Shabbos Saves Lives

 BS”D

Moshe Rabeinu begs us repeatedly in the Torah: Choose Torah observance – choose life. It is not only in Olam Haba, it is also in the literal sense. Sometimes you see it immediately; sometimes it takes time.

This past month, miracle after miracle after miracle have made the Torah’s words crystal clear for all to see. People are witnessing with their own eyes how learning Torah, davening, keeping Shabbos, and observing other mitzvos are literally saving lives.

Shabbos has a special power. Shabbos always pays back. I am aware of NINE stories in which people were saved from terrible deaths in Eretz Yisrael in the last month, only because of a commitment to keeping Shabbos.

I want to share those stories here, as well as a truly chilling contrast which struck me as I read an article describing the massacre in Be’eri. How did the terrorists enter Be’eri and begin the killing of at least 130 people? They arrived early Shabbos morning and waited near the entrance; when a car pulled up to the gate and the gate began to open for the vehicle, they shot the occupants. The car rolled to a halt, and the terrorists were now inside the community. Chilul Shabbos was the direct catalyst for 130 lives lost in Be’eri.

On the other hand:

In a different community which the terrorists tried to attack, the residents were Shomer Shabbos. The gate to enter and exit the community was kept locked on Shabbos. The murderers tried to cut the gate but were shot at and fled. The entire community was saved because of Shmiras Shabbos.

Another community was mixed. There were both observant and non-observant people living there, and they disagreed about keeping the gates closed on Shabbos. A vote was taken, and the outcome was a decision that the gates would remain locked for Sukkos. Simchas Torah was the last day of the agreed-upon closure, and this public Shmiras Shabbos saved all the residents of the community.

The following story is about how a resident of Be’eri and his family were saved by starting to learn about Shabbos: One day around seven months ago, Yehuda, a religious man from Bnei Brak, saw a car on the side of the road and stopped to see if he could help. Yaakov, a non-observant resident of Be’eri, explained that he had run out of gas. Yehuda offered to go and buy a container of gas, and Yaakov was very appreciative. When Yehuda returned with the gas and refused to accept any payment, Yaakov took him to the back of the car and showed him a bumper sticker which he’d been sporting for the past two years. It read to the effect “Trample all Chareidim!” Yaakov ripped it off his bumper, as he now understood that the stereotypes and hate he’d learned were all wrong. Yehuda called Yaakov the next morning to see if he arrived safely, and they developed a friendship, with Yehuda calling every Erev Shabbos and telling him something inspirational about Shabbos, for Yaakov to share with his daughter. 

Three Families Saved

One Friday, Yaakov asked Yehuda, “Aren’t you bored on Shabbos? You can’t use your phone or go anywhere!” Yehuda invited him to Bnei Brak to experience Shabbos for himself. It took persuasion, but Yaakov ended up agreeing. Yehuda asked his Rav for advice on which Shabbos to invite his guests for, and the Rav suggested Simchas Torah. Yehuda responded that he had planned on traveling with his family to be with his parents in Sderot for Yom Tov – so the Rav suggested he invite his parents to Bnei Brak for Simchas Torah, and in that way Yaakov would also get to see the mitzva of Kibud Av V’eim in action. Three families were saved by this Shabbos invitation – Yaakov and his family who were not in Be’eri on Shabbos, October 7, because they were taking their first steps towards Shabbos observance in Yehuda’s house, Yehuda’s parents who were not in their home in Sderot, which was across the street from the police station that Hamas took over, and Yehuda’s family, who were not in Sderot as planned, because they were teaching Yaakov and his family about Shmiras Shabbos.

