after all, didn't the rabbi get this idea from the catholic church? maybe they could even start praying to her, you know, just in case. or start saying some "hail rachel"s. for good luck, or something.

Why couldn't “Mother Rachel” have been old and ugly? I'm sure our boys would still have listened to her knowing her apparition was sent by express order of the Beth-din. No, ‘Mother Rachel’ was a ‘beautiful young woman’ (someone is fantasizing out loud). So, was Rachel sent there to flirt with the troops and take their mind off their mission (very dangerous) or was she sent to warn them. That ‘young beautiful woman’ could have caused a stir there in Gaza. It's so funny - and it's just another chapter in the greatest story ever written.

And he has probably the fantasy to tell such stories to his superstitious followers . In the 21st centyry !!

Let me guess..are elections right around the corner? What a dull hateful article written from a real ignorant and immature point of view. First of all you start off with a lie. Rabbi Eliahu did not confirm it was "mother Rachel" who warned our soldiers. He simply hinted that it could have been her in some shape or form. Second,Ynet uses a catchy headline putting Rav Ovadia and young women in the same sentence. What are you trying to insinuate?...Nothing Third Rav Ovadia also did not state that it was Rachel Imanu herself. He did believe that Rochel had helped in some way. Jews pray everyday at her grave hoping she will help them. It could be the women from Gazza was somehow "influenced" by Rochel..miracles do happen. Fourth....SO WHAT! is it so bad if they do still believe in that "old religion" named Judaism and trust that our forefathers and mothers are still looking out for us. How do you ignore the many documented accounts of blatant miracles that have occurred to Israeli troops since 1948? The article comes off sounding like a big bully laughing that his little brother still has hope and believes in God. SHAME ON YOU! An article like this mocks ones faith and would not be published anywhere else in the world! Hey...go pick on someone else and don't join with all those who have tried to belittle our beliefs. Disclaimer-I will vote Shas, because I take the land and security of my country seriously, as well as my faith

If she did....and understood being asked in Hebrew " Who are you?"....

i belive due to the way the soldiers were fighting in Gaza , even God himself would have been shot down by the soldiers due to their lack of humanity in indifference , also God will never send anyone from his side to protect any killers , the soldiers were only horny

They are right...a religious nut shack is just loopy irrespective of the denomination they follow. Stupid stuff and why is reported? Its crap.

Where is the soldier (soldiers) who saw and spoke to this apparition? Without them coming foward, the story then has all the classic characteristics of a rumor turning into an urban legend. The story I heard (before it was published) had her miraculously advancing from house to house! The question to ask is WHY are some of the religious (like SHAS) trying to cash in on this war? Does 'mother Rachel" only help when we are 'winning' as in...where was she during the second Lebanese war or when a lone terrorist killed young unarmed Yeshiva students (etc.)....or does she only reveal herself when Shas needs a boost in the elections?

..she gave the same warning at the UN school!

In another telling (on Arutz Sheva) she was an older woman warning them in Arabic. Maybe, maybe not. Those who are more spiritually inclined will see in such events "miracles" that others don't. The armored carrier loaded with weapons struck by an RPG but didn't catch fire... The synagogue that was struck by a missile shortly after the service broke up... The rocket that, many months ago, struck a mall in Ashkelon at the roof's strongest point... Even the botched war of 2006 had its share of "miracles". One news report claimed the INS Hanit, just before being struck, hit a wave that tilted the ship, causing the missile to strike topside, rather than on its side, reducing casualties. And there is the story of the mystery cat that helped soldiers retrieve a fallen comrade, then disappeared as they crossed back into Israel. The IDF is still primarily a "Jewish" army. One shouldn't be surprised if it finds a Jewish meaning when engaged in war.

Didint like the the attention the other Rav was getting. Drives him even further round the crazy bend.

But that's probably rarer than Rachel appearing before soldiers.

did the troops confirm this, or is it a BS story, much like the virgin mary appearing on a piece of toast???

As a secular Jew, who am I, or who are any of us, to judge whether soldiers believed there was an appearance? Belief is a leap of faith! We all believe in things we can't readily explain. STOP BASHING and let the believers believe.

All my haredi relatives are talking about this like it is a big joke. The little girls believe it.

let the soldiers who seen the virgin Mary... I mean Rachel tell us these stories not rabbis.

Sounds to me like somebody got his Tallit pulled. Since when has Judaism believed in such "appearnces", Rabbi? But then again the "Beautiful Lady" who appeared to Bernadette at Lourdes was a Jewish girl too, no? Since when have we needed this nonsense? Someone be kind and give him his Aricept.

Another bit of superstition dressed up to be religious hogwash. Let those who accept his drivel enjoy themselves. The most important thing is that the soldiers were OK.

It is a tenet of Orthodox Judaism that Hashem watches over everything and nothing happens "by accident". Effect follows cause in a very complicated pattern that in general is beyond human understanding. Hashem sets in motion and regulates natural occurrences and laws of nature, and either can suspend them (an actual miracle) or has built into the fabric of existence anomalous occurrences which get triggered by the cause/effect mechanism. This is part of a large religious framework, so articles on this subject by Ynet are simply not informed enough to give the accurate story or to understand what the gedolims' quotes actually mean.

to get rid of olmert. Better the money was spent on the I.D.F. or education for demobbed soldiers than the sh-ass "yeshivas". But he had to buy their mandates for his coalition of filth. Hopefully someday we will get a government that will get back all the money the hara-dim received and close all their institutions.

The Israelis are religious extremists. Part of their religion says they have a divine right to have a home in "The Holy Land". The state of "Israel" was created as their home. However, there were already MANY Palestinians living there. The Israelis (with help) rounded up thousands of the Palestinians and demolished their homes. They were re-settled on the other side of the Israel Wall where life was shit. The people voted for "Hamas" to fight for them, which they did.

Religious people are funny

A new bone of contention between the rabbis and the Catholic Church will be whether the mysterious apparition was mother Rachel or the virgin Mary.

Even the rabbi tells lies, why did not she tell them where the place of Shalit is, Mr rabbi?!!!!