Parshas Lech Lecha
By Rabbi Dovid Zauderer
[Ed. note: In this week’s z-mail, we bring to you a true story of Divine Povidence that was presented publicly in Torah Wellsprings (Parshas Lech-Lecha) by Rabbi Elimelech Biderman shlita. This modern-day story powerfully shows how G-d exercises Divine Providence and is involved in every aspect of our lives. -dz]
Reb Yeshaya Weisberg Shlita from Beitar, Israel, told the following personal story in public: “A few years ago, I fell into very deep debt, and that wasn't my only problem. I also had two older children who weren't finding their shidduchim, and several other struggles and challenges. I felt the midas hadin (G-d’s harsh judgment) on me, and I didn't know why. My friends advised me to go to America to collect money, to alleviate my financial burden. One friend, a Stoliner chassid, told me that if I'm already going to America, I should make a stopover in Frankfurt, Germany, to visit the kever (gravesite) of Reb Yisrael Frankfurter (of Stolin) zt'l, as many people merited salvation by davening at this holy kever. I bought a ticket for a connecting flight from Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) to Germany, with a few hours layover before continuing to New York. My friend ordered a driver for me; someone who knows where Reb Yisrael Frankfurter's kever is located, so when I arrive in Frankfurt Germany, this taxi driver will drive me straight to the kever. I disembarked in Frankfurt, but I didn't know where I should go. Thousands of people were streaming in all directions, and I couldn't ask anyone, as I don't speak German or English. So, I followed where the majority of people were headed, until I found myself on the sidewalk outside the airport. Now I had to find the driver that was arranged for me. I called, but the call didn't go through. What do I do now? Taxis were lined up, but I didn't know how to communicate with them. I approached the first cab. It was an Arab. I don't speak Arabic. So I went to the next cab, and amazingly, this taxi driver was a Yid from Eretz Yisrael and spoke fluent Hebrew. He told me that he knows where Reb Yisrael Frankfurter is buried and could take me there. I was shocked at my good fortune. Hashem (G-d) was helping me. The miracle wasn't lost on the taxi driver either. As we rode to my destination, he told me that there are only a handful of Israeli taxi drivers in Frankfurt, and the chances of me finding one was almost impossible. Furthermore, he told me that he doesn't usually work in the airport. "But today, by hashgachah pratis, I came here..." We both saw Hashem's hand, and this roused the taxi driver to teshuvah (repentance). He told me that he doesn't keep any mitzvos in Germany, and when he lived in Eretz Yisrael, he was more religious. He spoke to me about this for a long time. May Hashem help him do a teshuvah sheleimah (complete repentance). We arrived at the kever, and I was able to daven there for forty-five minutes. I davened for parnassah (livelihood), to pay off my debts, for shidduchim for my two older children, and primarily, I davened that Hashem reveal to me why I am being punished so that I can rectify my ways. When I finished my tefillos (prayers), I sang אכסוף ה"י ,the renowned holy, Stolin-Karlin nigun (song) and I returned to the taxi that was waiting for me. The taxi driver brought me back to the airport, and he explained where I needed to go to catch my flight. I have relatives in Monroe, New York, and I stayed in their home. On my first morning in America, I went to a large Satmar beis medresh (prayer hall) to daven Shacharis (Morning Prayer Services), and there I met someone who looked very familiar. Thirty years earlier, in yeshiva, I had a classmate who had a speech impediment. I used to mock him. My friends laughed when I copied the way he spoke, but I'm sure it tore that poor boy's heart. Could it be that this is the same person? Years ago, I asked him mechilah (forgiveness), but he refused to forgive me. I forgot about the entire episode, but now that I saw him, everything came back. Thirty years is a long time, and I wanted to make sure it was the same person. He was collecting for hachnasas kallah, (marrying off his children) and I approached him to hear his speech better. But this man spoke fluently. There wasn't any sign of a speech impediment. I asked him, "Do you perhaps have a brother..." "No, I recognize you. It's me, the same boy as back in yeshiva. You're probably wondering how I'm able to speak so well. It's because I went to many professionals. Now I can speak regularly. It's even possible that the shame you caused me encouraged me to put in a lot of effort until I could speak well. Nevertheless, I don't forgive you. I still feel the shame in my heart and all of my limbs. I'm sorry. I can't forgive you." I took three hundred dollars out of my pocket and gave it to him, and I pleaded with him to forgive me. He told me that he forgives me. It seems that this was the sin blocking my shefa (channel of blessing from heaven), because everything improved after I got his forgiveness. That day, I met a relative in Monroe (whom I'd never met before), and he helped me raise a lot of money. It was evident that the forgiveness I received opened up the heavens for me. There was still a long way to go until my debts were paid off, but things were improving. I returned to Eretz Yisrael filled with hope. I felt in my bones that now my situation