Letter Perfect - Monthly Gedolim Story
As we are deep on into the month of Cheshvan, it is now time to share this months' "Gadol Story."
This month I spent some time looking for the perfect story and it was honestly quite a little bit difficult. However, I eventually found one that I felt was right. It is a beautiful story about commitment, dedication, and chesed, and it will show you how every act of kindness is so beloved and beautiful in the eyes of the Al-mighty.
While it is not about one of the "Gadolei Hador," I feel as though it should be shared because, as we know, every person, every Jew, has the ability, the potential and the G-d given blessings to be a "Gadol" in their own way.
This story was originally shared as the opening story in Rabbi Paysach Krohn שליט"א's book, "The Glittering World of Chesed". May any joy or encouragement you get out of this story be a Zechus for continued Refuah.
Letter Perfect - Monthly Gedolim Story
Reb Shuly Lieber has been davening at the Bnai Shalom shul in Waterbury, Connecticut, for several years. He is very involved in all aspects of the shul, even being on the Board of Directors for a time and feels a special responsibility for the welfare and upkeep of the shul, whose membership is growing constantly as more young families move into the community.
At some point, Shuly noticed that in the soul's Aron Kodesh, two of the Sifrei Torah had gartlach tied outside the mantlach covering them, indicating that those Scrolls were not kosher for the Torah reading.
Shuly felt that it was not fitting or honorable for the Sifrei Torah to be placed off onto the side and never used. If, in some way, the defects could be repaired and the cost would not be prohibitive, perhaps he would have it done, even at his own expense. He spoke to the Rav, Rabbi Yosef Sonnenschein, who suggested that he take the Sifrei Torah to a safer and see what the cost would be.
Shuly asked Reb Mordechai Shtern to take the scrolls to a safer in Brooklyn. The safer scanned the scrolls on his computer and realised that they would need extensive work. He told Shuly that the repairs for both Sifrei Torah would cost approximately $7,000. Shuly and his wife Bracha discussed the matter with his parents, Rabbi Yossi & Idii Lieber of Brooklyn, who said they would love to participate in this mitzvah and would share in the expense.
The safer got to work and the arduous task began. It took a few months to complete the work on both Sifrei Torah, and finally, Shuly was told that they would be ready for Rosh Hashana 5779 (September 2018). As the scrolls would be brought into shul immediately before Rosh Hashana, the Liebers felt that they would need white mantlach for each of the Torahs just as the other Sifrei Torah are "dressed" for the Yamim Noraim.
Shuly called an experienced Judaica embroidery firm and ordered coverings for the Sifrei Torah, one with lettering that would honor his parents, with the second one with lettering honoring him and his wife
The embroidery company promised Shuly that the mantlach would be ready on time. Rosh Hashana, in September 2018, fell out on a Sunday night, and the covers were delivered the Thursday night before, on time, as promised. Shuly told Rabbi Sonnenschein that he would bring the mantlach to shul on Sunday afternoon to adorn the Sifrei Torah with them.
Now, at this point in time, Shuly had been giving Daf Yomi shiurim for six years. On that Shabbos in September 2018 m, he aas preparing his shiur for Sunday, Erev Rosh Hashana.
As he reviewed the daf, which was Menochos 30a, or Lamed Amud Alef, he came to a teaching that made him lose his breath. He read it and read it again, as tears came to his eyes. He called over his wife and read her the Gemma:
If one corrected even one letter [in a Sefer Torah that he bought] It is considered as I'd he wrote the whole [scroll]
The Liebers in Warerbury and Brooklyn had done the great Chesed of having two Sifrei Torah repaired so that the community could now use them. However, they also performed a Chesed to the Sifrei Torah by making sure both of them stood honorably in the Aron Kodesh among the other Kosher Sifrei Torah.
Shuly felt as though Hashem had orchestrated that he teach just that daf on the very day that he was putting the new stunning white covers on the Sifrei Torah. It was as if Hashem was acknowledging the Chesed that both the Lieber families had done
At some point, Shuly noticed that in the soul's Aron Kodesh, two of the Sifrei Torah had gartlach tied outside the mantlach covering them, indicating that those Scrolls were not kosher for the Torah reading.
Shuly felt that it was not fitting or honorable for the Sifrei Torah to be placed off onto the side and never used. If, in some way, the defects could be repaired and the cost would not be prohibitive, perhaps he would have it done, even at his own expense. He spoke to the Rav, Rabbi Yosef Sonnenschein, who suggested that he take the Sifrei Torah to a safer and see what the cost would be.
Shuly asked Reb Mordechai Shtern to take the scrolls to a safer in Brooklyn. The safer scanned the scrolls on his computer and realised that they would need extensive work. He told Shuly that the repairs for both Sifrei Torah would cost approximately $7,000. Shuly and his wife Bracha discussed the matter with his parents, Rabbi Yossi & Idii Lieber of Brooklyn, who said they would love to participate in this mitzvah and would share in the expense.
The safer got to work and the arduous task began. It took a few months to complete the work on both Sifrei Torah, and finally, Shuly was told that they would be ready for Rosh Hashana 5779 (September 2018). As the scrolls would be brought into shul immediately before Rosh Hashana, the Liebers felt that they would need white mantlach for each of the Torahs just as the other Sifrei Torah are "dressed" for the Yamim Noraim.
Shuly called an experienced Judaica embroidery firm and ordered coverings for the Sifrei Torah, one with lettering that would honor his parents, with the second one with lettering honoring him and his wife
The embroidery company promised Shuly that the mantlach would be ready on time. Rosh Hashana, in September 2018, fell out on a Sunday night, and the covers were delivered the Thursday night before, on time, as promised. Shuly told Rabbi Sonnenschein that he would bring the mantlach to shul on Sunday afternoon to adorn the Sifrei Torah with them.
Now, at this point in time, Shuly had been giving Daf Yomi shiurim for six years. On that Shabbos in September 2018 m, he aas preparing his shiur for Sunday, Erev Rosh Hashana.
As he reviewed the daf, which was Menochos 30a, or Lamed Amud Alef, he came to a teaching that made him lose his breath. He read it and read it again, as tears came to his eyes. He called over his wife and read her the Gemma:
If one corrected even one letter [in a Sefer Torah that he bought] It is considered as I'd he wrote the whole [scroll]
The Liebers in Warerbury and Brooklyn had done the great Chesed of having two Sifrei Torah repaired so that the community could now use them. However, they also performed a Chesed to the Sifrei Torah by making sure both of them stood honorably in the Aron Kodesh among the other Kosher Sifrei Torah.
Shuly felt as though Hashem had orchestrated that he teach just that daf on the very day that he was putting the new stunning white covers on the Sifrei Torah. It was as if Hashem was acknowledging the Chesed that both the Lieber families had done
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