In one of the communities that was attacked and saw many murders, there was a family that has been becoming more and more religious. Every Shabbos for the past half a year, they would leave their irreligious surroundings in order to observe Shabbos properly with relatives in the north. They were away for the Shabbos of Sukkos, but for Simchas Torah did not want to travel, as the mother of the family was about to give birth. When the shooting started on Shabbos morning and the mother peeked out the window and understood what was happening, there was nothing for them to do but hide silently in the inner rooms of the house. To their surprise, the murderers never even attempted to enter their home. Later on, when the terrorists’ maps were found, it became clear why they were skipped over: The traitorous workers who had given the details of each house and family to enable their killing, knew that they always went away for Shabbos. The map stated by their residence: “Not home for Shabbos and holidays.” Their efforts to keep Shabbos properly had saved their entire family from a cruel death.

A bochur who unfortunately had left mitzva observance worked as a driver and photographer, bringing visitors from abroad to Gedolim whom they wished to see. Before Rosh Hashana, he brought some gevirim to a Rosh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak for a bracha for a good year. The R”Y turned to the driver and asked if he doesn’t also need a shana tova? However, the R”Y reflected, a bracha without anything to stand on would not be effective. The R”Y urged this bochur to accept to keep Shabbos during the month of Tishrei, and he became emotional and agreed. On Friday, October 6, the bochur was in the south of Eretz Yisrael, having traveled to participate in the ill-fated party, when he realized that he would not be able to keep Shabbos there – so he said goodbye to his friends and left. His commitment to keep four Shabbosos saved him from the horrible fate met by hundreds of others at the party.

Two girls who came to attend the party also had accepted to keep Shabbos, and realized that they would not be able to honor their commitment if they remained at the party. They left. Their “sacrifice” for Shabbos prevented their lives from being sacrificed.

A boy named Yair had fallen sway to his yetzer hara and was not keeping the Torah. He lived at home, though, and was respectful to his parents. Before Simchas Torah, he told his father that he was going away for Yom Tov, to the “nature party.” Yair’s father asked him what would be happening at the party, and he answered truthfully – alcohol, music, singing, dancing around an idol.. The father had a terrible feeling about the whole thing and begged Yair not to go, but the boy really wanted to. With Siyata Dishmaya, his father suggested an alternative “party” – that he go to Chabad for Simchas Torah, where alcohol is included in the celebration, (unlike the shul where Yair had grown up.) Yair agreed on condition that he could bring a friend. On Hoshana Rabba, Adam came to sleep over for Shabbos/Yom Tov, the two boys performed the mitzvos of the day, and then enjoyed Simchas Torah at Chabad that night. The next morning, the news came out, and Yair and Adam realized that giving up attendance at the party which involved Chilul Shabbos and other grave issurim, had saved them from the slaughter that took their friends’ lives.

The terrorist murderers were already in their home, and a young boy from a non-observant family urgently begged his mother “What mitzva should we take on, to be saved?” The mother got the family to all agree to keep two Shabbosos – and the murderers left their home. This family was spared because of a commitment to keep Shabbos in the future – not even a mitzva that they had already done. Indeed, we are taught that when someone simply resolves to do a mitzva, he already creates Malochim who accompany and protect him.

This mother was with her children in their home and they saw the terrorists approaching, armed with guns. She gave her children knives to defend themselves, and told them, “This situation is unlike anything you ever experienced in your lives.” She turned to Hashem and promised to keep Shabbos as long as she lived, if their lives would be spared… and the terrorists walked away from their home. Afterwards, this womanrealized that she did not know how to keep Shabbos, so she went away to a Shabbaton with her children the following week. That next Shabbos, while she was away at the Shabbaton learning how to keep Shabbos, a rocket fell on her house. Shabbos saved the lives of this woman and her children TWICE, two weeks in a row.

Let all of us strengthen ourselves in Shemiras Shabbos, including keeping ALL the Halachos properly. Each mitzva protects. Each aveira harms. Hashem is watching all our actions and He cares about every single one. Yesh Din V’yesh Dayan. Choose LIFE!

P.S. If you are aware of additional stories illustrating how Shabbos saves lives, please send them to ShabbosSavesLives@gmail.com. There is a possibility that a book could be compiled to inspire more people in Shabbos observance

By Boruch Weiss, Agudas Anshe Emes