Missiles in the Sky, Miracles on the Ground

The Month Hezbollah Never Expected 

In Elul 5784, Israel experienced a series of miraculous victories against Hezbollah. The top three layers of their leadership were eliminated, and thousands of terrorists were wiped out. These events have shown that Hashem’s hand is guiding us, just like in our most historic victories. 

After a week of hearing sirens and seeing missiles, when the alarm went off on Shabbat, I almost got used to it. I had no idea what would happen next.  

It has almost become routine. The alarm goes off, the sky explodes, then you look for the white smokestacks in the sky where the Iron Dome intercepted the missiles or for the black smokestacks coming from the ground where they landed.  

Most of the time, the explosions are far enough away that you breathe easily. The sound is terrifying, but usually the trajectory of the actual projectile is hundreds of meters away.  

When we heard the alarm on Shabbat, we entered our safe room, closed the door, and waited. A few explosions came and went. Then, there was a big one. It was so fierce the ground shook.  

The sirens stopped wailing and we opened the door. Our coffee was still sitting on the balcony. Everything had happened so fast, the mugs were still hot.  

We looked up to see what happened: 

About five small clouds “emerged” 15 degrees to the left. That’s five missiles about to hit the heart of the Jezreel Quarter neighborhood in Afula. The Iron Dome system intercepted all of them, and countless lives were spared.  

We continued to survey the sky. When we saw it, we started to dance.  

A huge cloud appeared right over our heads. It was lower than the others and a lot bigger. Its trajectory was our home. Had this missile not been intercepted, we would be dead.  

Hashem saved our lives in the most miraculous manner. A split second before the sword pierced our necks, He held out His Hand and stopped it.  

Hashem saved the lives of hundreds of people by literally scooping missiles out of the air moments before they were set to explode on women, children, and babies.  

These miracles have been happening all over Israel during this month that our King is in the field, listening to all our prayers up close and personal.  

Massive long-range ballistic missiles have been aimed at Tel Aviv from Yemen and Iraq. Haifa has been showered with powerful artillery from Lebanon and Syria. Even Jerusalem is in range of enemy fire coming at us from seven directions.  

Despite all, human and material damage has been minimal to an inexplicable degree.  

The Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. (Psalms 121: 4-7) 

The Most Humane Attack in History 

The most powerful attack of World War II was its final blow. The atomic attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was the death blow to an evil empire that murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in China, turned everyone in Korea into sex slaves, and signed an alliance with Adolph Hitler.  

Nobody ever questioned the ethics of ending a world war in a manner that spared a million American soldiers from fighting by dropping two bombs that killed 200,000 civilians.  

As Commander in Chief, Harry Truman said when he authorized the attack, “I slept fine that night.” 

Why we in Israel have to justify civilian collateral damage in our campaign to rid the world of evil monsters who target, rape, maim, and murder women and children and get paid by their supporters for it is beyond me.  

But if the world demands our miracles spare “innocent Palestinians,” so be it.  

Elul featured the deadliest and yet most humane attack against terror in human history. Israel intercepted all the pagers belonging to Hezbollah terrorists, added explosives to them, and, at the press of a button, tore apart thousands of Hezbollah madmen with zero collateral damage.  

Even the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon lost an eye in the attack. 

This was another Elul miracle.  

These thousands of terrorists would be waiting for our sons and daughters in the tunnels of South Lebanon if not for this reality-defying feat.  

The Month That Shocked the Middle East 

The most miraculous Elul in our time has culminated in the quick demise of Hezbollah’s leader of 32 years and the top three levels of their leadership. They were all killed in a daring raid inside Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.  

We also killed Ibrahim Aqil, who masterminded the 1983 Marine barracks bombing that killed 241 American servicemen.  

During Elul alone, the Jewish State killed more terrorists on the FBI’s most wanted terror list than the entire world has in the past 20 years.  

We can now enter South Lebanon with an adversary in disarray, without a leader or top levels of command, half of its ability to fire weapons destroyed, and in a state of shock and confusion.  

Even the Ayatollah of Iran, living 1,000 miles away from Israel, is hiding in fear for his life.  

