Revealing the Miracles: The Rabbis Who Fought for Heaven During World War II

Marking eighty years since the outbreak of World War II, we find it appropriate to recall the miraculous deliverance and the hidden work of the righteous in Israel through prayers and pleas, hoping for the defeat of the German army under the command of Rommel in the decisive operation known as the "Battle of El Alamein," at the gates of Israel.<\/p>

During those terrifying days, every synagogue in Israel was packed with worshippers reciting Psalms, pouring their hearts out before their Father in heaven, pleading and imploring for mercy. Leading rabbis declared a day of prayer and repentance, but in truth, the call was unnecessary—who among the inhabitants of the land did not grasp the gravity of the situation on their own?

Many Jews visited holy sites across the land, prostrated on the graves of the righteous, and shed tears and pleas for the annulment of the looming decree.<\/p>

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"In a few days, the Bolsheviks will enter Berlin from one side, and the Americans from the other"<\/strong><\/h3>

One of the famous righteous men who worked to annul the decree at that time was the Rebbe of Zvhill, Rabbi Shlomo Goldman zt"l, known by his nickname R' Shelomke. R' Shelomke, a direct descendant of the Maggid of Zlotchov, arrived in Israel by ship from Europe in 1926, having informed his grandson, while still at sea, that he was "casting his rabbinical status to the sea." Upon arrival, he kept his identity a secret, rented a tiny apartment in one of Jerusalem's Old City alleys, and immersed himself entirely in prayer and study. One day, a disciple arrived from abroad and saw his teacher bent over a book at the back of the synagogue, as if he were an anonymous Jew. He ran out in shock, and from that point on, the Rebbe became a magnet for Jews flocking to him to receive blessings and advice.<\/p>

His closest disciples testified about the rivers of tears shed by the Rebbe in those dark days of 1942, as he recited the "midnight lament," the special prayer mourning the destruction of the Temple. He fasted and prayed for many days, often with his head resting in his hands or leaning against the wall, lost in thought. Rarely, a few words escaped his lips, words that revealed the intense spiritual battle he waged in the upper worlds to bring down Hitler and his allies. More than once, he seemed on the brink of fainting, paling like a ghost as he immersed himself in his prayers, so that those around him rushed to revive him, fearing that his intense efforts might cost him his life.<\/p>

(Photo: shutterstock)

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It took a heavy toll on him. R' Shimon Rubin, one of the Rebbe's close associates, spoke of the immense strength R' Shelomke invested in his prayers for his brethren.<\/p>

As the war drew near its end, the mass slaughter in Europe reached its peak. Tens of thousands of Jews were murdered daily. One evening, as R' Shelomke was deep in prayer, he appeared about to faint. His face turned ghostly pale, and R' Shimon feared for his life. He didn’t dare approach the Rebbe but instead took a hammer and began striking it on a nearby table until R' Shelomke awoke from his reveries to the sound of the repeated blows.<\/p>

Shortly after midnight, R' Shelomke locked himself in his room. R' Shimon heard the righteous man speaking in his sleep. He pressed his ear to the door and listened. "Hashem, prepare a remedy before the blow. In a few days, the Bolsheviks will enter Berlin from one side, and the Americans from the other, and Hashem’s salvation will come." His words came true in full.<\/p>

Every day, the Hasidim brought new reports of German victories on the front and the retreats of the British, but R' Shelomke brushed them off. He firmly stood by his previous statement: the Germans would never reach them. Perhaps it was not evident in this world, but if the decree was annulled in heaven, the Germans had already lost the war.<\/p>

R' Shelomke passed away on 26 Iyar 5705 (7 May 1945), the day of Germany's surrender. His Hasidim understood that the righteous man had sacrificed himself to end his people's suffering.<\/p>

Stories were also told of the actions of other righteous individuals to annul the decree hanging over the Jews of Palestine, who were hanging by a thread. After those days, amazing stories began to emerge about the unique efforts of the righteous in Israel to annul the decree.<\/p>