would improve. The hope gave me the courage to attempt once again to end my financial struggles. So, after a few weeks in Eretz Yisrael, I returned to America. This time I stayed with relatives in Williamsburg. In the Zlotchever beis medresh, I met a very special young man named Reb Yoel. He listened attentively as I told him about my financial hardships, and he, together with a few of his friends, went all out to help me. They spent nights and days raising money for me (and they continue to help me until today.) My debts weren't paid up yet, but we were getting there. Some months later, I was in Eretz Yisrael, and I received a call from Reb Yoel. His oldest child was getting married, and he wanted to buy me a ticket, so I can come to the chasunah (wedding). I told him that I'd be happy to participate in his simcha (joyous occasion) after all that he did for me. But I told him that I needed to sleep in an apartment by myself, not together with a group of meshulachim (those who are collecting money). I explained to him that I snore loudly, and people can't sleep in the same room as me. I came to America and followed directions to the address Yoel arranged for me, but I discovered that I wouldn't be there alone. There were many people in the apartment; they were Reb Yoel's guests for the chasunah. It was too late at night to seek another place to stay, so I slept there and hoped for the best. In the morning, with trepidation, I asked someone in my room how he slept. He replied, "There was a lot of thunder in the room, but Baruch Hashem (Thank G-d) I was able to fall asleep." I can't express to you how I felt when he said that. It was so embarrassing. The following night, I woke up in middle of the night and heard snoring sounds that sounded exactly like me! Was I dreaming and hearing myself? I looked in the next room. One of the guests was mocking me! Apparently, he did this because I was disturbing his sleep. He saw that I was awake and watching him, but he didn't care. He kept pretending to snore, to spite me, to shame me. I was so embarrassed; I took my bags and ran out of the apartment. It was raining outside, and I didn't know where I was going. I wanted to cry, but I wasn't able to. And then a thought popped into my mind: Heaven was allowing me to feel a similar shame to the one I caused that young bachur (student) in yeshiva. Although he forgave me, the sin wasn't fully atoned for. Hashem gave me a taste of the cup I poured my friend each day for so long in yeshiva, so my aveirah can be completely atoned for. What can I say: When I had that thought, I became extremely happy and began to dance with joy. Those were the sweetest moments of my life. At Shacharis k'vasikin,(early morning prayer services), the person who shamed me that morning was also there. His face turned red from shame and regret when he saw me, but I didn't have any grievances against him. I considered him my messenger to atone for my sin. Naturally, I decided not to sleep in that apartment anymore. Baruch Hashem, a friend gave me an entire floor just for myself. I came to Reb Yoel's chasunah, and who do you think I met there? It was my classmate from thirty years ago. He was there, at the chasunah, collecting money. I helped him a lot at the chasunah. I introduced him to Reb Yoel and to Reb Yoel's wealthy friends, whom I had gotten to know. Months earlier, I told Reb Yoel about my old classmate who forgave me, which was the turning point in my life, and now I was able to introduce this very man to Reb Yoel, and Reb Yoel gave him a very generous sum. I walked with my classmate to all the people seated at this chasunah, and he earned a very substantial sum. As we stood outside the hall, my classmate told me, "I feel that now your aveirah (sin) is erased, entirely." I told him about the terrible shame I had the night before and understood that it was to atone for the embarrassment I caused him. This conversation reminded my classmate of the terrible shame he experienced back in yeshiva. We both cried for a long time, and we felt like very close friends. Some days afterward, Reb Yoel introduced me to a wealthy person. This rich person had compassion on me; he invited his wealthy friends to his home, and they raised $100,000 in one night! My financial troubles were finally resolved. I had to return to Eretz Yisrael quickly because a shidduch was cooking for my son. They were ready to "break the plate" and to finalize the shidduch. They were just waiting for me to return. Immediately after my son's chasunah, my next son was engaged. And from then on, I've experienced hatzlachah (success) and brachah (blessing).”
This is Reb Yeshaya's inspirational tale, and these are some of the lessons that we can learn from it: 1) Hashgachah Pratis. From all the taxi drivers in Germany, he found someone who speaks Hebrew and knows about the kever of Reb Yisrael Frankfurter. 2) The power of tefillah (prayer). A day after his tefillos at the Frankfurter's kever, he met the person he had shamed thirty years before, so he could attain his forgiveness and atone for his sin. 3) We also learn the severity of shaming one's fellow man. How much he suffered because he shamed a fellow man! 4) The more the sin was erased, the greater was his siyata dishmaya (Heavenly assistance). When the sin was completely erased, all his debts were covered, and his children got married!
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