Yaakov's Song - Monthly Gedolim Story
I was getting ready to share a "Monthly Gedolim Story" for the month of Sivan and had three to choose from. The one you are about to read was selected from those three, as it was the one I most connected to. I hope you will enjoy it and find beauty within the story, just as I did. But first a quick note.
There is a fact, never mind just an idea or concept, which is: Every person, every Yid no matter who, has the power within themselves to achieve greatness. Every Yid can reach beyond, reach to a higher level. Every Yid has the strength to be the best they can be. Obviously, right?
Well, this tale is case in point.
The story features Yaakov Shwekey, the legendary singer and entertainer, as our Gadol. Originally shared by Rabbi Paysach Krohn, who heard it from the couple who it happened to, it is one of the most wonderful and inspirational stories, I have ever heard. As you will see, the kindness and Ahavas Yisroel demonstrated by Yaakov Shwekey within the story, is just magical.
It is on the level of a true Tzaddik, a true Gadol and Yaakov Shwekey, oh, he might not be Rav Chaim Kanievsky, or Rav Elyashiv zt'l. No. He is just Yaakov Shwekey. But still he is a truly holy man, in his own unique way, and it would be a disservice to you, my friends, if I did not share this story.
So I hope you like it.
All the best,
Yitzy Schweitzer
Yaakov's Song - Monthly Gedolim Story
One Motzei Shabbos, a number of years ago, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, got a call from a husband and wife. The wife, begins talking and she asks "Rabbi Krohn, maybe, if you could, can you give us Chizuk, because we're very frightened about something?" Rabbi Krohn responded right away, "Of course, I can try to help you. What seems to be troubling you?" The woman replies "We are frightened because we are expecting a child. We need some help."
Rabbi Krohn was quite surprised. He wished them "Mazal Tov" but than said "This isn't something you should be scared about. This is supposed to be one of the happiest moments of a woman's life, that she is giving birth. You don't need to be frightened".
But then, the woman began to cry. Her husband took over and explained what had caused them both to be so scared about this situation.
"Rabbi Krohn, let me explain to you why we are so scared. You see, last year, my wife was also expecting. Everything was perfect. We were in the ninth month and our doctors were very pleased. Everything was proceeding smoothly. We got to the hospital om Friday morning, Erev Shabbos and on Friday night, the baby is born. But, nebach, it was a stillborn. It wasn't alive. Everyone was shocked. We were, the doctors were. They just could not understand it, because the pregnancy was perfect. All we could do, was cry. We cried all night."
The husband finished off, "So, Rabbi Krohn, that's why we are so scared. Because now, we are once again in the ninth month and we are so frightened about the same thing happening again. Please give us some encouragement."
Rabbi Krohn, understood and in his trademark kindness, he gave them some encouragement and told them to say some Tehilim, two Kapitalach, daily, until the baby would be born, "I'm telling you, if you say these two Kapitalach daily, everything will be fine."
Two weeks later, once again Motzei Shabbos, Rabbi Krohn gets another call from the couple. He picked up and heard the husband's excited call of his name and in a second knew what had gone on. The man said "We had a baby girl, Baruch Hashem". The two of them spent some time than talking about the name they had in mind, he gave the couple a Bracha and as he is about to hang up, the husband asks him to hold on for a few minutes, "Last time" he begins" I didn't tell you the whole story."
"You see, that Shabbos, last year, the morning after our baby wasn't born alive, after a difficult and tear-filled night, I had to go to shul. There was shul close to the hospital so I went there. Now, I came late, in the middle of Krias HaTorah and as I'm walking in, I hear the famous singer Yaakov Shwekey, finishing the bracha receited after an Aliyah. As soon as he finishes the bracha the Kehilah screams 'Mazal Tov'. He had just had a baby girl and they had given her a name when I came in.
But then, the woman began to cry. Her husband took over and explained what had caused them both to be so scared about this situation.
"Rabbi Krohn, let me explain to you why we are so scared. You see, last year, my wife was also expecting. Everything was perfect. We were in the ninth month and our doctors were very pleased. Everything was proceeding smoothly. We got to the hospital om Friday morning, Erev Shabbos and on Friday night, the baby is born. But, nebach, it was a stillborn. It wasn't alive. Everyone was shocked. We were, the doctors were. They just could not understand it, because the pregnancy was perfect. All we could do, was cry. We cried all night."
The husband finished off, "So, Rabbi Krohn, that's why we are so scared. Because now, we are once again in the ninth month and we are so frightened about the same thing happening again. Please give us some encouragement."
Rabbi Krohn, understood and in his trademark kindness, he gave them some encouragement and told them to say some Tehilim, two Kapitalach, daily, until the baby would be born, "I'm telling you, if you say these two Kapitalach daily, everything will be fine."
Two weeks later, once again Motzei Shabbos, Rabbi Krohn gets another call from the couple. He picked up and heard the husband's excited call of his name and in a second knew what had gone on. The man said "We had a baby girl, Baruch Hashem". The two of them spent some time than talking about the name they had in mind, he gave the couple a Bracha and as he is about to hang up, the husband asks him to hold on for a few minutes, "Last time" he begins" I didn't tell you the whole story."
