Memories
The story is told that the Steipler Gaon told Rav Shabsi Frankel not to hurry to finish publishing the Rambam because it is a Segula for Arichas Yamim, implying he would not die before he finishes. Similarly, there is a story about a woman who lived in Chutz La’Aretz and built a shul for the Shaagas Aryeh. He gave her a bracha that she would be zocheh to build one in Eretz Yisrael. Years later, she wanted to go to Eretz Yisrael, and Rav Chaim Volozhin told her not to rush since the longer she waited the longer she would live. In her nineties, she finally went and built a shul in Eretz Yisrael and died shortly thereafter.

When asked about the veracity of the story about his father and Rav Shabsi Frankel, Rav Chaim Kanievsky said, “It cannot be true. In Parshas Matos, Chazal praise Moshe Rabbeinu that although Moshe knew that his last mission before dying was to go to war with Midyan, he did not hesitate and started the war immediately. On the other hand, Chazal tell us that although Yehoshua was supposed to live 120 years, his life was shortened by ten years because he conquered the land slowly so as to live longer.”
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The story is told of a woman who was married for sixteen years and had not been blessed with children. Pain and loneliness were her daily companions. She begged her father, a great tzaddik, and her husband, an illustrious talmid chochom, to daven along with her, but the wait continued.

One day, a little over one hundred years ago, before the advent of washing machines and dryers, she spent several hours washing the family’s clothing. When that task was finally completed, as was her habit every week, she hung up the freshly-cleaned laundry in the courtyard she shared with other families. A neighbor, for some unknown reason, became upset at the sight of the hanging clothing, flew into a rage, and ran inside her home to get a scissors. She returned and cut both ends of the rope, sending all the clean clothing into the mud, ruining hours of hard work.

The housewife was upset and burst into tears. She hurried into the privacy of her home and gave vent to her distress there, weeping in solitude. Then she went and engaged in the long process all over again, this time hanging her laundry to dry in a neighboring courtyard.

That evening, the offending neighbor came to the house crying, begging forgiveness. “I don’t know what came over me. I am so sorry. Please be mochel me. Plus, I already got my punishment. My son is sick, burning up with fever.”
The woman forgave her and wished her son a refuah sheleimah. Upon hearing the commotion, the woman’s father looked up from his learning and asked what had transpired.

With much emotion, she related the story. She explained that the cruel actions of her neighbor had been too much for her to handle in her already fragile state and she couldn’t calm down. But rather than react with angry words to her neighbor, she went inside her home to express her pain in private. She told him how she then went and redid the laundry, without making a machlokes or telling anyone.

“The fact that you didn’t respond to her and prevented this from becoming a fight,” said the father, “will be the merit you need to be helped. Your great deed will grant you a child who will be great.”

One year later, a son was born.

The zaide was the author of the classic sefer, Leshem Shevo Ve’achlama, Rav Shlomo Elyashiv. The baby who was born was Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv. (His father adopted the family name of his wife when they sought certificates to leave Lithuania to British-controlled Palestine.)

This week’s Torah is b’zchus: the courageous among us. The nine days begin, Bnei Torah in Eretz Yisroel face serious takonos, Klal Yisroel face more health issues, more poverty, more challenges…and shudder as yet another shield of protection is taken away from Klal Yisroel. The courageous ones cry, but then davin more and learn more Torah because they know that Hakodosh Boruch Hu has us in His arms and He will answer our tefilos.
Distributed by the Chevra Marbits Torah D’NMB

Created By Allen Sherman