Diamond Dispensing - Monthly Gedolim Stories
As we close out on another wonderful Purim, our hearts are filled with joy, our minds and hearts inspired and full of hope, as we seek and pray for redemption, just our ancestors prayed for all those years ago.
We know that every word of prayer and Torah learning, every prayer, gives merit, not just to us as individuals, but to our entire nation and the world, as well. It also, of course, provides merit to the souls of our loved ones. When we perform a mitzvah in their merit, their soul rises higher in heaven and is elevated to the greatest levels.This inspiring story about a young man, a Rabbi, and the guidance of a Gadol Hador does well for us to tap into the beauty and importance of Mitzvos, especially when performed for the merit of a loved one.
The story appeared in Rabbi Paysach Krohn's book, "The Glittering World of Chesed." It was first told by Rabbi Yonasan Hirtz, at a Shevach High School Shabaton in 2016.
I hope you enjoy it.
Wishing you a great week,
Your friend,
Yitzy Schweitzer
He stipulated that if Nir would say Kadish for him three times a day every day for the next eleven months, he would inherit $2 million, and Amit would inherit $1 million. However, if Nir missed even one Kadish, even one, then he and Amit would share the inheritance equally, with each one getting $1.5 million.
Now, although Nir had no interest in being in shul, he did not miss one Kadish. He would come to shul, either in the moshav or somewhere else early every morning, but without talis or tefilin. Once in shul, he would not even open up his siddur, but he would wait until someone gave him a signal, and then he would recite Kadish.
In the evening, he would come to Minchah, say Kadish at the appropriate time, and then brazenly leave the shul while the young Rabbi was giving a shiur between Minchah and Maariv. He would then wait outside, talk on his phone or text, and return when he was called in for Maariv, at which point he sat silently until it was time to say Kadish.
His demeaning attitude towards anything religious led his sister to believe that would surely stop saying Kadish during the eleven months, or at least he would inadvertently miss one or two and then she could get the half-million dollars she felt should have been hers. She even hired detectives to keep a watch on him, but incredibly, he did not miss even one Kadish!
Exasperated, Amit found out where the young Rabbi lived and went to see him. "You know as well as I do," she said to him, "that my brother is saying the Kadish only for the money. He has no interest even in you. He shames you by walking out of your shiur every night. Why do you go out to call him in for Maariv? Don't go out for him, let him miss a Kadish, and I will get another half-million ballots, and I will give the shul $100,000. Let some of my father's money go to a good place. It will not happen if my brother gets all that money."
The Rabbi thought it through. Of course, Amit was right. Nir would not spend any of the money on holy things. The Rabbi would certainly not directly stop Nir from saying Kadish. Rather, he would refrain from calling him in after the shiur for Maariv, and the results would happen by themselves. He wondered if he was allowed to go ahead with the plan. After all the shul did need the money.
He went to Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman and posed the question to him. After listening carefully, Rav Shteinman answered with a perspective that the Rabbi hadn't even thought about. "This is not about Nir, nor is this about you. The relevant person here is the father in the Olam HaEmes. He soul yearns that Kadish be said for him at every Tefilah every day. How could anyone be part of a plan that would deny him that spiritual benefit and pleasure?"
The Rabbi protested meekly and said, "But Nir directly embarrasses the Torah by walking out of the shiur. Am I obligated to go out and bring him in for Maariv? I could stay indoors, he would miss a Kadish and tge shul would gain financially from it."
Rav Shteinman gazed at the young Rabbi and asked softly, "And you call yourself a Torah teacher?" He then blessed him that he should be successful in what he was doing, and the conversation ended. That night, the Rabbi called Amit and told her that in no way could he stop what he was doing. Her father had wanted Nir to say Kadish for him, and the Rabbi would continue to call him into shul after the shiur, for him to fulfill his father's wish.
Nir kept coming to shul night after night, month after month. One evening, he went over to the Rabbi and asked, "Isn't it humiliating for you when I walk out as you start your shiur night after night? I stand outside and don't even give you a moment of my attention."
The Rabbi smiled and said, "You have it all wrong. It's not my loss. It is yours! You see, every single night, I dispense diamonds, and you are not there to receive them."
Nir was taken aback. "Diamonds? What diamonds?"
Stay tomorrow night, and you'll see," responded the Rabbi.