"You see, that Shabbos, last year, the morning after our baby wasn't born alive, after a difficult and tear-filled night, I had to go to shul. There was shul close to the hospital so I went there. Now, I came late, in the middle of Krias HaTorah and as I'm walking in, I hear the famous singer Yaakov Shwekey, finishing the bracha receited after an Aliyah. As soon as he finishes the bracha the Kehilah screams 'Mazal Tov'. He had just had a baby girl and they had given her a name when I came in.
"Rabbi Krohn, you can't imagine what I felt like. I was so sad after the events of the previous night and Yaakov Shwekey, who everyone loves, was getting Mazal Tov, after he had healthy baby."
"Well, I went over to still give him my Mazal Tov wish and then I asked him, 'Yaakov, I know you daven in this shul, that's one of the reasons I came here. Could I talk to you privately after the kiddush, please?', to which he said yes to."
"After davening" The husband continued "When it was just me and Yaakov in shul, I told him about our situation and asked him 'Yaakov, tonight, we are getting out of the hospital. Do you mind, if my wife and I come to your studio in your home and you sing for us the song 'Mameh Rochel?' Yaakov, said "You can come any time. I'll wait up for you. Don't worry. You can come."
"Well, Rabbi Krohn, you would not believe. We came to him and not only did he sing the song 'Mameh Rochel', he sang 'Rachem', he gave us CDs, he gave us Chizuk and encouragement. He spent so much time with us. It was amazing."
Well, Rabbi Krohn was awestruck "I can't get over this. This guy's a Tzaddik. I gotta call him. I gotta write up this story, to share this".
After a day or two, he calls Yaakov Shwekey, and spoke to him, "Yaakov, I just heard from this family what a wonderful and unbelievable chessed you did for them. Do you mind if I write and share this story?"
Yaakov responded, "Rabbi Krohn, please don't tell this story." "Well, why not?" he asked.
Yaakov said "Rabbi Krohn, do you know why I do these things? I do these things, with my full heart, so I could get reward in the World to Come. Not for honor. But I'm afraid if you tell over this story, it will cause me to loose some eternal reward through the honor people will give me."
Rabbi Krohn was so impressed "Yaakov, you're a bigger Tzaddik then I thought you were. But let me tell you something. You know why you do these things? Because singers older than you, like Avraham Fried, Mordechai Ben David and Shloime Dachs, all go to kids and families of kids who are struggling or who are physically challenged, they go to these places and they sing for these people, without charge, without any payments. Yaakov, you learnt it from them. If you would let me tell this story, people will learn it from you, too."
"Rabbi Krohn, do you really believe that?" Yaakov asked. "Of course, I do".
"Okay than. You may tell over this story."
Well, as you can see, Rabbi Krohn told the whole story and now, I am telling it to you, so you can tell it over to others.
Please kindly do so.
"Well, I went over to still give him my Mazal Tov wish and then I asked him, 'Yaakov, I know you daven in this shul, that's one of the reasons I came here. Could I talk to you privately after the kiddush, please?', to which he said yes to."
"After davening" The husband continued "When it was just me and Yaakov in shul, I told him about our situation and asked him 'Yaakov, tonight, we are getting out of the hospital. Do you mind, if my wife and I come to your studio in your home and you sing for us the song 'Mameh Rochel?' Yaakov, said "You can come any time. I'll wait up for you. Don't worry. You can come."
"Well, Rabbi Krohn, you would not believe. We came to him and not only did he sing the song 'Mameh Rochel', he sang 'Rachem', he gave us CDs, he gave us Chizuk and encouragement. He spent so much time with us. It was amazing."
Well, Rabbi Krohn was awestruck "I can't get over this. This guy's a Tzaddik. I gotta call him. I gotta write up this story, to share this".
After a day or two, he calls Yaakov Shwekey, and spoke to him, "Yaakov, I just heard from this family what a wonderful and unbelievable chessed you did for them. Do you mind if I write and share this story?"
Yaakov responded, "Rabbi Krohn, please don't tell this story." "Well, why not?" he asked.
Yaakov said "Rabbi Krohn, do you know why I do these things? I do these things, with my full heart, so I could get reward in the World to Come. Not for honor. But I'm afraid if you tell over this story, it will cause me to loose some eternal reward through the honor people will give me."
Rabbi Krohn was so impressed "Yaakov, you're a bigger Tzaddik then I thought you were. But let me tell you something. You know why you do these things? Because singers older than you, like Avraham Fried, Mordechai Ben David and Shloime Dachs, all go to kids and families of kids who are struggling or who are physically challenged, they go to these places and they sing for these people, without charge, without any payments. Yaakov, you learnt it from them. If you would let me tell this story, people will learn it from you, too."
"Rabbi Krohn, do you really believe that?" Yaakov asked. "Of course, I do".
"Okay than. You may tell over this story."
Well, as you can see, Rabbi Krohn told the whole story and now, I am telling it to you, so you can tell it over to others.
Please kindly do so.
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