This week, 49 years ago, the Yom Kippur War broke out. A moment before the IDF forces went up to capture the Hermon Outpost, the Syrians made a surprising move surprising the commanders. Rabbi Grossman remembered that fateful day, saying:
“I stood facing the mountain, wearing a helmet. These were the days of the Yom Kippur War. The late Professor Zohar, a senior IDF commander, had approached me a few days earlier, and told me that a number of attempts had been made to take control of the Mount Hermon Outpost, but had yet to succeed.
With the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War, the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon were captured by Syria. During the days of the war, the IDF succeeded in ousting Syria from all of the areas conquered at the beginning of the war, with the exception of the Hermon Outpost.
At that time, the U.S. pressured Israel for a cease fire. It was clear that if they didn’t recapture the mountain, it may remain in the hands of Syria, leaving Israel in a weak position. Consequently, the Government made a decision to recapture the Outpost and Zohar asked me to come to encourage the soldiers before they set off for battle. I agreed and came.
This was on Sunday, the 25th of Tishrei, 5734, at nightfall. The soldiers were alert and tense. A makeshift stage was prepared for me, where I was supposed to say a few words.
However, something went wrong with the original plan: A group of entertainers who were making the rounds to raise the spirits of the soldiers, arrived. Zohar approached me and apologized, and asked my permission for them to perform before me, because they were in a hurry to continue on their way. I agreed and sat at the side.
The comedian, Gadi Yagil, came on stage and suddenly saw me in the audience. He turned to me to apologize and said to the thousands of soldiers: “I can’t begin. Rabbi Grossman is sitting here. I can’t tell you my jokes in front of him,” so he turned to me, took out a small book of Tehillim from his pocket and said: “Honored Rabbi, please take my book of Tehillim and move to the side until I finish my work. I can’t work like this.”
I stood up and said to him: “Let’s work together. Yagil was shocked and invited me on stage. I went on stage and began to sing words that I made up on the spot in a well-known Israeli melody: “On Yom Kippur, the enemies entered and disturbed the prayer, this shall be an atonement for all of the Jewish People.”
The soldiers were inspired and began to sing with me. I showed them they could be guided by their singing, against Syria: “Shall be an atonement, be an atonement, be an atonement, for all of the Jewish People.”
I took advantage of these critical moments, which lasted longer than planned, and asked them a rhetorical question: What do you want to do at this moment – hear jokes, or shout Shema Yisrael?
This shout surrounded the entrances of Mount Hermon, and probably the Syrians who were on the mountain at that time heard as well. The soldiers shouted in unison: Shema Yisrael.
Then everyone stood, and the soldiers covered their heads with their berets, and recited: Shema Yisrael, the Lord our God is one; and God is the Lord – just as we say at the end of the Neila service of Yom Kippur.”
There was great excitement, we were not able to finish all the verses, and the signal was given to climb the mountain. The area immediately became a battlefield. The jeep that rescued me from there, extracted me from the fire and pillars of smoke.
40 years later, I met with Mr. Shimon Shevas, the director of the late Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin’s Office, who told me: “I am dedicating a chapter to you in my biography that I am currently writing.”
The story he revealed to me, which was from that heroic moment of Kiddush Hashem during the Yom Kippur War – was both uplifting and awe-inspiring.
“We were among the commanders that fateful night,” said Shevas. “The army had planned to attack the outpost from the northern side. It was easier to climb there. However, when the IDF arrived at the entrance to the Hermon, they were notified that the Syrians had approached the northern side of the mountain, and it was very dangerous to ascend from there, because we would encounter and be attacked by the Syrians.”
“With no other choice, we, the senior IDF officials sat and changed our plan and decided to attack from the southern side. We knew we would sustain many loses there,” said Shevas, “Because it is much steeper and more dangerous, but climbing from the northern side would be doubly as dangerous, because of the surprise that was awaiting us.”
“At the same time, the Rabbi was speaking,” said Shevas, in a rare admission, “And there was great inspiration, so we decided not to interrupt the Rabbi when he was speaking. What happened at the end of his speech was a complete surprise, also to us the senior army officials. The Rabbi ended his speech and the Syrians changed their position, moving their forces and returning to the south. We returned to our original plan, saving may sacrifices.”
In the photos: Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman visiting the war wounded
