The Most Miraculous Victories In Modern History

One scene made me tear up. Someone sent me a video of Kabbalat Shabbat in Israel in a bomb shelter. Men, women, and children all in a shelter Friday evening, singing Lecha Dodi in the most beautiful tunes, with heartfelt emotion, joy, and unity. A nation of lions indeed!

It will go down in history. Friday, 17 Sivan, 5785, June 13, 2025, the moment Israel has been preparing for 30 years has arrived: The all-out attack on Iran’s nuclear sites.

At around 3 am Israel time, reports began emerging of Israeli strikes in Iran. According to the IDF, over 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft took part in the initial strikes, which saw fighter jets hit some 100 targets with over 330 munitions. Only to be followed by a second, far more lethal.

It is now that we can appreciate the depth in Balaam’s metaphor of the crouching lion applied to the people of Israel. And this is an insight presented by the Rebbe at a public gathering.

Another fascinating miracle. Hours before the attack, the suspense was incredible. One wrong move, one leak of info, one wrong move, can spell catastrophe beyond imagination. Netanyahu spent considerable time with the visiting Argentinian President Javier Milei. And what is the gift Milei gives Netanyahu? A beautiful painting of the Israeli leader receiving a blessing from the Rebbe! In hindsight, knowing what Bibi knew, he was receiving a sign from on high! And he went forward with the plan.

We can’t be bystanders to such history in the making. Let every one of us sitting here today ask the question. How will I be part of this history? What can I do in my life to live as a full Jew, to light up my life, my home, my family, my workplace, my world with Yiddishkeit? With faith? With truth and goodness and holiness?

Just last week, the commander in chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Hossein Salami, threatened Israel that “Our next confrontation will be far more crushing, devastating, and destructive." Today, he is dead.  

As is almost everyone else at the highest levels of Iran’s military leadership, including the entire Iranian Air Force senior command, who were tricked by Israel into gathering for a meeting, where they were all hit in one blow. 

As many as 25 nuclear scientists were also killed, and the Natanz nuclear facility was destroyed.

Last night, the Jewish people witnessed wonders that echo the miracles of old. Over 200 Israeli Air Force aircraft launched a daring and complex overnight operation deep inside Iran, with over 330 precision munitions in coordinated waves beginning at 3:00 am. Miraculously, every single pilot returned home safely. 

We now know that in the past year, the Mossad established operational bases deep inside Iran itself. They hid advanced attack drones and precision-guided weaponry throughout the country. 

At the moment the jets approached, these weapons were activated, launching at pre-programmed targets, blinding Iranian radars and destroying Iran’s anti-aircraft defenses. 

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. 

Iran had already prepared 600 ballistic missiles primed and aimed at Israeli cities, ready to go the moment Israel would attack. Had those launchers been fired, Israel could have faced 600 incoming missiles in the first few moments of war.  

Every Israeli was woken up at 3 am in preparation for the attack… that never came. The 600 ballistic missiles, which could have been a catastrophe, were preemptively and successfully destroyed. All of them.  

And the fact that the details of this amazing operation, with hundreds of missiles being launched from all over Iran, all at the same time, is now public information suggests that all Israeli agents involved are safe and accounted for. 

This week, as I said the morning prayers, a sudden surge of gratitude to G-d overcame me. With the news of such extraordinary military success and miraculous protection, I felt like we should be saying Hallel, the Psalms of Praise recited on a Holiday. 

The Shabbat (at least in the US, where we are safe to assemble in Shuls), we will read about The powerfully uplifting verse promising us that “If you go to war in your land against an adversary that oppresses you, you shall blow a teruah with the trumpets and be remembered before the L-rd your G-d, and thus be saved from your enemies”.

Later in that same chapter, we will read the famous words we sing every time we open the Ark: And when the Ark set forth, Moses said: ‘Arise, O’ L-rd, and let Your enemies be scattered, and may those who hate You flee from You”.

Many Jews across the world are circulating these verses in celebration today, seeing how these promises of G-d are coming to life in real-time. And indeed, it is deeply moving that this week’s Torah reading describes G-d’s protection over His people! 

But I think there is another critically important lesson here, one that must not be overlooked: 

The verse does not say, “When Israel sits still, G-d will rise and scatter our enemies.” 

It says, “When the Ark travels...”  

Only AFTER the people move forward, following the Ark on an unknown journey in the desert, with unshakeable faith and courage, does G-d rise to perform miracles. 

G-d is not just the Master of the Universe; G-d is also in a relationship with us. So, G-d waits for us to make the first move.  

We must FIRST walk with courage, we must act with decisive determination to proactively defend ourselves, and we must be ready to carry the Ark into danger. 

Even if that means walking alone. Traveling forth without the approval of the U.N. and without the support and assistance of our friends. 

Then, and only then, does G-d scatter our enemies and cloak us in unbelievable victory. 

This is not a new formula. We saw it in 1967, during the Six-Day War. Surrounded and alone, Israel did not wait for world approval. With faith and resolve, we struck first — and were granted one of the most miraculous victories in modern history. 

We saw it again in 1981, when Israel took the bold and controversial decision to bomb the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq. The world condemned it. But just years later, as Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring countries and showed his willingness to use weapons of mass destruction, those same critics came back to quietly say thank you, Israel. 

As I send this email on Friday, one week later, Israel is still freely striking Iran: bombing reactors, destroying weapon stockpiles and fuel depots, and even refueling over Syria. Iran has been so badly hit that Israel has full control over its skyes.

Some say that the attacks went even better than Israel hoped for. And that’s because when we follow the Ark with the Ten Commandments inside, and we use Torah values alone as our moral compass and guiding light, G-d fights for us! 

Let us remember something important: the miracles of last week are just as amazing as those in the Bible. They just are dressed in camouflage instead of clouds of glory. They fly fighter jets instead of parting seas.  

But they are miracles of G-d, no less. Behind it all is the same G-d who is still guiding and protecting us. The same G-d who fought for us then is the same G-d who is “scattering our enemies before us” now.   

To me, this is the full scope of the miracles we are seeing again right now. To see a nation stand up and go forward to fight with conviction, unafraid of what anyone else might say.  

This is the winning formula that guarantees our amazing military and intelligence successes! 

So let us say Hallel in our hearts, have praise on our lips, and remember that as Jews, we are led on our journey by the values of the Torah found within the Aron Kodesh (the Holy Ark), and not by the political considerations of politicians in countries far from our Homeland.  

May the enemies of peace fall before us and may the Ark of our people lead us ever forward — to safety, to strength, and redemption. 

Am Yisrael Chai. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Yoseph Geisinsky