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The Jews in Egypt rubbed their eyes in amazement. "How did you manage to get here from Jerusalem?"<\/strong><\/h3>

In the books 'Or Hadash' and 'Tzemach Tzadik,' it is told of one of the Kabbalists, Rabbi Yitzchak Alafia, who in his dream was visited by a figure dressed in white, demanding to know: "Why do you visit the graves of the righteous and study Kabbalah, but do not come to me?".<\/p>

"And who are you?", Rabbi Yitzchak inquired.<\/p>

The man in white replied: "My grave is in Damanhur, Egypt. Do not waste time—set out immediately. The people of Israel are in danger."

Rabbi Yitzchak awoke in a start and hurried to the famous Kabbalist yeshiva, Beit Kel, in the Old City. He approached the Kabbalists there and asked who the righteous man, seen in his dream, was.<\/p>

"It is the 'Abir Yaakov,' Rabbi Yaakov Abuhatzeira," they told him.<\/p>

This was the famous righteous man and miracle worker from Morocco, the grandfather of the Baba Sali, Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira. He was buried in Egypt, where he passed away on his way to Israel, after setting out with the hope of working for the coming of the Messiah.<\/p>

Traveling to Egypt while the British and German armies were engaged in fierce battles for control over Israel was a real-life risk for Rabbi Yitzchak. Additionally, he had no means to obtain the necessary documents for traveling under the existing circumstances.<\/p>

Nevertheless, Rabbi Yitzchak Alafia believed that thanks to the righteous man who appeared in his dream, no harm would befall him, and he prepared to embark on the journey.<\/p>

Rabbi Yitzchak approached the representatives of the local authorities, accompanied by two other rabbis, to apply for permission to travel to Egypt. The junior clerks asked them to leave the office, but Rabbi Yitzchak stubbornly refused to go, demanding to speak with a higher authority. Within minutes, a senior official appeared, and after hearing his unusual request, entered his superior's office to relay the ongoing situation outside.<\/p>

The senior clerk invited the rabbi into his office, greeting him with full respect. He listened to Rabbi Yitzchak's story and his request to supplicate and seek salvation through the merits of the righteous buried there. The official listened until he finished his speech and then responded: "Under the current circumstances, civilians are prohibited from leaving for Egypt. Only military personnel are allowed on trains heading there. Therefore, I cannot grant you the requested permission. If you wish, you may go to the train station yourself and board the car bound for Egypt. If no one stops you, you can fulfill your 'dream'."

Rabbi Yitzchak returned to his two companions and repeated the senior clerk's words. They were not impressed by his response. "He simply avoided giving permission for your request. Otherwise, why would he offer such a ridiculous suggestion? How do you expect to board a train full of soldiers without being noticed?!".<\/p>

Rabbi Yitzchak paid no attention to their words, and the next morning, he set out on his way to the train station, carrying with him a tallit and tefillin. Upon reaching the station, two officers approached him and asked for his identification. Upon hearing his name, they helped him board the train and sat on either side of him throughout the journey. When the train arrived in Cairo, they escorted him to the Jewish ghetto and then vanished.<\/p>

Rabbi Yaakov went to the "Keter Torah" synagogue, where he was received in amazement. "How did you manage to get here from Jerusalem?". The story of his dream and the supernatural protection during the journey greatly moved the Jews of Egypt, who quickly prepared boxes of food and cared for a large group of Torah scholars accompanying him on his journey to the righteous man's tomb. There, they poured out their hearts in fervent prayer and studied Kabbalah under Rabbi Yaakov’s guidance. Later, Rabbi Alafia recounted how he saw a light emanating from the righteous man's grave and knew that their prayer had been accepted.<\/p>

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The prayer at the Ohr HaChaim that Defeated Rommel<\/strong><\/h3>

