November 3, 2024 – Captain (Reserves) Moshe Yehuda of the IDF’s Oded Brigade, Northern Command, was gravely injured by a Hezbollah mortar shell at his outpost along Israel’s border. In the moments that followed—and countless moments since—he sees his life through a new lens.
Photo: Captain (Reserves) Moshe Yehuda.
Photography: Courtesy of the family
On October 14, 2023, Yehuda, a reserve captain and lawyer at a prominent Tel Aviv law firm, sustained severe injuries from an enemy mortar shell. He reflects on the thoughts that flooded his mind in those critical moments: “I remember the Yom Kippur morning prayer service from my childhood, where with a trembling voice the cantor would begin to recite the Reader’s Repetition Prayer.”
“I come to the door as a poor man,
With a prayer and a request,
I open my prayer:
Please open the gates of mercy for us,
Forgive us and send us salvation and mercy from Your dwelling.”
“Like the man at the door, I, too, felt poor and helpless,” recalls Yehuda. “Lying on a stretcher, I heard a broadcast over the loudspeaker, ‘A wounded soldier needs immediate evacuation for a leg amputation.’ In that moment, I felt entirely dependent on divine mercy. I turned to God and said – I stand before You, not just as a man, but also as a husband and father of three daughters. I am the backbone of my family, and I need You by my side. Do Your part, and I will do mine.”
He was airlifted to Rambam where their dedicated medical teams saved his life and prevented the amputation of his right leg. Since then, Yehuda has been undergoing rehabilitation.
A year later, at the commencement of the New Year, he remains positive: “Here I am, against all odds. Thanks to the heavens above and the medical teams below, my leg was saved. There is still a long road ahead, but I am hopeful. I pray that I and the entire nation will get back on our feet, heal our wounds, and take pride in our journey together.”