A Modern Day Bilaam Story: How a Russian Ba'al Teshuvah Nearly Destroyed the State of Israel and the Power of Yom Kippur Tefila

The story of Balak and Bilaam is a paradigm for how Hashem protects the Jewish people without them even being aware of the danger that lurks. It's a little early in the year to discuss parshas Balak, but for anyone who read the story of Leonid Tikochinsky in this week's Mishpacha magazine, the connection is clear.

Briefly, before ultimately returning to Judasim and making aliyah, Mr. Tikochinsky was an ardent Communist who rose within the Russian naval service to the position of commander of a Soviet nuclear submarine. And it so happens that during the Yom Kippur War, he was directed to position his sub off the coast of Israel, and await an order to fire nuclear missles that would inevitably have killed millions of Jews and destroyed the Jewish state. While, at the time, Tikochinsky knew he was a Jew, he had been so brainwashed by Soviet propoganda that he says now he would not have hesitated to fire had the order arrived, or even given a second thought to slaughtering millions of his brethren. Of course, B"H, the order never came.

It is very frightening story, which it seems has only recently come to light. Yet, it also reinforces our faith that, as with Bilaam's attempt to curse the Jewish people, Hashem is watching over us at all times - hi'nei lo yanum v'lo yishan shomer Yisrael. (note: as per above, Mr. Tikochinsky is now a frum Jew living in the State of Israel - so beyond the Jewish people being saved, a Jewish neshama was saved as well).

Click here to access a PDF version of the story - not sure how long Mishpacha will keep it online so download and read it while you can.

In closing, I'll note that we've previously blogged about how when we cry to Hashem during tefilah, we can never know what effect our tears will have in terms of averting evil decrees hanging over the Jewish people. It now seems the tears of our tefilos during that fateful Yom Kippur in 1973 may have indeed averted another Holocaust - a danger no one could have known existed at the time. This knowledge should inspire us to a new surge of heartfelt tears, and pleas for Mercy for Am Yisrael, this evening as another Yom Kippur arrives and we continue to face enemies seeking our destruction (including a new modern day Haman in Persia seeking nuclear capabilities).

Gmar chasima tova to all!