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By Shneur Zalman Levin, Beis Moshiach Magazine

“Another factor that motivated me to write this letter is the tremendous inspiration that you aroused in the hearts of many of our Jewish brethren when you put on Tefillin at the Western Wall, an act which merited great publicity and echoed powerfully and positively into the various strata of our nation, in places both near and far.”  – The Rebbe to Then-General Ariel Sharon in a 5728 (1967) letter

Those who follow the news, saw a picture last month of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wearing tefillin. Shliach Or Ziv of Katamon is close with journalist, Sharon Gal. The two learn Chassidus together. Gal asked R’ Ziv, who had been told that Gal would be meeting with Netanyahu, what message he could convey to Netanyahu from the Rebbe’s teachings.

R’ Ziv learns insights from the Rebbe’s sichos with Gal about shleimus ha’aretz and he suggested that Gal ask Netanyahu to put on tefillin and document it. R’ Ziv is close with the Davino family, who live in Katamon. Their son Moshiko, Hy’d, was killed in operation “Protective Edge,” and Mrs. Davino wanted Netanyahu to put on her son’s tefillin.

Gal, who knows Netanyahu for years, said Netanyahu was particularly emotional to read Mrs. Davino’s request. Gal said a picture needed to be publicized which would inspire many. Netanyahu agreed to do it.

General Sharon wearing tefillin

THE REBBE PRAISED PUBLICITY

Beyond the value of the mitzva itself, seeing tefillin on a famous person during war is valuable. In the first letter that the Rebbe sent to General Ariel Sharon, later to become prime minister, the Rebbe mentioned the great importance of Sharon putting on tefillin at the Kosel and the picture being widely publicized. This made a positive impact and inspired many.

The Rebbe connected this to the great tragedy Sharon experienced upon the sudden death of his young son.

“At first glance, the connection between the mourner to whom this blessing is directed and the mourners of Jerusalem’s destruction appears to be quite puzzling. In truth, however, they are connected. For the main consolation embodied by this phrase is in its inner content, namely: The grief over Zion and Jerusalem is common to all the sons and daughters of our people, Israel, wherever they may be (although it is more palpable to those who dwell in Jerusalem and actually see the Western Wall and the ruins of our Holy Temple than to those who are far away from it; nonetheless, even those who are far experience great pain and grief over the destruction). So too is the grief of a single individual Jew or Jewish family shared by the entire nation. For, as the Sages have taught, all of the Jewish people comprise one integral organism.”

WE DIDN’T THINK TO TAKE PICTURES

Indeed, the picture of Netanyahu wearing tefillin made waves, primarily on social media where it was widely discussed. Tens of thousands expressed their excitement about what he did.

Rabbi Dovid Nachshon, director of Tzivos Hashem in Eretz Yisrael and the Mitzva Tanks, is an old friend of Netanyahu. He said that this wasn’t the first time that Netanyahu put on tefillin but the first publicized picture.

“I put tefillin on with him several times,” he told Beis Moshiach. “I would go to him occasionally at the Israeli embassy in New York and put tefillin on with him. He also put tefillin on here in our offices in Eretz Yisrael but at the time we weren’t thinking in terms of prime minister and didn’t think to take pictures. We were simply close friends and would often meet. For a while, we even had regular meetings.

Rabbi Dovid Nachshon and Rabbi Shmuel Butman giving tefillin to Binyamin Netanyahu

“One time, I read to him the pasuk, ‘And all the nations of the earth will see that the name of G-d is upon you and will fear you’ – “Rabi Eliezer HaGadol says these are the tefillin of the head.” I told this to him several times and explained that as someone who represented the Jewish people to the enemies of Israel and to the nations of the world, his putting on tefillin has special importance.

“I think he felt that these were the tefillin of a kadosh, a hero who was killed al kiddush Hashem and it was right before Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day), so he did it.”

HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

Berele Crombie, media personality and co-founder of Tekuma, in favor of judicial reform, sees another angle to the publicizing of the picture to such great acclaim:

“The most important battle being waged today is about winning over international public opinion. The many questions which drive the political players all condense into one question: International support, whether political or economic, since without the political umbrella of the US and its European allies, and without American aid, there is no rational means to continue the war. Unfortunately, we have seen how dramatic a role American aid is playing, when every bullet and missile that the IDF uses in Gaza is being bought with American funding.

Therefore, the picture that was publicized has historic significance. While the battle for national support is at a peak, the prime minister of Israel had a photo of himself with tefillin publicized, accompanied by the pasuk, “And all the nations of the earth will see that the name of G-d is upon you and will fear you.”

The Rebbe explains that aside from the fact that one should not bow to the goy, there is also no reason to alienate the US. There is no contradiction here. We need to respect the Americans and ensure that vital American aid is not undermined, but a strong stand for Israeli interests are what will get the Americans to respect us and treat our security demands seriously.

The Rebbe said that not only is it not a contradiction but if you kowtow to the Americans they don’t respect you. On the contrary, the US “which was founded on the values of justice and righteousness” is a nation that respects whoever firmly stands his ground. The picture of the prime minister is part of that approach that the Rebbe laid out, namely that during tense times with the US, what tips the scale is Jewish strength and unbowing fealty to Jewish tradition.

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Beis Moshiach magazine can be obtained in stores around Crown Heights. To purchase a subscription, please go to: bmoshiach.org

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