Tuesday, February 6th, 2024

Many years ago, I heard an amazing story. It happened in a shul in Paris, France on a Friday night. Some Muslim terrorists had planned on coming in for some nefarious activity. As timing would have it, they walked into the Erev Shabbat service at exactly the last verse of “Lecha Dodi”, the point where everyone in the room rises, turns, and faces the door to welcome the Sabbath Queen. The terrorists suddenly found themselves facing an entire congregation who were looking their way, and it completely caught them off guard. They didn’t know that it was part of a prayer ritual, and they bolted, only to be caught shortly thereafter. Crisis averted.

Every now and then, I hear of a prayer-related coincidence which results in Jewish lives being saved. I always marvel at this, firmly believing that there is indeed a higher power involved. I just now read* of yet another miraculous prayer-related event that happened about a month ago.

IDF Sgt. Major Malchiel ben Yosef was bringing up the rear of his 450th Battalion in Gaza. Some of the fighters ahead of him had already entered houses. When his group halted for a moment, Malchiel took advantage of the timing to daven the Mincha afternoon prayer before the sun set. What’s interesting is that Malchiel had had other opportunities to daven Mincha earlier that afternoon but, for some inexplicable reason, he simply didn’t and waited until now.

Now, Malchiel turned east towards Jerusalem, and in the middle of his prayer he spied movement. He thought it to be a cat or an animal, but as he faced that direction, he suddenly saw the metal lid of a tunnel which the battalion hadn’t noticed as it passed moments earlier. The lid flew open and a terrorist came out carrying a rocket-propelled grenade.

Without noticing Malchiel, the terrorist quickly moved towards the house where the soldiers had entered. Malchiel shouted, the terrorist turned to face him, Malchiel fired and hit the guy. His friends, who had not previously seen the terrorist, turned in a split second and immediately opened fire as well. They got him before he could fire his RPG and wipe out the Battalion.

We are all completely over-saturated with upsetting news reports, horrifying accounts of the hostages, heartbreaking photos of young soldiers who have been killed and who leave behind pregnant wives, children, parents, and broken families. Today, for positive escape, I choose to focus on the power of prayer, on the recognition that good things can still happen in tiny moments that often go unnoticed. A split second coincidence. Or a miracle. Today, I invite you to say a prayer. Face east. Who knows what truly wonderful miraculous result can come of it?!

Am Yisrael Chai!

*The full story is at jewishpress.com.