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Rabbi's Blog

Thoughts and Musings by Rabbi Yossi Zaklikofsky

Miraculous Arm

 

Last Friday evening, our community experienced an unforgettable Shabbat dinner, drawing a sellout crowd, as we were honored by the presence of IDF elite officer, Yadin Gellman.

It's not every day that we are graced by such an outstanding hero of the Jewish people. Yadin's unwavering dedication to safeguarding the people of Israel was epitomized on Oct 7th when he courageously put his life on the line to save many of our Jewish brothers and sisters. The act of shielding fellow Jews with his own body stands as one of the most sacred deeds one can perform.

I was personally moved by Yadin’s strong faith. Yadin shared a remarkable detail about the months leading up to Oct 7th. Inexplicably, he found himself frequently visiting the Chabad Tefillin stand near his home in Tel Aviv, engaging in the daily Mitzvah of wrapping Tefillin. He firmly believes that the power of this Mitzvah, specifically on his left arm, played a pivotal role in the miraculous preservation of that very arm after being shot and badly injured. Despite the near-complete detachment, with the help of G-d, he has made significant progress on his path to recovery. Our heartfelt wishes go out to him for a complete and swift recovery.

We extend our gratitude to Yadin for inspiring our community and empowering us all to become ambassadors of Israel within our personal circles of influence and in encounters with others.

Staying Mindful


We live in a world where distractions and temptations far overshadow the more noble pursuits, like living Jewishly and upright. The struggle is real. 

How does one stay inspired and focused?

In the aftermath of the golden calf incident, Moses sought out G-d's forgiveness on behalf of the Jewish people, he then pleads with G-d: "Show me your glory." G-d responded, revealing Himself veiled in a Talit, emphasizing the knot on His head Tefillin, saying: “You will see my back, but not my face”.

What is the meaning of that appearance?

This revelation teaches a profound lesson — the root of transgression is forgetfulness. As long as we are present and maintain a healthy awareness of our Divine purpose in life, we could never veer off. Only in a moment of distraction, when we ‘forget’ who we are, do we become at risk of a slip up.

So G-d demonstrates for Moses what the people should do to remain inspired. He appeared wrapped in the Mitzvah of Talit and Tefillin, both specifically designed for constant ‘remembrance’, ensuring that our G-d given mission remain central to our consciousness at all times.

Engaging in Mitzvah practices as frequent as possible achieves that even in the busyness of life we can be shielded against distractions, anchoring us in our identity, so we maintain our focus at all times. 

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