwise, Its just a nice story. and B”H it happened anyway. Miracle in its own right that a Civilian helped save some soldiers from a bad situation. Hodu L’Hashem Ki Tov..
why dint they detain her for questioning?
but whether its true or not it definitely is a good story
What difference does it make if it happened or not? The main thing we need to believe is that it could have and could happen (hashem can do anything). It doesn’t make any difference and it doesn’t change anything. So all of you stop whyning about this.
Having all these heilege rabbonim call it a “miracle” doesn’t make it any less of a bubba meisa….if your going to spread a “miracle rumor” then at least make it sound credible, not this kind of nareshkite…..it sounds like the kind of story that is sent along with the pushke I get every few months from the Yeshiva of Rav Meir bal hanes…
This is so not true its scary how you could believe it without proof
If I would be in this place and be afraid to go in. I would also tell a story
Like the Dibuk story B4 elections to get votes for shas.
All rabonim were asked their take, those who claimed fake, were chalenged that being Indian Jews who lived between Idol worshipers how would they make up a majic story, but when the money didn’t come, all the matirim of the so called dibuk turned colors.
Not that these stories haven’t or couldn’t happen, but to put Rochel Imeinu to it, is just you know what, who would not melt from seeing her? & would she not be able to blow up the houses without help of the army if she already came,? Many more questions could be asked.
Some of Eastern Jewery also believes in fairy tails as part of emuna peshuta, see the maaseh nisim about Baba sali, for that matter shlomo Carlibach could have made up a story like this too.
I am sorry I don’t buy it, and I don’t think it should be told about Rochel Imeinu, Please!!
WOW! Of course. if you believe any miracle, why not this one?
To all you believers, listen up! the miracle is that you believe this crap.
Next we’re going to hear that the soldiers were scared and called Kupat Hair to pledge tzedakah and lo and behold, Mama Rochel saved them!
they shoulive kidnapped her and questin her
Did she tell them to say ten times every day Ma Mam Mama Mama Rochel MeBais Lechem?
it’s amazing that kever rochel was closed for ten days during the war. (she wasn’t home)
Why are all of you so disturbed if it is true or not. why do some people get so hysterical?? It is true it is not true… I dont see any reason to get heated up. Emes or not, I am more interested why some people are so annoyed by this story. What does it take to believe. What will they need to give up if they do believe?? and you know all I can say is who knows, not me and definitely not all these people who so certainly get hyped up.
Many many many questions. One that hasn’t been asked- Who in this Dor is on the Madrega to “send” Mama Rachel anywhere? Who if he is on the Madrega goes and publicly takes credit for it. There are so many other nissim that we could have used so many times we could have used Mama Rachel. Why these soldiers. Why not Mumbai or the 1000,s of other examples through the years. Please Im getting nauseous….This is not even worthy of being called a shtus or a sheker it is lunacy.
I live in Beer Sheva. Last Friday night in shul instead of a drosha I had to listen to a Gaza Golani story with Chabad overtones. Now I see this Gaza Givati AND Golani story with Breslav overtones. I am sure this is what I will hear in shul this coming Shabat instead of a drosha, embellished of course. And the following shabat I assume there will be a Gaza story that combines Golani, Givati and the Tzanchanim. I wonder who will be the sponsoring chasidut.
oh come on don’t you know? she died a few thousand years ago? of course she got a little older since then?
Question: I have never heard a story of Eliyahu, or any of our Great Heroes of past; ever saying their name. We assume it must have been Eliyahu, maybe Rochel Imaynu. But when would they hhave the ego to say their name?
Just doesn’t make sense.
Could there have been a woman in black? Why not …. Hashem does many miracles in many ways. But would a Navi say their name? I doubt it!
Why couldn’t she stop the rockets or wipe out Hammas for the same price?