Nir started staying in Shul during the shiur every night, and slowly, he began changing. The diamonds the Rabbi dispensed were the pearls and sparks of Torah and its commentaries. Eventually, Nir became a shomer shabbos. His late father was now receiving double nachas: not only did his son not miss a single Kadish, but he also became observant.
Diamond Dispensing - Monthly Gedolim Stories
A wealthy religious man left a will with very specific instructions about what to do with his money. He had amassed close to $3 million and had left the following instructions to his two non-religious children, his son Nir and daughter Amit.He stipulated that if Nir would say Kadish for him three times a day every day for the next eleven months, he would inherit $2 million, and Amit would inherit $1 million. However, if Nir missed even one Kadish, even one, then he and Amit would share the inheritance equally, with each one getting $1.5 million.
Now, although Nir had no interest in being in shul, he did not miss one Kadish. He would come to shul, either in the moshav or somewhere else early every morning, but without talis or tefilin. Once in shul, he would not even open up his siddur, but he would wait until someone gave him a signal, and then he would recite Kadish.
In the evening, he would come to Minchah, say Kadish at the appropriate time, and then brazenly leave the shul while the young Rabbi was giving a shiur between Minchah and Maariv. He would then wait outside, talk on his phone or text, and return when he was called in for Maariv, at which point he sat silently until it was time to say Kadish.
His demeaning attitude towards anything religious led his sister to believe that would surely stop saying Kadish during the eleven months, or at least he would inadvertently miss one or two and then she could get the half-million dollars she felt should have been hers. She even hired detectives to keep a watch on him, but incredibly, he did not miss even one Kadish!
Exasperated, Amit found out where the young Rabbi lived and went to see him. "You know as well as I do," she said to him, "that my brother is saying the Kadish only for the money. He has no interest even in you. He shames you by walking out of your shiur every night. Why do you go out to call him in for Maariv? Don't go out for him, let him miss a Kadish, and I will get another half-million ballots, and I will give the shul $100,000. Let some of my father's money go to a good place. It will not happen if my brother gets all that money."
The Rabbi thought it through. Of course, Amit was right. Nir would not spend any of the money on holy things. The Rabbi would certainly not directly stop Nir from saying Kadish. Rather, he would refrain from calling him in after the shiur for Maariv, and the results would happen by themselves. He wondered if he was allowed to go ahead with the plan. After all the shul did need the money.
He went to Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman and posed the question to him. After listening carefully, Rav Shteinman answered with a perspective that the Rabbi hadn't even thought about. "This is not about Nir, nor is this about you. The relevant person here is the father in the Olam HaEmes. He soul yearns that Kadish be said for him at every Tefilah every day. How could anyone be part of a plan that would deny him that spiritual benefit and pleasure?"
The Rabbi protested meekly and said, "But Nir directly embarrasses the Torah by walking out of the shiur. Am I obligated to go out and bring him in for Maariv? I could stay indoors, he would miss a Kadish and tge shul would gain financially from it."
Rav Shteinman gazed at the young Rabbi and asked softly, "And you call yourself a Torah teacher?" He then blessed him that he should be successful in what he was doing, and the conversation ended. That night, the Rabbi called Amit and told her that in no way could he stop what he was doing. Her father had wanted Nir to say Kadish for him, and the Rabbi would continue to call him into shul after the shiur, for him to fulfill his father's wish.
Nir kept coming to shul night after night, month after month. One evening, he went over to the Rabbi and asked, "Isn't it humiliating for you when I walk out as you start your shiur night after night? I stand outside and don't even give you a moment of my attention."
The Rabbi smiled and said, "You have it all wrong. It's not my loss. It is yours! You see, every single night, I dispense diamonds, and you are not there to receive them."
Nir was taken aback. "Diamonds? What diamonds?"
Stay tomorrow night, and you'll see," responded the Rabbi.
Nir started staying in Shul during the shiur every night, and slowly, he began changing. The diamonds the Rabbi dispensed were the pearls and sparks of Torah and its commentaries. Eventually, Nir became a shomer shabbos. His late father was now receiving double nachas: not only did his son not miss a single Kadish, but he also became observant.
Rabbi Hirtz concluded the story by saying, "Why did all this happen? Because Rav Shteinman understood that nosei be'ol im chaveroh applied even to someone who was in the Olam HaEmes, the Eternal world."
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