Before the skies of the world darkened with World War II, and German air force planes began bombing Nazi Germany’s inhabitants, the Rebbe of Husyatyn was determined to ascend and settle in Israel. When one of the Ruzhyn Rebbes passed away, the proposal to open a plot in the Jewish cemetery in Vienna for the Ruzhyn dynasty was raised. The Rebbe of Husyatyn said: "There is no need for me, I am going to Israel." And indeed, at the age of about eighty, three years before the Holocaust, the Rebbe of Husyatyn ascended to Israel. He felt the growing anti-Semitism in Europe, and before making Aliyah, in 1937, he visited his communities and encouraged them to ascend or, at the very least, flee Europe. In Krakow, he said: "Those with sense should run now, even in slippers!". To his followers who came to greet him at the train station in Lviv-Lemberg, he said: "Those who can sell should sell, and those who cannot, should leave everything and flee with only a backpack on their shoulders."

(Photo: shutterstock)

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In the summer of 1942, when the Nazi armies, may their name be erased, were still on a conquering rampage, Nazi General Rommel began conquering North Africa and hastened toward Israel. In thirteen days, the Germans advanced four hundred kilometers, destroying eighty percent of the British forces fighting them. They had already reached the gates of El Alamein, a hundred kilometers from Alexandria, Egypt, and intended to quickly complete the conquest of Egypt and continue to Israel. Rommel boasted that conquering the land would be quick and easy.<\/p>

Rumors of the murder of Jews in Europe had already reached Israel, and a terrible fear gripped the Jewish community. Many gathered for prayers. The Rebbe of Husyatyn was in Jerusalem at that time, and Rabbi Yaakov Landau zt"l, the rabbi of Bnei Brak, who regularly visited the home of the Rebbe of Husyatyn, entered to tell him the bad news. The Rebbe of Husyatyn replied with a question: "The whole matter does not seem to me, but do I need to intervene?". Rabbi Landau replied that this was how the great righteous acted, engaging in prayer to protect Israel. He continued: "And from this, it is implied that the righteous leader of the generation must intervene in what is happening here, to express his opinion (in heaven) and prevent bad decrees." The Rebbe asked again: "Indeed, does the rabbi of Bnei Brak think I need to intervene?". Rabbi Landau replied: "Yes, yes, indeed and indeed, the Rebbe must intervene."

Then the Rebbe announced that the next day, on the 15th of Tammuz, the yahrzeit of Rabbi Chaim Ben Atar, he would go to his holy tomb to pray for Israel together with the Zvhiller Rebbe, deciding they would not leave until assured of Israel's salvation.<\/p>

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"The Enemy Shall Not Have Dominion Over Our Land"<\/strong><\/h3>

Crowds ascended to Rabbi Chaim Ben Atar's tomb, and when the Rebbe arrived, they cleared a path, and the Rebbe and his entourage began reciting the entire Book of Psalms. The accompanying and surrounding worshippers increased in their tears. The Rebbe stood motionless for a long time, reciting Psalms with the crowd. After about forty minutes, he closed the book and placed it in his coat pocket, and remained standing with his eyes closed. Seeing this, his close associate, Rabbi Shlomo Schreiber zt"l, head of the Chayei Olam yeshiva, said: "Rebbe, the world is in fear, we must arouse much mercy for all of Israel".<\/strong><\/p>

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Again, the Rebbe pulled the Book of Psalms from his pocket, covered his face with it, and stood that way for a very long time. The crowd had already completed all the Psalms, and when they saw that the Rebbe was still standing—they started from the first Psalm again. Suddenly the Rebbe removed the book from his face, turned slightly, and said: "The enemy shall not have dominion over our land." Joy spread among his entourage. And as he said, so it was. Shortly after, General Rommel's army was defeated, and the threat was removed.<\/p>

Later, Rabbi Shlomo Schreiber dared to ask the Rebbe about that statement. The Rebbe's response surprised him when he briefly replied: "When I saw the letters of Hashem's Name glowing golden on the tomb, I knew it would be so."<\/p>