Good Morning - Monthly Gedolim Stories

 As we have now entered the month of Taamuz, the month in which the fast of the seventeenth day of Taamuz falls out, as well as, after that fast, the three weeks before the next fast of Tisha B'av begins, the atmosphere around us may become, while one still of happiness, filled with maybe a fleeting few moments of sadness, or perhaps, subconscious dread, as we realize that at this moment the Holy Temple which we all pray for has not yet been rebuilt.

Of course, this may not be one hundred per cent true when the fast eventually does come, for maybe this year the Temple will, by the grace of G-d be rebuilt at that time and the fasts, both of them, will not be days of sadness, but of immeasurable joy. We all hope and pray, that indeed, the Temple will be rebuilt by that time. May it indeed be so.

When thinking about what Gadol story I can share, that can be connected to Taamuz in any way, I found a beautiful, short, but sweet anecdote that I feel has a great connection. It is featured in the seventh volume of the "Visions of Greatness" books by Rabbi Yosef Y. Weiss. The Gadol in the story is HaRav Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky zt''l.

I hope you will enjoy it.

Yitzy Schweitzer

Good Morning - Monthly Gedolim Story

Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky zt''l lived in Monsey, New York. His home was situated across the street from a convent. One day the Mother Superior of the convent stopped a Jewish passerby.

"Why is it," she asked, "that all the Jewish neighbors cross the street or avert their eyes when we pass them by? Every Jewish neighbor - except for one old Rabbi - he always has for everyone a warm smile and greeting".

A certain building developer, Reb Mechel Tauber, learned how far a "good morning greeting can travel, when a mechanech from a local Yeshiva rang him one day, asking for help.

"We are constructing a new building but the township inspectors are giving us quite a hard time with our plans" he told Reb Mechel, "we hear you are friends with Mr. Phil O'Reilly. Do you think you can speak to him on our behalf?"

Reb Mechel sighed. Phil O'Reilly was the chairperson on the Ramapo planning board. Mechel often had dealings with him whenever he worked on a project in Ramapo, a neighborhood close to Monsey. "I really would like to help you," Reb Mechel told the mechanech "but this is a tall order. I do speak with Mr. O'Reilly often - we get along on a personal level. But Mr. O'Reilly is an Irish Catholic and he is not so fond of the Jewish population around here. Your Yeshiva building has is not the only one that had a hard time with him."

But Reb Mechel, kind and thoughtful said he would try speak to the man. He called his office to make an appointment to see him.

"Si Mr. Tauber", Phil greeted him cheerily  as he came in the next morning "what are you building today?"

Reb Mechel responded - as he braced himself for the mans red-hot temper-  that on this particular day, he was not coming for himself, but for a yeshiva building whose managers and constructors needed help. "A yeshiva, you say? Sure! What sort of help do they need?"

Mechel was shocked by Phil's response. "While I do appreciate your readiness to help, Phil, I cannot help but ask... what's gotten into you?"

Phil smiled at Reb Mechels confusion. "I'll tell you. My mother lives in a convalescent home for the elderly on a convent campus not far from here and whenever I go visit her, she is in a bad mood, she never smiles and is always depressed and angry. Well, it happened, that recently I went to see her and she was all smiles. When I asked her what happened she tells me that the Rabbi who lives near the home wished her a good morning. My mother also said, she goes out every single morning now at the same time so she can see him and receive his greeting. He makes her day and she is literally, a different person now."

Phil beamed as he said this last line "I tell you, Mr. Tauber - that Rabbi - he changed my ma's life. So when you say the word yeshiva, of course I am ready to help you. What can I do?"

From this story we can learn the power of a good morning, the beauty of it and the joy it brings. Let us try our best to greet every person this way, so one day, very, very, very soon when we awake after a nights sleep, we will hear the sounds of the Shofar Shel Mashiach.