Jerusalem – Following widespread rumors biblical matriarch appeared before soldiers fighting in Strip, Shas’ spiritual leader tells of how young, beautiful woman warned troops of terrorists
Kobi Nahshoni
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
After Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu already confirmed reports that Mother Rachel assisted IDF troops fighting in Gaza, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef also declared this week that the biblical matriarch was sent to help the soldiers.
In his Shabbat sermon Shas’ spiritual leader described Rachel’s role in the recent war. “The soldiers arrived at a house and wanted to go inside. There were three armed terrorists waiting for them there.
“And then a beautiful young woman appeared before them and warned: Don’t enter the house, there are terrorists there, be careful.
– “Who are you?”
– “What do you care who I am,” she said, and whispered – “Rachel.”
The rabbi continued to describe how the soldiers indeed found the terrorists inside and killed them. The three were carrying guns, just like the woman said.
“Mother Rachel was called to the place, ‘Go save your sons.’ Ah, praised be His name! God redeems and rescues, and sends angels to save the people of Israel. How we should thank God,” Rabbi Yosef concluded.
During his address, the rabbi also lauded Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for his gracious contribution to the world of the Torah.
“He would send millions to yeshivot and for our Torah study schools. Had it not been for that – we would not be alive.”
Last week VIN News reported that Rabbi Cherlow saying the story was fabricated
Stop already with this fairy tale
When was he last checked by a doctor
Actually it was the Baal Shem Tov
Give me proof and I will believe it
i am horrified at the first three posts. you are degrading the Gedolei Hador. i don’t understand how you are not shaking in your boots to speak this way about tzadikkim. do you think that Hashem is not listening?
i am also, frankly, quite surprised that VIN allowed those posts to be posted. Loshon Hara is just the tip of the iceberg. Degrading chachamim….i think you need to ask a shaila whether you are allowed to posts such comments for the public to read.
Last week, in Rabbi Eliyahu’s story she was an old woman. Of course, Rachel was only 44 years old when she died. So, we now need to make her young and beautiful. If only make-up can change my looks so fast.
Rav Ovadiya also said that Hurricane Katrina was george bush’s punishment for pushing israel to pullout from gaza
“During his address, the rabbi also lauded Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for his gracious contribution to the world of the Torah.
He would send millions to yeshivot and for our Torah study schools. Had it not been for that – we would not be alive.”
-When are we going to stop selling ourselves for money? How can he point a finger at those who take Ahmedinejad’s money, and go to his anti-Jew hatefest?
Whether this is true or not, I remember learning that there was a reason why Rachel died on the road. There is a reason why many hold the minhag to pray by her kever.
I really don’t care if this is a bubba maeseh or not. Not to slight the other Imahot, but Rachel prays for us all the time when we are in need. So have her and the other Avot and Imahot in mind when you daven or say Tehillim.
What’s wrong with believing in this after these serious renown Rabbis confirmed the story? We do not believe in miracles? What about appearances by Eliyahou Hanavi? Wasn’t he at your bris? What’s the difference?
hashem is sending us some light in this dark longgggg bitter goles!
i dont understand was once told from a rav that if u believe ever story ur not bright but if u dont believe some then ur an apikores.as jews we must believe Hashem can do any thing and it could happen.kindly look for ur nishamot.
its a little shame full that when gedolim talk there are people that dont believe
Shame on you all – to talk that way of one of the greatest Gedolei HaTorah in this generation – if not the greatest!
And why would it be “narishkeiten” if Rachel Imeinu did actually help out. Look at Rashi in Tehillim 17 that we only exist today in the z’chus of the Tzaddikim that are no longer with us.
Why do Yidden go daven at Kever Rochel, if not to be helped. Are you dictating to the Mame Rochel how to help Yidden!
Rachel advised them NOT to enter the house, but the did, and were successful too. What a shame!
Promoting this shtuyot is a chillul Hashem.
Last week it said it was an old woman and many pointed out Rachel died young. This week the story is that it was a beautiful young woman.
I doubt this story is true. Instead, it was probably made up by well meaning individuals who wanted to give “Chizuk” (strength) to Jews of Israel who may be depressed and disillusioned by the current dire situation with the war in Israel and the worlds turning against us and increase in antisemitism in Europe (hashem Yerachem).
how beautiful was the beautiful woman
It’s possible.
If you don’t believe it, say nothing.
Why make fun?
wishfull thinking believe in half of what you see and in nothing of what you hear thats how the saying goes
According to our Torah, especially the Zohar and Chassidus, this is 100% plausible.
Go and learn!
The first three posts were obviously from the same person.
Like everyone else, I’ve heard this story numerous times in the past two weeks. But this morning I heard it from someone who recently went to Eretz Yisroel and heard it directly from a soldier who was there, crying as he told it to him..
