Israel Doubles Down on Mitzvot as Iran Attacks

by Tzali Reicher – chabad.org

Across Israel today, an unusual quiet blanketed the streets as the nation braced for Iran’s retaliatory response following Operation Rising Lion, which indeed came on Friday night in the form of 200 ballistic missiles. But under that veneer of calm lay a deep sense of gratitude to G‑d for the miraculous success of the initial attacks and a drive to do more mitzvahs as a vehicle through which G‑d’s continued blessing is assured.

Early Friday morning, Israel launched a preemptive military offensive against Iran, striking nuclear facilities and killing senior Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as an operation to prevent an imminent nuclear threat. Over 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft conducted coordinated strikes on more than 100 targets across Iran, dropping over 330 munitions in the operation dubbed “Rising Lion”.

Expecting the Iranian response, including drone and missile strikes, Israel closed its airport, and incoming international flights were diverted. Shortly after Shabbat began, millions in Israel were sent to their bomb shelters as ballistic missiles from Iran began loudly battling Israel’s air defence systems. Tragically, one woman was killed in the attack and several moderate injuries were reported, still a miraculously small number of casualties for what damage the attack could have caused.

The IDF Home Front Command instructed Israelis to minimize movement, avoid gatherings, and remain near bomb shelters. Even synagogue attendance has been discouraged by Chief Rabbis Kalman Ber and David Yosef, who emphasized that “the public is obligated to observe and comply with the Home Front Command’s instructions in every location.”

“There is very high morale,” observed Rabbi Levi Mendelson, who directs Lev Chabad, an organization that runs Chabad-Lubavitch activities in Israeli hospitals. “People are seeing the amazing success that we saw last night with the cutting down of a dangerous enemy of the Jewish people, and see clearly that G‑d is with us.”

Many wrapped tefillin today and lit Shabbat candles in the merit of the protection of Israel and the Jewish people.

“We can feel the environment in the streets,” Mendelson noted. “Not many people are out, but those who are are happy to do every mitzvah.”

“We’re all doubling on wrapping tefillin with others and lighting candles for the strength of our soldiers,” says Rabbi Sholom Ber Hertzel, director of Chabad of the Golan Heights. “The Rebbe often reminded us ‘tamid ainay Hashem elokecha bah – the eyes of G‑d are always upon this land.’ There is nothing to be afraid of.”

That G‑d’s blessings are always upon the Land of Israel and her people was a point constantly reiterated by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.

In June 1967, Israel stood on the brink of what seemed like an impossible war against a coalition of Arab armies. Less than a week before war broke out, the Rebbe gave a speech to a crowd of 20,000 at a Lag BaOmer parade, where he delivered a message of remarkable confidence about the situation of the Jews in Israel. He declared:

“G‑d is protecting them and sending them His blessings, success and salvation in an added measure so that they may emerge—and they will emerge—from their current situation successfully.”

Rather than calling for worry or fear, the Rebbe tasked those present to do their part to help their fellow Jews by engaging in greater Torah study, mitzvot, and acts of loving-kindness. These spiritual actions would surely bring “G‑d’s increased blessing for salvation and success” to Israel.

As the Rebbe said: “You have the unique privilege to help them. Every time you study one more verse of Torah, and through your performing another Mitzvah and another Mitzvah—without missing any opportunity to do so—and through ‘Loving your fellow as yourself,’ influencing your friends and relatives to also use every opportunity to spread Torah and Mitzvos, then… it brings G‑d’s increased blessing for salvation and success.”

Acting upon the Rebbe’s guidance, Chabad emissaries began the now well-known campaign to encourage Jewish soldiers to wrap tefillin, some for the first time.

History ultimately proved the Rebbe’s prescient words correct. Israel successfully thwarted an enemy attack, and liberated Jerusalem and other historic Jewish lands. The Six Day War became known as one of the most miraculous military victories in modern history.

As Iran launches hundreds of ballistic missiles in retaliation, the people of Israel understand the gravity of their situation, but also that their salvation comes via their bond with G‑d Almighty.

“‘And you will be for me a people,’” the Rebbe declared in 1967, quoting from Leviticus, “every one of you, and all of us together, and especially the Jews in the Holy Land, will be G‑d’s people, whom He will lead with His ‘full, open, holy, wide hand’ out of all difficulties, and He will bring them peace and security in everything they need.”