JULY 16, ‘25 // It wasn’t with weapons that Yaakov fought. It was with the ultimate spiritual arsenal: heartfelt tefillah. And here we were, standing in a modern airport surrounded by technology, border officers, and X-ray machines — and even they, unknowingly, were testifying to the truth of Rashi’s words. Holy Sefarim That Cut Through We often treat our siddur, our Tehillim, our Gemara as just part of our daily routine. We carry them in our bags, set them down on benches, flip through them quickly between tasks. But in Shamayim, these are tools of transformation. They are instruments that break through spiritual barriers, shields that protect, and weapons that fight battles we don’t even see. To the untrained eye, these books are just paper and ink. But to those who understand, they are living conduits of connection to Hashem. Even the airport X-ray machine picked up what we sometimes don’t: that these items are sharp. They have spiritual edges. They cut through the darkness of confusion. They pierce through despair. They slice open the heavens when we cry out with sincerity. A Message We All Need That day, I walked away from airport security with more than just cleared bags. I walked away with renewed clarity: never underestimate the power of tefillah and Torah. In a world that increasingly values what can be seen, scanned, measured, and proven, this experience was Hashem’s wink to us. A reminder that there is a deeper world — a spiritual reality that’s every bit as real, and even more powerful. As the Gemara in Maseches Brachos 6b teaches: “Tefillah is greater than good deeds and greater than sacrifices,” Because it comes directly from the heart. It reaches higher than the skies. May We Never Travel Without Our Weapons So yes, next time you travel — or even go about your daily routine — don’t forget to pack your siddur, your Tehillim, your sefer. But more importantly, don’t forget what they are. They’re not just books. They’re not just traditions. They are our spiritual weaponry, our defense, our power, our lifeline. May we merit to always turn to Hashem in heartfelt tefillah, to learn His Torah with passion, and to carry our spiritual weapons proudly — wherever we go. 118
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