Cookies and a Miracle: How One Mitzvah Saved His Life

Rabbi Moshe Shubaks was known as a man completely devoted to Torah learning. During Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, he served as the head of the Belz Yeshiva in Jerusalem. Even in those difficult times, when the city was under constant attack and people barely left their homes, Rabbi Moshe never skipped one important daily mission: visiting his elderly mother.

Come rain or shine, in peace or during wartime, he would always leave the yeshiva—his house of learning—and go to her home. For him, honoring his mother wasn’t something extra. It was part of his service to Hashem, just like prayer or study. And no matter how busy his schedule was, he didn’t let that mitzvah slip.

One day, in the middle of the war, Rabbi Moshe was again visiting his mother. After spending time with her, he got up to leave. As always, he checked for the dangerous whistling sounds of nearby shells before stepping outside. All was quiet. It seemed safe to return home. But just as he stood up, his mother said, “Why are you rushing, my dear son? You didn’t even taste the cookies I baked for you this morning!”

He looked at the cookies on the kitchen table. He didn’t need them. He had come to fulfill the mitzvah of kibbud eim (honoring one's mother), and now he was ready to return to his many responsibilities. Still, something in her voice stopped him. She had baked especially for him. And so, despite the pressure he felt to leave, he sat back down, picked up a cookie, and took a bite.

At that very moment, a deafening explosion shook the entire building. A massive shell had landed right outside. A thick cloud of smoke filled the air. When Rabbi Moshe went to see what had happened, his heart nearly stopped—the very staircase he was about to descend just seconds earlier had been completely destroyed. Had he walked out when he intended, he would have been killed instantly.

He stood there for a long time, overwhelmed by the miracle. His simple act of staying a moment longer—listening to his mother and honoring her request—had saved his life.

Rabbi Moshe would later tell his students this story, always with the same message: this is the incredible power of the mitzvah of honoring your parents. Years later, his student Rabbi Yisrael Chaim Oshri would retell it in his name.

Today, in a world filled with busyness and distraction, it’s easy to put off a phone call or visit to our parents. But stories like this remind us: the mitzvah of kibbud av va'eim (honoring father and mother) is not just about politeness. It's a holy act, filled with blessings—and sometimes, with hidden miracles.

Even if we can’t do as much as we wish, we can still take inspiration from Rabbi Moshe’s selfless love and devotion. We picture him walking through danger just to sit with his mother—and we remember that every small act of kindness holds incredible spiritual power.