Walking with Wonder
My dear brother, Rabbi Avraham Pinto, shlita, survived a fatal car crash in 1976, in which three people were killed. He himself was in critical condition. The entire family was extremely worried about him, and numerous prayers were offered in Eretz Yisrael and throughout the world. B’chasdei Shamayim, my brother’s condition improved, and his life was no longer in danger. Eventually, he recovered, but remained paralyzed in his legs and needed braces to walk.
One day, he decided to visit the grave of our holy grandfather, Rabbi Chaim Pinto, in Morocco, and ask him to intervene on High for his complete recovery. He needed someone to accompany him throughout. Therefore, my mother, a friend, and I accompanied Avraham on his trip from Eretz Yisrael to Morocco.
After arriving in France, we traveled to Malaga, Spain, from where we intended to cross the border to Morocco. As we approached the border, our hearts filled with dread. My brother, Avraham, had only an Israeli passport. In those days, relations between Morocco and Israel were hostile. We were afraid that not only would he be denied entry into Morocco, but he would be thrown into prison on charges of spying for Israel. We made an effort to reinforce our faith in Hashem. I turned to everyone and proclaimed, “We will insist on entering Morocco, and Hashem will come to our aid.”
We continued our drive into Morocco, with myself at the wheel. Our turn finally came at the border check. The clerk asked, “How many are you? Three?” We were four, but we kept our peace. With an innocent expression, I presented the three French passports. I waited for the clerk to ask for the fourth, which was the problematic Israeli one, but he never did.
With siyata di’Shemaya, we safely crossed the border into Morocco. When we reached Essaouira, my brother went to the grave of the tzaddik, Rabbi Chaim Pinto, zy”a. With cries that surely rent the Heavens, he pleaded with the tzaddik to ask Hashem for a miraculous recovery. Every day of our stay there, my brother visited the grave and asked Hashem for deliverance.
My brother remained in Morocco for two years. One day, he felt extremely elevated in his emunah. He turned to his Arab caretaker and told him that in the merit of his grandfather, he no longer felt a need for the braces. As he spoke, he lifted them in the air and threw them across the room, nearly breaking them in the process.
The caretaker was shocked at this act. But, true to his feeling, my brother’s legs began moving on their own, and he began walking without any help.
After his return to Eretz Yisrael, my brother underwent testing. An x-ray showed that the metal pieces, which the doctors had affixed to his legs after the accident, had broken in two. His legs were completely healed and he stood on them, proud in his faith in the tzaddik.
But the miracle was not complete. One leg remained shorter than the other. This bothered him, and he asked my father why he had not merited a complete miracle.
“The miracle which you experienced was tremendous,” Father placated him. “You were not granted a perfect miracle in order that you remember the wonderful gift you were granted with the restoration of your legs and never become haughty.”
- Maran HaGaon Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman, shlita, at the entrance to Yeshivat Orot Chaim VeMoshe, Ashdod
