The history of the “Jewish Guard” began almost immediately with the arrival of the disciples of the Vilna Gaon zt”l and the Baal Shem Tov zt”l to Eretz Yisrael, more than 200 years ago. When it became apparent that the Turkish authorities were either unable or unwilling to deal with Arab marauders, these early settlers realized that an armed Jewish defense force was needed to prevent the fledgling Jewish settlement from becoming fair game to the roving bands of Arab Bedouins who plagued the region.
The headquarters was located in the Old City, and it was commanded by some of the most outstanding disciples of the Gaon. On one of the Guard’s missions, Reb Yosef Schick of Ladi was killed. On another occasion, Reb Nosson Nota, the son of Reb Menachem Mendel of Shklov, a disciple of the Gaon, was seriously wounded and blinded in one eye. Rabbinic leaders of the yishuv, such as Rav Yeshayah Bardaky, Rav Eliyahu Yehoshua Magid, Rav Zev Babis, and Rav Hillel Sherlin, were all leaders of the Jewish Guard and risked their lives on many dangerous missions to protect the yishuv. Many members of the Sephardic community also joined the ranks of these valiant defenders and, due to them, much death and destruction was withheld from those early Jewish communities.
One morning in 1820, Rav Hillel Rivlin zt”l (1758-1838), one of the prominent leaders of Jerusalem’s Ashkenazic community and the head of its first beis din was about to leave his home to daven Shacharis in the morning, when he was approached by a solitary, letter-bearing Bedouin. The letter revealed that a party of Jewish immigrants had been captured by an Arab gang and they were demanding ransom. Rav Hillel convened an urgent meeting of the community leaders and the Guard. It was decided that two men, seemingly bearing the ransom money, would accompany the Arab emissary, while all the members of the Guard would secretly follow them to the bandits’ camp.
They arrived at the camp, which is near what today is the city of Bnei Brak. In a surprise assault, the Guard members destroyed the camp and freed the prisoners. The bandit chief as well as many of his band were killed, and the remaining members barely escaped with their lives. When the victorious Guard returned to Jerusalem together with their rescued captives, they found the community still steeped in fasting and prayer for the success of the mission.
One way or another, the Guard managed to arm itself not only with clubs and knives but also with pistols and rifles. Two Guard leaders, Reb Shmaryahu “Shmerel” Luria and his brother-in-law, Reb Shmerel Zuckerman, devoted themselves to arming Guard members with pistols. For quite some time afterward, pistols in Jerusalem were known as “shmerelech.”
When the neighborhoods of Nachalat Shivah and Meah Shearim were founded outside the city walls, the Guard assumed new and more dangerous duties. These new settlements were open to attack, especially at night when the Old City’s gates were locked. Guard members stood watch over these neighborhoods, day and night, alternating their shifts between guard duty and Torah study. These new duties were in addition to their normal responsibilities of escorting groups of travelers to Jerusalem and guarding the storehouses of food and building materials in the exposed neighborhoods.
In the summer of 1873, the Old City of Jerusalem was terrorized by a powerful gang of Arab Bedouin bandits named Jehart-Al-Harabiah. Attacking Jewish homes became an almost nightly occurrence. People were terrified, and in many instances, Jews were tortured mercilessly and killed. At an urgent meeting that was hurriedly convened at the home of Jerusalem’s chief rabbi, Rav Meir Auerbach zt”l, it was decided to attack the gang at its hideout. The night before the planned attack was declared “watch night” and Jerusalem’s citizens gathered in the shuls to recite T’hilim and daven for the success of the mission. On the night of 18 Sivan, groups gathered into shul to spend the entire night in t’filah.
At midnight, members of the Guard launched a three-pronged attack on Jehart-Al-Harabiah stronghold, north of the city, and inflicted heavy casualties. Within a half hour, the enemy camp was decimated, with nearly 150 of them dead. For many years, “salvation night” was celebrated in Jerusalem on the 18th of Sivan.
(from the sefer HaIsh Al HaChomah)
Rabbi Dovid Hoffman is the author of the popular “Torah Tavlin” book series, filled with stories, wit and hundreds of divrei Torah, including the brand new “Torah Tavlin Yamim Noraim” in stores everywhere. You’ll love this popular series. Also look for his book, “Heroes of Spirit,” containing one hundred fascinating stories on the Holocaust. They are fantastic gifts, available in all Judaica bookstores and online at http://israelbookshoppublications.com. To receive Rabbi Hoffman’s weekly “Torah Tavlin” sheet on the parsha, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