Will these people belive when “mashiach” comes? Or will they write posts on VIN saying “please stop beliving, etc”, R’ Ovadia is a “yoidea Kol Hatorah Kule” how dare you say such a thing on a Person (more person then most of us) like this? Please watch your tounge “hizharu bedivraichem”
The fact is we’ll never know.
however, when two preeminant Gedolim tell us that it happened, that lends the story more then enough credibility for me to be satisfied.
For those who don’t believe it happened, that is completely fine; you might not lend the same importance to the testimony of Gedolim. However, please be respectful. I’m sure you would expect the same from the other side.
One love.
“Rav Ovadiya also said that Hurricane Katrina was george bush’s punishment for pushing israel to pullout from gaza”
You don’t know that it wasn’t.
When I learned in Eretz Yisroel I was told by many Rabbonim that Rav Yosef Shlita was considered to be a Gadol and an absolute Bukey in Shas.
Also, I heard from family who have business in New Orleans, Louisiana that the month before Hurrican Katrina, an elderly Polish Yid who survived Aushwitz and moved to New Orleans after coming to America was niftar after a lifetime of suffering and saying teffilos in the only Frum Shul in that City. He got in a fight with the other mispallelim of that shul and they told him to go back where he came from. He died of a broken heart, but left all his money to the shul. It was destroyed in the Hurricane. I read the story online on the New Orleans Picayune Newspaper. Someone may find this story there. It was so sad I was in tears for the man. May his neshama rest A”H.
Reb Ovadia is no doubt a godol Beyisroel, and one of the most well versed in Torah in the entire world.
However his mesorah is different to ours, and in many psokim we will no go after him, so too in hashkofos we differ not to say that one way is right or wrong. The mahalech of Eastern Jewery with mofsim & maasei Nisim differes from ours, not to say that nissim couldn’t happen, but it is well known that of beis Brisk said that if anyone would see Dovid Hamelech from a distance they would get burnt up Meirov Kedushosoi. Here too Rochel Imeinu’s Kedusha would be too much for us to see.
This story reminds me of the Dibuk story which sold to Gedoilei Yisroel even asckenazim, and was a hit for the Shas party electioneering only to be repealed as a fake a few years later.
This story smells the same.
There is no reason one has to believe these stories they are not from the 13 Ikrim of the Rambam.One isn’t a herotic for believing either, so Reb Ovadia is allowed to believe it. Der vois gleibd gornisht is an apikoires und der vos gleibed alless is a shoiteh.{Satmarere Rov}
a chapte meshiguim, pesi yammin lechul duvur, hoille babbe maysus.
It’s so sad how we’ve become so stooped in the darkness of this world, that when some light does enter, lots of us are too cynical to believe that it really is light. We ask for signs, we ask for miracles, we ask for proof, and when something happens, we pass it off as either a random occurance, or not true. We need to wake up. Maybe this story happened one way, and maybe it happened another. But to doubt it could’ve happened?!?! Who did we think was guarding our holy soldiers?
Trei Asar Sophania Perek beis Posuk Daled
why didnt they capture her and bring her to isreal
I believe this story like the talking fish in New Square.
Ruchel Imanu comunicating with the lowest rank in the army…. why didn’t she just sat down with the big boys ? Olmert. Barak and figured out how to finish up chamas completly?
if the first version of the story is true (old lady) I would rather say it was Sarach bas Usher…. she would by now be very verry old……
in my view Rav Yoisef more of a political leader then a toira leader
this reminds me of the dibbuk story that was fabricated by shas also right before elections. the same gedolim were involved there too!
did she speak in hebrew? or loshon hakoidesh?
I’m appalled at all those who write against one of the biggest tzaddikim and talmidei chachomim of our generation. If emunas tzaddikim and emunas chachomim is slammed at by parents, what can you expect from your children? And then you wonder why … went off the derech.
I have no doubt that those of you who believe that this story was fabricated by 2 holy people, have doubts in believing that Eliyahu Hanovi appears at every bris.
#39, #45 The dibbuk story is 100% true. There were enough great tzaddikim over there that can testify its authenticity. Go find out instead of being motzi shem ra and bashing tzaddikim.
why didnt they take a pic !!!
ThÍs is why moshiach doesn’t comeand the first and second beis hamikdash got destroyed because of the sinas chinum. Why does anyone that is commenting here think he knows more than rav ovadia Ýosef. Go see how much torah he knows and I promise you that you will be begging this website to remove your comment because you will be so embarrassed of what you said.
Rav/Chacham Yosef is not made to look good by this story.
He is a respected man, and I think it would be better to not show this story.
I remember a certain Chassidishe Rebbe who was getting on in years, and began saying some preposterous things. He gobbais did their best to scoot him away after he greeted everyone, so keep him from embarrassing himself.
People understood, and helped him do that in his declining years, protecting him, or trying to, from saying things which were not a credit to his former self.
I hope Rav Yosef is still okay. But, we can protect him from these kinds of things anyway. Most likely he was kind of boxed in where he could not say anything but this. But I am embarrassed for him.