Special Protection

“… Hashem, He is the G-d; there is none beside Him” (Devarim 4:35)

The Talmud (Chulin 7b)cites R’ Chanina’s comment on this pasuk. He stated that even witchcraft is ineffective against the will of Hashem. The Talmud tells of a woman who would try to take the dust from under the feet of R’ Chanina in order to harm him with her black magic. R’ Chanina told her: You can do as you wish, but you will not be able to harm me because “There is none other beside Him.”

Our Sages ask: But R’ Yochanan asserts that the word used for witchcraft is keshafim which, in Hebrew, is an acronym for “it weakens the Heavenly Divine beings.” They explain that R’ Chanina’s merits were so great that he would not be harmed.

To clarify – when a person lives and breathes with the belief that there is none other besides Hashem, then there is no power in the world that can cause him harm if it is not the will of Hashem. Since R’ Chanina was completely dependent on Hashem Himself, he knew with a certainty that the witchcraft would be totally ineffective. R’ Chaim Volozhiner teaches in his sefer Nefesh HaChaim that internalizing the concept of ein od milvado (there is none beside Him) is potent, and whatever happens one must strengthen that thought because everything is, in fact, by the will of Hashem. This is a remarkable protection against any harsh judgments and evil in the world. When this image – that there is nothing beside Him in this world – becomes entrenched in one’s heart, it immunizes a person from harm.

It is told that when the Nazis entered Poland during the Second World War, the Brisker Rav was in Warsaw. He was in possession of a forged passport and miraculously was able to escape. However, when the group arrived at the Russian border, they were suddenly accosted by a Gestapo soldier who angrily demanded money. All the time, the Brisker Rav was incessantly deliberating ein od milvado when, out of the blue, Russian soldiers appeared and the Nazi took off.

Later, the Rav explained that throughout their ride toward the border, all he had on his mind was ein od milvado – there is none beside Hashem – and everything went well. However, when he saw the Russian border ahead, he was distracted for a moment, and that’s when the Nazi appeared.

R’ Chanina bar Chama lived in the era between the Tannaim and Amoraim. He was born in Bovel, but he went to Eretz Yisrael and was a disciple of R’ Yehuda HaNasi. At the end of his life, R’ Yehuda HaNasi appointed R’ Chanina to take over his position as rosh hayeshiva, but due to his extreme modesty R’ Chanina did not accept the appointment. He felt that a disciple who was older than he should accept the appointment. R’ Chanina was considered among the greatest of his generation.

A wealthy person, whose faith in Hashem was not very strong, decided to purchase a new car. He went to a high-end car dealer and bought the nicest car on the floor. Delighted with his new acquisition, the man drove out with pride, certain that every eye was on him and everyone wished that it was he who was driving the car.

As he stopped for the light, a Breslover chassid approached the car and wanted to put a sticker on the bumper of his car. The driver’s face turned red. “Don’t even think about it!” he shouted. “Don’t touch the car!”

“Calm down,” said the chassid.“You’re not obligated. But I just want to tell you that the sticker says ein od milvado. It will protect your car from any and all harm – theft, accident, or loss. With this sticker on your car, you have nothing to worry about.”

The wealthy person thought for a moment, and then said, “Okay, let’s make a deal. You will put the sticker on my car, but I’m not going to take out any theft insurance on my car. If the car is stolen, I am coming to you for the money. You should know that this is a very expensive car!”

The chassid was very excited and immediately affixed the sticker to the back of the car.

The next morning, when the wealthy man woke up, he was eagerly looking forward to another day of showing off his car. However, his car was gone! He began to tremble and his blood began to boil. All he could think about was the chassid and his blind faith.

He took a taxi to the address of the yeshiva where the chassid learned. As soon as he arrived at the yeshiva, his phone rang. The police were at the other end and asked whether his car had been stolen. When he replied in the affirmative, they told him to come quickly to the army barracks.

He immediately set out there and found his car in perfect condition. The soldiers had stopped an Arab driver who had given them his license and all the necessary paperwork for the car. There had really been no reason to keep him. However, when one of the soldiers stepped behind the car and noticed the sticker, he was certain, then, that the Arab was driving a stolen car.

When the owner of the car heard this, a stillness settled within him. He saw how truthful were the words ein od milvado. He immediately headed back to the yeshiva to tell the chassid what had occurred. It was the beginning of his journey to draw closer to Yiddishkeit.

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