Recap of Israel’s Military Feats in 5784: Divine Protection 

Despite the tragedies, 5784 has been highlighted by too many miracles to count: 

👑 20,000 missiles were fired at Israel from five nations and two territories over the last 12 months, with minuscule casualties.  

👑 On April 14, Iran fired 330 missiles and drones on the Jewish nation . . . and not a single one hit the target.  

👑 We suffered the tragic loss of 715 IDF warriors. We killed 30,000 Hamas terrorists. For every one of our sons and daughters that they killed, we slayed 50 of them. We did this fighting on a battlefield not only controlled by Hamas, but we also did this in the tunnels of Gaza – a battlefield invented by Hamas. To win like this in territory the enemy itself built is beyond any logic. It’s a miracle. 

👑 Our leaders kept pressing, despite objections from America and Europe, to launch a ground invasion of Gaza, take Khan Yunis, and reconquer Rafah. They persevered under the constant threat of arrest and prosecution by the International Court of Justice and sanctions by the United Nations. Would a diplomat or minister in a European country be willing to sacrifice their free car service for a jail cell? 

There is no event in human history to rival the war in which Hashem spared so much life on the Jewish side and enabled so much destruction on the side of the terrorists.  

Hashem’s Torah doesn’t mince words on our mission: God commands us to serve Him so He will empower us to destroy our enemies, displace all nations occupying our land, and commit wanton genocide against the nation of Amalek.  

He commands us to remember this every day – so we never forget.  

This is the year that Hashem screamed to the nations: Good will overcome, no matter what the odds are, and evil will be destroyed, no matter what the advantage.  

This is the year Hashem said to the nations of the world: Israel is My nation. The Torah is My rule for My world. Those who follow Me will win, no matter what you think of geopolitics, human rights, and your assessment of who is right.  

This is the year Hashem says to His children: Return to Me, and I will protect you. This year, He did it in such a manner that nobody can contest Who is behind our salvation.   

Prayers, Protection, and Peace: What We Can Expect in 5785 

When we perform something as simple as reliving our bowels, we are commanded to recite the asher yatzar prayer, thanking Hashem for a functioning digestive system and a healthy way to expel toxins in our body that would kill us if not discarded.  

How can we thank Hashem for all the miracles He has given us this year?  

What miracles are in store for the Jewish People for 5785? 

It’s up to us to thank Hashem for these miracles by guarding our tongue from gossip and slander, our bodies from immoral behavior, and our hearts from hatred of one another.  

It’s up to us to thank Hashem every day for protecting us. Rabbi Avigdor Miller advises us to go beyond the “kissing of the mezuzah.” When you kiss a mezuzah, say out loud “I love You, Hashem.”  

“I love Your Torah.” “I love Your mitzvot.” “I love Your kindness.” 

This year, when we kiss a mezuzah, we can all say, “Thank You for saving us, Father.” “Thank You for protecting us from death and for another day to perform mitzvot.” 

For every Jew, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are two supersonic Iranian-made Fattah missiles surging toward your head at 15 times the speed of sound.  

You can only survive if God stretches out His hand and blocks them once more.  

This can only happen through prayer, Torah learning, kindness, performing mitzvot, constantly striving to improve our character traits, and most of all, through the mercy and compassion of our Father, the King of the world who neither slumbers nor sleeps and protects us in a way that only He can. 

May we all be written in the Book of life, strength, prosperity, health, holiness, happiness, peace, and Emunah for 5785.  

Editor’s update:

This article was written on 29-Sept. Two days later, on 01-Oct, Iran launched a second massive aerial attack of 180 ballistic missiles that led to 1,800 air defense sirens sounding across Eretz Yisrael. Miraculously, there was minimal property damage only.

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David Ben Horin lives in Afula with his family, millions of sunflowers, and Matilda, our local camel. David‘s Israeli startup, 300 Marketing Solutions, is a lean marketing agency for startups and small businesses that creates and promotes SEO-optimized ROI-driven to the right audience on LinkedIn to make your business the star of the show.