Memories
A couple had been married for many years, and still had not been blessed with children. They decided to do a cheshbon hanefesh, and the husband, Aryeh, remembered an incident he had been involved in while still a bochur. He had been one of the outstanding students in the yeshivah, and the Rosh Yeshivah had appointed him as the gabbai. When he accepted the position, the previous gabbai told him about a bochur, Eli, who had requested not to be called up to the Torah due to his stutter. All the gabbaim over the years had honored his request, and Aryeh honored it as well.

However, one year on Purim, Aryeh let the Purim spirit affect his judgment, and he decided that, since Purim is “venahafoch hu”, he would call Eli to the Torah. Once Eli was called to the Torah, he had no choice but to approach the bimah and attempt to say the brachos. He stuttered over the brachos for several long moments, and his humiliation was excruciating. Following this incident, Eli left the yeshivah, and tried making his way in the working world. However, he was unsuccessful in maintaining a steady job, and he was constantly moving from one low end job to another.

When Aryeh recalled this incident, he realized how serious it was and understood that it may be the reason for his lack of children. He sought out Eli and tearfully requested his forgiveness for his great sin. Eli began shouting and said, “I am not prepared to forgive you, not in this world, and not in Olam Haba. Do you know what pain you caused me? The trauma continues to affect me until today, and I’m unable to earn a proper living because of it. You deserve a punishment like this!” Aryeh saw that Eli would not be appeased, and he left the house.

A few days later, he returned, and fell at Eli’s feet, crying bitterly. He pleaded with him to forgive him for the terrible humiliation he had caused him. He also promised that for the rest of Eli’s life, he would give him five hundred dollars every month to make up for his lack of parnassah. Aryeh’s promise made an impression on Eli. He realized that Aryeh understood the gravity of his actions so many years ago. He told Aryeh, “I forgive you completely, for the humiliation you caused me, and there is no need to give me money.” Nine months later, Aryeh and his wife were blessed with a baby boy. (Barchi Nafshi)
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Every year when the month of Elul arrived, the Rav of Yerushalayim of past years, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, z’tl, used to relate a childhood memory from when he was still living in the city of Kovno. Rav Yisrael Salanter was also a resident of Kovno, and Rav Tzvi Pesach retained a vivid memory about Rav Yisrael one Elul when he was eight years old
A sign had been posted in the main shul of Kovno that Rav Yisrael Salanter would be giving a drasha in the afternoon of Shabbos Mevarchim Elul.
“I went to shul at the designated time,” said Rav Tzvi Pesach, “and I couldn’t find a place to sit. With the innocence of a child, I decided to sit on the steps leading up to the aron kodesh. A few minutes later, Rav Yisrael entered the shul and walked past the aron kodesh to speak. He called out, ‘Rabbosai, we have already bentched Chodesh Elul.'”
“At the moment that Rav Yisrael cried out the word “Elul”, he actually fell and fainted from the fear of Din, and lay in a faint next to me. Everybody in the shul stood up in shock, and brought water to revive Rav Yisrael from his faint.”
Rav Tzvi Pesach added, “I was only a boy of eight when this happened, but the sight of Rav Yisrael’s fear of din to the point of fainting a full month before Rosh Hashanah left a deep impression on me and changed my life. Until this day, it still affects my Yiras Shamayim.” (Shlomo Kook)
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This week is B’Zchus: Mr. and Mrs. Ari Manson on the birth of a baby boy. Mr. and Mrs. Ari Feldman on the birth of a baby girl. Mr. and Mrs. Aitan Zacharin on their wedding and moving to North Miami Beach.
Distributed by the Chevra Marbitz Achdus D’NMB

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