Paths of Faith: Strengthening Through Torah Study – The Torah Protects and Saves

Strengthening through Torah study has the power to prevent disasters. We will later see what our role as women in Torah is, but first, let's understand how the Torah protects and saves.

Torah study protects from the Angel of Death. Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein says: "This is under 'Turn from evil,' but there is also 'Do good': The first thing we must do is to learn, contemplate a question, memorize a chapter of Mishnah, and Torah protects and saves. Thus, the Sages said in Makkot: Rabbi Yochanan said, from where do we know that words of Torah protect, as it is said in the Wilderness of Battles, and right after it, 'This is the Torah,' what protects from the Angel of Death, especially when learned out loud, and particularly when traveling on a bus saying a Torah word out loud, which is the best protection."

The Torah protects better than any defense system in the world: "It will give your head a wreath of grace, a crown of glory; it will protect you." (Proverbs 4, 9).

Yaakov says to Esau: "With Lavan I lived" (Genesis 32, 5), and Rashi comments: I lived with Lavan and kept the 613 mitzvot. 'Lived' (גרתי) has the numerical value of 613. The owner of Arugot Habosem says: Yaakov hinted to Esau: "I kept the mitzvot but did not succeed in learning, because Lavan did not let me if I had succeeded in learning with Lavan, I would not have been afraid of you nor brought you gifts, as I would rely on the Torah's protection."

During the First Lebanon War, they prepared for a difficult and intricate military operation in which planes needed to penetrate Syrian territory. Then-chief of staff Rafael Eitan called Rabbi Shach: Honorable rabbi, there is a dangerous operation, we want students at the Ponivezh Yeshiva to learn Torah for the success of the operation.

It was the afternoon rest time, Rabbi Shach went room to room, telling everyone to get up: There is a complicated operation, we need to rise and pray for the soldiers' success. The entire yeshiva rose to pray. With Hashem's grace, the operation succeeded, and they destroyed missile batteries that threatened Israel.

The verse tells us: "Our feet stood within your gates, O Jerusalem" (Psalms 122, 2). The Midrash says on this: David asked, "What caused our feet to stand firm in battle? The gates of Jerusalem that engage in Torah." (Makkot 10a) Thanks to the Torah, the people of Israel succeed in war.

Torah study protects the entire people of Israel, and indeed, we see that many security events occur during the in-between times, a period when there is a slack in Torah study.

Torah study protects those going to war. As we see in the Torah, before the war, Moses took a thousand from each tribe - a thousand for Torah, a thousand for war. Moses understood that in addition to those going to battle, he must enlist Torah learners who protect those going to battle.

The Torah protects those in the house where it is learned, as the Gemara says: "Any house where words of Torah are heard at night will not be destroyed." (Eruvin 18b).

On the above Gemara, "Ben Ish Chai" explains: 'Heard' means that it is learned aloud and the woman hears, even if she doesn't understand. A house with Torah in it has protection.

Torah study on a bus, especially with a study partner, saves from an attack.

Thus said Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein: "The greatest protection for a bus is learning on it, especially with a study partner. Then the bus becomes a house of study. If, G-d forbid, attackers want to target the bus, it's not a bus, it's a house of study, and a house of study does not explode, and their evil intention will be nullified with Hashem's help."

A true story. Two young men were sitting on a bus, and a suspicious person got on at a certain stop. His behavior was concerning, and they were afraid. One said to his friend: Let's learn together. They opened a pocket Gemara and started learning. At a checkpoint, a soldier boarded, took off the suspicious person, and indeed it was found he had a knife and planned a stabbing attack. The terrorist admitted: "I wanted to stab, but I felt I couldn't..."

This is no wonder; we all know the story of King David, which vividly illustrates this topic: King David knew he would leave this world on Shabbat, so he sat the entire Shabbat and meditated on Torah. When his time came to leave the world, the Angel of Death could not approach him or control him, as he did not pause from his study. What did the angel do?

There was a garden behind David's house; the Angel of Death shook the trees, and David went out to see the source of the noise. At that moment, he stopped his learning, climbed a step, the step broke under him, and his soul departed (Shabbat 30a).

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