Story No. 1:
During WWI (1914-18), a Russian Jewish soldier once received a leg wound. Some Russian medics patched him up and began to carry him back to a rear field hospital.
But, suddenly, a full retreat was called--with enemy troops quickly approaching, threatening to overrun the area.
Reluctantly, the medics had to leave the wounded soldier behind.
As an Austro-Hungarian charged upon him with fixed bayonet, the Russian cried aloud, "Shema Yisroel, Adonoi Elohaynu, Adonoi Echad."
The Austro-Hungarian stopped in his tracks. "Du bist a Yid?"
The Russian nodded. "Yuh."
The Austro-Hungarian declared, "Kum mit mir. Du bist itzt mein gefangener" ("Come with me. You are now my prisoner"). The Austro-Hungarian carried the Russian back to his Battalion HQ. The Russian ended up in a POW Camp and survived the war.
Story No. 2:
Sometime in the early 1950's, following Israel's War of Independence (1947-49), a group of five young Israelis decided to take a trip to Burma in the Far East.
While on a supposedly safe jungle trail, a huge Python snake sprang from a tree and coiled itself around one of the Israelis.
The four other Israelis--along with their tour guide--tried mightily to pull the snake off the trapped Israeli.
But they could not do so. The python's grip was too strong.
Sensing his end was near, the ensnared Israeli called out, "Shema Yisroel..."
As soon as he finished, the python suddenly released its grip and slithered away.
On the spot, that secular Israeli vowed he would now become an observant Jew.
Upon return home, he enrolled in a yeshiva, studied Torah for five years and eventually became an ordained rabbi and a full-time teacher of Talmud to younger students.
- Rabbi Murray Stadtmauer
In the days of the Soviet Jewry struggle, a Jew in the USSR got the idea of escaping to the West by joining a circus that was going on tour. For a performance in some European city, he was given the job of wearing a bear costume and wrestling with another bear. The Jew put on his costume and went into the ring, and he saw a huge, fierce, bear approaching him, roaring and waving its front legs menacingly. Thinking that his days were over, he cried out, "Sh'ma yisrael, Adonoy Elohenu, Adonoy echad." The other bear responded, "Baruch shem k'vod malchuto l'olam va-ed."
-Rabbi George Barnard
Comments