Parshas Chayei Sarah - 5765
Sarah made every day count. She,
together with her husband Avraham, with great belief and faith,
revolutionized the world and established Judaism. One person, imbued
with belief, can accomplish astounding things as the following true
story illustrates:
Gary was a boy in a Jewish elementary
school in Pittsburgh who was known throughout the school as a big
behavior problem. Year after year, teacher after teacher, he was found
to be incorrigible. He never applied himself to his studies, his
behavior was very disruptive in class. He was disobedient and
disrespectful. Gary was the class clown or class terror, depending on
how you wanted to look at it.
One day he was sent
down to the principal’s office (for about the 50 billionth time) because
of a “disciplinary infraction” on his partt. Of course the principal was
quite familiar with Gary, as he had been seen him in his office many
many times over the years for such “occasions”. The principal met with
him, spoke to him about proper behavior, values, goals etcetera. It was
pretty much the standard lecture.
The very next day,
there was a noticeable change in Gary’s attitude. As the days, weeks,
and months went by he excelled academically and socially. He became a
model student as well as a model citizen. He was studious, courteous,
and served as an asset in class because of his excellent insightful
participation. He got involved in extra curricular school projects and
programs.
All of his teachers,
past and present were wondering the same thing. What in the world did
the principal say to him at that meeting? No one had the nerve to ask.
At the final staff
meeting of the school year, one of the teachers got up the nerve to ask
the principal about Gary. Everyone took notice when that name was
mentioned and a hush came over the room. Everyone wanted to know what it
was that the principal said or did at that meeting that produced such a
dramatic amazing turnaround in this boy.
The principal shrugged
his shoulders and told everyone there that he didn’t know. “I gave him
the same talk I would give to anyone in that situation, the same talk I
had given to Gary countless times over the years. I have no idea why
this time he was suddenly so remarkably affected.”
By this time,
everyone’s curiosity was piqued so they decided to go straight to the
horse’s mouth and ask the lad himself. Gary recounted the incident as
follows:
“First I was sent to
the principal’s office, which was nothing new. I stepped inside the
office, sat down, and the principal started speaking and lecturing about
stuff. To be honest I couldn’t really tell you what he said because I
don’t remember and I wasn’t paying much attention while he was
speaking.”
“Then his intercom
buzzed. It was his secretary telling him there was a phone call for him.
He told his secretary that he couldn’t speak now because he was meeting
with someone very important.”
“He kept on going with
his lecture but I have no idea what he was saying because all I could
think about was that he said I was someone very important. I left his
office with that one thought spinning through my head – the principal
thinks I’m very important. I went on home but that’s all I could think
about for the rest of the day – I am very important.”
“The next day, I got
up, got dressed, ate breakfast, went to school – all the same things I
always did, but it was all different. Now I was someone important. I
went to my first class, sat down feeling great, and I guess things kind
of just took off from there.” [The foregoing true
story was told to me by Rabbi Yitzchak Chinn, McKeesport Pennsylvania.]
Parshas Chayei Sarah - 5763
Eliezer was sent on a mission by his master Avraham, to find a wife for
Avraham's son Yitzchok. His difficult dangerous mission was blessed by HaShem
(G-d). HaShem made his travels quicker and easier, and saved Eliezer's life
when the wicked Besuel tried to poison him. HaShem sent an Angel to make a
switch, so that Besuel drank the poison he intended for Eliezer. HaShem blesses
and keeps us as we perform His mitzvos, as the following true story
illustrates:
Rabbi Marcus Lehmann was in a hurry. As head of the delegation slated
to meet with the German Minister of Education, he had only 30 minutes to get
to the station, from where he and the two other representatives of the Mainz
Jewish community would board the train to the capital.
Rabbi Lehmann had already put on his coat when he heard an unfamiliar
voice asking to see him immediately. The Rabbi's wife explained that her
husband was in a terrible rush and suggested that the visitor come back the
following day, but he refused. "No! Tomorrow will be too late. It's
absolutely urgent - a matter of life and death!"
The Rabbi ran into the hallway and invited the stranger into his
study." Please tell me what the problem is very quickly," he said. "I'm about
to leave, and the carriage is already waiting."
"Yes, Rabbi. But first, Shalom Aleichem! Don't you recognize
me?" the little white-haired old man asked.
"No, I'm sorry. But please get to the point. I can only give you a
minute."
"Yes, Rabbi," the little man said, settling comfortably into a chair.
"It is indeed a case of life and death. But I'm surprised that you don't
remember me. About a year ago I heard you give a sermon in shul. Ay-ay-ay,
what a sermon! Every word you uttered was a gem. I have a good memory, Rabbi.
I could repeat it for you, if you'd like."
"My dear friend," Rav Lehmann replied. "Please get to the point.
Otherwise, you'll be sitting here by yourself. I must run."
