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By Menachem Ziegelbaum, Beis Moshiach Magazine

What started as a Chassid’s idea to write a Sefer Torah for the IDF soldiers, just like the “little soldiers” of Tzivos Hashem do, evolved into a secret operation with detailed instructions from the Rebbe, with the goal that the Torah be written under the auspices of the IDF Chief Rabbinate.

Beis Moshiach brings to light the secret yechidus, the halachic deliberations, and diplomatic actions which eventually led to the commencement of writing the scroll on Yud Aleph Nissan 5742. Incredible efforts saw to it that just three months later, as thousands of IDF soldiers cleansed southern Lebanon of terrorists, the Torah scroll was joyously escorted into an IDF base with song and dance.

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Beis Chayeinu, Wednesday the 30th of Tishrei 5742 (1981). Rabbi Yitzchok Yehuda Yaroslavsky shlita, secretary of the Chabad Beis Din in Eretz HaKodesh, was preparing to travel that very day back to Eretz Yisrael, and he was standing after Shacharis at the end of the large ‘zal’, where people wait to receive a bracha of ‘Fahrt gezunterheit’ from the Rebbe. Suddenly, the Rebbe’s secretary, Rabbi Leibel Groner a”h, approached him and said: “Come upstairs to Gan Eden haTachton.”

Rabbi Yaroslavsky waited with tense anticipation, and every moment seemed to him like an eternity… He knew that the Rebbe was right nearby, in his holy room, and it was clear to him that something would soon happen on the Rebbe’s part. Indeed, a few moments later, the secretary, Rabbi Groner, entered the Rebbe’s room, and then left the room and asked who was there among those dealing with matters pertaining to the Sefer Torah for Jewish children and the Sefer Torah Haklali – the one for all other Jews.

After Rabbi Yaroslavsky mentioned the names of Rabbis Chanzin and Trebnik (members of the Chabad Beis Din in Eretz HaKodesh), the Chassidim Reb Mendel Futerfas (mashpia of the central Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Eretz HaKodesh), R’ Yisrael Leibov (chairman of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad in Israel), R’ Zushe Wilyamowsky (the ‘Partizan’), R’ Shlomo Maidanchik and R’ Shmuel Chefer (members of United Chabad-Lubavitch of Israel), Rabbi Groner asked him to call everyone, so that they could enter ‘yechidus’ with the Rebbe as a group.

Once everyone had come to the appointed location, Rabbi Groner entered the Rebbe’s room and announced that all the relevant parties had arrived. The Rebbe then came out of his holy room and said that since this was a secret matter, they should all enter his room and close the door.

FIND A DIPLOMATIC WAY FOR THE IDF RABBINATE TO WRITE A SEFER TORAH FOR THE SOLDIERS

After everyone entered the Rebbe’s room, the Rebbe began to speak to them:

“Azoi vi m’halt in ein tumelen vegen der Sefer Torah fun Klal Yisroel [= Since we’re constantly making a tumult regarding the Sefer Torah for the entire Jewish People], therefore, you must find a diplomatic way in order for the Israel Defense Forces in Eretz Yisrael to begin writing a Torah scroll for all members of the military.

“While it’s possible that they have already started their involvement in this matter, in any case, a way should be found well ahead of time for them to start engaging in it.

“You must consult among yourselves, or with those who know which way will be easier to bring this matter to fruition. For if you tell them that an extraordinary request came from Brooklyn, there would then be an uproar because it was connected to a request from abroad. Furthermore, if you don’t say this, I don’t know how they will relate to it. Perhaps it’s possible to find an acceptable way for these things to be properly explained. Naturally, this should be done officially through the IDF rabbinate (thereby making it easier to sort out), while unofficially, it probably depends upon the minister for the army – ‘Dacht zich er heist Sharon’ [= I believe his name is Sharon].

“It would be appropriate to find and choose from among you who will meet with this person or another, and if it will be necessary to add someone else to him – have someone else join the meeting.

“Apparently, it should not be diminished in value if they say that I requested and sent a delegation, whether it was my own initiative, whether I mentioned it, and the like. But the main thing is to be careful that it should not be called religious coercion. You should be very cautious of this in your work.

Joy at the completion and dedication of the Sefer Torah. From left to right: Rabbi Zusha Wilyamowsky, Col. Rabbi Yossi Harel – aide to the IDF chief rabbi, Maj. Gen. Rabbi Gad Navon – then-IDF chief rabbi, Rabbi Yisrael Leibov – then-chairman of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad

“Similarly, while I’m not getting involved in the details, a way must be found that will ensure success, and I see no reason why this shouldn’t be the case. If matters of argumentativeness or factionalism do not get involved in this, I don’t see why the matter won’t be successful, and as soon as possible. And in particular, there [in the army] are Chabad people, who are already used to making various decisions in the army regarding the activities of the Chabad Youth Organization, etc. And when an official order comes from their superiors and leaders, the matter can then be carried out with the greatest speed, through those from Tzach who come to visit them anyway. And when there comes an order from above to help them, it seems that it will be possible to do it ‘smoothly’ and swiftly, as soon as possible, by the Tzach activists themselves visiting the army.

