By Bruria Efune / Chabad.org
The Fun Truck is a trailer which Rabbi Ziv, Ruchama, and her family drive to distant army bases, bringing barbecues and joy to IDF soldiers. It continues Moshiko’s legacy who was always looking out for others.
Since Oct. 7, the truck has been going out every single day, reaching soldiers on lonely outposts along the Gaza border, and even up north at the Lebanon border.
One day a few weeks after Oct. 7, Rabbi Ziv visited Ruchama and her family in their home. “I noticed that she has a small breakfront with a photo of Moshiko, and a few sentimental items that belonged to him,” he recalls. “Among them was his tefillin.”
Ruchama told the rabbi, “All the soldiers knew Moshiko’s tefillin. He encouraged them to put them on as well, and say a prayer. He wanted every soldier in his unit to have the opportunity.”
Moshiko wore his tefillin every day, up until his last day. After Moshiko’s vehicle was hit, they tried to retrieve Moshiko’s body but nothing else survived. Everything inside was burned to ashes, except for two items which were left in pristine condition: Moshiko’s tefillin and his prayer book.
Rabbi Ziv was moved by the story. An idea popped into his head. “What do you think about giving the tefillin to the Prime Minister?”
Ruchama reacted enthusiastically. She had no use for the tefillin, especially in a way he would have loved. They wrote a letter to Netanyahu, and Rabbi Ziv sent the tefillin to his office.
Netanyahu had seldom—if ever—been gifted tefillin. Soon, they received an update: A promise to Ruchama that the Prime Minister would wear them and send them a photo as well.
‘THE NAME OF THE LORD UPON YOU’
Months passed, and they heard nothing. It was understandable—the prime minister was busy with one crisis after the other.
Finally, on the morning of Israel’s most painful memorial day in recent memory, Netanyahu wore Moshiko’s tefillin and recited the ancient words of the Shema prayer, “Hear, O Israel: G-d is our L-rd, G-d is one.”
A photo of the moment was snapped and soon began spreading in Israel, and then around the world.
When Netanyahu himself publicly shared the photo, he did so accompanied by a verse from the book of Devarim: “Then all the peoples of the earth will see that the name of the Lord is called upon you, and they will fear you.”
It’s the same verse which the Lubavitcher Rebbe quoted in the runup to the 1967 Six-Day War, adding the Talmud’s explanation that this refers to the tefillin.
Organizations were declared at the time, to assist Jewish soldiers protecting their brethren in the Holy Land in merit of the tefillin, to strengthen the hearts of their enemies, and bring about certain victory. Israel is a nation like no other, the Rebbe explained, “a people that will dwell alone” whose fate and ultimate victory lies in G-d’s hands.
A MOTHER’S CONSOLATION
Netanyahu wrote about thinking about Moshiko and the tefillin, and how he was moved by the story. He added, “I promised Ruchama that I would wear the tefillin for the elevation of Moshiko’s soul and for the elevation of all our fallen. That’s what I do today with holy reverence. May the memory of our fallen be blessed and kept in our hearts forever.”
When the Prime Minister welcomed Ruchama, he gave a personal thank you to the mother who gave him strength and helped him inspire so many—with reactions far beyond what he had expected.
“In here,” he told Ruchama, pointing to Moshiko’s tefillin, “are the prayers of the people.”
Netanyahu promised Ruchama that he will continue to wear Moshiko’s tefillin, and Ruchama, more than anything, feels that her son is standing with her, bringing his light into the world.
She continues to do what her son did, up until his last day—connecting our nation to G-d Above, giving strength. “I know he is with us.”
