The Tale of the Teller
Stories of hashgachah pratit obligate us to recognize the Master of the world, Who manages it every moment of every day.
The Rosh Yeshiva of Slobodka Yeshiva related this amazing account of Divine intervention. The story strengthened my faith in Hashem and His intervention in all areas of life.
There was a talmid chacham in Bnei Brak who spent all his days in Torah study. His wife managed the house, as well as the finances of the family. One day, she had to deposit a check in the bank, but was unable to get there. With no choice, she asked her husband to do the errand. The devoted husband did as his wife asked. As he stood across from the teller, the teller studied his face. He asked his name, and if he originally came from England, which he did. The talmid chacham was surprised at the questions, and how the teller knew where he had come from. His surprise increased when the teller asked if he had learned as a youth in such-and-such yeshiva. After he replied in the affirmative to this question, as well, the teller asked if he recognized him.
To this question, he answered in the negative. The teller then began relating his personal odyssey:
“Every Yom Kippur, as I ask Hashem for forgiveness, I state that I forgive all who ever sinned against me. All, that is, except for you!
“About thirty years ago, when I was a lad, my parents sent me off to learn in far away England, to the same yeshiva where you were learning. Entering the dining room on that first day in yeshiva, I was filled with anxiety and apprehension. Would anyone pay attention to me? Would I have any friends?
“I looked around for an empty seat, and found one near you. You could have invited me to join you; you could have made me feel welcome. Instead, you called out that the table was taken and I should look for somewhere else to sit. I found no other place to sit and did not find my place in that yeshiva. One hour after arriving, I left the yeshiva, as well as the life of a ben Torah.
“Today, I am nothing more than an ordinary bank teller. You, on the other hand, merited ascending the heights of Torah and have become a true scholar. This is the reason I have not forgiven you these past thirty years.” The teller told his tale and fell silent.
The talmid chacham burst out sobbing upon hearing his story. He begged the man’s forgiveness for the terrible act of his youth. Together, they bewailed the sorrow of the past, and eventually, the teller granted him forgiveness.
The talmid chacham told his story to his Rosh Yeshiva, who comforted him by saying that it was the merit of his Torah study which allowed him to cease his learning in order to go to the bank, something he never usually does. It was in order that he meet this man and merit gaining his complete forgiveness.
The story does not end here.
The man returned home and related the incident to his wife. She did not remember ever seeing this teller before and had difficulty believing the story. She made her way to the bank herself in order to confirm it.
You can imagine her shock when the bank manager told her, “This particular teller does not usually work here. He works in the Tel Aviv branch. But we were short one worker on the day your husband came, so he was sent to fill the slot.”
Specifically on the day that the talmid chacham went to the bank, in which he had not set foot in thirty years, Hashem sent this particular teller to fill the void of workers. This was clearly an act of hashgachah pratit, in order for the talmid chacham to receive forgiveness.