“This is the main point, and regarding how to carry this out in all its details, there is the Sefer Torah Committee, United Chabad-Lubavitch of Israel, and the Chabad Youth Organization.

“May it be G-d’s Will that the Shechina will dwell upon the work of your hands in finding an appropriate sofer.”

WRITING THE SEFER TORAH WILL RAISE THE SOLDIERS’ MORALE

The Rebbe continued to give guidelines regarding the writing process, finding a suitable sofer, gaining access to the heads of the IDF, etc.:

“This will probably raise a question regarding which ksav to use, and the easiest way is for Chabad not to interfere in this, rather the decision should be made by the military rabbinate. Thus, we will have no part in the responsibility for this and there will be no need to discuss the claims that will arise, i.e., there will be those who say [they want] this ksav, and those who say [that they want] another sofer, etc.

“Regarding the number of military personnel who are there – as we have discussed [regarding the general Sifrei Torah], it’s also possible to add their wives and children, as well as brothers and sisters, and together with all of these, there are apparently more than enough to write more than one Sefer Torah.

“Are you all traveling [back to Eretz HaKodesh] together, or each one separately?

“[If you’re traveling together] you can continue to discuss this during the flight, [if not] you can discuss it here or there. And the main thing is that the matter be done as soon as possible, and to save the trouble, it would be better for the military personnel to find their own sofer, because they might be angry that you are interfering by suggesting and deciding which sofer to take. Therefore, in order to make things easier, the main thing is that it would be preferable not to interfere in any halachic issues in question, which k’sav will be used – whether this way or another, etc. And the ‘smoothest’ way is for the IDF rabbinate to discuss the matter and they will decide how to do it.

“To make things even easier, you should have someone join you who personally served in the army and filled a respectable position there so that he can come and say ‘This happened to me’, and he knows what’s necessary, etc.

“The main thing is that this should not require too much effort. And if they just follow a smooth path and speak in an appropriate manner, then the military rabbinate will accept that this is something they should have done on their own initiative, and it’s a shame they haven’t done it until now to raise the morale of the soldiers. In any case, what’s past is past, and it wasn’t actually done because they didn’t talk about it…

“You will almost certainly bring the proposal as soon as possible, so that it will be given consideration later on during the Rosh Hashana and Simchas Torah seasons, with all the accompanying tumult. Therefore, I am doubtful whether it would be proper to table [and delay?] the matter, because we then might lose the unique quality and significance of those days.

The rav of Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi distributes ‘mashke’ he received from the Rebbe especially for the IDF sefer Torah dedication

“It’s also quite possible that Mr. Navon (=the Israeli President then) would agree to register his children in the Sefer Torah, and that others will register their children as well, and they too will give their assistance.

“Therefore, in order not to go ‘over someone’s head’ – the official beginning of this matter should be through the military rabbinate and those who lead it. Thus, it’s clearly understood that unofficially one should contact, either before or immediately afterwards, the minister of the army and speak with him.

“Afterwards, you perhaps should choose someone to let me know how things are progressing, and not to wait until the matter of writing the Torah scroll has been completed, but rather to keep me informed of the process right from the very outset.

“The question of funding will probably not be a major issue in the army, and in particular since anyone who buys letters will give an acceptable amount, and this can cover the expenses. And even if they place this on the military rabbinate, I don’t think this will make things more difficult.

“This is the point, and may it be Hashem’s will that it should be fulfilled, as it is written [regarding the doubling of the word ‘Noach, Noach] in the weekly Torah portion, ‘a relief for the heavenly, a relief for the earthly’, and soon they will finish writing the Sefer Torah.

“Choose someone who will report to me regularly about how things are proceeding. At this point, those from the Sefer Torah Rabbinical Committee, United Chabad-Lubavitch of Israel, and the Tzach activists enter the picture. There is no intention to exclude anyone, if you think it would be appropriate to continue and add someone who will be useful in the matter at hand, may a blessing come upon him and upon them.

“Go in peace, and may there be good news.”

