Greetings - Monthly Gedolim Stories

The following story that I am sharing with you for the "Monthly Gedolim Stories" segment in Av is one which I first read in Chaviva Krohn Pfeiffer's book, "Maggid Stories for Children" before re-reading it years later in the book, "Reflections of the Maggid", by her father, Rabbi Paysach Krohn, שליט"א. It is a story about kindness, care, and is one filled with a beautiful lesson about Bein Adam Lechavero (Between Man and His Friend).

The impact from this story has stayed with me ever since I first read it all those years back and actually it was during the writing of last months' story that I found this one and put it aside for the next month.

I am sharing to go live just after Tisha B'av in time for Shabbos Nachamu. I hope that you are reading this in good spirits and that you all had a relaxed and meaningful fast.

Have a comforting and beautiful Shabbos and I hope you enjoy the story

Your friend,

Yitzy Schweitzer

Greetings - Monthly Gedolim Stories

In Argentina, there was a Schechita (ritual slaughter) complex comprised of several buildings. There was a building where the animals were fed, a building where they were slaughtered and where the meat packaged and landed on to the trucks and an office building with dressing room for the shochtim. The entire area was surrounded by a tall chain link fence, and everyone entered through a wrought iron gate in the front, near the parking lot.

The owner, who we will call Izzy, was a workaholic. He was the first one in every morning and the last one to leave at night. He oversaw every detail of his company and made it a point to know every single worker. The guard at the front gate Domingo knew that when Izzy left in the evening, he could lock up and go home.

One evening, as Izzy was leaving, he called out, "Good night, Domingo, you can lock up and go home now. Everyone has left."

"No," was the response "Rabbi, not everyone has left yet."

Izzy was surprised. "What are you talking about? Everyone left two hours ago!"

"No, sir. It is not so," Domingo replied. "Rabbi Berkowitz has not left yet."

"But he goes home every day with the other shochtim. Maybe he left, and you did not see him go." Izzy asked.

But Domingo was not budging, "Believe me, Rabbi Berkowitz has not left yet. I am positive. We better go look for him."

Izzy knew Domingo to be reliable and contentious. He decided not to argue but instead got out of his car and rushed back into the office building with Domingo. They searched the dressing rooms, thinking perhaps he had fainted. He wasn't there.

They ran to where the animals were slaughtered, but they did not find him there either. They searched the truck dock, the packing house, going room to room, unsuccessfully. Finally, they came to the huge walk-in refrigeration room, where the large slabs of meat were kept frozen.

They opened the door, and to their shock and horror, they saw Rabbi Berkowitz rolling on the floor, trying desperately to keep himself warm. They ran over to him, picked him up off of the floor, and helped him out of the refrigerated room, past the thick, heavy wooden door that had locked behind him. They wrapped blankets around him and made sure he was warm and comfortable.

Izzy was speechless. He could not believe what just happened. How did Domingo know Rabbi Berkowitz had not left. He asked him, "Domingo, how did you know? How did you know Rabbi Berkowitz was still here and hadn't left? There are over two hundred workers in this building here every single day. Don't tell me you know the comings and goings of every one of them?"

Domingo's response was breathtaking.

"Every morning, when that Rabbi comes in, he greets me and says hello. He makes me feel like a person. Every single night when he leaves, he wishes me a pleasant evening. He never misses a night - and to tell you the truth, I wait for his kind words. Dozens and dozens of workers pass by me every day - morning and night - and they don't say anything to me, not a word. To them I am a nobody, to him I am a somebody."

Domingo paused and then finished off by saying, "I knew he came in this morning, and I was sure he hadn't left yet because I was still waiting for his friendly goodbye for tonight!"