A Story With Two Connections to the Parsha
Limuday Moshe | December 21, 2023
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A Story With Two Connections to the Parsha

Limuday Moshe | December 31, 2025

I recently came across a fascinating story about Rav Yosef Lichter: Rav Lichter was a descendant of the Rema and was himself a Dayan in Europe before World War II. Rav Lichter and his three sons survived the war by disguising themselves as Polish peasants. They apparently were never in the Concentration Camps.

Yosef Lichter was meticulous in his observance of the practice of Kiddush Levonah. He used to quote the ‘segulah’ that is mentioned in various sources that one will never die in the month in which he sanctifies the New Moon. He used to say that Kiddush Levonah is a 30-Day Insurance Policy.

When the Nazis were finally defeated and the Russians moved into Poland, the Russians imposed a dawn to dusk curfew. It was prohibited to walk in the street after dusk. Rav Lichter did not want to violate his firm practice of reciting Kiddush Levonah, so he took his chances, went outside, and recited the prayer for sanctification of the new moon.

I recently came across a fascinating story about Rav Yosef Lichter: Rav Lichter was a descendant of the Rema and was himself a Dayan in Europe before World War II. Rav Lichter and his three sons survived the war by disguising themselves as Polish peasants. They apparently were never in the Concentration Camps.

Yosef Lichter was meticulous in his observance of the practice of Kiddush Levonah. He used to quote the ‘segulah’ that is mentioned in various sources that one will never die in the month in which he sanctifies the New Moon. He used to say that Kiddush Levonah is a 30-Day Insurance Policy.

When the Nazis were finally defeated and the Russians moved into Poland, the Russians imposed a dawn to dusk curfew. It was prohibited to walk in the street after dusk. Rav Lichter did not want to violate his firm practice of reciting Kiddush Levonah, so he took his chances, went outside, and recited the prayer for sanctification of the new moon.

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