THE REBBE’S CONSTANT INTEREST IN THE PROJECT

Rabbi Yaroslavsky then spoke about the progress of things on the ground: “When R’ Shlomo Maidanchik, of blessed memory, arrived in Eretz Yisrael, they went to the heads of the army and began talking with them about the matter. It soon became clear that the project would encounter various difficulties, mainly procedural issues involving a great deal of bureaucracy. Anash askanim tried to hasten the matter, but each time new delays popped up. It was necessary to obtain approval from Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, from the head of the IDF human resources directorate, and from several other senior army officials whose approval was required before the operation could begin.

“Throughout the winter months, the Rebbe expressed his constant interest regarding how matters were progressing. At that time, the Rebbe’s secretary, Rabbi Chodakov a”h, would call me virtually on a weekly basis and ask me: Nu? What’s happening with the Sefer Torah for Jewish children? And what about the Sefer Torah for the IDF soldiers?…”

“JUST LIKE THE LITTLE SOLDIERS [TZIVOS HASHEM] ARE WRITING NOW…”

Together with the activities by Chabad rabbanim and askanim, there was another Chassid who dealt with this issue – Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gorelik. Practically speaking, he was the one who elicited and isarus d’l’sata “an arousal from below” on the matter. It turns out that a month and a half before the aforementioned yechidus, Rabbi Gorelik had sent a letter to the IDF chief rabbi, Major General Gad Navon, and asked to meet with him to discuss the idea of writing a Sefer Torah for IDF soldiers, “just like the little soldiers (Tzivos Hashem) are writing now”…

In response to his letter, Rabbi Gorelik, was summoned to a meeting with R’ Navon z”l on Friday, the 25th of Tishrei 5742. Naturally, Rabbi Gorelik updated the Rebbe on his proposal, as well as the scheduled meeting, which for some reason did not take place.

On Chof Marcheshvan 5742, the Rebbe wrote a note to him in the margins of a general letter: “What was the end result of the meeting with the chief rabbi shlita?” Indeed, after some additional effort, the meeting did take place on Erev Yud-Tes Kislev, and Rabbi Gorelik reported to the Rebbe that the IDF chief rabbi “had decided to write a Sefer Torah in the merit of all the IDF soldiers sheyichyu, i.e., the necessary funds would be received from the Ministry of Defense, and instructions will be sent from him to all the army bases. All IDF soldiers sheyichyu will be registered by purchasing one letter in the sefer Torah for peace, and we Chabad Chassidim will register all of them during the upcoming Chanuka holiday and the evening Chanuka events that we will conduct, G-d willing, on all the bases, etc.”

R’ Navon also asked Rabbi Gorelik to inform the Rebbe, “that he had decided to write the first two letters from Parshas ‘Bereishis’ in honor and merit of the Rebbe and the Rebbetzin, may they live long, and also to announce that he had decided to write the Torah in the Arizal’s ksav. He  already invited three sofrim to see him, and will choose the best and most befitting of them to write the Torah scroll – in the merit of the IDF soldiers, who will be the soldiers of peace.”

EVERY SOLDIER IS UNITED WITH 304,805 SOLDIERS

Just one day after Rabbi Gorelik’s meeting with R’ Navon, at the Yud-Tes Kislev 5742 farbrengen, the Rebbe turned to the Chassidim with a special call to increase activity registering IDF soldiers. However, since the idea of writing a special Torah scroll for IDF soldiers was still being kept secret, due to bureaucratic delays – the soldiers were registered in the regular Sefer Torah.

At the sicha of the second night of Chanuka, the Rebbe raised the issue again, stating that “this matter also acts as a source of ‘dread and fright’ upon the nations of the world – because they know [and even if they don’t, it doesn’t change the true reality] that every Jewish soldier and defender is united with 304,805 soldiers (as the number of letters in a Torah scroll), and his going out into battle is with the strength of all of them, Thus, not only do they flee from the battle (from the intense fear), they make the greatest effort not to come near war and battle in the first place.

“Furthermore, every Jewish soldier and defender is literally included and united with the entire Jewish People, including all the ‘armies of G-d’ that were throughout all generations, until the end of all generations, for G-d reviews the entire descent of the spiritual worlds until the end of all generations at once, especially regarding the souls of the Jewish People. This is particularly so according to what is explained in Pirkei D’Rabi Eliezer, that at the time of the revelation on Mt. Sinai, all the souls of Am Yisrael were present, including the souls that will be at the end of all generations, and all of them were in the state and situation of “as one man with one heart”, and this knowledge increases, even more, the ‘dread and fright’ of the nations of the world from the Jewish People.

“And blessed is his share and great is the privilege of each and every individual who gets another military man and defense official to be united in the writing of the general Torah scrolls, and he thereby merits G-d’s blessing in a manner of ‘mida k’neged mida’, although many times over.”

To be continued BEZ”H…

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