"Alright, Rabbi. This is the story... Thirty years ago I married a
true 'woman of valor.' For 25 years we lived happily. Then, five years ago,
my wife passed away…"
Rav Lehmann was getting annoyed. "If you've come here to ask me to
resurrect her, you're wasting my time and your own. Come back tomorrow and
I'll be more than happy to listen to your life story. But I simply must leave
for the station. My train is departing in a few minutes."
The old man clutched the Rabbi's sleeve. "Please hear me out," he
begged. "I assure you, the life of a live person is at stake. Let me
continue...
"A few years ago my son moved to America. After my wife died, he
asked me to come live with him. I went, but I didn't like it, and I came
back. That was a year ago, about the same time I heard your sermon. Ay-ay-ay,
what a sermon! Every word was a pearl, a precious gem…"
"Again with the sermon!" the Rabbi cried, looking at his watch.
"All right, I won't mention it again. But just listen to what
happened. I arrived home a few days before the bris mila
[circumcision] of my grandson, and was given the honor of being sandek
[the one who holds the baby]. Unfortunately, the day before the bris
the baby got sick and passed away.
"But that isn't why I'm here. Yesterday, my daughter gave birth to
another son, and again asked me to be sandek."
"May the bris take place in a good and auspicious time," the
Rabbi mumbled, rushing to the door.
"But Rabbi!" the old man persisted. "I'm afraid. Don't you
understand? I don't even want to say it aloud, but... Maybe I shouldn't be
sandek?"
"So let someone else be sandek!" Rav Lehmann said distractedly
as he scrambled into the waiting carriage.
"And the name? What should we name the baby? This is a
life-determining matter!"
"You want me to pick a name?" the Rabbi cried, finally losing his
patience. "Call him Avraham, Boruch, Chayim, David, Micha, Yerucham, Zerach
…"
The Rabbi promised to pay the driver double if they made it in time,
but they were too late. As soon as they arrived at the station they heard the
train departing. Rav Lehmann was beside himself. How would he ever excuse his
lateness to the Minister? The other members of the delegation, who had waited
for him, were amused when they heard the reason for his delay. They decided
to take the next train, scheduled to depart in two hours.
When they returned to the station later, the whole place was in a
dizzying uproar. The train they had missed had been involved in a terrible
accident. Many of the passengers had been killed and dozens were injured. In
retrospect, the old man with his rambling story had been an emissary sent
from G-d to save their lives!
The Minister had been very worried about Rav Lehmann, and was
delighted to learn that he and his colleagues had not been on the ill-fated
train. The delegation's mission was conducted successfully.
Two years later, Rav Lehmann passed through a certain village, and
all of the townsfolk came out to greet him. Standing at the front of the line
was none other than his old friend, the little white-haired man.
"Shalom Aleichem! Do you remember me? A few years ago I heard
you give a sermon. Ay-ay-ay, what a sermon!" The old man held a small child
in his arms. "This is my grandson,
Avraham-Boruch-Chayim-David-Micha-Yerucham-Zerach."
"So many names?" the Rabbi asked in surprise.
"But you yourself said them to me!" the old man replied. "I have an
excellent memory. I can even repeat your sermon word for word if you'd like.
Ay, was that a sermon!"
The foregoing true story was submitted by Bernie Antin.
D'Var Torah - Parshas Chayei Sarah
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman
Rivka was the ideal wife for Yitzchok because she exhibited the trait of chesed - kindness. When a stranger traveled through, she not only got water for him, she fetched water for all ten of his camels (that's a lot of water). Chesed is one of the sterling qualities. The world is built on chesed.
In the early 20th century, very few people had cars. They were not available and affordable like they are now, particularly in Eastern Europe. There was one man who used to drive to the local yeshiva every friday and offer the bochurim (students) rides to and from town, so that they could do their errands. Friday afternoon is usually the only free time yeshiva bochurim have to do their shopping, laundry etc. He showed up every week rain or shine (or snow) and basically offered a free taxi service. He made as many trips back and forth as was necessary and was always most happy to do so. A young man once asked him what motivated him to do this. He told him the following:
When I was a young man, I was a bochur (student) at the Yeshiva of the Chofetz Chaim in Radin. I was not a very good student, in fact I was a troublemaker. The Rabbis decided that because I was a bad influence, I had to be expelled immediately from the yeshiva and sent home. There was no train till the next day but the Chofetz Chaim did not want my bad influence in the yeshiva one moment longer so he had me sleep that night in his home.
It was a freezing Russian winter night and I could not fall asleep because of the cold. From my bed, I could spy the Chofetz Chaim pacing back and forth, studying Torah deep into the night. He was wearing a heavy winter coat as there was no heat in the house.
Suddenly the Chofetz Chaim came to my bedside to check on me. I pretended to be asleep. He looked at me for a moment, then took off his coat and covered me with it. He obviously realized how cold I was. With that extra warm "blanket" to curb my shivering, I was soon fast asleep.
What a decent compassionate man he was. That made such an impression on me that I decided then and there that, even though I wasn't cut out to be one, I always wanted to help yeshiva people. I still remember that kindness like it was yesterday and it still warms me, even in a cold day. That is why I do what I do.
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