And Rochel was barren. (Bereshis 29:31)
And G-d remember Rochel and listened to her and opened her womb. (Bereshis 30:22)

Rochel Imenu was barren for several years before she was blessed with the birth of a baby. This must have not been an easy time to go through.

A little over two years ago, my third child was born and it was an exciting moment in our house. Of course, every child birth is a great moment, but this one was special because it was seven years between our second child and third child. By my third child’s Bris, I spoke and said the following story, which I think might be the reason we finally merited to have another child.

A few years ago during the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation Tisha B’Av speeches, Rabbi Frand told a story of a woman who worked in a clothing store. She had three children who were getting older, but were having problems finding their marriage partner. Women walked into her clothing store everyday and exclaimed things like, “wish me a Mazel Tov because my son is getting married! I need to buy a dress for the occasion,” or something similar. Of course, the store-owner was bothered by these comments. “Why not me?” she wondered. The woman went to a great Sage and cried out her heart. She did not know what to do. She accepted her children’s fate but it was difficult listening to other people’s simchas while she was not able to take part in any. The Sage told her that when someone comes in with good news about themselves or their children, ask that person for a blessing. This other person is full of happiness and is in a moment of good times, and these situations make blessings more powerful. She started doing this. Within a short time, her three children were engaged and married.

After years of my wife and I trying many different things, I decided to try this strategy. I went up to anyone who had recently had a baby and asked for a blessing. Less than a year after I started doing this, my third child was born. And by the way, seventeen months after the third child was born, the fourth was born!

I think we can take a few things from this story. First, if you are going through a time of hardship in a certain area, ask for a blessing from someone who is going through a joyous time. It can’t hurt and it can greatly help. Second, when we pray, we should try to have as much joy as we can – because the key to the success of the blessings spoken about in the story above is the people were full of joy. Finally, if a person is going through a joyous moment in their life, give blessings to others. After I gave the above speech at my son’s Bris, I gave a blessing to many dozens of people. I do not know if it worked, but I do know there was one person who had been married a few years and was childless. A year later, his wife gave birth to a baby girl. Could it be from my blessing????

Good Shabbos!
-yes
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